Discuss and Rate the Last Film You Watched

[Johnny Novgorod]

This is gross every time and I wish movies would stop doing it.

Shower thought: why are CG deepfakes any less heinous than having the late Don S. Davis' disembodied head floating around in Twin Peaks: The Return and mumbling plot points? Or Frank Silva's head floating around in a bowling ball constituting the show's final boss.

David Bowie was recast with a kettle. Why manipulate archive footage to create new performances from dead actors?

Since we're operating on cosmic mumbo jumbo neither of these roles are "illogical", unlike having another Ash robot whose appearance would betray the original one's secret (basically, Ian Holm's appearance, alive or dead, would be contradictory). But at what point does the process err against artistry or morality?

 

[gorfias]

This is gross every time and I wish movies would stop doing it.

Expect the pace to increase. 20 years from now, some kid in his garage is going make a movie staring people from the 30s to now and beyond. Kinda predicted in "Looker" from the early 1980s.

Today, they're making these 1950s style trailers for more recent movies using stars from that era or de-aged stars from around now.


Or even on the same topic!

 

[thebobmaster]

A ★★ review of Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

"I know your pain. Love is pain. I had a daughter once. I put my faith in a higher power, hoping it would save her... and she... died. Now I understand. My daughter is the lucky one. She does not have to grow up in a world of pain... and suffering... run by wicked gods." This film follows Thor...

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This...might actually be my least liked MCU movie now.

 

[PsychedelicDiamond]

Shower thought: why are CG deepfakes any less heinous than having the late Don S. Davis' disembodied head floating around in Twin Peaks: The Return and mumbling plot points? Or Frank Silva's head floating around in a bowling ball constituting the show's final boss.

David Bowie was recast with a kettle. Why manipulate archive footage to create new performances from dead actors?

Since we're operating on cosmic mumbo jumbo neither of these roles are "illogical", unlike having another Ash robot whose appearance would betray the original one's secret (basically, Ian Holm's appearance, alive or dead, would be contradictory). But at what point does the process err against artistry or morality?

The Return was clearly going out of its way to give a followup, however minor, to practically every single even slightly important cast member of the original while simultaneously being very averse to recasting anyone. Even those that didn't come back at least feature in flashbacks. I'm genuinely not sure if there is a single exception. Which is why I figure footage of Davis and Silva featured the way it did. If I remember correctly, they had one line each ("Blue Rose" and "Catch you with my death bag", respectively.) and I think both were reused clips from the first two seasons. I'm not saying that was very graceful either, but it does feel like a genuine attempt to have these characters appear without making it look like it's using dead actors as puppets and putting things in their mouth.

The Phillipp Jeffries thing was one of the very few actual recasts. Again, they really went out of their way to avoid those. I think the only ones were him, the Dwarf/Tree/Arm and Audrey's disabled brother, the last of which was the only one were an actual, physical on screen actor was replaced with another. I'm pretty sure Bowie actually declined to reprise the role when he was still alive. So they went with someone doing an impression while not having Jeffries physically on screen. I mean, god knows whether Agent Jeffries was supposed to be the kettle, be inside the kettle or the kettle was some interdimensional phone booth, he was a character Lynch and Frost clearly wanted to follow up on and probably wrote his part hoping David Bowie would return at least to do the voice. But there's nothing wrong with recasting a character whose actor can't or doesn't want to return. The only thing I don't get is why they actually dubbed over the flashback to FWWM with the new voice actor. Though that might have actually been Bowie's request, allegedly he was a bit embarrassed of that performance.

On a somewhat related note, as much as I found Dr. Sleep to be a really ridiculous movie, I do give it a lot of credit for just casting lookalike actors for the original Shining cast, rather than doing the CGI corpse puppeting thing.

 

[BrawlMan]

On a somewhat related note, as much as I found Dr. Sleep to be a really ridiculous movie, I do give it a lot of credit for just casting lookalike actors for the original Shining cast, rather than doing the CGI corpse puppeting thing.

Agreed, and Dr. Sleep is awesome.

I love the scene with Jack Torreance. The actor they found did his scene perfectly.

​

 

[thebobmaster]

Agreed, and Dr, Sleep is awesome.

I love the scene with Jack Torreance. The factor they found did his scene perfectly.

​

It is uncanny how much he captures the mannerisms of Jack Nicholson. The look may not be 100%, but it still feels like Jacky boy.

 

[hanselthecaretaker2]

On a somewhat related note, as much as I found Dr. Sleep to be a really ridiculous movie, I do give it a lot of credit for just casting lookalike actors for the original Shining cast, rather than doing the CGI corpse puppeting thing.

It is uncanny how much he captures the mannerisms of Jack Nicholson. The look may not be 100%, but it still feels like Jacky boy.

This comment justifiably sums it up -

@kenelder5182 3 years ago
Somehow Henry Thomas manages to look nothing like Jack Nicholson but very much like Jack Torrence. Nice job!


Also -

@Danjoker. 3 years ago
Jack and Daniel sharing a bottle of Jack Daniel's

 

[thebobmaster]

A ★★★ review of Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (1981)

“The victim was a fag. The coach is a fag. And the kid is a fag.” Sometimes, even little films like this have some casting trivia. In this case, considered for the role of Julia were Daryl Hannah and Ally Sheedy, before the final casting. This film follows a seventeen year old named Billy (Jimmy...

letterboxd.com

 

[Casual Shinji]

On a somewhat related note, as much as I found Dr. Sleep to be a really ridiculous movie, I do give it a lot of credit for just casting lookalike actors for the original Shining cast, rather than doing the CGI corpse puppeting thing.

More importantly it gives new actors a way to present themselves. When I saw Dick Halloran I wasn't thinking how much Carl Lumbly was a dead ringer for Scatman Crothers more than I was thinking how Carl Lumbly made that character his own.

 

[Piscian]

Alien: Romulus

*Sigh* So the alarm bells from reviewers started going off over the weekend. I didn't watch any, just got the gist that its not a dumpster fire, which is all I needed to hear, but also a very specific and consistent tagline of "ITS GREAT, THEN ITS BAD..".

Since I could go in knowing it's at least "ok" I went out this morning and saw it in XD.

The first half of the movie is absolutely wonderful. It's interesting, it's gorgeous, it's dirty in the way the old films were. The titters hard in the second half with a reveal that yes this is a continuation of the Ridley "trilogy".. This was a bit of a letdown, but if it was just reveal that the problem this movie might have still pretty great. Where the movie starts to come crashing down is the introduction of fan service and ties to Alien. The antagonist introduced in the second half is gaudy, ugly CGI and over the top voice acting that gets exponentially worse in the last act.

Lovers of Rogue One will admit the Tarkin CGI was rough, but its brief, required for the timeline and it works. Imagine if CGI Tarkin suddenly became the main villain of Rogue One and did not shut the fuck up for the rest of the film and multiple 5 minute+ monologues retelling the prequels to make sure every fucking audience members knew the entire history of the franchise. Down to the fucking trivia.

The unnecessary necro fan service CGI and exposition was tiresome, but ...still couldn't ruin what was otherwise solid movie. Sadly the last 30-40 minutes is almost beat of beat a recreation of the end of Alien and Alien resurrection. It was pretty, but man did I ever feel unrewarded. Like not similar. Identical. It genuinely felt like studio notes "Do Alien again".

Still...it wasn't Terminator Genysis or even Dark Fate. The film mostly works and I enjoyed it. 7/10 I might watch it one more time when it goes on streaming, but then itll go into the bin. Really not memorable, which it can only blame itself for. You never go full fan service.

Spoiler: Fan Service Discussion

So the movie ties together Alien Prometheus and Alien. The movie stops dead in its tracks for a revived version of rook from Alien expositing to the intruders of the derelict science station that they captured the alien from the Nostromo, thinking it dead they made leaps in science, recreating its species then creating their version of the black goo in the hopes of using it make humanity physically capable of exploring dead space.

I never really had a problem with the ideas explored in Ridley Scotts prequels. It was the films that were shit. So while this connection was a minor fan service I was like "meh its a setup.". The movie really falls on its face with Rook, with really bad CGI voice dubbing turn completely insane in the most Snidely whiplash way imaginable. It was like one of cackling AI robots from videogames. Ranting and raving about Weylands grand scheme from the prequels. I love me a cold calculating "doing whats necessary for the company robot", this went so over the top. It got really tiresome.

the last act is a combination of Alien and Alien resurrection. While the scenes are all pretty beat for Beat chased by monster blowing up the ship, a pregnant dying girl takes the goo and her baby is born an Engineer, Alien, Human Hybrid. It's ok and action is good, but man this kinda stuff is a franchise killer. It really makes PREY look like a masterwork in Fan Service. Same universe different story, different bad guys. It's a shame because most of the acting and action is good. It's a well done movie. I was entertained the whole time it wasn't buried knee deep in Alien trivia.

 

[thebobmaster]

A ★ review of Jaws: The Revenge (1987)

“If mediocrity were fat, you'd all be whales!” This film ignores Part 3, just like most Jaws fans. Instead, it follows Ellen Brody (Lorraine Gary, who came out of retirement for this), the widow of Chief Brody. Yeah, he's dead now, because Roy Scheider basically said "Yeah, no" to returning...

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[Johnny Novgorod]

The Return was clearly going out of its way to give a followup, however minor, to practically every single even slightly important cast member of the original while simultaneously being very averse to recasting anyone.

He did recast Donna in FWWM, which I always thought odd. But you're right, I don't think anybody else from the show was recast in The Return other than Audrey's brother.

With dead actors appearing via archive footage to continue to "play" a part, however brief... I dunno. Maybe it boils down to a case by case scenario. I give you that deepfaking Ian Holm into a major part feels worse than puppeting archive footage for the hell of a continuity nod. And it also gives Garland a more dignified fate than merely getting killed.

I don't know what was the deal with Kettle Jeffries. I don't know why didn't they merely use Chester Desmond instead.

(I learn that the original cook at the Double R Diner was somehow spliced into The Return via archive footage, too, having passed away in 2015)

On a somewhat related note, as much as I found Dr. Sleep to be a really ridiculous movie, I do give it a lot of credit for just casting lookalike actors for the original Shining cast, rather than doing the CGI corpse puppeting thing.

The new cast was good but I really, really, really did not care for Dr. Sleep, at least as a sequel to The Shining. I give you that "Grown up Danny Torrance hunts psychic vampires" sounds worse than it is though.

 

[thebobmaster]

A ★★★★ review of Beauty and the Beast (1946)

“Love can turn a man into a beast. But love can also make an ugly man handsome.” This film follows a French woman named Belle (Josette Day). Living with her sisters Adelaide (Nane Germon) and Felicie (Mila Parely), as well as her brother Ludovic (Michel Auclair), she is treated as a servant by...

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[Johnny Novgorod]

Longlegs. I liked it! But if I were to relay the plot it would sound like that story hack!Cage pitches in Adaptation.


Which is to say that tone and atmosphere really hoist the movie.
If Silence of the Lambs by way of Exorcist 3 sounds like a fun time, check it out. Although I don't think the police part of the movie pays off in a satisfying or rewarding way.
Maybe that's the point.

 

[BrawlMan]

Longlegs. I liked it! But if I were to relay the plot it would sound like that story hack!Cage pitches in Adaptation.


Which is to say that tone and atmosphere really hoist the movie.
If Silence of the Lambs by way of Exorcist 3 sounds like a fun time, check it out. Although I don't think the police part of the movie pays off in a satisfying or rewarding way.
Maybe that's the point.

My dad loves this movie, but he's a hardcore Cage fan like my mom. Though she doesn't do horror movies. I'm gonna have to wait for home video on Longlegs. The last showing was earlier this week.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

My dad loves this movie, but he's a hardcore Cage fan like my mom. Though she doesn't do horror movies. I'm gonna have to wait for home video on Longlegs. The last showing was earlier this week.

Cage is great in the part. He's not in it a whole lot but his character and weird presence dominate the movie.
He's definitely played 'crazier' characters before but his part here has the added scariness of feeling weirdly plausible. Unlike say Buffalo Bill or the Gemini Killer, I feel like I've seen this dude before.

 

[thebobmaster]

A ★★★★★ review of The Wicker Man (1973)

“He brought you up to be a pagan!” “A heathen, conceivably. But not, I hope, an unenlightened one.” This film follows Sgt. Howie (Edward Woodward), who arrives on an island called Summerisle in search of a missing girl named Rowan. While investigating, he learns that this particular village...

letterboxd.com

 

[Agema]

Every Steven Seagal movie.

Okay, this is technically a movie review review. You don't want to watch actual Steven Seagal movies, because they are terrible (with the possible exception of some of early ones when he was just an action star, which were saved by the fact they had proper writers, directors, etc.) Steven Seagal takes to writing and producing his own movies in later career. Unfortunately, he's not just a bad actor, he's a bad writer, and also a genuinely terrible, narcissistic, human being with seemingly no sense of humour and this all comes through. Even the one thing he was once supposed to be good at (martial arts), he's obviously not been up to it for 20 years or more.

And so I have been watching the Steven Seagal movie reviews by the Space Ice YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceIce

These are great fun. Space Ice uses that sort of slightly OTT cod-trailer voiceover style that was probably a little more popular back in the 90s or so. Watching multiple has many of the enjoyments of sketch comedy, build around routines and repetition - the pay-off of when the "catchphrase" drops. And there are numerous: that Seagal is overweight and out of condition, using a body double (sometimes obviously) for anything complex. That Seagal is a creep who writes his movies full of eye-candy a fraction of his age he can ogle, his characters appearing in actual strip clubs. That he keep firing guns without looking at the target, or without holding them properly so they're pointing in the wrong direction for the target he's shooting at. Continuity errors, plot holes, irrelevant scenes. How everyone keeps telling his character how amazing he is. That he often appears to be dubbed. That his characters appear to kill loads of people, and his weird slap fight style. It is fair to say that Space Ice is often distorting what happens in the movies, but it works for comic effect.

It is said that no assassin is more famous than his target. But you have to admit that some reviews are vastly more enjoyable than the media they are reviewing.

 

[BrawlMan]

Every Steven Seagal movie.

Okay, this is technically a movie review review. You don't want to watch actual Steven Seagal movies, because they are terrible (with the possible exception of some of early ones when he was just an action star, which were saved by the fact they had proper writers, directors, etc.) Steven Seagal takes to writing and producing his own movies in later career. Unfortunately, he's not just a bad actor, he's a bad writer, and also a genuinely terrible, narcissistic, human being with seemingly no sense of humour and this all comes through. Even the one thing he was once supposed to be good at (martial arts), he's obviously not been up to it for 20 years or more.

And so I have been watching the Steven Seagal movie reviews by the Space Ice YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceIce

These are great fun. Space Ice uses that sort of slightly OTT cod-trailer voiceover style that was probably a little more popular back in the 90s or so. Watching multiple has many of the enjoyments of sketch comedy, build around routines and repetition - the pay-off of when the "catchphrase" drops. And there are numerous: that Seagal is overweight and out of condition, using a body double (sometimes obviously) for anything complex. That Seagal is a creep who writes his movies full of eye-candy a fraction of his age he can ogle, his characters appearing in actual strip clubs. That he keep firing guns without looking at the target, or without holding them properly so they're pointing in the wrong direction for the target he's shooting at. Continuity errors, plot holes, irrelevant scenes. How everyone keeps telling his character how amazing he is. That he often appears to be dubbed. That his characters appear to kill loads of people, and his weird slap fight style. It is fair to say that Space Ice is often distorting what happens in the movies, but it works for comic effect.

It is said that no assassin is more famous than his target. But you have to admit that some reviews are vastly more enjoyable than the media they are reviewing.

I'll defend Above The Law, Hard to Kill, Marked for Death, Out for Justice, and both Under Siege movies. Anything after that is dead to me. Exit Wounds is okay though. I am still a much bigger Van Damme fan.

 

[Agema]

I'll defend Above The Law, Hard to Kill, Marked for Death, Out for Justice, and both Under Siege movies.

I think they're all covered by the early period exception already granted to him.

Under Siege maybe made him a bit for his boots, hence I suspect the execrable "On Deadly Ground", his first thinking he had the talent to make his own stuff. The decline is at this point inevitable, rapid and catastrophic. There are a couple of proper studio movies he was probably contractually obliged to do (like Under Siege 2) of middling quality, otherwise it's a cinematic arts wasteland from there on.