The Movie Reel

[Moxie]

Wow, it's telling how little we've had to say about films since we haven't been able to go to the movie theaters. Well, I return to this thread with a very low-brow selection. I went to the actual theatre today, (only my 3rd foray in 19 months,) to see "Free Guy." It's not a perfect movie, but it is a rather perfect summer movie. Lots to like.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Wow, it's telling how little we've had to say about films since we haven't been able to go to the movie theaters. Well, I return to this thread with a very low-brow selection. I went to the actual theatre today, (only my 3rd foray in 19 months,) to see "Free Guy." It's not a perfect movie, but it is a rather perfect summer movie. Lots to like.

Since we are in lock down again in Sydney for nearly two months our movie theaters are shut,though I did read a review on this today in one of our papers.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Moxie

I do not know if you have seen Hamilton the stage production, I have tickets,for this coming October,it has had rave reviews here in Sydney,hopefully we will be out of lock down in October,I am looking forward to this show.

 

[Horsa]

Wow, it's telling how little we've had to say about films since we haven't been able to go to the movie theaters. Well, I return to this thread with a very low-brow selection. I went to the actual theatre today, (only my 3rd foray in 19 months,) to see "Free Guy." It's not a perfect movie, but it is a rather perfect summer movie. Lots to like.

I haven't really had much to say about films because I've been very busy. I had to do a "working with under-12s" course for work. I've handed in my equine-history report at work & had to do a powerpoint presentation on it which went very well & I got many questions throughout which I answered, I had to be the Vera Lynn tribute act at work for an event which also went very well & both me & my audience loved it. I also found out that my Manager 3 levels up from me is going to be leaving, unfortunately & my direct Manager asked me to think about putting in for it. It took some thinking about because I've got a very varied role which can be fun, fascinating, rewarding & either challenging or relaxing depending on whether I've got an arts/crafts, history, music, admin or teaching job at that moment in time or a mix of some or all of those jobs. My long-lost Brother has also been in contact with me so we've been starting to catch up with each other.

Unless I'm watching TV or films I listen to music & sing-along because I can listen to music & sing-along while I'm doing other things so I read more than watch TV & films but when my eyes are really playing me up I watch more TV & films. The last film I watched or rather re-watched was "Seabiscuit" which I love.

I'm glad you managed to go the the cinema & enjoyed the film you saw though you don't think it's perfect.

 

[Horsa]

Since we are in lock down again in Sydney for nearly two months our movie theaters are shut,though I did read a review on this today in one of our papers.

I'm very sorry to hear that you're back in lock-down.

 

[Moxie]

Moxie

I do not know if you have seen Hamilton the stage production, I have tickets,for this coming October,it has had rave reviews here in Sydney,hopefully we will be out of lock down in October,I am looking forward to this show.

I still have not seen it! Not even the filmed version. (It's on Disney+ here, which I don't have.) I do hope you get to use those tickets and tell us how it is!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I still have not seen it! Not even the filmed version. (It's on Disney+ here, which I don't have.) I do hope you get to use those tickets and tell us how it is!

Thanks,I have had the tickets for 6 months,though I have read if the production does not go on in October,you can get a refund,or they are now selling tickets for December,so I think I would rather wait and see it later in the year.The production is going to Melbourne in March in 2022.

 

[Kieran]

Well, watched a couple of really good sci fi films, so good that I hesitate to call them sci fi. They fit neatly into so many categories, to limit them to just one is to be unjust to them. Both written and directed by Mike Cahill, they are I Origins and Another Earth, The second of which was co-written by the star of both films, Brit Marling, an excellent actress who certainly seems picky with her parts, which is all the better for us.

Also watched a couple of movies which were difficult to watch, both for different reasons. Hope Gap with Bill Nighy and Annette Bening, a really profound film about a marriage break up, with a wonderful performance by Josh O’Connor as their son.

And Bridesmaids, which was excruciating to watch, but bloody hilarious!

 

[Front242]

^ Bridesmaids is pretty hilarious. Especially the scene where they all shit themselves

 

[Kieran]

^ Bridesmaids is pretty hilarious. Especially the scene where they all shit themselves

It’s my favourite scene

 

[tented]

^ Bridesmaids is pretty hilarious. Especially the scene where they all shit themselves

It’s my favourite scene

 

[Kieran]

Anybody going to see the new Bond film? See, I’m tempted to go but I’m also thinking of boycotting Hollywood. I mean, what the actual feck? The villain is called Safin? And in Star Trek, the villain is Borg? What’s next? A super villain named Nadalovic? A Bond girl called Wodger?

It’s sickening!

 

[shawnbm]

I feel for ya brother about boycotting Hollywood, but a Bond film will always be an exception. Reviews appear to be positive and I think I’ll go on a Bond fest this weekend and try and see the new one next week.

 

[Kieran]

I feel for ya brother about boycotting Hollywood, but a Bond film will always be an exception. Reviews appear to be positive and I think I’ll go on a Bond fest this weekend and try and see the new one next week.

I heard tell that this film is somehow connected to On Her Majesty's Secret Service, which seems to be so highly rated, so I ordered a copy from the library and I'll watch it before I go see the new one. Gonna be interesting to see how they replace, Craig, going forward. He's been so successful in the role, but at the same time, I'd like them now to reboot with something nearer to the books in future. Proper spy stuff, with less spills and thrills...

 

[the AntiPusher]

I feel for ya brother about boycotting Hollywood, but a Bond film will always be an exception. Reviews appear to be positive and I think I’ll go on a Bond fest this weekend and try and see the new one next week.

For me only Casino Royale with the Villian Le Chiifre played so brilliantly by Mads Mikkelsen was Daniel Craig best outing as James Bond. They could have kept all the other films including Skyfall which had another great movie theme song by Adele's tremendously gifted voice. Yet, I will go see No Time to Die.

I once asked my coworkers who would they want to be our CEO Bill Gates or Hugh Hefner...they hesitated but said Hef..So I took it to the next level, Hef or Sir Sean Connery's James Bond. We all choose Connery's James Bond by a land slide.

 

[Kieran]

For me only Casino Royale with the Villian Le Chiifre played so brilliantly by Mads Mikkelsen was Daniel Craig best outing as James Bond. They could have kept all the other films including Skyfall which had another great movie theme song by Adele's tremendously gifted voice. Yet, I will go see No Time to Die.

I once asked my coworkers who would they want to be our CEO Bill Gates or Hugh Hefner...they hesitated but said Hef..So I took it to the next level, Hef or Sir Sean Connery's James Bond. We all choose Connery's James Bond by a land slide.

Sean Connery in his better Bond films is closest to the books, as Bond. Craig isn't even remotely like the Bond in the books, but I suppose the films are reacting to other franchises and even as a franchise themselves, the Bond films have created an alternative-Bond - one who's generally less interesting than the books, whether it's Roger Moore's creepy perv Bond, or Craig's thuggish bouncer. But Craig's films have had the benefit of better directors (except Quantum of Solace - which bares zilch relation to the excellent story it gets its name from), better supporting cast, huge budgets everywhere, and in fairness to Craig, he's adapted the role to fit a new audience. Asked if his martini should be shaken or stirred, he replies, do I look like I give a damn. More intensity, more emotional impact, but none of the cool or charm or suaveness, mixed with violence and hopeless womanizing that Connery carried off so effortlessly, and which is typical of the books.

I'll be very curious to see who replaces Craig, because regardless, he's been the most successful and riveting Bond in years. What direction will they take? It'll be a big challenge for them...

 

[shawnbm]

Sean Connery in his better Bond films is closest to the books, as Bond. Craig isn't even remotely like the Bond in the books, but I suppose the films are reacting to other franchises and even as a franchise themselves, the Bond films have created an alternative-Bond - one who's generally less interesting than the books, whether it's Roger Moore's creepy perv Bond, or Craig's thuggish bouncer. But Craig's films have had the benefit of better directors (except Quantum of Solace - which bares zilch relation to the excellent story it gets its name from), better supporting cast, huge budgets everywhere, and in fairness to Craig, he's adapted the role to fit a new audience. Asked if his martini should be shaken or stirred, he replies, do I look like I give a damn. More intensity, more emotional impact, but none of the cool or charm or suaveness, mixed with violence and hopeless womanizing that Connery carried off so effortlessly, and which is typical of the books.

I'll be very curious to see who replaces Craig, because regardless, he's been the most successful and riveting Bond in years. What direction will they take? It'll be a big challenge for them...

Brother Kieran hits the nail on the head here about Ian Fleming and his James Bond franchise. James Bond is a creature of the Cold War and of the intelligence community, espionage and what not. That is who he is. It often wasn’t a pretty world. In today’s culture, everything has to be changed to fit the post-modern and post-Cold War tastes of today and even a Bond film is forced to be put through the prism of political correctness. It is really the antithesis of the James Bond story. They will ruin it eventually by putting in an LBGTQ+ Bond or a female Bond. They just can’t leave a good thing alone.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Sean Connery in his better Bond films is closest to the books, as Bond. Craig isn't even remotely like the Bond in the books, but I suppose the films are reacting to other franchises and even as a franchise themselves, the Bond films have created an alternative-Bond - one who's generally less interesting than the books, whether it's Roger Moore's creepy perv Bond, or Craig's thuggish bouncer. But Craig's films have had the benefit of better directors (except Quantum of Solace - which bares zilch relation to the excellent story it gets its name from), better supporting cast, huge budgets everywhere, and in fairness to Craig, he's adapted the role to fit a new audience. Asked if his martini should be shaken or stirred, he replies, do I look like I give a damn. More intensity, more emotional impact, but none of the cool or charm or suaveness, mixed with violence and hopeless womanizing that Connery carried off so effortlessly, and which is typical of the books.

I'll be very curious to see who replaces Craig, because regardless, he's been the most successful and riveting Bond in years. What direction will they take? It'll be a big challenge for them...

I will be happy to drop 25 pounds and audition for the role..I'm a helluva better looking than Daniel Craig plus my salary demands would be significantly lower than those blokes in Hollywood. All I requested is a totally nude love scene with Halle Berry or an South American actress.. jajaja

 

[Kieran]

Brother Kieran hits the nail on the head here about Ian Fleming and his James Bond franchise. James Bond is a creature of the Cold War and of the intelligence community, espionage and what not. That is who he is. It often wasn’t a pretty world. In today’s culture, everything has to be changed to fit the post-modern and post-Cold War tastes of today and even a Bond film is forced to be put through the prism of political correctness. It is really the antithesis of the James Bond story. They will ruin it eventually by putting in an LBGTQ+ Bond or a female Bond. They just can’t leave a good thing alone.

It's the bane of the creative life, to be slavishly ticking boxes in this way, but unfortunately you maybe right. An interesting development on the Bond front is that Bezos has acquired a 50% stake in the Bond franchise, leading to speculation that there maybe spin-offs on Amazon Prime, in the way that Disney buying Star Wars led to many spin off stuff there. I'm in two minds about this. Firstly, the cycle of Bond films moves slowly, so a movie is an event, and to water it down by releasing too many offshoots might affect the demand for the main feature. However, let's be candid, most Bond films are crap. Horrible, and dated, and just lousy poorly made films that traded on the reputation but rarely delivered.

The Craig films have corrected this, with a few blips maybe along the way. But they're event movies, Big Screen outings that an audience can get value from. And so spin off TV series might cause the main act to lose some of its prestige. But maybe Bezos will surprise us and do something good, who knows? My own broken record preference for Bond is what you mention, bring him back to espionage, get him back to the books, and maybe tone down the unrealistic modern action hero stuff, but I doubt it will happen.

Any preferences on who should be the next Bond? I don't mind if @the AntiPusher gets it, once he doesn't kill off everyone here who disagrees with him, in the first reel..

 

[the AntiPusher]

I will be happy to drop 25 pounds and audition for the role..I'm a helluva better looking than Daniel Craig plus my salary demands would be significantly lower than those blokes in Hollywood. All I requested is a totally nude love scene with Halle Berry or an South American actress.. jajaja

My favorite all-time Bond film is by far GoldFinger but I enjoyed To Die Another Day more. There's is nothing better than seeing Halle berry's body in that entire movie especially coming out of the water in the orange bathing suit..Lord Have Mercy.