The last movie I saw was...

[Noxid_w]

I'm not sure how turning Chani so sulky caters to today's audiences. On second thoughts... Things like the compression of the timescale (presumably to avoid having to cast a kid as Alia?) felt unnecessary, as did the more subtle changes as to the way the duel went down.

 

As for Denis V, I find his films to be intellectually stimulating and they look great, but they never engage me emotionally. I've only seen his SF output and "Prisoners", though.

The "turning Chani sulky" is part of what I was referring too. In the book, it's very much "women stay home, looks after children, be there for husband". There's a line in Dune Part 2 where Chani says "men and women are equal". This obviously is in line with modern audiences. I don't want to give spoilers away, but it makes how she is at the end more "justifiable". With regards to the timescale compression, i mean, it's already a 2 hour 45 min film, and it's PART 2! So I understand why they compressed things a little haha although I was a little upset they cut the part in the book where Jessica and Gurney meet and things get a little heated.

 

If you want a Denis V film that will engage you emotionally, I highly recommended Arrival. One of my all time favourite films, and definitely triggers emotion!

[Noxid_w]

Or a something bum, if that theatre has this special feature: https://www.engadget.com/dune-2-review-dolby-cinema-194415814.html

 

BTW, our cinema didn't have the sandworm popcorn buckets and didn't get any of the House Atreides cups either.

I heard the popcorn buckets are only available in USA in AMC cinemas

[LeMarchand]

The "turning Chani sulky" is part of what I was referring too. In the book, it's very much "women stay home, looks after children, be there for husband". There's a line in Dune Part 2 where Chani says "men and women are equal". This obviously is in line with modern audiences. I don't want to give spoilers away, but it makes how she is at the end more "justifiable". With regards to the timescale compression, i mean, it's already a 2 hour 45 min film, and it's PART 2! So I understand why they compressed things a little haha although I was a little upset they cut the part in the book where Jessica and Gurney meet and things get a little heated.

 

If you want a Denis V film that will engage you emotionally, I highly recommended Arrival. One of my all time favourite films, and definitely triggers emotion!

 

I'd disagree about women in the book, just look at the Bene Gesserit! I can't remember Chani being subservient, but it has been a loong time since I read the books. I found the sequence where Paul starts to become a Fremen in the film poorly edited. Did Chani help him cheat? That's what it looked like, but that part of the movie could have been a montage scene with the longest parts ever. I might have to rewatch the Lynch version, as he managed to fit Alia in properly.

 

Nope, Arrival left me cold.

[LeMarchand]

I heard the popcorn buckets are only available in USA in AMC cinemas

 

Sad now. The first time a Denis V film has made me emotional!

 

They're going for >£40 + >£20 postage on eBay!

Edited March 7, 2024 by LeMarchand

[Dos_Box]

You will have an extremely numb bum!

 

I have a benchmark. Went to a LoTR (extended edition) marathon with my son last year.

Never again!

[LeMarchand]

I have a benchmark. Went to a LoTR (extended edition) marathon with my son last year.

Never again!

 

I was going to boast that i saw all 6 OG Trek movies in one day, but it seems that the running time of those 6 doesn't match all 3 extended Rings movies!

[LeMarchand]

Malignant (Netflix)

 

 

After her abusive husband batters her and causes her to lose her baby, Madison begins to see terrifying visions of murder that seem to be actual killings taking place.

 

Quite an entertaining horror, though a tad far fetched, which does helps surprise the audience when the "reality" is revealed.

 

Pedantic IT nitpick: How likely is it that a surgeon would have updated their early 90s files to modern formats?

[Ditto]

Not yet last movies I've watched, but given the Razzie awards (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-68510904), are Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey and Expend4bles ones anyone has watched or are now going to?

[smurfomatic]

Blood and Honey is a truly awful film, even goes past the "so bad it's good" mark.

[LeMarchand]

I thought Expend4bles was better than its immediate predecessor: https://www.edugeek.net/forums/tv-movies/143036-last-movie-i-saw-208.html#post2026734 and don't regret watching it.Never fancied WtP:B&H.

[Simcfc73]

Beekeeper - really glad it was free. Jason is too good for this. And as for Jeremy irons.. I might watch die hard 3 to forgive him.

[Ditto]

Beekeeper - really glad it was free. Jason is too good for this. And as for Jeremy irons.. I might watch die hard 3 to forgive him.

 

What platform was that on - I liked the look of that and fancied viewing in spite of your disappointment.

[LeMarchand]

What platform was that on - I liked the look of that and fancied viewing in spite of your disappointment.

Sky Movies or whatever it is called these days IIRC.

[LeMarchand]

Wicked Little Letters (Cinema)

 

Trailer NSFW - and this was the cleanest one I could find!

 

 

In Littlehampton in the 1920s, one woman and later the whole town is subjected to a vicious poison-pen letter campaign. The culprit would seem to be obvious, but she claims to be innocent.

 

Based on a true story, though the characters have been "tidied up" to make a better movie. Some of the more outlandish bits surprisingly actually happened, though. If you don't mind LOTS of swearing, this is a fun watch. It's likely to be on Film 4 and/or Studio Canal in short order so, unless you regularly go to the cinema, probably worth waiting. OTH, if you have kids at home you'll need headphones!

 

P.S. For some reason, I was the only guy in the screen.

Edited March 13, 2024 by LeMarchand

[DalekSec]

Poor Things - Amazon

 

Takes awhile to get going but all round great story and acting. DO NOT WATCH WITH KIDS, it is basically softcore p*rn at times.

[Simcfc73]

The flash (sky movies)

 

Much better than I thought it would be.

[XiJ]

A few years old now but I’ve just watched Greyhound with Tom hanks (after I’d finished S4 of Das Boot). I thought greyhound was dull.

[LeMarchand]

Damsel (Netflix)

 

 

The daughter of a minor lord is to marry the prince of the kingdom, thus ensuring that her people do not starve. But the marriage turns out to be somewhat different to that of a typical fairy tale.

 

One of those films where the promo materials go against the way the movie is structured. OK-ish, with Millie Bobbie Brown channelling her inner John McClane and doing a lot of crawling, grunting and binding of injuries in dark enclosed places, but that section takes up far too much of the movie and feels like it should have been much better handled. Nice scenery (apparently Portugal), though.

 

The Great Escaper (Rental most places, we had a freebie)

 

 

"Inspired" by a true story, this has Michael Caine as a nonagenarian WW2 vet who, not wanting to leave his wife alone in the care home that they both live at, is set to miss out on the 70th D-Day Anniversary in France. At the last minute, he decides to "escape" and make his own way there. Not a bad little film with some moving moments, but it's a BBC movie so you're probably best off waiting for it to turn up on iPlayer.

[LeMarchand]

Irish Wish (Netflix)

 

 

Over the year that she has been writing editing a book for established Irish author Paul Kennedy, Maddie has fallen in love with him but hasn't told anyone. Before she gets to tell him he falls for one of her 2 BFFs and so she finds herself at their wedding festivities a few months later, wishing that she could be the one. When she finds the wish has been granted she learns that maybe it's not what she really wants.

 

Amiable enough romcom starring Lindsay Lohan and Picard Jr. OK if you want a "brain off" romcom watch.

[Simcfc73]

Roadhouse (2024)

 

 

Not sure what to make of it, there's some fun bits in it but it lacks the charm of the original and CM is just awful in it.

[LeMarchand]

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (Cinema)

 

OK, but totally forgettable. My main memory of it was that the screen hasn't had heating for a while, and they'd removed the heater, presumably to give a more immersive experience.

[witch]

Damsel: Netflix

I enjoyed it. Millie Bobby Brown was very good and the whole thing was a romp

[LeMarchand]

Wingwomen (Netflix)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au9Uz4_H6zA

 

A couple of thieves decided that it's time to retire, but their boss sends them on one last job.

 

Starring, directed by and adapted from a comic series by Mélanie Laurent, this is a fun romp. The ending/epilogue is a bit of a cheat to engender the feels but worth a look if the trailer has grabbed your attention.

[Dos_Box]

I went to see Civil War last night. I know it's had some mixed reviews, but I enjoyed it (not in a grim way), and thought it nailed lots of what goes on when a country disintegrates into chaos very well.

Back in the 90's I did three tours in the Balkans, and this does show some of what really does go on.

I also know that many reviewers say that the film doesn't tell you which side is which, but there is one line in the film that gives it away, and if you do watch it, then see if you can spot it. It's in the first 15 mins

[CHiLL]

Films I've seen at the cinema since the start of the year:

 

The Boy And The Heron - Classic Studio Ghibli/Hayao Miyazaki - not as good as some others, but still very good!

Poor Things - Very weird and I can totally see why Emma Stone won the Oscar for this - much more deserving than her Oscar for La La Land

The Holdovers - Really enjoyed this, a very wholesome and funny film. Paul Giamatti's performance was excellent

Argyle - Another fun but rather forgettable film. Quite in line with The Kingsman films in terms of style

Wicked Little Letters - Darkly funny and some good performances

Dune: Part Two - Took me a while to see it, but very much glad I got to see it in IMAX. Lived up to the hype

Kung Fu Panda 4 - Fun, but definitely the worst in the series in my opinion

Godzilla x Kong - Fun film, don't expect an award winning movie - just some monsters smashing each other. If you go in knowing what to expect, you'll have a good time. Dan Stevens has a hell of an intro

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire - Not great, totally forgettable

 

I went to see Civil War last night. I know it's had some mixed reviews, but I enjoyed it (not in a grim way), and thought it nailed lots of what goes on when a country disintegrates into chaos very well.

Back in the 90's I did three tours in the Balkans, and this does show some of what really does go on.

I also know that many reviewers say that the film doesn't tell you which side is which, but there is one line in the film that gives it away, and if you do watch it, then see if you can spot it. It's in the first 15 mins

I'm going to see it in IMAX tomorrow after work. I've heard good things and the fourth host on the Empire Podcast recommended seeing in IMAX. Conveniently, I received an email from Cineworld saying that Unlimited customers get free uplifts for things like 3D, IMAX, 4DX until April 30th, so I don't have to pay any extra!