|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ataahua
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Jan 3 2017, 2:11am
Post #1 of 21
(1031 views)
Shortcut
|
|
The weekly What Are You Watching thread
|
Can't Post
|
|
It's been a few weeks since we've had one of these! What movies or TV shows have you seen over Christmas and New Year?
Sicario - 3.5/5
This came out aaages ago but I saw it only last weekend. I like how it told its story - we know only as much as the lead character, and she's kept in the dark most of the time - and it's an uncompromising story of the fight against drugs entering USA. Great acting, superb pacing, but good lord it's a grim film.
Passengers - 4/5
I've seen negative comments online about this being a stalker film, but it really isn't. Chris Pratt's character struggles against the psychological torture of loneliness and hopelessness until he faces a choice: death, or condemning another person to the same fate in an effort to save himself. The pressures he is under are heart-breaking, and Pratt plays it with gorgeous vulnerability - he really can act (and Jennifer Lawrence has some cracking moments too).
It's not a SF film though. Yeah it's set in space but that's almost incidental - this is a drama about the ultimate fragility of the human character and what a good man will do when he breaks, and it's also a love story. The space setting is a bonus.
***Also, who would like to take over this weekly discussion?***
It doesn't take much effort: just post a new thread every week and encourage board members to join in. Who'd like to raise their hand to help out?
Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..."
Dwarves: "Pretty rings..."
Men: "Pretty rings..."
Sauron: "Mine's better."
"Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded beggar with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak.
Ataahua's stories
|
|
|
Dwarewien
Rohan
Jan 3 2017, 2:57am
Post #2 of 21
(927 views)
Shortcut
|
though I'm not online much (due to being into other fandoms and such) but I think I can handle it...
That being said, the only thing I've been watching lately is Star Wars movies...
Rogue One (again) - I've seen it three times so far (all in 3D), which is how many times I saw TFA in theaters. I thought that seeing Leia at the end (even if she was mostly CGI, which I've never had a problem with, or 3D for that matter) would upset me due to what happened to Carrie Fisher, but it didn't. It will be nice to see her in at least one more Star Wars movie. Gotta love that wisecracking droid, K-2SO and Vader at the end... OMG!!! 
The Phantom Menace - Since I got about $150.00 worth of Walmart gift cards for Christmas, I went out and bought the entire Saga on Blu-ray and it was nice to see TPM again after all these years. True, Jar Jar Binks can be a little annoying, but not enough to ruin my enjoyment of it. After all, this was the movie that got me into Star Wars in the first place, since I was too young when the original got released to theaters back in '77 (being only 4 or 5 at the time).
"The Lord of the Rings is one of those things. If you like it, you do. If you don't, then you boo." - J.R.R. Tolkien
|
|
|
Starling
Half-elven
Jan 3 2017, 3:48am
Post #3 of 21
(911 views)
Shortcut
|
Happy to fill in if there are times you are unable to do it. 
|
|
|
Starling
Half-elven
Jan 3 2017, 3:58am
Post #4 of 21
(913 views)
Shortcut
|
I have been watching the spinoff TV series (up to the second of three).
For people who haven't seen it, the original This is England (2006) is a stunning film written and directed by Shane Meadows, set during the Falklands war. The film follows a lonely boy who hooks up with a bunch of skinheads.
The film has long been a favourite of mine, but it was a few years before I discovered the TV series that follow: This is England '86, '88, and '90. I haven't seen '90 yet, but have been doing a re-watch of the rest with a friend.
I can't recommend the film and TV series highly enough. There is a terrific ensemble cast, and some absolutely standout performances from the lead roles. It is natural, gritty, funny, and heartbreaking. And if you spent your formative years in the 80's, this one's for you!
You need a strong stomach to watch it at times, but it is totally worth it.
Can't wait to watch This is England '90, which is the only series I haven't yet seen.
|
|
|
Ataahua
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Jan 3 2017, 4:17am
Post #5 of 21
(897 views)
Shortcut
|
Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..."
Dwarves: "Pretty rings..."
Men: "Pretty rings..."
Sauron: "Mine's better."
"Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded beggar with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak.
Ataahua's stories
|
|
|
Ataahua
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Jan 3 2017, 4:18am
Post #6 of 21
(902 views)
Shortcut
|
|
How are you watching these, Starling?
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
Are they online or on DVD?
Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..."
Dwarves: "Pretty rings..."
Men: "Pretty rings..."
Sauron: "Mine's better."
"Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded beggar with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak.
Ataahua's stories
|
|
|
Starling
Half-elven
Jan 3 2017, 4:21am
Post #7 of 21
(900 views)
Shortcut
|
When I first found the TV spinoffs (by chance when looking up something about the film), I then watched *cough* slightly dodgy YouTube uploads.
Currently watching them on DVD as my friend bought the box set from Ebay.
|
|
|
Kilidoescartwheels
Valinor
Jan 3 2017, 4:36am
Post #8 of 21
(906 views)
Shortcut
|
I watched a bootleg version of "Hamilton" made when Lin Manuel Miranda was still in it (Squeee!!!) Yeah I know that's bad, but I live in Oklahoma and that musical won't get here for 10 years. Honestly, I just saw "Wicked" a couple of years ago. Anyway, not the greatest quality, but not bad considering someone snuck a camera into the theater. Definitely the best thing I've seen in a while, and I totally LOVE the music!
I watched "Bad Moms" on Netflix, it had some good points but overall I think it was over-rated. And "Sherlock" last night, which has it's own thread - oh, this is gonna be a ROUGH season!
I'd say I've entered my second childhood, but I never left the first!
|
|
|
Ataahua
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Jan 3 2017, 7:14am
Post #9 of 21
(884 views)
Shortcut
|
|
I'm still waiting for the latest Sherlock to screen down here.
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
The episode we had last night was a repeat of The Abominable Bride, so the new one can't be far away! I just have to avoid spoilers until then.
Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..."
Dwarves: "Pretty rings..."
Men: "Pretty rings..."
Sauron: "Mine's better."
"Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded beggar with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak.
Ataahua's stories
|
|
|
Elarie
Grey Havens
Jan 3 2017, 2:50pm
Post #10 of 21
(864 views)
Shortcut
|
Saw the new Sherlock but don't want to give away any spoilers so will just say it's intense.
Rogue One for the second time and liked it better this time because it was easier to follow all the names and places and new characters the second time around and I picked up on so many more details.
Also have been revisiting my Absolutely Fabulous DVD's and bought the movie. These characters just never get old for me, still laughing after all these years.
__________________
Gold is the strife of kinsmen,
and fire of the flood-tide,
and the path of the serpent.
|
|
|
Eledhwen
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Jan 3 2017, 4:36pm
Post #11 of 21
(846 views)
Shortcut
|
On the plane on the way to the US for Christmas I watched Deadpool and the Edge of Tomorrow. The former was a bit ridiculous, incredibly foul-mouthed and very funny (and gory too); the latter surprisingly enjoyable, I wasn't expecting much but found it clever and well-acted and thought-provoking. (It's a sort of sci-fi, time-travel action movie starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt).
Since then I've been catching up on Christmas TV, notably Doctor Who and Sherlock. I thought this year's Doctor Who Christmas special was excellent, one of the best for some years - I've also been rewatching all the previous Christmas specials and it's interesting how different they are. Some are just seasonal romps and others drive the story on. This year's was definitely in the former camp but it worked, it was funny and clever and the supporting cast were great.
Sherlock confused me, mainly because I fell asleep in the middle and missed a chunk.  It wasn't one of the best episodes though.
I also watched the BBC's adaptation of Agatha Christie's 'Witness for the Prosecution' which was very good indeed, although I think I liked last year's And Then There Were None more. But then that featured Topless Adrian Turner, so ...
|
|
|
OldestDaughter
Rohan
Jan 3 2017, 5:13pm
Post #12 of 21
(841 views)
Shortcut
|
|
Finishing up the Christmas movies watch.
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
Still watching those Hallmark films, and classics like Christmas Vacation, The Christmas Carol with Allaistar Sim, Elf.
Non-Christmas movies, Fantastic Beasts last Tuesday(I really loved it!) Batman Begins,Tomorrowland and Master and Commander, all last week as well.
"Keen, heart-piercing was her song as the song of the lark that rises from the gates of night and pours its voice among the dying stars, seeing the sun behind the walls of the world; and the song of Lúthien released the bonds of winter, and the frozen waters spoke, and flowers sprang from the cold earth where her feet had passed."
|
|
|
CuriousG
Half-elven
Jan 3 2017, 10:03pm
Post #13 of 21
(822 views)
Shortcut
|
I binge-watched the 12 episodes over a few days. It's officially sci-fi since people from the future come back to the present to alter history and stop a disaster from hitting Earth, but the science is down-played, and it's more of a suspense show about the agents doing their missions, in addition to a lot of character development. No one was more surprised than me that I liked it and watched all of season 1, since I don't normally like time travel shows, but the characters grabbed me somehow.
It's *not* a show that stands up to logical analysis at all, so don't even try that with it. (For example, it's totally silly to put a special agent into the body of a teenager or single mom, and somehow expect them to maintain "normal" lives while off doing secret missions.) Just enjoy it for the story developments and what the characters go through.
|
|
|
Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal
Jan 5 2017, 4:05am
Post #14 of 21
(775 views)
Shortcut
|
|
"The Nutcracker in 3D": Horrible.
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
Also called "The Nutcracker: the untold story". I was hoping it was going to be close to the Hoffmann story. But it was this hideous dystopian thing with very scary Nazi rats burning living toys in ovens. The effects were well done, but ack! I was so sorry I had seen it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GNU Terry Pratchett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories
leleni at hotmail dot com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
|
Ataahua
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Jan 5 2017, 4:22am
Post #15 of 21
(769 views)
Shortcut
|
But it was this hideous dystopian thing with very scary Nazi rats burning living toys in ovens.
Oddly enough, I haven't seen that version performed by the local ballet company.
Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..."
Dwarves: "Pretty rings..."
Men: "Pretty rings..."
Sauron: "Mine's better."
"Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded beggar with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak.
Ataahua's stories
|
|
|
Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal
Jan 5 2017, 3:45pm
Post #16 of 21
(750 views)
Shortcut
|
it's a movie with a few songs thrown in, lyrics by Tim Rice, music sort of by Tchiakowsky. The scene with the Christmas tree was really lovely, but it went downhill fast after that.
One odd thing was that instead of Drossmeyer, we got the girl's uncle, who was supposed to be Albert Einstein. A Jewish uncle giving Christmas presents, as part of the Nazi theme, I guess.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GNU Terry Pratchett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories
leleni at hotmail dot com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
|
Ataahua
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Jan 5 2017, 7:25pm
Post #17 of 21
(739 views)
Shortcut
|
I failed at cracking a funny.
Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..."
Dwarves: "Pretty rings..."
Men: "Pretty rings..."
Sauron: "Mine's better."
"Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded beggar with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak.
Ataahua's stories
|
|
|
Dwarewien
Rohan
Jan 6 2017, 11:18pm
Post #18 of 21
(718 views)
Shortcut
|
I didn't want to see this because of Lee Pace, but for Chris Pratt (Owen Grady in Jurassic World). I first got interested in it after seeing the trailer for the sequel at Rogue One (going for the fourth time on Sunday afternoon, which will surpass my theatrical viewings for TFA, which I only saw in theaters three times). Baby Groot and the bomb nearly cracked me up! And I'd have to be careful that the alien that can sense your emotions didn't touch me in any way, since I like to keep my feelings for others secret. Just bought the soundtrack for GotG yesterday, and most of the songs are ones I'm familiar with (and I have no problem with the Pina Colada song, entitled "Escape", since I always put that track on repeat a few times). It was kind of sad that Groot lost his life, but at least I'll know why he's a baby in the sequel (I'll probably have to jump back and forth between the sequel and the new PotC movie, since they both get released in May).
And speaking of Jurassic World, check out one of my reblogs on tumblr:
https://harvester-queen.tumblr.com/...-would-involve#notes
If he told me that, I'd probably nearly die laughing too (I changed my username a while back)! 
Regarding the "What are you watching" threads, I'll probably be posting them on Monday nights (if there's a movie out I like, I usually go on Sunday afternoons, so this way I'll be able to post some of my thoughts on it, and any other movies I've seen since then, but I'll try to limit the spoilers, for those that haven't seen it yet), so Starling, if I don't post a thread by Tuesday afternoon, feel free to start one yourself.
"The Lord of the Rings is one of those things. If you like it, you do. If you don't, then you boo." - J.R.R. Tolkien
"I am one with the Force, the Force is with me." - Chirrut Imwe, Rogue One
(This post was edited by Queen of Erebor on Jan 6 2017, 11:23pm)
|
|
|
Yngwulff
Gondor
Jan 8 2017, 11:25pm
Post #19 of 21
(688 views)
Shortcut
|
Criminal and Self/Less - both very good. About thought transfer from one person to another.
“I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.”
|
|
|
Annael
Immortal
Jan 9 2017, 4:28am
Post #20 of 21
(680 views)
Shortcut
|
in both cases, it took a while for the movie to build to the point where I started thinking "oh wow, this is really good" . . . which I did!
Teared up at the last scene of Rogue One. And wanted to immediately watch "Star Wars" . . . er, I mean "A New Hope."
I am a dreamer of words, of written words. I think I am reading; a word stops me. I leave the page. The syllables of the words begin to move around … The words take on other meanings as if they had the right to be young.
-- Gaston Bachelard
* * * * * * * * * *
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
|
|
|
Old Toby
Grey Havens
Jan 16 2017, 7:10am
Post #21 of 21
(605 views)
Shortcut
|
|
Fences, Hidden Figures, No Man's Land
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
Three thumbs up to both of these films! I thought Fences a tremendous stage-to-screen adaptation (well, considering Denzel Washington directed it as well as starring in it with Viola Davis. Need I say more?) I think it's the best film of the year.
And Hidden Figures is SUCH a terrific film, based on the real life story of how these three African-American genius women overcame the prejudiced 60's mind-set and were instrumental in getting John Glenn into space. I love how they show the real people at the end of the film. And so timely, this one!
No Man's Land, a National Theatre Live production, was fantastic. Ian McKellen was simply phenomenal, and when paired with Patrick Stewart, well, how could this play be anything but excellent in every respect. It was a treat to watch.
"Age is always advancing and I'm fairly sure it's up to no good." Harry Dresden (Jim Butcher)
|
|
|
|
|
