Recently Watched Movies 2023

[storrsroars]

I had no idea there was a movie out there with Bill Burr both starring and directing. But there it was on Netflix, just released on Friday. If you're a fan of Burr's, odds are you'll really enjoy "Old Dads", as a lot of the same themes of Burr's standup material find their way into a movie script. That said, while there are true laugh out loud moments, some of the scenes and characters that Burr rages against are so ridiculously contrived as to be cringey. It's a fairly uneven directorial debut and Burr kinda played it safe by trying to not totally piss off everyone - both the out of touch GenX dads and the soft, weak-kneed millennial PC adherents variously make points and also look like idiots. Burr does this schtick better in "F is for Family", but this movie still delivers some good laughs in a mostly predictable storyline.

While the movie centers around the three dads, there are some great cameos. Paul Walter Hauser plays a vaping motel owner annoyed at Burr's smoking on the balcony (and the neighbor across the courtyard delivers a classic fart scene). Bruce Dern is an Uber driver whom Burr recognizes as the man he'll become in old age if he doesn't change. And Rachel Harris, who played the devil's shrink in "Lucifer" plays an over-the-top ultra-PC head of a progressive private school.

While not perfect, this movie was a nice surprise to find on a miserable wet and cold Friday night.

 

[CL82]

The Art of Love (1964)

This movie stars James Gardner, Dick Van Dyke, Elke Sommer and Angie Dickinson. The premise is that Dick Van Dyke is a starving artist in Paris who becomes frustrated by his inability to sell his paintings. James Gardner is his roommate an equally unsuccessful writer who sponges off him. Van Dyck decides to give up and go back to America. The two go out and get drunk and lament that Van Dyke's paintings would have value if he was dead. Garner jokingly writes a suicide note for VanDyke who then accidentally falls off a bridge onto a barge and is carried up river. By the time he gets back to Paris his paintings are selling wildly in the pair decides to continue to fake his death. The plan is complicated by the fact that Van Dyke's fiancé unexpectedly turns up in Paris and Gardener decides to pursue her. Meanwhile ingénue Elke Sommer continually throws herself at Van Dyke who resist her intentions.

The movie is a typical 60s farce, complete with references to the Inspector Clouseau movies which were hot at the time. It wasn't particularly well received in the theater, but is genuinely pretty funny. I enjoyed it.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The Meg 2. Really dislike the whole CCP aspect of these movies. They look like commercials for China. Fun Island? Really? That aside, it's Jason Statham saving the day from prehistoric fish and the now ubiquitous evil corporate types. Is it absurd at times? Yes. It's a diversion and while not good, it's ok.

 

[HuskyHawk]

No Hard Feelings. Stars Jennifer Lawrence, some kid I don’t know (Andrew Feldman) and Matthew Broderick in a supporting role. Rich Dweeb kid named Percy in Montauk. Parents hire a young woman to get him out if his shell. She’s struggling, needs a car and is screwed by property taxes. It’s funny and sweet. She’s what he needed and he helps her understand what she needs to do. Movie was badly advertised and got too much press for JLaw being stone cold stark naked, which is, to be fair, amazing. Really a nice movie. The Kid is good, Jennifer Lawrence is delightful. Movie deserved much more at the box office. Strong recommendation.

 

[nwhoopfan]

No Hard Feelings. Stars Jennifer Lawrence, some kid I don’t know (Andrew Feldman) and Matthew Broderick in a supporting role. Rich Dweeb kid named Percy in Montauk. Parents hire a young woman to get him out if his shell. She’s struggling, needs a car and is screwed by property taxes. It’s funny and sweet. She’s what he needed and he helps her understand what she needs to do. Movie was badly advertised and got too much press for JLaw being stone cold stark naked, which is, to be fair, amazing. Really a nice movie. The Kid is good, Jennifer Lawrence is delightful. Movie deserved much more at the box office. Strong recommendation.

I just finished watching it. Was less of a raunchy comedy than I expected, although it had a bit of that. More drama than I expected as well. Certainly had some funny parts. I thought Scott MacArthur (from The Mick) brought some good energy to the film, too bad he was only on screen for about 5 minutes. As a side note, I legit did not realize that was Matthew Broderick at any point during the movie, until I saw his name on the end credits.

 

[storrsroars]

I just finished watching it. Was less of a raunchy comedy than I expected, although it had a bit of that. More drama than I expected as well. Certainly had some funny parts. I thought Scott MacArthur (from The Mick) brought some good energy to the film, too bad he was only on screen for about 5 minutes. As a side note, I legit did not realize that was Matthew Broderick at any point during the movie, until I saw his name on the end credits.

Watched it tonight, about 2/3rds of the way thru I remembered this post and I didn't think I'd seen Broderick yet, but there he was the whole time.

Wasn't a great movie, but it was worth the time. "Sweet" is an appropriate description. The beach scene where JL takes on the kids was pretty incredible if you think about how many A-list stars would've signed up for that. She pulled it off, in all her splendor.

 

[Palatine]

The Meg 2. Really dislike the whole CCP aspect of these movies. They look like commercials for China. Fun Island? Really? That aside, it's Jason Statham saving the day from prehistoric fish and the now ubiquitous evil corporate types. Is it absurd at times? Yes. It's a diversion and while not good, it's ok.

The Meg 2 is a bad sequel to a bad movie. There is really nothing to recommend this movie. Bad acting. Bad script. Average cinematography. Nonsensical, absurd, out right stupid action scenes. Uneven CGI. The strongest part of the movie was good Commie propaganda. And these type of movies are usually escapism that I enjoy. It was just awful.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The Meg 2 is a bad sequel to a bad movie. There is really nothing to recommend this movie. Bad acting. Bad script. Average cinematography. Nonsensical, absurd, out right stupid action scenes. Uneven CGI. The strongest part of the movie was good Commie propaganda. And these type of movies are usually escapism that I enjoy. It was just awful.

Fair assessment.

 

[Kolumbo]

Wind River - 2017
Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, half the cast from Yellowstone
Good drama from Taylor Sheridan who created Yellowstone. A local tracker helps an out of town FBI agent track the killer in Wyoming.

 

[nwhoopfan]

"A Haunting in Venice" is available on Hulu now. The latest Kenneth Branagh/Agatha Christie/Hercule Poirot. I enjoyed Murder on the Orient Express. Death on the Nile was not good. This one started okay, but I lost interest about halfway through. I let it keep running, but was only halfway paying attention. Tina Fey felt miscast to me.

 

[nwhoopfan]

"Wingwomen" (original French title Voleuses) is new on Netflix. I went in thinking it was an action comedy, I think it was billed that way. It had a few funny parts, but IMO to call it a comedy is a disservice. While it did have some action, it was fairly slow paced. More of a drama or character study even. I've seen Melanie Laurent in a few English language movies. I thought this was her directorial debut (she acts in it as well), but looking at imdb she's directed several previously. While I found it interesting enough, I was a bit underwhelmed...until the big finale. Then the pacing and build up made sense. Quite a dramatic end. She has a number of credits but I don't think I've seen Adele Exarchopoluos before. She made quite an impression. She and Melanie work together, high end thieves. Melanie is the brains and Adele the muscle/weapons expert. They are also in love with each other, but they are both hetero (?), so it's a complicated dynamic. They are under the thumb of their handler, played by Isabelle Adjani.

IMDB doesn't even have her listed in the credits, but they found a little girl who reminds me of the Olsen twins when Full House first started.

 

[Deepster]

Watched it tonight, about 2/3rds of the way thru I remembered this post and I didn't think I'd seen Broderick yet, but there he was the whole time.

Wasn't a great movie, but it was worth the time. "Sweet" is an appropriate description. The beach scene where JL takes on the kids was pretty incredible if you think about how many A-list stars would've signed up for that. She pulled it off, in all her splendor.

I watched it this weekend. I give it a little credit because (spoiler alert) he changed her point of view on life. The end reminded me of the end of Good Will Hunting.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I watched it this weekend. I give it a little credit because (spoiler alert) he changed her point of view on life. The end reminded me of the end of Good Will Hunting.

They both changed the other for the better. While obviously not destined to be a romantic pairing (sorry kid) they were good for each other in other ways. It was better than I expected (didn't expect much).

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Pain Hustlers (Netflix) - Emily Blount, Chris Evans, Andy Garcia and Catherine O'Hara in the best Netflix produced movie I think I have ever seen. It provides an "inspired by a true story" account of one of the second tier opioid manufacturers that was just as scummy as Perdue Pharma. I give it a 9 out of 10 because the movie didn't quite stick the ending, but it was really good. It is funny, but also smart. I like that it takes a less "good vs. evil" approach to depicting the company, and tries to explain the motivations of the people who participated in something so awful as creating the opioid crisis. One of the problems I have with Painkiller is that it turns everyone at Perdue Pharma into cartoon villains, and it makes the story a lot less interesting.

I have watched maybe 4 marvel movies, so I had only seen Chris Evans a couple of times and I always thought he sucked as an actor. He is really good in this. I would not have landed on Andy Garcia stepping in for Donald Sutherland and William Hurt and taking all the "60-something rich guy" roles. He is fine as an actor, but nothing special.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Haunting in Venice. Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot and Tina Fey as an author who writes mysteries. Scenery is gorgeous. Michelle Yeoh and Kelly Reilly also appear. Interesting casting choices. I thought this was quite enjoyable. The premise involves a retired Poirot, brought to a haunted former orphanage in Venice by the writer. He's dragged into a Seance and then, it becomes a mystery for him to solve. Lots of interesting and different twists here. Way better than the Nile.

 

[CL82]

Adrift (2018)

This movie stars Shailene Woodley as Tami Oldham a woman who survived 41 days adrift in the Pacific. The premise is Oldham is a bit of a free spirit traveling from place to place earning enough money to "get to the next place". He had worked a few jobs as a cook sailboat picked up some of the fundamentals of sailing. Upon arriving in Tahiti she meets Richard in the to begin a fast romance which appears that it might get an equally fast end when Richard is offered a job sailing a boat from Tahiti to San Diego. It's not much of a spoiler to say that a big storm cripples the boat leading to the the reason for the title.

During the hurricane, Richards sends Tami to the relative safety below decks just before a huge wave hits. Tami is knocked unconscious and wakes up 21 hours later in a boat that is half filled with water. making her way up to the deck she sees the masts have been broken off and Richard is nowhere to be found. Eventually she spots in an overturned life boat drifting in the distance. She must repair her boat so she can make some progress to getting to the lifeboat in the hopes that Richard is there. The bulk of the movie deals with her attempts to do that and then her decision to abandon trying to get to San Diego and instead choosing to make the 1500 mile trip to Hawaii based upon favorable winds and tides.

This movie reminds me of the early Nicole Kidman movie Dead Calm in many ways, including the struggle to get out from below decks and the need to rig repairs of a boat to make it functional enough to get to a loved one. (For what it's worth, that's actually a pretty good movie if you stumble onto it.) The Director chooses to present the movie in a non-linear path. The movie starts with Tami trapped below decks but then interspaces the backstory of her life and her romance with Richard. Sometimes that's a little annoying, but I understand why the choice was made. I suspect the prospect of the monotony of being stuck at sea didn't feel like effective cinema. I wonder if it would have worked, however, to give a better sense of the length of the voyage and her struggles .

Overall it definitely is a watchable movie. Woodley is terrific in The Fault in our Stars, and capable in the Divergent series. I don't remember her from anything since then. She does a capable job in this movie, but her performance might've been sharpened if she wasn't also the producer.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

"A Haunting in Venice" is available on Hulu now. The latest Kenneth Branagh/Agatha Christie/Hercule Poirot. I enjoyed Murder on the Orient Express. Death on the Nile was not good. This one started okay, but I lost interest about halfway through. I let it keep running, but was only halfway paying attention. Tina Fey felt miscast to me.

Saw this in the theater a couple months ago (primarily for the Venice location).

Wasn't bad but dragged at times and had a few too many red herrings (likely as an attempt to maintain viewer interest).

Worth watching once if there's nothing else on but wasn't worth the time, effort or cost to go to a theater to see it.

 

[NEforceUConn]

Saw this in the theater a couple months ago (primarily for the Venice location).

Wasn't bad but dragged at times and had a few too many red herrings (likely as an attempt to maintain viewer interest).

Worth watching once if there's nothing else on but wasn't worth the time, effort or cost to go to a theater to see it.

What’s a “theater” ?

 

[nwhoopfan]

had a few too many red herrings

Isn't that common throughout the Poirot/Christie novels? Seems to be recurring, at least in the movie adaptations.

 

[storrsroars]

Pain Hustlers (Netflix) - Emily Blount, Chris Evans, Andy Garcia and Catherine O'Hara in the best Netflix produced movie I think I have ever seen. It provides an "inspired by a true story" account of one of the second tier opioid manufacturers that was just as scummy as Perdue Pharma. I give it a 9 out of 10 because the movie didn't quite stick the ending, but it was really good. It is funny, but also smart. I like that it takes a less "good vs. evil" approach to depicting the company, and tries to explain the motivations of the people who participated in something so awful as creating the opioid crisis. One of the problems I have with Painkiller is that it turns everyone at Perdue Pharma into cartoon villains, and it makes the story a lot less interesting.

I have watched maybe 4 marvel movies, so I had only seen Chris Evans a couple of times and I always thought he sucked as an actor. He is really good in this. I would not have landed on Andy Garcia stepping in for Donald Sutherland and William Hurt and taking all the "60-something rich guy" roles. He is fine as an actor, but nothing special.

Just watched it. I enjoyed it, it did have a very human side to the story, at least as far as Blunt's family goes. I agree on Chris Evans. I've hardly seen any MCU movies, but I have seen The Grey Man, Free Guy, and Knives Out, and I couldn't have told you he was in any of them without looking it up. He's just another of the many "Chris" guys out there, entirely forgettable. But he was decent here. Blunt was excellent, her kid was solid, and Catherine O'Hara stole many of her scenes. Garcia was OK, but I might be giving him a low mark as his character just got weirder as the movie went on.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Eh, Chris Evans has been a passable actor in many different roles and types of movies for a long time.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Okay, I've got proof positive that people flat out lie on imdb. I've seen 2 movies previously with Sylvie Mix. Both low budget indies, somewhat interesting, didn't come off as cheap. I just stumbled onto something else she's in, so I gave it a try. "Obstacle Corpse." Cheap doesn't even begin to describe how this looked. To call it campy or B grade would be giving it too much credit. I kept thinking it couldn't possibly be that bad, but finally threw in the towel about 2/3 of the way through. Acting was beyond horrible, script, direction, cinematography, choreography, special effects, everything was beyond laughably bad. This wasn't even bad high school drama club bad, it was worse than that. And yet...it has 7.0 score on imdb. There's no way possible anyone can give it a score that high without being deliberately dishonest and misleading. Granted it's a very small sample size, but I refuse to believe there's anyone that actually truly believes it is good in any measurable way. This should have a score of about 3.0.

The synopsis, if anyone cares after my rant, is that a handful of people are invited to this bizarre obstacle race. Each invitee then needs to recruit a patsy to bring with them. The objective of the race is to murder your "friend" at some point during the course. There are some ex-military types working security, a middle aged couple who apparently set the whole thing up, an odd collection of participants, and then some random uninvited psycho in a fake food truck who sets about wrecking the whole thing. It potentially could've been a decent campy horror comedy, but it falls so short of the mark I'm stunned this ever got off the ground. My new nominee for worst movie ever made.

 

[NEforceUConn]

Just saw Sly documentary on Sylvester Stallone. It was really good, and I’m a so-so Rocky/Rambo fan. Netflix.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Block Island Sound (Netflix 2020) - Is a weird horror movie that has the production quality that makes a viewer wonder if it was shot with a cell phone. If you have been to Block Island, it is fun to see the "on location" spots and also funny because the movie does make fun of the island a few times, and one could argue that the entire film could be considered a satire of the year round Block Island residents. As a movie, it is fine. I don't watch a lot of horror, so I am probably not the target audience, but it was a decent 100 minutes of entertainment.

 

[Palatine]

Wind River - 2017
Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, half the cast from Yellowstone
Good drama from Taylor Sheridan who created Yellowstone. A local tracker helps an out of town FBI agent track the killer in Wyoming.

This is really well made film. The story is interesting and not formula. Great acting, shot well, edited well , real craftsmanship. I would recommend it to anyone. 3 plus stars.