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It's almost August: what have you been watching?

CuriousG
Half-elven


Jul 28 2020, 5:01pm

Post #1 of 20 (587 views)
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It's almost August: what have you been watching? Can't Post

With a lot of time at home, I am certainly watching lots of TV and movies. I wish I had some gems to pass along, but it's been pretty average.

Old Guard on Netflix: this was supposed to be a theatrical movie, but with so many theaters closed, Netflix bought it. The production seems a little cheap in places, so I'm glad I didn't pay any money to watch it on a big screen. The Old Guard are accidental immortals who even if killed in battle can come back to life. They're mostly good guys trying to fight for good causes, but that sounds too sweet, so Charlize Theron in particular is gruff, brooding, and drinks a lot of booze. (Think Witcher and a thousand other tedious heroes like that.) I fast-forwarded through most of the action parts since I found them pretty dull. For context, lately I've been re-watching the Avengers movies, or just the parts with action, because I find it so inventive and originally choreographed. But this movie has the standard fare of fist fights and gun fights. I found the characters neither especially likable or unlikable. So with all these tepid comments, I will say I watched it to the end out of curiosity to see what would happen. It's another average movie adapted from graphic novels.

Kim's Convenience: a Canadian comedy set in Toronto that shows some promise, but I'm only a couple episodes in. I didn't find the jokes predictable, so I had to pay attention.

Bringing me to Warrior Nun: (did someone just groan? oh, sorry, that was me). I thought this might be at least campy fun, but it was slow, predictable, and cliche in its characters and dialogue. Granted, there aren't many all-female action shows out there, but they took all the contrived personal conflicts from male shows and copied & pasted them in, so it doesn't really matter. I think most irritating to me were the repeated gaps in logic, such as telling newfound boyfriend at the airport "just wait for me, I'll be back," when she's going to be gone for hours (Advice for Young Romantics: don't abandon your lover at the airport as you're about to flee the country). Or a commando raid where the leader needs the rest of the team but inexplicably dismisses them all so she can forge on by herself--I kept waiting for her to turn out to be a traitor or something special, but no, she just sent them home. So after 4 episodes I gave up. It was filmed in Spain--the locations looked very appealing, so that's my only positive.

What have you been watching?


Ataahua
Forum Admin / Moderator


Jul 28 2020, 11:17pm

Post #2 of 20 (545 views)
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I started watching Dark [In reply to] Can't Post

on Netflix, a German TV series that blends the mystery and drama genres, possibly with a bit of fantasy - but I'll never know because I chucked it in.

The show has two big problems: it's dubbed rather than subtitled (the mismatch between words and mouth-movements is irritating, and some of the voices don't suit the characters), and the show is trying to be a more grown-up Stranger Things. Also, they don't do much to help viewers understand what's happening. I'd rather spend my time with a show that grabs me than one that expects me to hang around through the slow grimness.

BTW I also watched The Old Guard and I really liked it! Charlize is so good in action films and this is finally an action film with a decent story behind it - especially when it comes to the different ways that an immortal can 'check out' from the world after so much time alive. My one bugbear was the actor who played the main baddie - the one who also played the Dursley kid in the Harry Potter films. His overacting was distracting.

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.


Fantasy novel - The Arcanist's Tattoo

My LOTR fan-fiction


Annael
Immortal


Jul 29 2020, 2:13pm

Post #3 of 20 (510 views)
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trying a bit of this 'n' that [In reply to] Can't Post

I watched "Old Guard" and liked it as a pilot for a series, which it might be? I did fast-forward through the fights somewhat. Don't even remember the baddie - that was Dudley?

Speaking of Harry Potter alumni, we recently watched a three-part reboot of "Poirot" with John Malkovich in the title role, which was terrible except for Rupert Grint as the new Inspector. Did not recognize him or think "Ron Weasley" even once, and I thought he was excellent. Good to see he's got real chops.

Um . . . a bit of "Avatar the Last Airbender," a couple of episodes of "The Umbrella Academy" . . . I also tried "Warrior Nun" and gave up after two episodes. Same with "Norsemen" which I think is aimed at the 13-year-old male demographic (lots and lots of potty jokes). I had high hopes that 'Somebody Feed Phil" would appeal to my dad - think Rick Steves meets "The Trip" where Phil goes to various places and eats amazing food. The first one was to Marakkesh and I enjoyed it but my dad got bored. These days he's mostly interested in WWII and plane crash programs seems like. We are hoping "Greyhound" becomes available in some other venue than Apple so we can watch it soon.

I am a dreamer of words, of written words.
-- Gaston Bachelard

* * * * * * * * * *

NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967

My Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/...id=1590637780&sr=8-1



Kimi
Forum Admin / Moderator


Jul 30 2020, 2:37am

Post #4 of 20 (493 views)
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Radioactive (my first visit to the cinema in a looong time) [In reply to] Can't Post

The first visit since our lockdown began back in March, anyway. And that feels about a decade ago.

This is a biopic of Marie Curie. I found it interesting and engaging, rather than entertaining, but overall very well done. Rosamund Pike is excellent as Marie - the meatiest role I've seen her in.

I knew quite a bit about Marie's life (it would be hard not to, given her enduring fame), but I learned quite a lot more, particularly regarding the prejudice and abuse she rose above. She comes across as a difficult, prickly character, which is really not surprising; also brilliant, courageous, and very, very determined. Pierre, by contrast, appears to be one of the sweetest men who ever lived. I would have liked a little more coverage of her early life, but on the other hand it was a pleasant novelty to see a movie that's well under two hours long.


The Passing of Mistress Rose
My historical novels

Do we find happiness so often that we should turn it off the box when it happens to sit there?

- A Room With a View


Ataahua
Forum Admin / Moderator


Jul 30 2020, 4:20am

Post #5 of 20 (484 views)
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I'm seeing this tomorrow. :) / [In reply to] Can't Post

 

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.


Fantasy novel - The Arcanist's Tattoo

My LOTR fan-fiction


Kimi
Forum Admin / Moderator


Jul 30 2020, 5:52am

Post #6 of 20 (479 views)
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I hope you enjoy it! // [In reply to] Can't Post

 


The Passing of Mistress Rose
My historical novels

Do we find happiness so often that we should turn it off the box when it happens to sit there?

- A Room With a View


CuriousG
Half-elven


Jul 30 2020, 6:34pm

Post #7 of 20 (456 views)
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"Dark" gets very mixed reviews [In reply to] Can't Post

and having the spoilers, I decided to skip it. Too bad, though: the premise sounded good.


CuriousG
Half-elven


Jul 30 2020, 6:43pm

Post #8 of 20 (456 views)
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I keep waiting for something to be named after the Curies [In reply to] Can't Post

such as the honors given to Volt(a) and Ampere. Turns out there is a "curie," but it's no longer in use. Oh well. There are still space probes and telescopes that could bear their name. There was never a "Dr. Opportunity" or "Dr. Voyager," for example, and space probes usually run off nuclear power from radioactive decay, so it's not too big a stretch.


CuriousG
Half-elven


Jul 30 2020, 6:44pm

Post #9 of 20 (452 views)
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You seem to be scraping the bottom of the barrel like me. :) // [In reply to] Can't Post

 


CuriousG
Half-elven


Jul 30 2020, 6:56pm

Post #10 of 20 (454 views)
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"Silence of the Lambs," the comedy version for kids [In reply to] Can't Post

Since I still have a week or two of Disney+, I'm re-watching some of their classics. I saw 101 Dalmations as a kid, and I remembered it as a slightly scary movie where puppies were in danger but lots of adult animals protected them. But seriously, Cruella De Vil wants to MAKE COATS OUT OF PUPPY SKINS?!!? You mean like "Buffalo Bill" in Silence of the Lambs, which was rated R?!?!? Just how sick is that for a kids' cartoon?

So I think the next feel-good Disney cartoon for kids should be Let's Grind Up Cute Kittens for Moisturizing Cream. Or maybe Frozen 3: Parent Slaughter: while Elsa is off building snow castles, all the children in the kingdom watch their parents die gruesome deaths by mutant, brain-eating zombies. Seriously, who comes up with a sick premise like that for a kids' show? <rant over>


Kimi
Forum Admin / Moderator


Jul 30 2020, 8:13pm

Post #11 of 20 (449 views)
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They do have the element [In reply to] Can't Post

curium. But I agree, something highly visible like a space probe would be a great idea.


The Passing of Mistress Rose
My historical novels

Do we find happiness so often that we should turn it off the box when it happens to sit there?

- A Room With a View


Annael
Immortal


Jul 30 2020, 8:55pm

Post #12 of 20 (446 views)
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LOL! [In reply to] Can't Post

Feels like it.

Waiting for Season Three of "Star Trek: Discovery." Maybe I'll binge the first two seasons.

I am a dreamer of words, of written words.
-- Gaston Bachelard

* * * * * * * * * *

NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967

My Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/...id=1590637780&sr=8-1



Tintallë
Gondor


Aug 1 2020, 7:32am

Post #13 of 20 (394 views)
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I'm glad you posted this because [In reply to] Can't Post

this movie is front and center for Amazon Prime streaming but I have not watched it because I am not a fan of Rosamund Pike. Think I may give it a try after all!


Tintallë
Gondor


Aug 1 2020, 7:38am

Post #14 of 20 (393 views)
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Olivia de Havilland movies [In reply to] Can't Post

To Each His Own, The Heiress, The Dark Mirror. . . next up is The Snake Pit and Santa Fe Trail.


Kimi
Forum Admin / Moderator


Aug 1 2020, 11:29pm

Post #15 of 20 (379 views)
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I hope [In reply to] Can't Post

you enjoy it! It's certainly a different role for Rosamund Pike. I've generally seen her in roles where the character very much wants to be liked, and can come across as rather passive - this role is pretty much the antithesis of that.


The Passing of Mistress Rose
My historical novels

Do we find happiness so often that we should turn it off the box when it happens to sit there?

- A Room With a View


CuriousG
Half-elven


Aug 6 2020, 3:49pm

Post #16 of 20 (285 views)
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Almost Human [In reply to] Can't Post

"How could I have overlooked this?" I said to myself, and "It's got Karl Urban in it, so it must be good, right?"

*sigh*. Karl was just phoning it in; lackluster acting that seemed to have the subtext "Help! I've been kidnapped and forced to act in this series! Please cancel it and rescue me."

It had some good ideas here and there, but overall, it was a bunch of pretty people with cliche dialogue, contrived action scenes, and little originality.


cats16
Half-elven


Aug 15 2020, 1:03am

Post #17 of 20 (249 views)
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Have you seen A Private War? [In reply to] Can't Post

A sometimes brutal movie given its subject, but Rosamund gives a helluva performance, in my opinion. Her character could not have been easy to approach, but she slips into the role quite seamlessly, as I remember it.

Not for the faint of heart, but perhaps worth checking out if you can stomach the anxieties of watching war movies.

Join us every weekend in the Hobbit movie forum for this week's CHOW (Chapter of the Week) discussion!




Kimi
Forum Admin / Moderator


Aug 15 2020, 3:27am

Post #18 of 20 (245 views)
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No, I haven't. [In reply to] Can't Post

I've done so much reading of real-life war accounts that I struggle to spend much time with fictional ones :) But I can quite believe Rosamund makes a fine job of the role.


The Passing of Mistress Rose
My historical novels

Do we find happiness so often that we should turn it off the box when it happens to sit there?

- A Room With a View


cats16
Half-elven


Aug 15 2020, 3:48am

Post #19 of 20 (243 views)
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Makes sense! :) // [In reply to] Can't Post

 

Join us every weekend in the Hobbit movie forum for this week's CHOW (Chapter of the Week) discussion!




CuriousG
Half-elven


Aug 22 2020, 2:05pm

Post #20 of 20 (234 views)
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Lucifer, season 5 [In reply to] Can't Post

I was really anticipating the new season appearing on Netflix, and with the first 1/2 appearing (8 episodes), it seemed bingeable. I mainly watch the show for its humor, and that was rather scant this season, which was more drama than comedy, so I won't be re-watching any of these episodes like I have other seasons.

I watched the 2nd season of The New Legends of Monkey, having found the 1st season to be quirky and campy. This season seemed much more squarely aimed at its primary market of children, so I won't be pursuing any more seasons.

I'm revisiting Penny Dreadful, which I didn't like much on my first try because it's a mashup of Frankenstein, Dorian Grey, vampires, etc, and it seemed like spaghetti when it's been spilled on the floor. But giving it a 2nd try, I'm enjoying it more.

 
 

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