Topic: Upcoming and Current Movies ...

[Finlay]

br 2049 is my favourite film of the last few years. no question.

[Mathi Alfblut]

Saw Bohemian Raphsody recently and found it really good and quite a trip down nostaliga lane.

Saw Mary - Queen of Scots yesterday and just felt... Meh... It was so dull. The rape on history and not least the clothing was terrible. I hate all that demin and leather. Also, it dressed all english in black and all scots in somekind of demin blue. Excuse me but that is sooo silly. Uniforms for court? Why? It was all about grandiose splendour.

The only one allowed to look splendid on occasions was Elisabeth. And they sort of made a character murder of her compared to Mary who was all heroine and whatnot. At least the had Mary being an arrogant prick as she just had to stubbornly claim that she was superior to Elisabeth. However, having Elisabeth WEEP as a response (I guess she was supposed to be "offended") instead of bitchslaping Mary and show she was the daughter of a king who had fought tooth and nail to defend her throne.... Jesus.

They made Elisabeth kind of weak and easily manipulated by evil lords. Elisabeth was very reluctant to order Marys death in the end, but just jumping over the whole years of custody and saying she may not have been guilty of conspiring towards Elisabeth just making her a Martyr for Scotland and the Union of Scotland and England. She was outdone by Walshingham and also betrayed by the clumsiness of the catholic conspirators outside of the castle were she was held in house arrest.

All in all, Elisabeth was hands down the more able rulers of the two. But somehow the movie portray Elisabeth was weaker and less of a woman because she never married and never had children. Elisabeth made what was probably a VERY though choice. But she did it consiously a with a plan in her head. It does not make her less of a woman because she choose to do what she realized must be done in order for her to be able to rule as Queen.

One good thing. I feel Robery Dudley was portrayed pretty nicely, maybe too nice. But he was not portrayed as an asshole. He stood by Elisabeth even when she got the pox, was ready to marry Mary for Elisabeths sake and damn... He was probably not portrayed historically correct but it was nice to see one man not protrayed as an asshole.

[GamesPoet]

Interesting assessment, thanks Mathi!  I'd wanted to go see that movie, and didn't get around to doing so before it left the theaters here.  Maybe I didn't miss much.

[GamesPoet]

Tolkien ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Girzu81oS8Q

[Warlord]

Saw the female ghost buster movie. Was pretty enjoyable.

[Feanor Fire Heart]

I saw Rambo: First Blood yesterday. I saw it as a kid but didn't fully appreciate the story until now. Those cops were assholes, especially the Sheriff and that one deputy in the helicopter. I'm not sure what was the deputy's issue to want to kill Rambo in cold blood though. He seemed determined to kill him even though the Sheriff wanted him alive and radioed to him over and over again to stop firing. The only thing I can think of is because Rambo punched him. Its not a lot to go on for murder, but its startlingly realistic to how some people are when they feel angry/embarrassed/disrespected. The Sheriff became Ahab after the deputy died. He kept claiming he wanted Rambo alive but when he thought Rambo was dead he confided to the colonel that he wanted to kill him himself. I really hope Rambo wasn't charged for murder as he threw the rock at the helicopter and the helicopter went into evasive maneuvers and the deputy didn't have his seat-belt on and fell to his death. I saw the beginning of First Blood II and he is doing time but it doesn't appear to be for murder as it seems to be an 8 year sentence. I was kind of shocked that he gave an Army Vet a hard time, considering later in the movie you see the Sheriff go into his own office and sit down and there are army medals on his desk. They didn't spell it out in the movie but apparently he was a Korean War vet that was jealous that Vietnam got all its press and Korea is a forgotten war. This makes some of his initial motivations a bit clearer. I guess they didn't have the time to flesh out his character. I am not sure how it was classified back in the 80s but I feel like it is more a drama than an action movie, with the sequels changing up the formula and becoming action movies. Kind of like how Alien is a horror movie while Aliens is more an action movie. I am kind of surprised that in this age of reboots, origin stories, and prequels that there hasn't been one of Rambo in Vietnam. I am glad they haven't but am surprised they didn't. Probably because the Mouse Empire doesn't have the movie rights.

[Rowsdower]

^ Feanor
You more or less said what I was about to.
I too remember seeing the film for the first time when I was ten or so [it was that long ago, I don't really remember]
But, apparently, in the book its hinted at the Sheriff was indeed a Korean vet who felt cheated at all the coverage the Vietnam war received while Korea became forgotten [the general public too probably wouldn't know about it if it weren't for MASH]

From what I remember of the last time saw it [in recent years when I picked up the dvd] is that Rambo is responsible for two deaths in the film [one by accident if I recall] and one destroyed building. I've heard there were some alternate cuts in which Rambo kills more people and the colonel shoots him at the end. [I think Oliver Harper's retrospective was the best source on the alternate cuts]

Despite being R rated films, Robocop, Rambo Toxic avenger all had toy lines and cartoons. I heard from somewhere, Aliens nearly got a cartoon too but it was scrapped early on.

As for reboots. I don't think a Rambo reboot would work in this day and age. I dread to think what a Disney Rambo reboot would be like

[Feanor Fire Heart]

From what I remember of the last time saw it [in recent years when I picked up the dvd] is that Rambo is responsible for two deaths in the film [one by accident if I recall] and one destroyed building. I've heard there were some alternate cuts in which Rambo kills more people and the colonel shoots him at the end. [I think Oliver Harper's retrospective was the best source on the alternate cuts]

I know that the book ends that way. I didn't know there was an alternative cut for it. In the movie he is indirectly responsible for the deputy's death (deputy in helicopter shoots at an unarmed Rambo hanging from a cliff. Rambo falls and hits some trees. Rambo throws a rock at the helicopter hitting the windshield. Pilot pulls up and deputy falls out of helicopter). The only other possible death is the Sheriff but it is unconfirmed. There are a few schools of thought on it though. Being that you see the paramedics take him away and treating him has lead many to speculate that he was still alive. Also the sequel seems to indicate he is sentenced to about 8 years of prison time and if he did kill the sheriff he probably would have gotten life. It is never stated in the movie(s) though so who knows.

Despite being R rated films, Robocop, Rambo Toxic avenger all had toy lines and cartoons. I heard from somewhere, Aliens nearly got a cartoon too but it was scrapped early on.

I remember commercials for GIJoe like toys for Aliens when I was little. I am guessing it would have been too violent or scary as a cartoon. I did have a Robocop toy (and loved the 1st movie as a kid). You put caps from a cap gun in it and it made realistic gun noises. It was too loud though, so my parents never got more caps. I also remember the Toxic avenger cartoon. I caught an episode or two super early Saturday morning. Always thought the girl was hot even as a tyke. May have been one of many female influences on me that lead to my attraction to blondes.
 

As for reboots. I don't think a Rambo reboot would work in this day and age. I dread to think what a Disney Rambo reboot would be like

I was thinking more a prequel like Solo did where the old movies are still canon but they make a prequel with a young contemporary actor. I could not imagine they do a true reboot. But then again I've said the same thing about Ghostbusters and The Lion King

[Rowsdower]

Robocop and Rambo are very similar in the way they received sequels which strayed from the first film and wound up being P.C friendly toy franchises.
Bizzarly, I was introduced to Robocop via a Chipmunks episode

[Feanor Fire Heart]

RoboCop 2 was legit terrifying for me when I was a kid. It even poked fun at PC-ifying action movies.

[Dihenydd]

I just like First Blood b/c much was filmed in my hometown as a teen.  The "Silver Bridge" scene is where we used to drag race our domestic 60's cars vs the townies' 70's Japanese imports.

Some watch the movie, I just look for landmarks in the background and the bushes I plowed my '67 New Yorker into a couple of months after filming was complete.

[patsy02]

Speaking of Robocop, I can't forget my favourite scene of the film: https://vimeo.com/86014703

[Henerius]

I saw Rambo: First Blood yesterday.

Looking for a deeper meaning in the film Rambo....

 

 

[Feanor Fire Heart]

Speaking of Robocop, I can't forget my favourite scene of the film: https://vimeo.com/86014703

WTF did I just watch. 

I saw Rambo: First Blood yesterday.

Looking for a deeper meaning in the film Rambo....

 

You see thats the thing, everyone assumes its a big dumb 80s action flick because the sequels were. The first one was a drama with complex themes and motivations.

[GamesPoet]

Saw "They Shall Not Grow Old".  Enjoyed it.

I was glad they started it in the black and white.  Kind of positioned the age of the time, and the length of time that has passed. Fading into the color and then running it like that until the end of the movie was excellent, and I can't explain why, it was more of a feeling.  The fading from one footage, seen early in the movie before, into the pictures of those who had lost their life, well done.  The lack of battle footage, yet instead showing the art from the magazine clippings seemed like a good way to cover that portion of the experience.  And I liked seeing the part at the end where Peter Jackson explains what they went through to achieve the movie, as well as hearing the story of his grandfather.

I'd actually like to see it again at some point.

[Warlord]

Saw Captain Marvel. Not bad, not great. Doesn’t deserve hate or gushing praise. Fairly paint by the numbers marvel now.

Saw Lego Movie 2 with the kids. Was good to focus on the brother/sister dynamic - hopefully James will consider those lessons in his future.

[Feanor Fire Heart]

So this Aladdin trailer just posted:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTJZqNho5PE

I am not going to lie, I was a bit skeptical and even down played the movie before. But this trailer...it looks good. There are elements that seem to be ripped from the original movie (which kind of irks me for some reason) but the more I saw the new stuff in it, it seemed more like a retelling (after all Aladdin had many iterations before Disney's animated film). There were certain scenes that look like it was tapping on the door of Bollywood. I have to say, I am a bit hyped for it.

[Rowsdower]

Still havnt been able to see Stan & Ollie yet
Might see Shazaam when it comes out. I'm more inclined to see it than any other superhero film at the moment

[Feanor Fire Heart]

Oh wow. I thought I had seen the directors cut of Kingdom of Heaven, but apparently I only saw the extended cut. I need to watch the Director's cut now. Those lost scenes were paramount to those characters. Damn you studio interference!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdqI49DKfhM

[BAWTRM]

Wow, never knew that. I'd love to see the director's cut then.

Does it also do away with the rapid fire Trebuchets and portray the siege as an actual lengthy affair? That bit irked me to no end as well

[Michael W]

Yeah the Director's cut is insanely better.

No, it doesn't get rid of rapid-fire trebuchets (nor hurling flaming pots at stone walls), but it does bother to explain how a French blacksmith is also a competent swordsman and siege engineer.  It also tells you what happened to Godfrey's squire, which was a small detail that perpetually irked me.  You also get the name of Balien's loyal lieutenant-dude, which is never spoken in the theatrical cut.  Oh, and more of David Thewlis is usually a good thing.

And the siege wasn't a terribly long affair - about 12 days, most of it consisting of actual assaults.  So it's not terribly inaccurate on that count.

[Rowsdower]

When I worked at Toys R us many a moon ago; I unpacked Timeline action figure. I felt a bit silly as I consistently confused Kingdom of Heaven with Timeline.

[BAWTRM]

And the siege wasn't a terribly long affair - about 12 days, most of it consisting of actual assaults.  So it's not terribly inaccurate on that count.

True, it was actually a very short siege. Even so, I'd have appreciated the passage of time to be better emphasized.

I'd forgotten about the flaming pots. I just assumed they were poorly ranged and they intended to set fire to the city. Then again, if you can't lob flaming pots over the wall you can't really expect to reach the wall with actual rocks.

 

[Feanor Fire Heart]

Would make sense to burn down buildings inside the city to make the besieged more miserable and perhaps surrender sooner.  Also most doors are made of wood, and in a desert it would be dry wood so burning it may be helpful. So flaming pots may be a worthy tactic. I am just speculating though. It is Hollywood, and they just love fire. Its a visual spectacle for the audience.

[GamesPoet]

If the buildings get burnt down, what's the occupier going to do with no buildings?