Fantastic Four: The first superhero movie Ive enjoyed this year.

Harry Potter 3: Though Cuaron made some visual changes I didnt agree with, I have come to really appreciate his direction on this movie. Im still sad he didnt come back for Half Blood Prince, prolly coulda saved it.

[WallySparks]

just finished watching the old 2001 comedy sci Fi movie Evolution on Tubi tonight.

my thoughts or whatever? its still a funny movie with a good plot. wish there was a sequel

[Dr Kain]

I've been runninbg through the INvasion of the Body Snatcher adaptatons. Three done so far.

The first adaptation is a really good film with a sense of mystery around it, paranoia and the like. However, there's a couple of scenes that either don't make sense or had details glossed over that it was a bit confusing in parts.

The 1978 version is just incredible. The sound design, the camera angles, having scenes that are shot close up and hectic to signify panic is just brillaint. I love how it is suspense and outdoes the original adaptation in almost every aspect. The characters are far more enduring and you really feel for their plight. Plus the ending is totally a 70s horror movie ending. Easily up there with some of the greatest horror films ever made.

This is my first time ever seeing this 1993 adaptation of the book, though, it's hard to call it an adaptation. More like someone took an idea from the book and just wrote their own story over it. It's poorly paced, the acting is awful. Like okay, all of these military people have no personality whatsoever to begin with, so how the hell are we supposed to know if they are different or not? Hell, the main military dude ends up being the only guy not taken over probably because they thought he was already replaced given how emotionless the dude was. Also, how the hell are you going to cast R Lee Ermy in a role and not have him shout? The rest of the cast was pretty lifeless too and the plot really did nothing with its concept. The father makes a startling discover and it goes nowhere. We have another side character that amounted to nothing. The entire movie was just crap. The only positive I can give it was in its effects work and atmosphere. The transformation sequences were gruesome and there was a lot of fog during the night shots to add to it. Beyond that, worst adaptation up to this point.

[snake5289]

The new Naked Gun movie was pretty damn funny.

[Dr Kain]

The Invasion - This was the 2007 adaptation with Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig. It pretty much takes its own path but follows a few of the beats from the book far better than that 93 abomination did. I like how they evolved the pods to being a virus, which makes sense in a modern world. It also has a new meaning after Covid with some aspects it takes, especially in the political sense. Outside if Nicole Kidman's accent changing constantly, the first hour of the film is very well done as it builds on suspense and keeps you glued to your seat in suspense. Unfortunatley, things seem to go awry during the last half hour as if the film suddenly became an action movie with big set pieces, car chases, and the like. The ending is also quite abrupt leaving you with a less than satistifed taste in your mouth as if you bit into an undercooked meal. Still, it has its moments and it far better than whatever the hell the previous iteration was.

Assimilate - THis is the most recent adaptation of Body Snatchers from 2019. It revolves around some YouTubers in a small town when the shit hits the fan. It's cheaply made, but not as terrible as I had been anticipating. It also has the actress who played Laurie's granddaughter from Halloween 2018 in it and she does the best she can with what she is given. I like the modern angle taken on it even moreso than Invasion did, though it is a weaker movie. Things get a bit weird at the end, though it didn't go in the direction I was expecting. It was better than the 93 movie for sure.

[Dr Kain]

While I know this is for movies, I wanted to post my thoughts on the Invasion of Body Snatchers novel as we finished the book today. In all honesty, it was crap. It's quite childish in the way he's written the main character's (Miles) lonely lust for his love interest while claiming he doesn't want to get involved with her. It is interesting how the book has bits that were in the 70s adaptation but not the 50s and vice versa. Anyway, there were entire chapters that were just utterly pointless. Like after Miles and the gang discover the pods in Miles' house, they flee Santa Mira and go to a hotel. An entire chapter is spent on them at the hotel when they decide they're going to go save the town because they don't want to abandon the place they grew up in, making the entire hotel bit pointless. No wonder no movie adaptation has bothered to include such tripe. Then there is a full chapter on Miles and Becky in Miles' office looking for something to fight off the pod people with. A paragaph is spent telling us the things he fumbles through in his desk before realizing he could use the scaples and crap in his cabinet to the side of him. And then the ending was kind of a crock of shit.

Spoiler warning if you want to read the book. Miles and Becky set a garden of pods on fire and when the pod people douse the flames, the pods take off into space. The pod people then die off and everyone lives happily ever after. What the blanking blank was that????

[Dr Kain]

Novacaine - Some people call this an action revenge movie. In reality, it's a comedy torture porn. It's about a man who can't feel pain at all and goes after the people who kidnapped his possible girlfriend. He has gets burned, stabbed, punches glass, shot, electrocute, flipped around in crash vehicles, and every movie of it is gorier than a Friday the 13th film. This one is not for the feint of heart and anyone that tells me this is not a horror film is a fucking moron.

[diablogunner]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Kain

Novacaine - Some people call this an action revenge movie. In reality, it's a comedy torture porn. It's about a man who can't feel pain at all and goes after the people who kidnapped his possible girlfriend. He has gets burned, stabbed, punches glass, shot, electrocute, flipped around in crash vehicles, and every movie of it is gorier than a Friday the 13th film. This one is not for the feint of heart and anyone that tells me this is not a horror film is a fucking moron.

100% agree. There are lots of cring moments in this one, but it was fun.

[Dr Kain]

We watched a movie we picked up on BD like 7 years ago called Cronos, which is one of Del Toro's earlier films. It was an interesting take on the vampire genre. The effects work, for what little there was, was quite good, but the movie itself is not something I would ever go out of my way to rewatch. The audio was all over the place in quality as there were times when the dialog was either hollow or buried under the music. Still, I'm glad I watched it.

[jwyss234]

One Battle After Another

This was my first Paul Thomas Anderson film, and I'm not sure if there will be another after this. You can definitely enjoy the directing, acting, and set design in this film. But the story is incredibly weak because everything that happens feels random and pointless. The film feels political since it's about people trying to start a revolution, but it has nothing to really say in the end. Overall, I just felt apathy for the characters and the events of the film. I would say the movie is fine, but not something I'd ever watch again.

Just FYI, there are a lot of Paul Thomas Anderson super-fans singing this film's praises. People online having been saying that it's the best film of the year, they laughed a lot, and even one strange person who said that the car chase at the end was the best they'd seen in 20 years (it barely qualifies as "a car chase"). Those praises are part of the reason why I decided to give the film a chance. But I would say that if the trailers for OBAA didn't move the needle for you, then you should consider skipping it or waiting for it to hit streaming.

[Dr Kain]

Nightmare on Elm Street series, quality varies over the 7 films, but the first is incredible.

Halloween 1 and 2 - First is perfection incarnate.

The Thing - Also perfection.

[Floor Boss]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim

Wonder Woman- 10/10
I wasn't expecting much after having gone seen Batman Vs Superman and Suicide Squad (Which were real bad) and Was Blown away without a doubt Wonder Woman is by far the Best Superhero Film I have ever seen and easily one of the best films I've seen overall. It had the perfect amount of action,Drama, and Comedy. I am definitely going to see it again in theaters

I Love the first Wonder Woman movie as well (8.5). I could only imagine, how good A new Wonder Woman film would be, starring A 2023 Rhea Ripley (before her recent weight loss especially). No way would her acting be A detriment, when your stacked like her. A physique akin to A legit Amazon, plus she's knock-down gorgeous (like Diana's supposed to be). And it's not like Gal Gadot set Diana's acting bar very high or anything.

As for the Suicide Squad movies, I really like them! Both animated ones & the Margot Harley one's (not that their in my Top 50 or anything). So initally I was surprised that everyone online really seems to hate the live action "Margot Harley" movies. Cause they both remind me of fun 80's Action films. movies that I do love, like PREDATOR (the Org), Ice Pirates & COBRA, to name A few (films that are in my Top 50).

What's weird is, everytime I mention this publicly- more times then not to like A co-worker, or A stranger at work or even someone in A stores media isle (not that there's many of them left anymore)- they tend to agree, w/ positive sentiment for Suicide Squad. And they usually bring up how terrible Disney's Marvel movies have been since END GAME.

[Dr Kain]

Halloween III - Amazing despite it's biggest plot hole.

[Dr Kain]

Del Toro's Frankenstein was reallly damn good. It isn't remotely accurate in the slightest, but it does follow the formula set by the book and keeps in tone with the spirit of it, most of the time. There are a couple of aspects I did not care for, such as them turning Viktor's dad into an abusive piece of shit, having Elizabeth be engaged to his brother, and him having unlimited financing for his experiments, but when the movie was on its A game, it was on it's FUCKING A GAME!! Outside of Mia Goth, who I felt was a bit miscast, all of the actors were perfect. They all gave it their best performance and the movie was better for it. The monster himself was badass and one of the most accurate adaptations to date as far as characterization is concerned. This is hands down my second or third favorite movie of the year and probably my third favorite version of the book. It might not be the groundbreaking masterpiece that was Nosferatu, but it's definitely one worth checking out. A shame it will never get a physical media release.

[ThorOdinson123]

Finally watched Fantastic Four
Galactus looked amazing suck it Tom Rothman
Loved. Ben and Johnny Sue was cool too.

Im sorry Pedro Pascal was horribly miscast as Reed Richard’s. I read somewhere David Tennant wanted to try for Reed he would have been a million times better.


Ebon was perfect for Ben the guy who played Johnny was too.

Shala Ball was ok I prefer Noran.

Good movie better than the other F4 movies but I think Superman was still a smidge better than this one. Glad they didn’t spend a ton of time on the origin story

[Dr Kain]

The Halloween Trilogy - 2018 was such an incredible film that it kind of sucks they didn't stop there. Kills has some great moments but ultimately amounts to nothing. Ends is salvaged thanks to its soundtrack and last 10 minutes, but my god does it suck. The acting took a huge downgrade with dialog that felt like it was written by George Lucas. I was waiting for Corey or Frank Hawkins to complain about sand.

[diablogunner]

The new version of The Naked Gun. Don't do it. It does not live up to the originals and I think I laughed out loud maybe once or twice.

[Dr Kain]

Halloween 5 - 6/10
Halloween 6 PC - 6/10
Nosferatu - 10/10
Monster Squad - 7/10

Hell House LLC Lineage - Now I am not the biggest fan of found footage films, but the first movie had a lot of great ideas and suspense going on it while the sequels have been all over the place. However, the fourth film managed to add in some new ideas, so I was somewhat looking forward to this one. First off, it's not a found footage film, it's a regular type of movie and it is all the worst for it. Of course, that's the least of the movie's issues as it's kind of boring until the last half hour and even then it's hit or miss. The ending is a total crock of shit though as the movie was essentially just the set up for the next one because they totally worked out well for other movies in the past. Right now I just want to tell the creator to fuck off.

Tron Ares- 0/10

Such a disagrace to the series.

[Dr Kain]

I watched the Star Wars trilogy and Spaceballs this week.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weapon X

Tron Ares- 0/10

Such a disagrace to the series.

Let's be real, Tron is a shit show in general. The original movie was trash that got by by hiding its garbage plot behind groundbreak effects at the time. Legacy worked because it had Daft Punk to make it work. Take out the soundtrack and the movie is as generic as can be.

I have not seen Ares to comment on it yet, but I expect NIN is the only thing that will make the movie the least big enjoyable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Kain

Let's be real, Tron is a shit show in general. The original movie was trash that got by by hiding its garbage plot behind groundbreak effects at the time. Legacy worked because it had Daft Punk to make it work. Take out the soundtrack and the movie is as generic as can be.

I always look forward to your lovely unsolicited comments. You don't have to say every thought that comes to your mind.

[Dr Kain]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weapon X

I always look forward to your lovely unsolicited comments. You don't have to say every thought that comes to your mind.

I'm making conversation.

Anyway, sone quick reviews of things I saw over the weekend:

Predator Badlands - It was like watching a Samurai Jack episode with Predators in it. I liked it quite a bit. Probably the first actually good sequel ever.

I Know What You Did Last Summer - Crap. Made no sense as the event that occurs is an actual accident.

Abraham's Boys - Retconned Stoker's novel and did nothing with it. Beautifully shot, but utterly boring.

Together - A lot different than I was anticipating, but nothing more than average.

The Naked Gun - Pretty funny after the first 20 mins. THere was a really neat scene that turned into a horror film for a moment and the post credit scene with Weird Al was hilarious.