Warin posted:justine posted:I watched Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Chamber Of Secrets last night.
FTFY.
I thought that change showed the most vile contempt by the British regarding the intelligence of American children. Even Disney published comics based on the story of the Philosopher's Stone.
Metacell posted:I thought that change showed the most vile contempt by the British regarding the intelligence of American children. Even Disney published comics based on the story of the Philosopher's Stone.
By the British?
The re-title of the first Harry Potter book for the American audience was strictly a move made by Scholastic Books to intervene on the suspicion that folks in the American Bible belt would rise up to oppose the book if it was given that original title. HAH! More the fools them: most American Bible belters don't know what a philosopher's stone was supposed to be for alchemists, or even know what alchemy was.
Funny, they wouldn't like the idea of philosophy, but they're just fine and dandy with sorcery? I always suspected they just thought it was one syllable too many.
I guess I shouldn't be too surprised that American Media Companies think the American people are stupider than even the British do.
I guess I shouldn't be too surprised that American Media Companies think the American people are stupider than even the British do.
Metacell posted:Funny, they wouldn't like the idea of philosophy, but they're just fine and dandy with sorcery? I always suspected they just thought it was one syllable too many.
I guess I shouldn't be too surprised that American Media Companies think the American people are stupider than even the British do.
You do have to recall that the renaming of the first Harry Potter book was before MOST of the hype that accompanied each of the following books. Scholastic Books knew that they had been given a hit for their pre-adult audience, but even they were surprised by how well the first novel took off.
There was huge backlash within the conservative religious community against all of the Harry Potter books because of the use of "magic" in them, but trying to write THAT out would have left Rowling with a handful of pages and no story at all.
I suppose one could have attempted to reason with such people by pointing out that magic in the Harry Potter books is just like any other tool: one could use a large knife to cut a slice from the turkey or to stab someone in the heart. But I suspect that once "Harry Potter" was mentioned then all reason would have fled from them because the equation of evil == magic == "Harry Potter" was preset for them.
The Martian (2015) Well done and fun to watch, but really just a string of genre clichés expertly executed. Take a bit of Castaway and add Gravity and Apollo Thirteen...
Christmas in Connecticut (1945) Barbara Stanwyck, Sydney Greenstreet. About as light-weight as a movie can get and still be enjoyable.
Christmas in Connecticut (1945) Barbara Stanwyck, Sydney Greenstreet. About as light-weight as a movie can get and still be enjoyable.
Tintin. I think this is my third viewing. Still a fun time.
Star Wars the Force Awakens.
Remember the "Pink Floyd" that was touring in the late '80s-90s? It would have all the same special effects, 20 extra musicians, some new lame songs that tried hard to be reminiscent of the heyday, but with no Roger Waters?
This was kind of like that but they tried to replace Roger Waters with a less interesting guy who wore the same t-shirt. Still better than the SW movies they made a decade ago, but mainly because those are completely unwatchable.
They also used four dot ellipses in the opening scroll. That's just uncalled for.
The Naked Gun
I watched about 3/4 of this last night with my 11-year old son and realized that 90% of the references--to old police dramas, or to villainous world leaders are completely lost on him. He still got the stupidity of it, which is the important part.
Star Wars the Force Awakens.
Remember the "Pink Floyd" that was touring in the late '80s-90s? It would have all the same special effects, 20 extra musicians, some new lame songs that tried hard to be reminiscent of the heyday, but with no Roger Waters?
This was kind of like that but they tried to replace Roger Waters with a less interesting guy who wore the same t-shirt. Still better than the SW movies they made a decade ago, but mainly because those are completely unwatchable.
They also used four dot ellipses in the opening scroll. That's just uncalled for.
The Naked Gun
I watched about 3/4 of this last night with my 11-year old son and realized that 90% of the references--to old police dramas, or to villainous world leaders are completely lost on him. He still got the stupidity of it, which is the important part.
Mad Max Fury Road
Was really very good, for what it was (that is, a mostly plot-less 120 minute long action sequence). 9/10, would watch again.
Was really very good, for what it was (that is, a mostly plot-less 120 minute long action sequence). 9/10, would watch again.
sean posted:Mad Max Fury Road
Was really very good, for what it was (that is, a mostly plot-less 120 minute long action sequence). 9/10, would watch again.
Plot-less? It was simple but Fury Road had the least convoluted plot of any action movie in a long time. A strong focused plot allowed the movie to be mostly awesome action sequences.
I said mostly plotless. 
It has got a plot, but it's not overbearing. I also wasn't complaining; I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and do plan on a re-watch in the near future.
It has got a plot, but it's not overbearing. I also wasn't complaining; I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and do plan on a re-watch in the near future.
Trumbo, fantastic movie.
sean posted:I said mostly plotless.
It has got a plot, but it's not overbearing. I also wasn't complaining; I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and do plan on a re-watch in the near future.
no, you were right, it was plotless
it was all just an excuse for speeding, crashing cars
TOS posted:sean posted:I said mostly plotless.
It has got a plot, but it's not overbearing. I also wasn't complaining; I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and do plan on a re-watch in the near future.
no, you were right, it was plotless
it was all just an excuse for speeding, crashing cars
The movie was just an excuse to look at Charlize Theron.
Who needs an excuse for that?
Malice (1993) Nicole Kidman, Alec Baldwin and Bill Pullman. Pretty much a bit of noir-ish trash but it has that classic line as only Baldwin can deliver. Kidman is great.
"You ask me if I have a God complex. Let me tell you something: I am God."
"You ask me if I have a God complex. Let me tell you something: I am God."
Kingsmen (2015) Juvenile but enjoyable.
Phone Booth (2002) Farrell is so good. Great premise for a story.
Phone Booth (2002) Farrell is so good. Great premise for a story.
amadeus
hadn't seen it since it came out ... holds up pretty well
still beautiful to look at (and listen to) but i still hate tom hulce as mozart and especially the woman who plays his wife, but then i guess they were meant to annoy
netflix has the director's cut, though the only difference i noticed was seeing the wife's boobs
hadn't seen it since it came out ... holds up pretty well
still beautiful to look at (and listen to) but i still hate tom hulce as mozart and especially the woman who plays his wife, but then i guess they were meant to annoy
netflix has the director's cut, though the only difference i noticed was seeing the wife's boobs
Interstellar (2014) A bit long with what seemed like padding material to me. Maybe I have bad speakers but sometimes McConaughey was just mummbling and I had no idea what was said.The accent didn't help. Same with Caine at the end. Fortunately these things get repeated by other characters when they are important to the story.
I liked how Kubrick's 2001 monolith was turned into a friendly robot that eventually sat in the rear seat of Coopers snazzy spaceship at the end, like the robot in Star Wars.
That the science or theory was supposed to be authentic (or not depending on who is asked) is neither here nor there for a movie.
It was ok but I think The Martian and Gravity were better recent efforts at space-based storytelling.
I liked how Kubrick's 2001 monolith was turned into a friendly robot that eventually sat in the rear seat of Coopers snazzy spaceship at the end, like the robot in Star Wars.
That the science or theory was supposed to be authentic (or not depending on who is asked) is neither here nor there for a movie.
It was ok but I think The Martian and Gravity were better recent efforts at space-based storytelling.
Ribtor posted:Maybe I have bad speakers but sometimes McConaughey was just mummbling and I had no idea what was said.The accent didn't help. Same with Caine at the end.
Your speakers are fine.
The Revenant. Gritty, but not nearly as brutal as reports or reviews would have you think.
Sicario. Holy human waste what a brutal movie.
Tonight I saw both The Danish Girl and The Martian.
The Martian was a much better movie than The Danish Girl.
The Martian did have several cliches, but it seemed realistic, and it was really enjoyable to watch, even though certain events were predictable.
The main character in The Danish Girl seemed very one-dimensional, and after looking up some things it seems it wasn't very historically accurate.
The Martian was a much better movie than The Danish Girl.
The Martian did have several cliches, but it seemed realistic, and it was really enjoyable to watch, even though certain events were predictable.
The main character in The Danish Girl seemed very one-dimensional, and after looking up some things it seems it wasn't very historically accurate.
obvs posted:Tonight I saw both The Danish Girl and The Martian.
The Martian was a much better movie than The Danish Girl.
The Martian did have several cliches, but it seemed realistic, and it was really enjoyable to watch, even though certain events were predictable.
The main character in The Danish Girl seemed very one-dimensional, and after looking up some things it seems it wasn't very historically accurate.
Well, except that the wind on Mars couldn't do any of the stuff that it does in the movie/book.
mmaverick posted:obvs posted:Tonight I saw both The Danish Girl and The Martian.
The Martian was a much better movie than The Danish Girl.
The Martian did have several cliches, but it seemed realistic, and it was really enjoyable to watch, even though certain events were predictable.
The main character in The Danish Girl seemed very one-dimensional, and after looking up some things it seems it wasn't very historically accurate.
Well, except that the wind on Mars couldn't do any of the stuff that it does in the movie/book.
What? The wind on Mars was the whole point that made it a movie! Man that sucks.
Vulture posted:mmaverick posted:obvs posted:Tonight I saw both The Danish Girl and The Martian.
The Martian was a much better movie than The Danish Girl.
The Martian did have several cliches, but it seemed realistic, and it was really enjoyable to watch, even though certain events were predictable.
The main character in The Danish Girl seemed very one-dimensional, and after looking up some things it seems it wasn't very historically accurate.
Well, except that the wind on Mars couldn't do any of the stuff that it does in the movie/book.
What? The wind on Mars was the whole point that made it a movie! Man that sucks.
Andy Weir (the author of "The Martian") DID think of trying to create some sort of emergency situation that would require the immediate evacuation of the Ares 3 lander, but decided to stick with the Martian wind storm in order to keep the general "man vs. Mars" theme.
Ant Man (2015)
Iron Man 3 (2013)
My nephews rope me in to watching this stuff. They like the explosions. I don't get the appeal. Charmless reactionary blatherskite dressed up as tech+morality=salvation.
Iron Man 3 (2013)
My nephews rope me in to watching this stuff. They like the explosions. I don't get the appeal. Charmless reactionary blatherskite dressed up as tech+morality=salvation.
Pitch Perfect 2. Wasn't near as enjoyable as the first one.
Galaxy Quest
Watched this in honor of Alan Rickman. I guess it is basically "the Three Amigos" in space, but it works.
Bottle Rocket.
I like this movie a lot better than a lot of Wes Anderson's other movies. I think he's been trying to re-make Rushmore ever since making it.
Watched this in honor of Alan Rickman. I guess it is basically "the Three Amigos" in space, but it works.
Bottle Rocket.
I like this movie a lot better than a lot of Wes Anderson's other movies. I think he's been trying to re-make Rushmore ever since making it.
i've always felt that galaxy quest would have been magnificent if it had starred the cast from the original star trek playing versions of themselves
Better as an analogy.
you're wrong, as usual
And your opinion is incorrect as usual.
If the TOS cast had made that movie it would have been embarrassingly bad. What made GQ funny was the comparison. The org. cast would have never pulled that off.
If the TOS cast had made that movie it would have been embarrassingly bad. What made GQ funny was the comparison. The org. cast would have never pulled that off.
Galaxy Quest is perfect as it is
user posted:And your opinion is incorrect as usual.
If the TOS cast had made that movie it would have been embarrassingly bad. What made GQ funny was the comparison. The org. cast would have never pulled that off.
i'm still smarting over that ds9 docking port comment, you bastard
Séamas posted:Bottle Rocket.
I like this movie a lot better than a lot of Wes Anderson's other movies. I think he's been trying to re-make Rushmore ever since making it.
I don't know. I think he kinda shifted direction with his style of storytelling in the Royal Tennenbaums (which is still a great movie- when Mordecai comes back for instance is a powerful non-cliche kind of scene). In a weird way, I think he's been trying to do that one over and over, because Bottle Rocket and Rushmore are teen angsty based and the others are like how children and adults lives are connected or something. I haven't seen everything he's done since, but what I have watched wasn't nearly as good as those first three movies.