What Movies Are You Watching Lately

[Geoffrey Firmin]

First two & half minutes:

 

[Kaplan]

^ I don't know if that first bit was ever intended to be in the movie, but since it was releases as a 'prologue', I didn't expect to see it there. There were other trailer scenes though - mostly with the crew interacting (like in 'The Last Supper' extended clip) - that would have helped flesh out the characters, but which didn't make it to the final cut.

 

[noob in 89]

Though convenient, it's also kinda of a shame how streaming services have disappeared the DVD; I miss deleted scenes, special features, commentary tracks, and sometimes, the option to watch a movie with scenes restored.

(Yesterday at 7-11 I saw this sad, case-less Criterion Life Aquatic disc on sale for $2!)

 

[jcman311]

First two & half minutes:

Yeah, It still doesn't really explain things. Having watched that trailer, I'm still ok with where the movie has some unanswered questions. Had they gone into the voyage with Shaw and David, the movie could have easily extended into that 2.5 hour range, and it looks like that is something that most movies are avoiding these days. (I remember sitting through the almost 3 hour Interstellar thinking the same thing. It was good and I was entertained, but I walked out thinking "Man they could have shortened that story a little more")

Though convenient, it's also kinda of a shame how streaming services have disappeared the DVD; I miss deleted scenes, special features, commentary tracks, and sometimes, the option to watch a movie with scenes restored.

(Yesterday at 7-11 I saw this sad, case-less Criterion Life Aquatic disc on sale for $2!)

I buy most of my movies from the Apple store, and most come with the disc extras. Most are also about the price of a dvd back in the day. $15-20

 

[jcman311]

Spoiler: plot and ending of Covenant talked about

When I say that Covenant was dark, I came away with the human race is doomed. David is Lucifer and there will be no stopping him. At the end of most of the other Alien movies, there is a least a glimmer of hope or a survivor. Here, nothing. Even Prometheus saw everyone die except Shaw and there was hope that they would find their makers (but probably be killed by them). Instead, David is now the eternal villain who may reign forever.
I think another weird plot point in the series is the fact that information is still slow to travel. The crew of the covenant still had 7 years left to get to their destination. When was Earth going to respond and send its next group to either intercept Covenant (and David) or send out its next terraformers? 10 years is a long time between deployments and think of how much technology can change. The only question I really have a problem with is how a (supposed) far superior Walter can get beat by a rebuilt David.

 

[gort]

Alien was awesome. Finally getting some answers with regards to how the Aliens as we knew them in Alien & Aliens were created was very satisfying as a lore nerd. Obviously everyone will complain about more "unanswered questions" but that is why Ridley has more sequels planned to connect right in to the start of Alien.

 

[Geoffrey Firmin]

I'm aware that unanswered questions are all part of the narrative arc. However the story arc has distinctly changed from an explanation of humanities origins in terms of a SciFi space opera into a focus upon the dangers of an AI with a God complex.

Which of course opens up a whole new set of narrative options in terms of story development. However the last thing I want to see is an Alien invasion of earth with David leading his flock.

 

[jcman311]

I read something today that talked of the possibilty of David becoming part of the alien (either as host or like in the beginning of Prometheus). It would kill David and morph the alien into what it was like in the later movies. I wish I could sit in on some of these brainstorming writing sessions just to see how crazy some of their ideas are.
The blog also discussed the lack of further plot on the engineers (of human life) and how they probably are not all dead.

 

[Geoffrey Firmin]

Reading an article on Transhumanism and the Singularity at breakfast when I came upon this " a Florida pastor argued that in the future AI could be evangelised just like humans" Well if that is the case AI can develop an ego which could well end up just as twisted as David. But then was he programmed to this end to begin with?

 

[edinatlanta]

The Fate of the Furious.

I don't know how with every installment, the Fast & the Furious franchises climbs to cinematic heights heretofore unreached on this terra frima.

But in all seriousness, I do think the F&F franchises do a good job with story telling. Not to say it's deep or challenging but the plots are always concise, they've made a universe where it's totally plausible to have these muscle cars be stealthy/weapons in international crime, there's character development in each movie, the story always keeps moving.... and this isn't to say Orson Welles would be jealous just that they do many things very well.

 

[lefty]

A friend was telling me he read the Vincent Ward script after Alien3 came out. He played a role in the navigator and was being considered for Alien3. A good synopsis of it is herehttp://avp.wikia.com/wiki/Alien_III_(Vincent_Ward)

Ward wrote that with John Fasano. I did the EFX for Fasano's first movie and hung out with him for six months. He was a fun cat. Good A writer, fun B-movie director. Just found out he's dead. Too bad.

lefty

 

[Geoffrey Firmin]

Die Hard1-5 pig out on cable today. Can I sit down and engage with some cinematic high body count, self indulgent mindlessness but essentially cultural satisfying behaviour on a Saturday?
NO!

 

[dotcomzzz]

A hockey doc. Mostly follows the life and times of Chris Nilan, a bruiser for the Montreal Canadiens and other teams during the 80s. Pretty much only worth it if you're a hockey fan.

Matthew McConaughey plays a modern day floundering gold prospector looking to strike it rich. Loosely based off the Bre-X mining scandal. Some cute plot twists. Better than expected.

From David Lynch. Starring Laura Dern, Jeremy Irons, Justin Theroux, Harry Dean Stanton, Julia Ormond, and others. Very surreal, very weird, and full of stuff that make no sense. So standard Lynch fare. Not as good as Mulholland Drive, but it will definitely scratch that Lynchian itch for you. It's also three hours long.

 

[noob in 89]

Wasn't that shot on a digital camera? I remember thinking there was something way off and un-Lynchian about the actual look of the film (i.e. no *film*). It was also the first movie of his I thought could have been improved by significant editing.

Still, there were some indelible scenes, like the lengthy account of the woman dying on the street.

 

[noob in 89]

This weekend:

Can't Buy Me Love. The original. In my 80s top ten, and a total exemplar of the genre: Nerdy teen. Wisecracking younger brother. Pymagalion transformation. Insufferable jocks. The dick college boyfriend. Love interest whose only identifiable quality is that she's hot. Slow clap. Slut-shaming. Hijinks. Fun.

License to Drive. A tale of Two Coreys, and better than remembered. A young Heather Graham (see above). Richard Masur having fun. Wisecracking younger brother. Uptight older sister. Ambulatory hijinks. Solid fun, and the fashion is realistic and on point.

These things are like Russian fairy tales, and I can't get enough.