Recently Watched Movies 2024

[nelsonmuntz]

The Big Sick (2017 - on Amazon Prime) starring Kumail Nanjani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter and Ray Romano is a really good romcom. It is heavily based on Nanjani's own experience starting as a comedian and his relationship with his girlfriend then wife Emily Gordon who co-wrote the movie with him. I do not know if the main twist in the middle of the movie actually happened.

It is very funny, but also very visceral emotionally without being manipulative. It is just a movie about regular people trying to live their lives focused on Nanjani and Kazan negotiating the beginning of a relationship. Najani and Romano are underrated actors, and Holly Hunter does not chew the scenery (or eat the whole set) like she usually does. The movie doesn't pretend to be any more or less than it is, and it just works. I am surprised I hadn't found this earlier. Strongly recommend.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Napoleon. Joaquin Phoenix looking older and more worn than he is as the Corsican. Vanessa Kirby is enchanting and stunning as Josephine Bonapart. The scenery is nice. The battle scenes well orchestrated. It’s a personal look at the man who fought many wars that probably shouldn’t have been fought and the hubris that drive him to it. He comes across as someone who needed to get his kicked as a younger man. It’s not a bad film, but it’s boring in stretches and has no real story arc.

 

[Deepster]

The Holdovers (2023) - A masterclass by Giamatti. Decent story, very good supporting contributions by the kid and the cook. But Giamatti just crushes his role. He has that gift of conveying emotion without speaking and has a couple really great scenes in this one.

 

[nwhoopfan]

"Role Play" (2023) Amazon original. Starring Kaley Cuoco and David Oyelowo, with Connie Nielsen and Bill Nighy. Kaley is living the suburban dream with David and their 2 kids, travels for work a lot. Except...she's actually an assassin. Wants out, but it's complicated. I was a bit confused, I thought it was supposed to be comedic, but it seemed more like they were playing it straight. But still a little bit on the lighter side instead of deadly serious and high tension. It was decent, I found it entertaining enough. I hadn't seen her in a physical kind of role like that before, she carried it off fairly well.

Nielsen looks fabulous. Just looked her up, 58 years old, certainly doesn't appear to be that age.

Does Bill Nighy know when he snorts? Does he do it on purpose? It's his little quirk, I've been aware of it for years, but it was very prevalent in his brief appearance in this one.

 

[storrsroars]

"Role Play" (2023) Amazon original. Starring Kaley Cuoco and David Oyelowo, with Connie Nielsen and Bill Nighy. Kaley is living the suburban dream with David and their 2 kids, travels for work a lot. Except...she's actually an assassin. Wants out, but it's complicated. I was a bit confused, I thought it was supposed to be comedic, but it seemed more like they were playing it straight. But still a little bit on the lighter side instead of deadly serious and high tension. It was decent, I found it entertaining enough. I hadn't seen her in a physical kind of role like that before, she carried it off fairly well.

Nielsen looks fabulous. Just looked her up, 58 years old, certainly doesn't appear to be that age.

Does Bill Nighy know when he snorts? Does he do it on purpose? It's his little quirk, I've been aware of it for years, but it was very prevalent in his brief appearance in this one.

I like Cuoco so I gave it a watch. Doesn't break any new ground in the "my spouse/gf/bf is secretly an assassin" territory, but it was enjoyable enough to not consider it a waste. I will note, however, that my next door neighbor is 58 and looks far younger than Nielsen.

 

[CL82]

Avatar The Way of Water

I get it, it was a popular movie so the remake was easy money, but sometimes it's best just to leave something alone. You know when you've got Sigourney Weaver playing a middle school aged character, you're reaching.

It was just one logical inconsistency after another. Here's an example: feral boy knows where the village is located so Jake Sully and family has to leave to protect the village. How does that make any sense whatsoever? if they leave will feral boy suddenly forget where the village is?

Here's another one, they have to use hand signals to talk to the whale but the whale can reply psychically? Why do they need the hand signals?

I mean, it was impressive to look at, but that got old at about the halfway point. I stuck with it through the end but it actually felt more like a job than entertainment.

Rewatch the first one, it's better... and shorter.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I like Cuoco so I gave it a watch. Doesn't break any new ground in the "my spouse/gf/bf is secretly an assassin" territory, but it was enjoyable enough to not consider it a waste. I will note, however, that my next door neighbor is 58 and looks far younger than Nielsen.

Since I'm 57, I may need your address, although younger looking may not mean "better" looking. Connie Nielsen is a pretty high bar. You and @nwhoopfan sold me on this as a diversion at least. Age is a construct. The number of people who look fantastic at that age is really trending way up.

This list of films in this category includes Ghosted, which I liked and The Family Plan. Stars Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Monagan. This one follows the formula but goes for comedy. It's pretty funny and Wahlberg does a fantastic job being an excessively lame and suburban dad like before it all unravels. Monagan is excellent as the attractive, fit, athletic wife/mom who is perhaps a bit turned on by the new twist in her husband. It's fun.

 

[storrsroars]

Since I'm 57, I may need your address, although younger looking may not mean "better" looking. Connie Nielsen is a pretty high bar. You and @nwhoopfan sold me on this as a diversion at least. Age is a construct. The number of people who look fantastic at that age is really trending way up.

This list of films in this category includes Ghosted, which I liked and The Family Plan. Stars Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Monagan. This one follows the formula but goes for comedy. It's pretty funny and Wahlberg does a fantastic job being an excessively lame and suburban dad like before it all unravels. Monagan is excellent as the attractive, fit, athletic wife/mom who is perhaps a bit turned on by the new twist in her husband. It's fun.

I did enjoy The Family Plan, and I'll add that my nextdoor neighbor works in reception at a plastic surgeon's office and gets work done for basically cost. She was very attractive 20 years ago, doesn't look her age now, but she's probably up your alley as she got bigger tatas that I think were a bit too much.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I did enjoy The Family Plan, and I'll add that my nextdoor neighbor works in reception at a plastic surgeon's office and gets work done for basically cost. She was very attractive 20 years ago, doesn't look her age now, but she's probably up your alley as she got bigger tatas that I think were a bit too much.

That's not really my thing, but I'm sure she's popular enough.

 

[storrsroars]

That's not really my thing, but I'm sure she's popular enough.

I wouldn't have guessed that after comments like, "flat as a surfboard" regarding Willa Fitzgerald.

Not to mention other very complimentary commentary on actresses with more significant assets.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I wouldn't have guessed that after comments like, "flat as a surfboard" regarding Willa Fitzgerald.
View attachment 95515

She‘s attractive but an A cup for sure. As she demonstrates in this show. I’m a fan of Ana de Armas and Karen Gillian if that’s any indication. But we are way off topic.

 

[HuskyHawk]

"Role Play" (2023) Amazon original. Starring Kaley Cuoco and David Oyelowo, with Connie Nielsen and Bill Nighy. Kaley is living the suburban dream with David and their 2 kids, travels for work a lot. Except...she's actually an assassin. Wants out, but it's complicated. I was a bit confused, I thought it was supposed to be comedic, but it seemed more like they were playing it straight. But still a little bit on the lighter side instead of deadly serious and high tension. It was decent, I found it entertaining enough. I hadn't seen her in a physical kind of role like that before, she carried it off fairly well.

Nielsen looks fabulous. Just looked her up, 58 years old, certainly doesn't appear to be that age.

Does Bill Nighy know when he snorts? Does he do it on purpose? It's his little quirk, I've been aware of it for years, but it was very prevalent in his brief appearance in this one.

Just watched it. I don’t think Nielsen looks fabulous. She’s in shape but a bit rough. Honestly Cuoco looks a bit rough. Maybe intentional. It’s an enjoyable if formulatic movie. I do think she was pretty good in a physical role, maybe not quite Emily Blunt, who is kind of the queen on that now. Davis Oyelowo was quite good balancing his love for his wife and family against new information. Bill Nighy was funny. Over the top but that works here. Not bad. Ghosted was better.

 

[storrsroars]

Watched "Lift" (Netflix) earlier. I was hesitant to pull the trigger on this as I'm more or less ambivalent about Kevin Hart as both a comedian and an actor, although I did like him in "Man from Toronto". That said, this was an entertaining movie about a gold heist at 30,000 ft in the air. Hart leads a team of thieves with different skills to try and pull it off. It's got the kind of complicated planning equal to "Money Heist" or "Mission Impossible" - Hart seems to have endless funds for whatever he needs. It's hard to buy Hart as holding his own with professional thugs in a fight (especially since no one seems to get bruised), but it's pretty solid entertainment, while still formulaic.

 

[storrsroars]

Should've read the reviews on "The Circle" (Netflix) before deciding to watch. If you held a notion that Tom Hanks chooses roles carefully and avoids turkeys, well, gobble gobble.

This is a bad film about technology and privacy that's just ridiculous in its premise. Now, there could've been a plot theme that pointed specifically to younger generations falling prey to peer pressure, but that wasn't this. Rather, The Circle is a megacorporation that's Meta on steroids and wants to completely eliminate privacy. We all know that's an incredibly stupid idea, but not a single employee at The Circle, or apparently 22 governments, seems to know that.

The worst part about this film is that Bill Paxton and Glenne Headly, who play Emma Watson's parents, both died right after making this and didn't have the opportunity to leave this life on a better note.

 

[Palatine]

I watched The Circle not long after it came out in 2017. This movie is the definition of forgettable. I think it centered on this web platform becoming the new voting booth in everyone's house and everyone had to vote or something. Zero stars.

 

[CL82]

a megacorporation that ... wants to completely eliminate privacy.

Ah, so it is reality based...

 

[storrsroars]

Ah, so it is reality based...

As someone who quit FB back in 2009 after Zuck declared privacy was over, even I don't think Zuck ever attempted the ridiculousness of some of the stuff being pursued in this turkey.

 

[CL82]

As someone who quit FB back in 2009 after Zuck declared privacy was over, even I don't think Zuck ever attempted the ridiculousness of some of the stuff being pursued in this turkey.

The amount of information that we willingly, if unknowingly, turn over is staggering, right down to our DNA.

 

[nwhoopfan]

The amount of information that we willingly, if unknowingly, turn over is staggering, right down to our DNA.

I've heard terrifying things about how much data mining Tik Tok does. And yet for the most part people don't seem to care, at all. Cuz ya gotta post cool dance videos, right.

 

[CL82]

I've heard terrifying things about how much data mining Tik Tok does. And yet for the most part people don't seem to care, at all. Cuz ya gotta post cool dance videos, right.

Exactly!

 

[nwhoopfan]

I've got stuff on watch lists on various platforms, but often just not in the right mood for most of them. So, looking for something to watch, I tried "M3gan." For the longest time I wasn't interested, but I guess I became mildly curious. Kinda cheesy, but entertaining enough.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I've heard terrifying things about how much data mining Tik Tok does. And yet for the most part people don't seem to care, at all. Cuz ya gotta post cool dance videos, right.

I use it with a generic username, protonmail account and minimal/fake data. I wouldn't sign up with a normal email. The AI they have running it is impressive. If you are scrolling and pause on a Dr. Pimple Popper video for a few seconds, you will see more. You pause on a Portnoy pizza review, your feed will fill with them. Pause on a pretty college girl, you will get more of them. You don't have to do anything, no clicks, no follows, no likes, it knows if you are watching the video. Instagram has nothing like that. It's much harder to just discover accounts by accident on Instagram. YouTube is closer, but the pace of TikTok means it's pulling in data much faster.

 

[storrsroars]

Watched "Dumb Money" (Netflix) this morning and totally enjoyed it. I have not traded individual stocks in 20 years, so as the GameStop story was happening, I paid little attention to it. I didn't get the class warfare aspect of it, nor did I follow the hearings that essentially covered up the market manipulation of the hedge funds to protect their own through nefarious means. I think all of that was well covered and explained in this flick, but more than that, it was entertaining on it own. Paul Dano did a great job as Kitty, and Pete Davidson was everything I'd expect from a South Boston area DoorDash driver - this might've been the perfect role for him. Many other name-brand actors involved, including an almost unrecognizable Seth Rogen, clean-shaven with jet black hair. I feel this was just as good as The Big Short in terms of explaining complicated financial matters while telling an engaging and often humorous story.

 

[Deepster]

Watched "Dumb Money" (Netflix) this morning and totally enjoyed it. I have not traded individual stocks in 20 years, so as the GameStop story was happening, I paid little attention to it. I didn't get the class warfare aspect of it, nor did I follow the hearings that essentially covered up the market manipulation of the hedge funds to protect their own through nefarious means. I think all of that was well covered and explained in this flick, but more than that, it was entertaining on it own. Paul Dano did a great job as Kitty, and Pete Davidson was everything I'd expect from a South Boston area DoorDash driver - this might've been the perfect role for him. Many other name-brand actors involved, including an almost unrecognizable Seth Rogen, clean-shaven with jet black hair. I feel this was just as good as The Big Short in terms of explaining complicated financial matters while telling an engaging and often humorous story.

I just watched it and kinda disagree. I thought it was a low budget, lesser knock off of The Big Short. Entertaining. Worth a watch if this type of movie is your bag but nothing memorable.

 

[storrsroars]

I just watched it and kinda disagree. I thought it was a low budget, lesser knock off of The Big Short. Entertaining. Worth a watch if this type of movie is your bag but nothing memorable.

Fair critique. I'll admit given what gets released these days, when I find something that doesn't involve comic books or vigilantes, I'm easily impressed when I don't get bored. Note that I didn't say it was a better flick than The Big Short, just that it did as good a job explaining arcane parts of the financial system.