Movies / TV Shows!

[Dona.794]

So, I watched a couple of movies last night.

Robocop reboot - it was alright. I liked that they deepened his personal story, it had a few funny moments (including the explanation for his new armour colour), and I liked how they animated him. He indeed moves like a robot, which is refreshing because a lot of movies and games portray mechanical augmentation as very fluid and natural. I feel bad for the person who had to do the sound effects, though... The 'healthy' hand looked a bit funny, but it was a nice touch.

Overall, it lacked in atmosphere the original one had. It's way too slick, too bright and colourful. It didn't ruin the franchise, but it didn't add anything to it either.

Rock of Ages - I'm a sucker for cheesy musicals, especially those where characters sing 90% of the time, so this was super entertaining to me. And they got actors that can actually sing! Russell Brand made the movie for me, he was hilarious.

 

[Luxorek]

Just watched The Wolf of Wall Street and I know now why so many people have mixed feelings about it. Hard to feel... positive after watching it.

Three hours of seeing the scum of the Earth earn millions ripping off the gullible, spending ridiculous amounts of money on drugs, hookers and frivolous things and... then see them get away with it! I mean, there is no other way to call it if a man like Jordan Belfort ultimately spends three years in high-security prison, like it's a vacation and then earns millions from publishing books and then selling rights to a movie about his "achievements" when he goes free. He is even a motivational speaker now : ) : ) : )

And it's not the fault of Martin Scorsese or the movie, it's just... well, the real story after all. I wouldn't want him to sugar-coat the truth in any way. I guess we as audiences got so used to seeing the "bad guys" lose and get punished that we forgot that the reality isn't always so... pretty. And I give this movie credit for that, this bucket of cold water poured over our heads, but shake my head knowing that there will be people watching this and thinking "how awesome" Belfort really was, with his money and lifestyle. Then again... that's always a risk when you make movies based on true stories.

As for the rest of the movie. Quality stuff, but that's Scorsese for you. I've enjoyed the performances of nearly everyone [especially of Matthew McConaughey and Jonah Hill], but oddly didn't like Leonardo DiCaprio that much. He made the role really cartoonish and just gave me this feeling of "trying too much". Couple of funny moments here and there, but the movie is clearly too long and prolongs many scenes to the point of exhaustion. I checked my watch a couple of times and that's never a good sign. What dissapointed me was... the fact that it really didn't bother diving deeper into what Belfort and his cronies really did and the way their actions affected the simple people, but instead focused on how they spend their money - that's pretty much 3/4 of the movie!

In the end what the movie tells us is the sad truth that as long as you're rich... it's gonna be alright, no matter what happens.

EDIT: Went to twitter, first couple of tweets.

 

[CostinRaz]

then see them get away with it

It's how life is. Personally I am tired of the bad guys losing because they almost never do so in real life and that's simply a fact. As for people liking it or taking it as an inspiration: We live in societies where most people are willing to trample others in the pursuit of the material dreams, especially among the younger generation, it's time the world woke up to this.

 

[Garrison72]

Arbitrage is an excellent movie dealing with the Ruthless business icon doing what he feels he has to. There's more than a bit of grey morality and at the end, I found myself sympathizing with the main protagonist.

 

[Sardukhar]

They rarely get away with it. Never seen anyone dodge karma. If you know any millionaires or billionaires, (where I'm from, we have actually quite a few), talk to them sometime. They aren't blessed. They are, often, screwed up. Their lives, too, are a hodge podge of hope, fear, failure and occasional success. Yes, they get a jet. No, they can't trust anyone who isn't rich. No, even the rich aren't terrifically trustworthy to other rich people. Yes, they are always vulnerable.

Look at Jordan Belfort. Scroll down to his marital status. Twice divorced. Just like a real person. Went to prison, has criminal record. Would you like one? They aren't fun.

Don't wish for riches - wish for happiness. Or, better, perspective. Riches are just money and too much of it. That's very, very rarely a good thing.

Woah! Off topic!

Ahh...Leverage is not bad. Aaand...Almost Human. Supernatural is good, stupid fun. Mentalist is great.

 

[Veleda.980]

True Detective did not disappoint.

Me, anyway. Twitter shows that some are disappointed that more was not revealed. Thing is, I think everything is there, it's just people were reading more into the very creepy cult stuff than is necessary to follow the story. It helped that I read a couple interviews with the writer before watching the finale. I knew he wasn't going to

Spoiler

go into detail on Carcosa or tell us who the Yellow King is- I think YK is a personification of a pagan deity drawing upon old Mardi Gras traditions- pretty much what it seemed to be

and that he saw this as primarily a story about the two men. And that's what he gave us.

Spoiler

I did expect to find out that Marty's family was involved in the cult. I assumed his daughter was abused, but it's possible that she was influenced by other girls who were. When she talks about the drawings, she said she did them because other girls liked them. I think it was just a way to show how insidious the roots of something like that are. And the showrunner wanted to give some uplift in the end by showing the girls and Maggie doing well, triumphing, as do Marty and Rust. The writer said they're not anti-heroes, they're heroes, and draw on themes of the old west and "true detective" fiction. And I'm fine with that. I'm kind of tired of being assaulted with the most exploitative stuff possible.

I found it interesting that in 2 of 2 episodes, they gave us men giving an agonized wail. Only one of them- Marty- turns that agony into action that helps. The other goes back quickly to apathy and selfish rage. L'chaim, fatass. lol

 

[Aditya]

True Detective was truly epic, and very satisfying pleasing (and surprising?) ending. Even if they don't make more seasons (but they are) this will still be top notch

 

[Aes Sídhe]

Good News ! (I was a little concerned, and justifiably due the studios behaviour).

"Noah is the least biblical biblical film ever made," Aronofsky is quoted as saying. "I don't give a fuck about the test scores! My films are outside the scores. Ten men in a room trying to come up with their favourite ice cream are going to agree on vanilla. I'm the rocky road guy."

In the meantime The Book Thief is a friggin' excellent portrayal of humanity in adversity, Geoffrey Rush is superb as usual, but the 2 central children - especially the girl - are actors to watch for in future. Similarly a local movie about a pal of mine, starring Lord Beric Dondarrion... Good Vibrations:

 

[RSIK_4]

so i watched wolf of wall street yesterday
Brilliantly acted, superbly written and as one would expect from a picture by Martin Scorsese, it is a masterclass of directorial craft.
Showy when it needs to be, but also quiet and contemplative. "The Wolf of Wall Street" is the equivalent of something like "Good Fellas" or even more so "Casino" but set in the world of finance. The suits might be more expensive but the people who wear them are just as sick and violent as their street-mob counterparts. Sardonic in humor and unflinching in showing the depravity of its characters, it marks somewhat of a different approach to the world of stock-trading than Oliver Stone's "Wall Street".Where Stone seems more in line with Bertold Brecht who considered theater (or in this case film) a moral institution, does Scorsese take the position of the omnipresent observer of the dark side of the American and in many cases the human dream.
Leonard DiCaprio gives another stellar performance of great intensity and even greater tragedy while this tale of corruption, greed and self-righteousness unfolds.
It's a vast panorama that shows how during the last twenty-five to thirty years gullibility as well as our innate greed make all of us accomplices in this never-ending pyramid scheme far away from any reality.One could almost hear Scorsese's clerical background come to the fore again, according to which nobody is without sin, and therefore we are all susceptible to corruption.It is our decision on which side we choose to live that makes the difference. For every individual but also society as a whole.
now watching american hustle one of best movie of 2013

 

[LarsMN]

To fill the hole that True Detective left me with (finale was great btw) I started watching Deadwood which is really quite good so far, not a lot of action but extremely good dialogue, and Al Swearengen might be one of the best villains ever. So I do approve.

 

[sidspyker]

To fill the hole that True Detective left me with (finale was great btw) I started watching Deadwood which is really quite good so far, not a lot of action but extremely good dialogue, and Al Swearengen might be one of the best villains ever. So I do approve.

Oh boy, Al Swearengen IS amazing. Some of the most hilarious and memorable dialogues delivered with a completely straight face.

 

[jjavier]

Cosmos

I just watch the first episode of the new "Cosmos".
It was a pretty good start.

This episode was about a the scale of the space and time of the universe.
You could say it was a panoramic view. It didn't get deep in any subject.

View attachment 2269

I'm used to see and hear Neil deGrasse Tyson in YouTube videos. But here (Argentina) the show was broadcast with spanish dubbing.

I didn't like like the spanish dubbing a little bit. The voice they choose for deGrasse Tyson is soulless. I also suspect they do a couple of mistranslations.

 

[Aes Sídhe]

Yeah I like deGrasse the Pluto killer, he's an informative & personable academic, so I'm looking forward to this series. The original was superb and launched many a career in science, or love of the stars. Carl Sagan was a superstar himself, and an open mind who embraced ambiguity in his memorable quote:

"absence of evidence is not evidence of absence".

Succinct.

 

[Sephira]

To fill the hole that True Detective left me with (finale was great btw) I started watching Deadwood which is really quite good so far, not a lot of action but extremely good dialogue, and Al Swearengen might be one of the best villains ever. So I do approve.

Oh boy, Al Swearengen IS amazing. Some of the most hilarious and memorable dialogues delivered with a completely straight face.

Al Swearengen was lovely, every time I watched an episode of Deadwood, even if it was slow and everything, there was Al who brought hilarity to that episode. I liked him sooo much lol.

Oh, I've just noticed it. Swearengen.

:wat:

 

[sidspyker]

Al Swearengen was lovely, every time I watched an episode of Deadwood, even if it was slow and everything, there was Al who brought hilarity to that episode. I liked him sooo much lol.

Oh, I've just noticed it. Swearengen.

:wat:

 

[Aes Sídhe]

Yeah "Lovejoy" was great in that, but personally I preferred the portrayal of Calamity Jane:

Much better than Doris, oh how times have changed:

@eliharel; Meant to say this to you ages ago but forgot, but since you didn't mention it, and some people aren;t aware, perhaps some dvd's don't come with it, but BoB had an accompanying documentary with the surviving heroes (and I don't use that word lightly) of Easy Company. Fantastic. I'd follow a Capt. Winters.

 

[EliHarel]

Wow, thanks for posting it. I'll be sure to watch it.

 

[Aes Sídhe]

Do, I was surprised to find the whole thing uploaded.

 

[Blothulfur]

Watched the first season finale of Longmire, thanks for recommending Slim, I do like this. Subtle, restrained and nuanced but very powerful all the same time, i'm a fan.

 

[sidspyker]

As a True Detective viewer, this is damn accurate lol