Saw Upgrade last night. The fight scenes were really great - fun camera work, supported by a REAL strong physical performance from the lead.
But the story surrounding those fight scenes... Yeesh. Some real "baby's first cyberpunk" vibes. Would be nice if somebody involved had read, like, one Gibson novel. Any of 'em, really. Or even just his quote about how the future has already arrived, it just isn't evenly distributed.
The movie would occasionally gesture weakly toward a billboard in the distance that says "CLASS ISSUES?" and then go ahead and make every single poor person a villain.
And just my absolute least favorite, most boring take on artificial intelligence.
There are some interesting pieces to the world, but boy did I not care for their arrangement.
Outside of any further comparison, Sharlto Copley copley did a similar thing for District 9. Niche, kinda gimmicky sci-fi flick, pretty flawed, but a very strong central performance (with some physical demands) within that framework, from an "unknown" actor.
This post was sponsored by Tom Cruise.
0
Garlic Breadi'm a bitch i'm a bitch i'm a bitch i'm aRegistered User, Disagreeableregular
I still want a series of movies or a tv miniseries based on TH White's Once and Future King
isnt the disney one based on that
Sort of!
The Disney one is based on the standalone version of The Sword In The Stone, which is part of the Once and Future King tetralogy.
This might sound like splitting hairs, but the standalone version was published about twenty year before the composite edition, and there were a number of changes that were made for the composite edition, both in order to make the story work better between the at times disparate books and to reflect White's overall shift in worldview over the past two decades.
the best part of White's writing in The Once and Future King is how he quickly uses anachronistic shorthand to get you on board with what's going on. Like he'll describe a scene and the characters are drinking port, and he'll have an aside where he's like Obviously they weren't drinking port because that wasn't invented yet, but if i used the real thing here you wouldn't know what the fuck I was talking about and it serves the same purpose, so let's imagine it was port. It makes it feel way more like an oral history.
I have a theory that in Wes Anderson movies, every single character is just another Wes Anderson stand in. Probably why it's mostly filled with people like him.
0
MaddocI'm Bobbin Threadbare, are you my mother?Registered Userregular
In a sense it's well worn territory, but I'd be pretty down for more straight laced adaptations of Arthurian myth
Preferably some of those that have gotten less attention, but honestly I'll take it all
How about a film called King Arthur but there's no round table, no sword in the stone, no magic, and the movie takes place in Rome for some reason, and also Guinevere is an archer who prefers not to wear any clothing
It took place in Britain! But they were Roman conscripts who decided to stay behind when their term was up and Rome pulled out
Which is not a bad way to try to do a semi-historical version of Arthur, it's just that the movie wasn't good on its own
The Clive Owen King Arthur isn't great, but having watched it for the first time a couple months ago I absolutely loved everything it tried to do. For example, the first introduction of the knights is pretty spectacular for how fast each knight's base temperament, fighting style, and role in the team is presented. There are so many bits and pieces that just indicate a lot of thought and effort went into them despite the movie being an also ran
It's basically the opposite of the Taron Edgerton Robin Hood where there are some pretty fun and expressive ideas that are executed by fucking idiots with no taste.
Also King Arthur wasn't the least bit helped by casting Clive Owen. I have a soft spot for Clive, but he's a very dull leading man. If you want Clive to enhance your film he has to play the straight man to a much more fantastical setting/plot/villain
RingoHe/Hima distinct lack of substanceRegistered Userregular
Like the only reason Shoot 'Em Up is even remotely watchable is because of Paul Giamatti spending the whole movie ranting about the ridiculousness of Clive Owen's character and Clive's ability to just fucking no-sell narrative causality whenever he wants
I have a soft spot for Clive, but he's a very dull leading man. If you want Clive to enhance your film he has to play the straight man to a much more fantastical setting/plot/villain
This has put into words the thing I've never been quite able to identify about why and when I love Clive Owen.
RingoHe/Hima distinct lack of substanceRegistered Userregular
Also Jason Statham is at his best when playing a character that has absolutely zero ability to deal with the majority of the problems the plot throws at him. Smug but inept, or capable but clearly out classed are so in his wheelhouse that it hurts every time he plays a smug and capable character.
Stop doing that, Hollywood!
Thank you for coming to my TED Talk on seemingly bland english action stars
Jason Statham needs to take more roles like his character in Spy.
Nothing kills me. I'm immune to 179 different types of poison. I know because I ingested them all at once when I was deep undercover in an underground poison-ingesting crime ring.
+17
RingoHe/Hima distinct lack of substanceRegistered Userregular
edited February 2020
Also Statham is fantastic in The Bank Job
Kind of want a scifi vehicle with Clive and Statham as partners, but I'd rather watch movies starring non-white non-straight non-male leads. Maybe as the equivalent of the quirky miniboss squad? Clive just soldiering on through the scifi bullshit begging Statham to shut up and do his job for once and Statham just keeps stating and then demonstrating that he is completely incapable of that
Kind of want a scifi vehicle with Clive and Statham as partners, but I'd rather watch movies starring non-white non-straight non-male leads. Maybe as the equivalent of the quirky miniboss squad? Clive just soldiering on through the scifi bullshit begging Statham to shut up and do his job for once and Statham just keeps stating and then demonstrating that he is completely incapable of that
I'd like to subscribe to your newsletter.
No matter where you go...there you are. ~ Buckaroo Banzai
+8
Librarian's ghostLibrarian, Ghostbuster, and TimSporkRegistered Userregular
My real question with this Gawain and the Green Knight movie is how they're gonna choose to pronounce Gawain
Crossing my fingers for the chavviest of all "Gavin"'s.
This would really throw me since it is my name and it has been very rare to encounter another person with the name in the US. Whenever I hear someone else called that I wheel around in panic looking for the person calling to me.
Part of me wants a version of this movie where Moon-gwang makes a truce with the Kims and they cooperate in grifting, culminating with some zany scheme where they gain control of all the Parks' money through tricking them into signing powers of attorney or some shit
But the rest of me realizes that wouldn't be nearly as good as the actual movie
Capitalism turns us all into monsters. We turn against those we should stand alongside with because we have been taught to fight over the scraps the rich toss us.
So Parasite is
a parable about what happens when we don't unionize.
Children of Men killed a movie night once, it started quite chipper but by the end everyone was grim and silent and the unanimous sentiment was "I feel weird" and everyone left to be alone
+28
RingoHe/Hima distinct lack of substanceRegistered Userregular
Posts
Outside of any further comparison, Sharlto Copley copley did a similar thing for District 9. Niche, kinda gimmicky sci-fi flick, pretty flawed, but a very strong central performance (with some physical demands) within that framework, from an "unknown" actor.
They recast the part with Kit Harrington, though
I own it on DVD and digital!
some of us remember
the best part of White's writing in The Once and Future King is how he quickly uses anachronistic shorthand to get you on board with what's going on. Like he'll describe a scene and the characters are drinking port, and he'll have an aside where he's like Obviously they weren't drinking port because that wasn't invented yet, but if i used the real thing here you wouldn't know what the fuck I was talking about and it serves the same purpose, so let's imagine it was port. It makes it feel way more like an oral history.
Miranda Richardson owned as Mab and Lady of the Lake.
~ Buckaroo Banzai
Wow
Yeah that nails it
Okay but
They should adapt that anyway so that we can get a movie/series/whatever with Dinadan in it
this movie is dadbait
The way Merlin defeats Mab is pretty fantastic.
Give this review an Oscar
I'm pretty sure any eminations coming from Dafoe or Pattinson in the Lighthouse could strip the varnish off a footlocker.
~ Buckaroo Banzai
The Clive Owen King Arthur isn't great, but having watched it for the first time a couple months ago I absolutely loved everything it tried to do. For example, the first introduction of the knights is pretty spectacular for how fast each knight's base temperament, fighting style, and role in the team is presented. There are so many bits and pieces that just indicate a lot of thought and effort went into them despite the movie being an also ran
It's basically the opposite of the Taron Edgerton Robin Hood where there are some pretty fun and expressive ideas that are executed by fucking idiots with no taste.
Also King Arthur wasn't the least bit helped by casting Clive Owen. I have a soft spot for Clive, but he's a very dull leading man. If you want Clive to enhance your film he has to play the straight man to a much more fantastical setting/plot/villain
The only thing I remember is Merlin watching people get it on through candle wax doppelgangers.
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
This has put into words the thing I've never been quite able to identify about why and when I love Clive Owen.
The real key for me was realizing why I enjoyed him as the main character in Privateer 2: The Darkening
It was because nothing in that game is less than 3 levels over the top and Clive is just charmingly there for it
Stop doing that, Hollywood!
Thank you for coming to my TED Talk on seemingly bland english action stars
Crossing my fingers for the chavviest of all "Gavin"'s.
Steam // Secret Satan
Nothing kills me. I'm immune to 179 different types of poison. I know because I ingested them all at once when I was deep undercover in an underground poison-ingesting crime ring.
Kind of want a scifi vehicle with Clive and Statham as partners, but I'd rather watch movies starring non-white non-straight non-male leads. Maybe as the equivalent of the quirky miniboss squad? Clive just soldiering on through the scifi bullshit begging Statham to shut up and do his job for once and Statham just keeps stating and then demonstrating that he is completely incapable of that
I'd like to subscribe to your newsletter.
~ Buckaroo Banzai
This would really throw me since it is my name and it has been very rare to encounter another person with the name in the US. Whenever I hear someone else called that I wheel around in panic looking for the person calling to me.
Make more sci fi things with Taye Diggs!
Specifically this kind of sci fi
Sci Fi...Taye Diggs...will there be gunkata?
~ Buckaroo Banzai
So Parasite is
Of course!
Though Technically Taye Diggs wasn't actually very good at gunkata
That's not fair, he was going up against Batman. Robert the Bruce didn't do any better.
~ Buckaroo Banzai