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Post by Binky on Jan 2, 2022 10:04:31 GMT -4
The last new movie of my extended holiday break was Matrix: Resurrection. Which is literally a redo of Matrix 1, only less cool in all ways, with Morpheus and agent Smith recast, a large dose of the chaotic, confusing, and plotless style on Matrix 2 and 3, less Trinity, just so we can see Neo and (some) Trinity again. It’s not horrible, but…it’s certainly not great.
Matrix 1 literally plays in flashbacks and in projections on screen that the characters are watching. So it leans heavy on the nostalgia, but is SO much weaker. The recast characters are played very well (Jonathan Groff is super talented), but the agents are no longer scary. They hang several lampshades on how it’s a matrix movie, so there will be a lot of Kung fu and shooting, matrix-style. But it’s all less cool, less stylish, and more messy but with no stakes.
It wasn’t a bad way to spend an evening on HBO max, but it’s such a weak movie in comparison to Matrix 1. It is 100% creator fan fiction of their own universe.
Laurence Fishburne was apparently not asked back, although his character looms large. Very curious what that was about. And if Hugo Weaving actually wasn’t available, or saw the script and bailed.
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Post by magazinewhore on Jan 3, 2022 13:26:25 GMT -4
I watched The Lost Daughter on Netflix and really enjoyed that. "Enjoyed" isn't the right term as it's about the tension between being a mother to young children and how absolutely draining it can be. Olivia Coleman was amazing in it. I haven't seen many movies that explore both how suffocating and tender motherhood (particularly if you're the only caregiver) can be, so it was interesting. But it seems to be either a movie you like and appreciate or don't. Some people complained that nothing happened. It's based on the novel by Elena Ferantte.
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Post by scarlet on Jan 3, 2022 13:38:36 GMT -4
I watched The Lost Daughter on Netflix and really enjoyed that. "Enjoyed" isn't the right term as it's about the tension between being a mother to young children and how absolutely draining it can be. Olivia Coleman was amazing in it. I haven't seen many movies that explore both how suffocating and tender motherhood (particularly if you're the only caregiver) can be, so it was interesting. But it seems to be either a movie you like and appreciate or don't. Some people complained that nothing happened. It's based on the novel by Elena Ferantte. I thought it was so well done. Olivia and Jessie Buckley were both excellent in it.
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Post by Ladybug on Jan 5, 2022 10:44:02 GMT -4
Overall I enjoyed Being the Ricardos but not everything worked for me. Javier Bardem was miscast as Desi. I thought Nicole was great, but agree that she didn't really disappear in this role because of her unique lack of facial movement. She pulled off the recreations of the I Love Lucy show. I liked the scenes with the writers and supporting cast of the ILL show. I understand why they made the choice to focus on one week of the show, but it forced them to cram in too much stuff and alter the timeline a little too much. It stretched the bounds of believability. Before I watched the movie, I listened to TCM's podcast about Lucy, which was so comprehensive and well done. Definitely check it out if you are a Lucille Ball fan. The Green Knight was not at all what I was expecting and I still haven't decided if I actually liked it. I made it to the end, which I guess is something. It's a pretty faithful retelling of the Arthurian legend, but with a lot of art house cinematic stuff thrown in. Dev Patel was very good as Gawain. The cinematography and sets were excellent, and the music at times was overwhelmingly creepy. It is more of a cerebral movie with a lot of symbolism, so if you are expecting a medieval action movie you will be disappointed.
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Post by scarlet on Jan 9, 2022 11:49:52 GMT -4
From the cinema that is my living room...
The Tender Bar. A '70's setting coupled with familial nostalgia is usually a surefire thumbs up from me, but this movie was just...boring. George Clooney is not a very inventive/imaginative director. And, honestly, Affleck is good in his role: a hard-drinking/hard-living bar owner who never left his hometown (his Good Will Hunting character 20 years down the line)--he's not the problem. I wonder if the book its based on is any more interesting.
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groovethang
Sloane Ranger
Posts: 2,619
Jan 5, 2007 9:15:54 GMT -4
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Post by groovethang on Jan 9, 2022 11:52:25 GMT -4
From the cinema that is my living room... The Tender Bar. A '70's setting coupled with familial nostalgia is usually a surefire thumbs up from me, but this movie was just...boring. George Clooney is not a very inventive/imaginative director. And, honestly, Affleck is good in his role: a hard-drinking/hard-living bar owner who never left his hometown (his Good Will Hunting character 20 years down the line)--he's not the problem. I wonder if the book its based on is any more interesting. Funny; after seeing the trailer I remarked to my friend that it looked like Chuckie from GWH grew up and bought a bar.
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cremetangerine82
Blueblood
“These are the times that try men's souls.” - Thomas Paine
Posts: 1,737
Nov 29, 2021 1:38:37 GMT -4
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Post by cremetangerine82 on Jan 13, 2022 4:06:32 GMT -4
From the cinema that is my living room... The Tender Bar. A '70's setting coupled with familial nostalgia is usually a surefire thumbs up from me, but this movie was just...boring. George Clooney is not a very inventive/imaginative director. And, honestly, Affleck is good in his role: a hard-drinking/hard-living bar owner who never left his hometown (his Good Will Hunting character 20 years down the line)--he's not the problem. I wonder if the book its based on is any more interesting. Funny; after seeing the trailer I remarked to my friend that it looked like Chuckie from GWH grew up and bought a bar. I watched this movie with my mother, and it did make me nostalgic for Massachusetts (I just moved back to my home state after living in Mass. for 13 years). It was a bit sappy and very predictable in my opinion. Even my mom was cognizant of how emotionally manipulative some of the scenes were!
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Post by Ladybug on Jan 17, 2022 10:42:19 GMT -4
My daughter wanted to see the Jessica Chastain spy movie The 355. I was not expecting very much, so I was pleasantly surprised that it was a decent spy movie. It definitely had it's cheesy moments, but I liked the all female spy team and the actresses had great chemistry. Diane Kruger kicked ass, I loved her character. And Penelope Cruz was fun, but a little over the top sometimes. She had one pivotal scene that she nailed. The "romance" angle was a dud, just a warning.
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Post by Binky on Feb 3, 2022 9:56:53 GMT -4
The Tender Bar on Amazon. It’s mostly boring. George Clooney isn’t a bad director, Ben Affleck essentially plays a 40-50 year old version of his character from Good Will Hunting , the child actor is pretty good. But the movie has no “there” there. I also was amused that the child actor looked like a baby George Clooney (dark hair, olive skin) and somehow grew into light-skinned, fair-haired adult actor.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Sept 28, 2024 18:32:39 GMT -4
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2022 16:08:09 GMT -4
I went to an actual cinema! Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast is wonderful it manages to be sweet, funny and moving despite set in such a difficult time in the citys history. Judi Dench and Ciaran Hinds deserve the nominations they have gotten. Catriona Balfe and Jamie Doran are such a good looking couple. It’s little Buddy tho, Jude Hill stole the whole movie. It really is a love letter to the city from Branagh and it has a cracking soundtrack too from Van Morrison.
It was real spur of the moment thing for me to go and I’m glad I did.
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