Rate the latest movie you've seen.

[Mike Cl]

With all the hoopla about Rogue One, I wanted to like this movie, at least a little, just a wee bit.  And I should have.  It's science fiction after all.  Audiences are applauding it, and despite my disappointments with all previous Star Wars films (I admit I haven't seen them all), I was determined to try one more time to see if I could get a handle on what it is about this franchise that escapes me.  I could not find it.  Within 10 minutes, the boredom started to set in.  I started waiting for something interesting.  Apparently, it must be there, but it only got more boring.  I began squirming in my seat.  I closed my eyes and listened.  Eventually, I wanted to fall asleep, but I couldn't.  With 45 minutes of the film left, I walked out of the theater.  After the previous Star Wars movie last year, I promised I would never go to another.  I think I recall making that same promise after the one before that.

I never tried to analyze my disinterest in Star Wars Movies, so I don't know if there is a common element in all of them.  I did think about this one.  It's like the director made a list of every Hollywood cliché and then strung them together in a matrix of some cliché premise, the way 1950s musicals strung together songs.  The result being carried from one cliché to another, but not in any methodical way.  It's just a bunch of things that happen. 

I felt nothing for the characters, which HAS BEEN my common experience with this franchise, and while I understand the Evil Empire is evil, I really only know that because Evil is part of it's name.  I don't know why the rebels are better equipped to run the Galaxy, and I have no reason to feel supportive of them.  I don't give a shit who runs the galaxy.

Oh well.  I can't just like everything others like.  I guess this is just one of those things, but I'm a little envious of those who do like Star Wars films.  I don't want to be left out of the club.  But I guess it's a fate that is beyond my control.  I must accept it.

I know that the mere handful of critics didn't like the movie, and hold sentiments that closely resemble mine.  Not all of the negative reviews are as harsh, but a handful are.  Some of the negative reviews just say it was a nice try that didn't reach it's goal.  None of them described wanting to sneak out of the theater.  That I have to own by myself.

Did not see the movie.  But like you, I am NOT a star wars fan.  Saw the first and the one with Jar Jar.  Not impressed.  I am a long standing sci fi fan--life long; just don't like star wars. 

[Hydra009]

Did not see the movie.  But like you, I am NOT a star wars fan.  Saw the first and the one with Jar Jar.  Not impressed.  I am a long standing sci fi fan--life long; just don't like star wars.

Rogue One is pretty different from the other films.  It has a darker and grittier tone than Star Wars normally has and the protagonist is not a jedi.  You probably won't like it if you don't like Star Wars, but it might be different enough to be palatable.

[Mike Cl]

Rogue One is pretty different from the other films.  It has a darker and grittier tone than Star Wars normally has and the protagonist is not a jedi.  You probably won't like it if you don't like Star Wars, but it might be different enough to be palatable.

Yeah, at some point I'm sure I'll see it.  Sounds like it can be treated as a stand alone.

[Shiranu]

ì•,,ì €ì"¨ (The Man from Nowhere) staring Won Bin (South Korea's premier actor) - 9.5/10.

Overall it is your cliché Asian crime/gang revenge film... man loses "family" and goes to get revenge on the people who did it (in this case a gang of heroine pushers and organ sellers exploiting the Thai and Chinese immigrants). It's execution is spot on as well as the acting and there are several times that even given how text-book it is you start to really feel for the main character. You also get that nice satisfaction of watching evil men suffer... though one of the evilest you will be slightly drawn to.

Would definately recommend if you like action and Asia-cinema. Do note that it is highly graphic at times. The South East Asian films I have watched are certainly not as shy about openly showing knifes piercing skin or bones being twisted the wrong direction as American directors are.

[Hydra009]

Yeah, at some point I'm sure I'll see it.  Sounds like it can be treated as a stand alone.

Sort of.  There are a lot of references to A New Hope, but it's otherwise standalone.

[SGOS]

Manchester by the Sea  2/10

Rated 97% by critics.  Just and artsy character study of a fucked up family.  I guess to be a professional critic you have to like this kind of shit, the more boring and mundane the better, and better still if includes a main character grappling with existential angst.  Do you have to go to a special school where you learn how to revel in art films?  Or is appreciation of this genre just a pretense designed to project an image of an intellectual?

[Baruch]

Manchester by the Sea  2/10

Rated 97% by critics.  Just and artsy character study of a fucked up family.  I guess to be a professional critic you have to like this kind of shit, the more boring and mundane the better, and better still if includes a main character grappling with existential angst.  Do you have to go to a special school where you learn how to revel in art films?  Or is appreciation of this genre just a pretense designed to project an image of an intellectual?

Interesting idea.  Was Rocky Horror Picture Show .... artistic?  I do know the type.  A brother-in-law of a friend of mine ... is working on his PhD in Film Art.  Totally "artsy fartsy".

[SGOS]

Interesting idea.  Was Rocky Horror Picture Show .... artistic?  I do know the type.  A brother-in-law of a friend of mine ... is working on his PhD in Film Art.  Totally "artsy fartsy".

I'd bet that nobody, not even the director, imagined that this would be one of the greatest cult films ever.  My guess is it was just supposed to be a wacky musical that would push weird people doing weird things in front of the camera in order to keep people from leaving the theater.

The only reason it became a classic was because some enterprising college kids decided to make it into a "happening."  Basically, they started going to it just to act weird and make fun of the movie.  The movie itself is just a catalyst for something else that for reasons that defy logic, needs that movie to make the real event work.

[Baruch]

I'd bet that nobody, not even the director, imagined that this would be one of the greatest cult films ever.  My guess is it was just supposed to be a wacky musical that would push weird people doing weird things in front of the camera in order to keep people from leaving the theater.

The only reason it became a classic was because some enterprising college kids decided to make it into a "happening."  Basically, they started going to it just to act weird and make fun of the movie.  The movie itself is just a catalyst for something else that for reasons that defy logic, needs that movie to make the real event work.

You just pinpointed what fingerprints "real art" ;-)

[Shiranu]

10/10. In terms of war movies... I put it above the clichés like "Saving Private Ryan" and "Black Hawk Down".

Korean war film from start of war to end following two brothers as they get drafted. Older brother does what he can to protect his younger (who he and his mother sacrificed their professional lives for so he could go to go to college [which resonates with me as that was my Dad's situation in WW2]). Like "The Man from Nowhere" it does not skimp on it's depiction of violence. Refreshingly, neither side is shown to be the "good guy & bad guy"; rather both sides have their own fucked up atrocities and characters.

Unlike most warfilms it also does a great job of establishing "why should I care about the character?", due in part to the fact this movie does run about an hour longer than you average flick. I think this is a completely justified move however... there is no way you could have fit the character building in without this longer run time.

All in all a great film if you enjoy action/war films. I have to watch them in breaks now because they are too stressful, but this movie also has great transitions that make solid points to get up and walk around or go do something else.

Again... 10/10 imo.

[SGOS]

Morgan

Produced by Ridley Scott, director of Blade Runner if I remember.  Directed by Luke Scott, who might be his son?  I don't know.  But it's the same premise as Blade Runner, and I kept remembering Deus ex Machina while watching.  Critics at Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 39%.  The consensus was that it was a good premise that could have been developed better, but the movie opted for action instead.  How low class!  And I would agree with the consensus on both counts, except that I give it a 9/10.  But I'm very partial to Sci Fi Android stuff.  It's a standard 90 minute film, but it seemed more like 45 minutes.  Needless to say, I never felt a moment of boredom.  I anticipated the ending halfway through the film, because the plot is anything but complex.  I'd recommend it, except with such a low critic rating, I might be in a small minority.

Added:  Yes I'm the minority.  Audiences gave it a 30%.  What can I say?  I'm the guy that doesn't enjoy Star Wars.  So what do I know?  But I liked this one a lot.

[SGOS]

LaLaLand  8/10

I usually say I hate musicals.  The singing and dancing was done by Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling themselves (I was told Gosling actually learned to play the piano for the movie, although I'm pretty sure he must have had some help from a ghost player off screen at times), and while it was a million times better than what I could do, the singing and dancing still lacked a solid professional edge, but it was fun watching them do their best.  The singing and plot were like a million times better than those musicals from the 1950s, where I quickly realized at the age of Ten that musicals sucked and were made for crazy people. 

This was kind of like the 1950s format, but without the sucking.  The songs and dancing and story line actually worked together so instead of falling asleep during a utterly pointless story and then being rudley awakened by someone shouting a song at the top of their lungs for hardly no reason relating to the half assed plot, you could just sort of see it coming and  could enjoy a gentle transition.  It's a love story with a few poignant moments that feel kind of good.

Yep, I've got to say, it was OK.

[SGOS]

Come and Find Me  8/10

This may not be for everyone, but I was interested throughout.  I was also interested in seeing how Aron Paul would be in something other than Breaking Bad.  He did a good job.  There are lots of flashbacks that annoyed me at first because I don't really want to see the flow of the movie disturbed, but near the very end, the flashbacks start to prepare you for the ending as they change from flashbacks to flashes of imagination that really get you wondering how this whole thing comes to a climax, but while it's got you on the edge of your seat with anticipation, the movie just ends.  It's like they just ran out of film, and it's not like something you want to talk about with someone you are with: "What do you think happens?"  You aren't even given any clues.  It just fucking ends, leaving you with absolutely no closure.  Having said that, it's a Hell of a ride getting to that point.

[Munch]

LaLaLand  8/10

I usually say I hate musicals.  The singing and dancing was done by Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling themselves (I was told Gosling actually learned to play the piano for the movie, although I'm pretty sure he must have had some help from a ghost player off screen at times), and while it was a million times better than what I could do, the singing and dancing still lacked a solid professional edge, but it was fun watching them do their best.  The singing and plot were like a million times better than those musicals from the 1950s, where I quickly realized at the age of Ten that musicals sucked and were made for crazy people. 

This was kind of like the 1950s format, but without the sucking.  The songs and dancing and story line actually worked together so instead of falling asleep during a utterly pointless story and then being rudley awakened by someone shouting a song at the top of their lungs for hardly no reason relating to the half assed plot, you could just sort of see it coming and  could enjoy a gentle transition.  It's a love story with a few poignant moments that feel kind of good.

Yep, I've got to say, it was OK.

That made my night. I do love musicals myself, good ones anyway, I grew up going to theater plays and musicals and so have a fondness for them, from les mis to the stage version of the lion king and sound of music sing alongs. However, I will always have a burning hatred for the jolson story, seen as how my dad watched that same movie, on vhs, over and over and over, for 20 years, until it broke. He never watched anything else, and I think it was because of dads natural racism and he got to laugh at black face singers.

[SGOS]

That made my night.

Good.  I had fun writing that.