The Movie Reel

[Moxie]

It’s icky, exactly! Like a cheap Disney flick for under fives. The whole thing is bloat. I didn’t like Titanic either, until the ship hit the iceberg. Up until then, all the silly romance stuff was unimportant and irrelevant, totally dull. Billy Zane was a pantomime villain. Once it bashed into the iceberg it improved, mainly because we all knew that this was a terrifying historical tragedy unfolding, so there was an emotional resonance there already, but I suspect there’s a greater film on this subject waiting to be made, an intelligent, well-written one.

I liked Aliens and his terminator films because they’re big blockbuster braindead popcorn extravaganzas. But - his films don’t age well, and that’s largely because special effects don’t age well, the macho one dimensional acting doesn’t age well and without them, what is a James Cameron movie?

Again, I agree. As far as Titanic, once the real tragedy comes in, it's an affecting film. There is much obsession with the sinking of the Titanic, and he made the scary part quite palpable, and probably pretty accurate. Aliens was pretty good, but the original Ridley Scott one is one of the great horror movies of all-time. I did think Terminator and T2 were pretty great, in the popcorn vein. Those were his best, by far. IMO. Everything else was too bloated.

 

[Kieran]

Again, I agree. As far as Titanic, once the real tragedy comes in, it's an affecting film. There is much obsession with the sinking of the Titanic, and he made the scary part quite palpable, and probably pretty accurate. Aliens was pretty good, but the original Ridley Scott one is one of the great horror movies of all-time. I did think Terminator and T2 were pretty great, in the popcorn vein. Those were his best, by far. IMO. Everything else was too bloated.

I think of the Titanic sinking as being almost like a tale from the Bible. Man’s hubris instantly shattered against the iceberg. “The ship that will never sink.” Except it did, on its first voyage. He barely explored this aspect of it, preferring instead to follow the line that the captain was under pressure to race across the ocean. That’s good too, and Bernard Hill was immense, especially his reaction when he was told by the hopeful radio operatives that help would arrive at a time he knew was too late, and there were powerful scenes when mighty ship groaned under the weight of its destiny and people were flailing about, but that’s to do with our collective memory as much as anything.

I don’t know what he’s trying to say or achieve with Avatar. This is the most capitalist, commercial, greedy filmmaker in history, but is he trying to tell us he’s really a tree hugger at heart? Is it an issues based film? He’s so clunky that it’s hard to tell if he’s trying to make that obvious, or if he isn’t?

 

[don_fabio]

I just saw "The Banshees of Inisherin." It is an amazing and devastating film. I'm trying to figure out how to say something, without saying too much. Not that there's a spoiler. It's too subtle for that. It's being billed as a "Black Comedy," I think. And if you saw the two leads in the McDonagh's "In Bruges," which is genius, you might be forgiven for expecting more "comedy" in this one, which is quite a lot more leaning towards the "black." McDonagh also directed "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri." If those went dark, then darker, this is the darkest. All of the performances are amazing, the cinematography is gorgeous, and a nod to the set direction and costuming. And Carter Burwell's music. But it's really the script that is like music. Every word is note-perfect. IMO. But I'm curious to hear from @Kieran, when you see it. Not just on the language but on the "Oirishness" of it.

It is on my to watch list. Glad you mentioned "In Brugges", liked that one.

 

[Moxie]

I saw "Wakanda Forever" tonight. A bit of an emphasis on the "Forever," as my friend said, as it was definitely too long. (3'40".) It has a bit too much going on, too. I saw one review that said they could have made 2 films out of it. That said, what it did well it did VERY well. There is still a lot to love in it. It was hampered and lifted by the mournful tone set by the losss of the loss of Chadwick Boseman. The prologue, and epilogue, honor him, and I challenge you to keep a dry eye. It's not a character that died, but an actual person, and the film misses him, for sure. The art direction and costumes are stellar, but the cinematography is a bit muddy, as is the plot. Performances generally good, and no one plays an imperious queen better than Angela Bassett. See it on the big screen, though, for sure.

 

[Federberg]

I saw "Wakanda Forever" tonight. A bit of an emphasis on the "Forever," as my friend said, as it was definitely too long. (3'40".) It has a bit too much going on, too. I saw one review that said they could have made 2 films out of it. That said, what it did well it did VERY well. There is still a lot to love in it. It was hampered and lifted by the mournful tone set by the losss of the loss of Chadwick Boseman. The prologue, and epilogue, honor him, and I challenge you to keep a dry eye. It's not a character that died, but an actual person, and the film misses him, for sure. The art direction and costumes are stellar, but the cinematography is a bit muddy, as is the plot. Performances generally good, and no one plays an imperious queen better than Angela Bassett. See it on the big screen, though, for sure.

watched the first one and wasn't in really in love with it. Only saw it under duress. Still peeved I paid for it on Amazon Prime. Doubt I'll get round to this one. In all honesty apart from the Spiderman sub-franchise I haven't found much to love in the Marvel movies. Oddly I was a Marvel fan as a kid, more than DC, but I've tended to like the DC movies more...

 

[Kieran]

Martin Scorsese’s birthday yesterday. I planned to celebrate it with a binge but never got near that. Such an exquisite, precise, energetic and brilliant filmmaker. So many genres so easily traversed in his great career. He’s the Bob Dylan of film. Taxi Driver, Kundun, Age of Innocence, Goodfellas, Silence, Shutter Island, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. So many beautiful films - and yes, I consider Goodfellas to be a beautiful film.

Also like Dylan, he’s still a current force, never nostalgic, resting on his laurels, eating flabby foods and intoxicated on the applause. I thought The Irishman was a fine film, and I’m looking forward to his teaming up of Leo and DeNiro in Killers of the Flower Moon.

And also like Dylan, he’s got a healthy and encyclopaedic regard for the history of his art. He works to preserve old movies from rotting, and I’m certain he could tell you who worked as costume designer on some obscure black and white flick from the thirties.

A great man, his films are substantial and say something about us, but in a unique and powerful way…

 

[Moxie]

watched the first one and wasn't in really in love with it. Only saw it under duress. Still peeved I paid for it on Amazon Prime. Doubt I'll get round to this one. In all honesty apart from the Spiderman sub-franchise I haven't found much to love in the Marvel movies. Oddly I was a Marvel fan as a kid, more than DC, but I've tended to like the DC movies more...

I really did love the first one. I thought there was so much special in it.

 

[Moxie]

Martin Scorsese’s birthday yesterday. I planned to celebrate it with a binge but never got near that. Such an exquisite, precise, energetic and brilliant filmmaker. So many genres so easily traversed in his great career. He’s the Bob Dylan of film. Taxi Driver, Kundun, Age of Innocence, Goodfellas, Silence, Shutter Island, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. So many beautiful films - and yes, I consider Goodfellas to be a beautiful film.

Also like Dylan, he’s still a current force, never nostalgic, resting on his laurels, eating flabby foods and intoxicated on the applause. I thought The Irishman was a fine film, and I’m looking forward to his teaming up of Leo and DeNiro in Killers of the Flower Moon.

And also like Dylan, he’s got a healthy and encyclopaedic regard for the history of his art. He works to preserve old movies from rotting, and I’m certain he could tell you who worked as costume designer on some obscure black and white flick from the thirties.

A great man, his films are substantial and say something about us, but in a unique and powerful way…

I didn't realize that it was his birthday, but I caught Goodfellas again the other night, which is always a stunner. I do love his encyclopedic mind for films, but I don't agree that he isn't always nostalgic for his favorite tropes. But that's a quibble. He's a treasure.

 

[Kieran]

I didn't realize that it was his birthday, but I caught Goodfellas again the other night, which is always a stunner. I do love his encyclopedic mind for films, but I don't agree that he isn't always nostalgic for his favorite tropes. But that's a quibble. He's a treasure.

What I meant with nostalgic is that he’s always creatively pushing forward, not wallowing in his great reputation or past as a filmmaker. Dylan is the same, still aiming high and creating work that’s as potent as his most famous work. Not a ridiculous tribute act, like the Stones. These men are in their eighties and still relevant, still intense, still driven by the same impulses they had when they were young and breaking through. They’re extraordinary, and they’re also extraordinarily inspiring for anyone who wonders if great artists still live among us, creating art that reflects all ages and passages of life…

 

[Front242]

I thought the first film of this was crap. It was an awful film. I tried for the badass US marine played by Stephen Lang but I shed no tears when he died because it signaled the end to it all. Sentimental, longwinded, racist, hypocritical rubbish. Well made, but a waste of time. Suffered from the typical problem James Cameron has - he wrote it.

Well here comes the sequel:

Should have been a once off imo but you know there are another 3 more to be released after Avatar 2? Crazy. Has to be seen in 3D to be fully appreciated though. Many 3D films are like that where people just wow at the sfx but don't really like the film.

 

[Federberg]

I really did love the first one. I thought there was so much special in it.

friend of mine has seen this latest one. And the report I got told me it wasn't anywhere near as good as the original which I didn't like anyway. I got the distinct impression that this one is following the current trend of Marvel movies that are promoting a woke agenda. I know that'll probably rub you the wrong way but... this whole strong women, dumb weak men thing is becoming tiresome. Particularly when it's not consistent with the the narratives in the original comic books. Why can't we just have stories without an agenda. Why change the original work? It's artistic Mal-practice. Anyway.. I'll give it a miss. Love and Thunder was more than I could bear, as a Thor and Silver Surfer fan in my teens... and I figured it best to swerve future Marvel movies after that...

 

[Moxie]

friend of mine has seen this latest one. And the report I got told me it wasn't anywhere near as good as the original which I didn't like anyway. I got the distinct impression that this one is following the current trend of Marvel movies that are promoting a woke agenda. I know that'll probably rub you the wrong way but... this whole strong women, dumb weak men thing is becoming tiresome. Particularly when it's not consistent with the the narratives in the original comic books. Why can't we just have stories without an agenda. Why change the original work? It's artistic Mal-practice. Anyway.. I'll give it a miss. Love and Thunder was more than I could bear, as a Thor and Silver Surfer fan in my teens... and I figured it best to swerve future Marvel movies after that...

In fairness, I don't think Ryan Coogler sat down with the woke playbook and cobbled together the pieces. He lost his very charismatic star and Black Panther, so he had to either replace him with a different actor, or go write the loss in. What he had was Angela Bassett, which gives you a fearsome matriarch, right there. Then there's a sister and a girlfriend, so he basically had a female center as a starting point.

 

[Federberg]

In fairness, I don't think Ryan Coogler sat down with the woke playbook and cobbled together the pieces. He lost his very charismatic star and Black Panther, so he had to either replace him with a different actor, or go write the loss in. What he had was Angela Bassett, which gives you a fearsome matriarch, right there. Then there's a sister and a girlfriend, so he basically had a female center as a starting point.

Perhaps. But it's no longer about Black Panther then. I just feel like some writers with an agenda have scribbled in my mint condition comic. Lucky for them I can't put hands on them. Sorry but that's the way I feel...

 

[Moxie]

Perhaps. But it's no longer about Black Panther then. I just feel like some writers with an agenda have scribbled in my mint condition comic. Lucky for them I can't put hands on them. Sorry but that's the way I feel...

It's not uncommon with a much-loved property. I get that. If it were a stronger film, I'd encourage you to give it a try, anyway, but it's a bit of a mess in a lot of ways. I found a lot to like in it, but none of it was the political agenda.

 

[Kieran]

When I saw Black Panther I thought, oh gosh, this is what a marvel film would look like if Irish-Americans thought to place an action hero film in Ireland. It certainly wouldn’t go down well in Ireland.

Chadwick Boseman was a great actor but Black Panther was a marvel movie, limited by the typical limitations of the genre, which is that they’re largely unsubstantial, relying heavily on cheap humour and low belly sentimentality. Where I seen how great he was, was in Ma Raineys Black Bottom and Spike Lee’s excellent movie, Da Five Bloods…

 

[Moxie]

When I saw Black Panther I thought, oh gosh, this is what a marvel film would look like if Irish-Americans thought to place an action hero film in Ireland. It certainly wouldn’t go down well in Ireland.

I'm trying to wrap my head around what that even means!

Chadwick Boseman was a great actor but Black Panther was a marvel movie, limited by the typical limitations of the genre, which is that they’re largely unsubstantial, relying heavily on cheap humour and low belly sentimentality. Where I seen how great he was, was in Ma Raineys Black Bottom and Spike Lee’s excellent movie, Da Five Bloods…

I don't think you understand what a following that film has in the US., particularly among the African-American community. It was the Great Retelling, and many people hold it close to the heart. This is not just my middle-aged white lady interpretation. I worked on a Wakanda Forever project this summer, and I am here to tell you that the connection to the material is real and palpable for a lot of people. Folks are so invested, that I feel a pulling back from criticism of that latest one. I don't think that's a good thing, but the film just came out, and time will judge it. @Federberg is holding the original material sacrosanct, and many people hold the world of these films to be so, too.

I have more to say about the film, and the politics involved, and etc., but I don't want to expose spoilers. Let's see who else sees it and comments on it, and maybe we can come back to some of this stuff, even if some of you have already decided not to see it.

 

[Kieran]

I'm trying to wrap my head around what that even means!

It means that they’d probably have leprechauns in it. I think Black Panther was too self important, among other failings that are common to Marvel films. I’m aware of its effect on the black community. I can’t help them there, unfortunately…

 

[Kieran]

friend of mine has seen this latest one. And the report I got told me it wasn't anywhere near as good as the original which I didn't like anyway. I got the distinct impression that this one is following the current trend of Marvel movies that are promoting a woke agenda. I know that'll probably rub you the wrong way but... this whole strong women, dumb weak men thing is becoming tiresome. Particularly when it's not consistent with the the narratives in the original comic books. Why can't we just have stories without an agenda. Why change the original work? It's artistic Mal-practice. Anyway.. I'll give it a miss. Love and Thunder was more than I could bear, as a Thor and Silver Surfer fan in my teens... and I figured it best to swerve future Marvel movies after that...

In a way, Marvel movies remind me of the ka-POW Batman of the sixties: both rely on modish humour and camp characters. I watched the beginning of Thor Ragnorak and couldn’t get past the first 4 minutes. The self congratulatory humour was making me grind my teeth. The trailer showed Jeff Goldblum dressed as Widow Twanky or some other such pantomime dame. It’s low level stuff, and that’s before they even shovel on the anachronistic politics.

I enjoyed the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, and Shang Chi and the 13 Rings, I think it is, but I suspect that in 30 years Thor and the rest of them will meet their Christopher Nolan moment, where they’ll focus on the character and the source material and make better films…

 

[Federberg]

I wish I could encourage @Moxie to read a particular era in the Thor comic series. Some of the stories and character building holds up even to this day. And the art by Walt Simonson was top notch. It's way back around Thor #343. Where Odin senses that Surtur is trying to break out of his prison to regain the eternal flame and trigger Ragnarok. The point I'm making is that the Thor character is serious, tough and very powerful of course. But he's a son, trying to protect his people. His step-brother Loki is evil and constantly plotting but in the end when it comes down to the final battle, Loki steps up and joins Thor and Odin to oppose Surtur. He realises that all his plots will be for nothing if Surtur is allowed to win and end everything. It's touching and the story has depth. And it's particularly poignant as in the end Odin appears to sacrifice himself to stop Surtur. What they've done to the characters in the name of woke-ness is an artistic atrocity. I don't know if this would have been possible if Stan Lee was still alive.

I just think that we live in an era where these lesser artists with their agendas, and minimal talent are allowed to butcher the work of their betters. Sad... very sad!

 

[Federberg]

^No one would have any objections if these people created their own characters to further their agendas. That's fine. But instead it's always about replacing well developed characters. Just look at She Hulk. They make it seem like she's more powerful than the Hulk. That she knows better than him about how to use her power. Like she's better than him with no character arc. No tribulations to overcome. No one can empathise with such perfection. And it's an obvious lie. Hollywood has done this so many times in recent years. Women kicking mens asses and telling them why their stupid and useless. FFS.. the struggle is what makes the character interesting. There's no understanding about the human condition and basic story telling. I could excuse the screenwriters perhaps if there was evidence that the consumer wants this, but all of these movies are bad. They don't do well in the box office. It's both artistic and financial sabotage. And I don't get why the movie studios put up with it. I'm glad to see that the DC franchise recently put a torch to a lot of the crap they were about to release. Any idiot would tell you they were doomed to bomb in the box office. Focus on entertaining the audience. All these people who want to shove woke nonsense down our throats with a view to educating us can go fuck themselves.