The last movie I saw was...

[HarryMonkey]

Star Wars Sundays coming up at Cineworld. (Assuming yours hasn't been closed down yet).

 

https://www.cineworld.co.uk/static/en/uk/offers-and-promotions/star-wars-sunday

[LeMarchand]

Borderlands (Cinema)

 

I have not played any of the games (though I have 1 & 2) so can't comment on whether it's a good adaptation. As a film, it's not as bad as the reviews would suggest but neither is it particularly good. Mme LeMarchand fell asleep and I drifted off a couple of times, but both of us have been very busy of late! Not a cinema trip.

 

Oh, and they seem to have over-sprayed Cate Blanchett's hair as her face was looking stiff, too.

[Ditto]

As alluded to in the 'Cool things thread', I had just shy of a week as a bachelor chap and managed to watch three movies.

 

• Poor Things - sort of OK but concur with earlier comments in this thread. After a few days of reflection, I am left with the feeling of 'so what', what is the underlying story - could be me, so whilst OK, it leaves a bit of a vacuum.
  
• Wicked Little Letters - laugh out funny often and wonderfully acted by the cast. The incessant swearing is really part of the story, which of it doesn't offend you adds enormously to the humour.
  
• The Intern with De Niro - I have to be honest, I didn't expect much on this, but I really enjoyed it. Proper laugh out loud at times (and I don't think it was the wine!). Perhaps being of a certain age in a world of millennials made it funnier for me, but I found it hugely enjoyable and a few nice insights that are pertinent to the world we live in.
  

[LeMarchand]

The Union (Netflix)

 

A couple of brief rude words in the trailer.

 

 

The "ordinary Joe gets drawn into the world of spies" gets another outing. This time construction worker Mark Wahlberg is recruited by high school sweetheart Halle Berry, who works for "The Union, a blue-collar agency.

 

The writers seem not to be aware of Chekov's Gun and introduce a couple of things that don't get a decent payoff (MW's fearlessness at height and the trust exercise shown in the trailer) but it's turn your brain off fun. Unless you're a big fan of the artist formerly known as Marky Mark and/or Halle Berry I'd say Apple's "Ghosted" (Chris Evans and Ana de Armas) is a superior example of this plot.

 

Jackpot! (Prime Video)

 

Brief swearing in trailer.

 

 

LA 2030: The jackpot prize has grown, but so have the stakes. The winner gets a huge prize if they make it alive to sunset. Anyone who kills them without using a gun before then gets the prize instead. A would-be actress (Awkafina) becomes the latest winner, and only protection agent John Cena stands between her and the rest of the city.

 

Despite the "Purge" like concept, this is actually an action comedy. Not a classic, but quite fun if you don't think about it too hard.

[Syrax]

Just watched Furiosa, very disappointed. Too much green screen compared to Mad Max.

[6Foot2]

 

Catherine Tate’s iconic character Nan hits the big screen as she goes on a wild road trip from London to Ireland with her grandson Jamie (Mathew Horne) to make amends with her estranged sister Nell (Katherine Parkinson). Militant vegan arsonists, raucous rugby teams, all night raves and crazed cops on motorbikes all make for a proper day out.

 

An origin story that mixes Nan’s present with her past where we finally find out what’s made her the cantankerous old b*****d she is today. ...

 

Included with Prime.

[LeMarchand]

Kalki 2898 AD aka కల్కి 2898-ఎ.డి (Netflix/Prime Video)

 

 

In the mythological past, the warrior Ashwatthama (Amitabh Bachchan) is cursed with immortality for hi evil deeds. He can only be redeemed by protecting the the mother of god during the end times.

 

In 2898, it is the eve of those times. The earth is dying and the one surviving city, Kasi, is ruled over by The Supreme Yaskin who searches for a woman who can survive a technologically induced pregnancy long enough for him to be able to extract a serum from. He, and the elites, live in a inverted pyramid, The Complex, that hovers over the city while those below eke out an existence, dreaming of earning the million units that will allow them entry to The Complex. Brash bounty hunter Bhairava (Prabhas - Baahubali The Beginning/The Conclusion) is willing to do anything to get to The Complex, and when a woman (Deepika Padukone - Pathaan, Jawan, XXX: The Return of Xander Cage) who has carried her child long enough for Yaskin's plans manages to escape he sets out to capture her. Meanwhile, a young girl inadvertently awakens Ashwatthama who takes on the mantle of the pregnant woman's protector.

 

^^^That's a short version!

 

Very disappointing. Way too long is spent setting up the bounty hunter before we get to the interesting stuff. At least the couple of songs aren't full on song and dance numbers, thus saving a bit of time. Unfortunately, just as things are getting interesting... it ends. Part 2 is already in production. If you do decide to watch it, I'd try Prime as Netflix only seem to have the Hindi version, which is dubbed from the original Telugu. If someone was to wait until the story is concluded and applied the scissors to the original versions, it could be quite fun. As it stands, I'd save your time.

[Dos_Box]

Star Wars Sundays coming up at Cineworld. (Assuming yours hasn't been closed down yet).

 

https://www.cineworld.co.uk/static/en/uk/offers-and-promotions/star-wars-sunday

 

Took my son to see the Star Wars fils at the Backlot in Blackpool over the weekend. Star Wars on Friday night and Empire and RoTJ back to back on Saturday.

He's 18 and has never seen them before. I don't think they are aging well with some of the younger generation! He liked Empire but thought the others were a bit 'meh'.

I couldn't make him understand just how groundbreaking these films were when released. It probably didn't help that these were the 'enhanced' versions and the CGI really hasn't held up. TBH, I didn't like those versions to begin with!

Edited September 16, 2024 by Dos_Box

[HarryMonkey]

I saw the original one when it first came out at the cinema in Leicester Square. Completely blew my mind.

[Norphy]

Took my son to see the Star Wars fils at the Backlot in Blackpool over the weekend. Star Wars on Friday night and Empire and RoTJ back to back on Saturday.

He's 18 and has never seen them before. I don't think they are aging well with some of the younger generation! He liked Empire but thought the others were a bit 'meh'.

I couldn't make him understand just how groundbreaking these films were when released. It probably didn't help that these were the 'enhanced' versions and the CGI really hasn't held up. TBH, I didn't like those versions to begin with!

 

Funnily enough, we watched "A New Hope" with my son for the first time on Saturday. We've already watched eps 1-3. He kept on saying "Is there an updated version, this very old fashioned", but he seemed to enjoy it otherwise. I think it helped that he's played through Lego Star Wars on both The Complete Saga and the Skywalker Saga, so he roughly knows the plot points and enjoyed picking out the bits he recognised.

 

To be honest with you, while the story hasn't improved any, I was surprised at how well the special effects in the prequel trilogy have held up. The CGI is better than what's in a lot of modern films.

[Roberto]

Funnily enough, we watched "A New Hope" with my son for the first time on Saturday. We've already watched eps 1-3. He kept on saying "Is there an updated version, this very old fashioned", but he seemed to enjoy it otherwise. I think it helped that he's played through Lego Star Wars on both The Complete Saga and the Skywalker Saga, so he roughly knows the plot points and enjoyed picking out the bits he recognised.

 

To be honest with you, while the story hasn't improved any, I was surprised at how well the special effects in the prequel trilogy have held up. The CGI is better than what's in a lot of modern films.

 

I love that he was asking for an updated version. He could absolutely start a flame war at a star wars expo. Daddy's boy for sure :-D

[mavhc]

Took my son to see the Star Wars fils at the Backlot in Blackpool over the weekend. Star Wars on Friday night and Empire and RoTJ back to back on Saturday.

He's 18 and has never seen them before. I don't think they are aging well with some of the younger generation! He liked Empire but thought the others were a bit 'meh'.

I couldn't make him understand just how groundbreaking these films were when released. It probably didn't help that these were the 'enhanced' versions and the CGI really hasn't held up. TBH, I didn't like those versions to begin with!

 

You didn't force your children to watch media in order? Start off with silent films, move forwards, everything will be amazing

[6Foot2]

 

Via Tubi.

 

Jack (Simon Pegg) is a children's author turned crime novelist whose detailed research into the lives of Victorian serial killers has turned him into a paranoid wreck, persecuted by the irrational fear of being murdered. When Jack is thrown a life-line by his long-suffering agent and a mysterious Hollywood executive takes a sudden and inexplicable interest in his script, what should be his big break rapidly turns into his big breakdown, as Jack is forced to confront his worst demons; among them his love life, his laundry and the origin of all fear.

[LeMarchand]

Madame Web (Sky Movies)

 

Paramedic Cassandra Webb,s future sight/some sort of ill-defined spidey powers (talk about nominative determinism!) are activated by a brush with death. She finds that she must protect three teenagers who she just happens to come into contact with.

 

Not as awful as you might have been lead to believe, but not good either. Nothing makes much sense, including the early 2000s setting (even if the teenagers were planned to be adults in present day). Kudos to the hair, makeup and costuming department though and, possibly Sydney sweeney's acting. It's amazing what a pair of glasses can do as she was totally convincing as a naive teenager in this.

 

 

Link a picture of her in "Anyone But You". Nothing you wouldn't see in the Daily Mail Sidebar of Shame, but probably not something you want to be seen looking at when at work: https://people.com/thmb/Km2kydIH_Knog5gbwTD4_Yn2_KM=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(685x0:687x2)/sydney-sweeney-glen-powell-filming-042523-2-e76fdb2a31ac439bb066dadee64286ed.jpg

[LeMarchand]

Lift (Netflix)

 

 

Kevin Hart's merry band of art thieves are tasked with stealing a crate of gold by Interpol.The catch? It has to be done mid-flight.

 

One of Netflix's slick thrillers with pretty locations and mainly pretty people. Fun, but forgettable.

[LeMarchand]

The Wild Robot (Cinema)

 

 

A service robot is washed ashore on an isolated island and ends up as the mother to a goose and protector of the island's wildlife.

 

Stunningly beautiful and quite moving, even for those of us leaning towards antinatalism (yes, I am aware of the irony given where I work). Well worth a look. Probably a bit scary for very little ones, and may go a bit over the heads of KS1. Was out on digital only 19 days after its US release, so presumably similar here - and they wonder why cinema attendances are dropping! Stuff for kids/schools on the website: https://www.universalpictures.co.uk/micro/wild-robot

[Ditto]

Watched "Yesterday" yesterday! First post here at https://www.edugeek.net/forums/tv-movies/143036-last-movie-i-saw-143.html#post1845782. The basis of the film is somewhat insane, but I laughed a fair bit, it was nicely done and I would recommended for a lightweight 2 hours of entertainment. We were going to watch 'Killers of the flower moon' but on seeing the length, deferred to another time. Plus it's pricey on the platforms we have so would most likely be an Apple TV free trail!

[LeMarchand]

Fighter (Netflix)

 

 

India's top pilots must defend their country from those untrustworthy Pakistanis. Starring Hrithik Roshan ("War") who is apparently so hot that, to go by his slo-mo intro in this and "War", straight guys start to drool at the mere sight of, Deepika Padukone ("Pathaan", "Jawan", "xXx: The Return of Xander Cage") and Anil "Who Want To Be Millonaire" Kapoor.

 

Basically it's Top Gun/Maverick* dialled up to the max: More motorbikes, more singing, more blatant shots of topless guys and, crucially, much more aerial action. Lots of fun.

 

*Hated the original, so never bothered with the sequel and going by the trailer.

[LeMarchand]

Devara Part 1 (Netflix)

 

Trailer pretty violent and so probably NSFW.

 

 

After a lengthy framing sequence involving a policeman in 1996 trying to track down someone supplying terrorists that I assume will be more relevant in Part 2 (if they make it as this one wasn't as huge as had been hoped for), we learn the story of Devara. He leads a band of pirate types in a region of India, possibly in the 1980s - the timeline doesn't make a lot of sense. When some of the area's inhabitants are killed and Devara learns that hie and his men "liberated" the weapons used, he decides that they must give up their piratical ways. This doesn't sit well with his 2ic Bhaira, who is a bit too keen on the old ultraviolence and who arranges for Devara to sleep with the fishes. Devara slaughters the large force sent to kill him and leaves a message written in blood for the village: They must obey his edict not to go back to piracy or they will suffer his wrath. He then disappears. A decade or so later the village is still obeying his rule, but Bhaira wants to return to the old ways and has trained a force to do so. There are rumours that Devara is still watching to make sure his rules are followed but even his own son, the somewhat useless Vara, discounts them. Bhaira just needs to draw out Devara so that he and his men can start raiding ships again...

 

Quite a fun, if hard to believe, action flick. There's some unintentional comedy in Devara/Vara's admirer announcing quite frequently that she wants a man who will make her "erupt". I'm certainly up for Part 2. For some reason some sequences are labelled "CGI", possibly in case you thought the star was actually fighting a real shark?

[Norphy]

Saw Paddington in Peru yesterday.

 

It was pretty good, but the cameo at the end was probably the best part. I'd say more but there are no spoiler tags on this board.

[LeMarchand]

Paddington In Peru (Cinema)

 

When Aunt Lucy is reported missing Paddington and the Brown family head to Peru to find her.

 

A lot of fun, but not as magical as the first two - admittedly, they set a VERY high bar! Also, the first trailer made a plot surprise way too obvious (they obscured this in later trailers). The mid credits scene is worth a look, but probably not worth staying for the post-credits.

[LeMarchand]

Lonely Planet (Netflix)

 

 

Suffering from writer's block, Katherine (Laura Dern) checks into a writers' retreat in Morocco (as, apparently, authors do). Also there is Owen (Liam Hemsworth), there supporting his girlfriend (Diana Silvers) who has hit the big time with her first novel.

 

A very slow burn romantic drama with the twist being that it's an older lady with a younger guy. Not my choice of movie for the night, and I was fully expecting to fall asleep fairly rapidly, but it did keep my interest.

[LeMarchand]

A very slow burn romantic drama with the twist being that it's an older lady with a younger guy. Not my choice of movie for the night, and I was fully expecting to fall asleep fairly rapidly, but it did keep my interest.

 

Forgot to mention that the Third Act Complication will have everyone on here cry out: "Why didn't you have a backup?"

[LeMarchand]

Red One (Cinema)

 

When Santa is kidnapped on Christmas Eve his security team must work with a tracker to find him before there is a Christmas without presents.

 

Not bad, but not particularly good. Some nice ideas get buried by murky CGI fights and it's a bit too potty mouthed and cynical in places for little ones. If you want too watch I would say wait for its release on Prime, which I suspect will be next month.

[LeMarchand]

This Time Next Year (Netflix)

 

Quinn and Minnie were born in the same hospital, on the same day, a minute apart. Quinn's life seems to have been charmed while Minnie's... hasn't. When they meet thirty years later their lives might just change.

 

Sophie Cookson (Kingsman), Lucien Laviscount and Mandip Gill (Yaz from Doctor Who) star in this romcom. OKish; not one to steer any partner who might want to watch it with you away from, but not one to put on your watch list.