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he's a smart math/computer guy... so naturally he knows about the science behind the whole swimming pool thing. that's how movie scientists roll- "science" covers ALL science.
I haven't had to chance to watch it yet (hopefully tonight) but just reading this made me
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Heads of state was "fine"Watched two fairly recent films the last couple of of days.
1. Heads Of State. Idris Elba and John Cena as the UK's PM and the POTUS. I think they were going for satire here, but kept pulling back and wouldn't fully commit to it. As a straight action movie, it's fairly tame. It's fine for what it is, but don't expect a lot.
2. Nobody. I'm a big Odenkirk fan, so take my comments with a grain of salt. I really enjoyed this one. You have to hand-wave away some dead-end plot points and ride with it. You can tell Odenkirk had a blast making this (I think his production company was involved). Christopher Lloyd was an absolute maniac
I felt the same way UH did, and enjoyed Nobody more. Loved the bus scene, where he's more human in terms of taking a beating. Turns too much ahnold robot 80s movie after, which detracted a bit for me, but still really fun. Definitely looking forward to ep 2. Is that streaming, or in theaters?Heads of state was "fine"Watched two fairly recent films the last couple of of days.
1. Heads Of State. Idris Elba and John Cena as the UK's PM and the POTUS. I think they were going for satire here, but kept pulling back and wouldn't fully commit to it. As a straight action movie, it's fairly tame. It's fine for what it is, but don't expect a lot.
2. Nobody. I'm a big Odenkirk fan, so take my comments with a grain of salt. I really enjoyed this one. You have to hand-wave away some dead-end plot points and ride with it. You can tell Odenkirk had a blast making this (I think his production company was involved). Christopher Lloyd was an absolute maniac
Nobody is one of my favorites in recent years. Excited for the sequel
. The Artist is the puzzling big Oscar winner. The top grossing movies were Harry Potter Deathly Hollows 2, Transformers Dark Moon, Pirates of the Carribbean: On Stranger Tides, Twilight Breaking Dawn 1, Cars 2,The Smurfs, The Hangover Part 2, Kung Fu Panda 2. Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol is the only good movie in that top 10. Just a stinker of a year.
My 21st Century Summer Film Fest marches
Anora(2024): Obviously this played better the first time I saw it with wife and friends in a crowded theater. All comedies do. Movies like this should be seen after a cocktail or 2, maybe a few hits from the vape pen, etc. It is loud and raucous, purely slapstick at times. This is the trashy screwball comedy of our time. But is also has a ton of heart because of Ani- one of the great recent movie characters. She is so smart and funny and relentless and angry. Props to Sean Baker and Mikey Madison for creating her. A truly electric movie. I love Anora.
Ghost World (2001): I did not love Ghost World. Thora Birch's Einid sucks as a character. She is ****ty to her dad who is such a sweet guy played by Bob Balaban. She treats her best friend ScarJo like crap. She tries to humiliate Steve Buscemi, ends up becoming friends with him and then goes about being a b to him. She just sucks. The premise is 2 super cute and quirky girls graduate high school as self imposed outsiders. They try to grow up, befriend a lonely middle aged record collector and unsuccessfully work through their ****. The movie has some funny spots and some hints of charm but it's all weighed down by just how much a bummer the main character is. Plus the whole "we're outsiders" is a lot less interesting when they are choosing to be outsiders just out of spite for everyone else in the world. That's really not being an outsider so much as just antisocial a-holes.
Lars and the Real Girl (2007): This is another movie about an outsider. Ryan Gosling's Lars is a likeable fellow. Everyone wants to hang out with him and see him happy. He has a cute co-worker who desperately wants to date him. However, he just can't do it and cuts himself off due to his anxiety and shyness. So he does what any reasonable person does in that situation, he orders a sex doll online and begins bringing around with him as if she's his real girlfriend. And the local doctor recommends the obviously good advice of everyone in the community should just play along. And everyone in the whole town does. While it is cute seeing friends and family and coworkers come together to support Lars and his girlfriend, it gets a little too silly. I guess I give this a tepidly positive reaction.
The Descendants (2011): After enjoying The Way Way Back so much, I looked up the co-writers and co-directors (Nat Faxon and Jim Rash) to see what else they had done. I saw they helped write this movie with Alexander Payne. So being that I enjoy Payne and somehow missed this one, I knew it had to be added to my summer watchlist. It got a lot of Oscar nominations and was one of the critical darlings of 2011. Clooney won a Golden Globe and the movie received Best Drama from the Globes. I have to assume all that love was partially due to how weak of a movie year 2011 was. I liked the movie, it was a solid family dramedy about a distant father/husband who has to step-up when his wife is put into a coma from an accident. He's trying to figure out what to do with his wife, how to be a single dad for his two daughters and dealing with a controversial half a billion dollar real estate deal for the land in Hawaii that his family inherited. Clooney and Woodley are good in it. But it's nothing special really. I haven't seen Downsizing yet but I definitely prefer Sideways, Election, The Holdovers, Nebraska and even About Schmidt if we are just talking Alexander Payne movies.
Sidebar: Really how bad was 2011? Yikes. We got 2 Spielbergs and a Scorsese movie. War Horse, Tin Tin and Hugo. The Help
I irrationally enjoy Cena movies.
Not sure why, but he cracks me up
Did you see Ricky Stanicky?I irrationally enjoy Cena movies.
Yup, better than expected imoDid you see Ricky Stanicky?I irrationally enjoy Cena movies.
I still own the DVD somewhere, maybe should put it on for a re-watch, but I’m not sure how well it would resonate now. I was in college when it came out, and it hit a bit right with introverted high school thoughts on things, as I was not too far removed from that. Otherwise, I mostly remember watching it and wondering “Who the heck is this Scarlett Johansson? She is great.” And then The Man Who Wasn’t There was released not too long after that and then Lost in Translation and she was all over the place.My 21st Century Summer Film Fest marches
Anora(2024): Obviously this played better the first time I saw it with wife and friends in a crowded theater. All comedies do. Movies like this should be seen after a cocktail or 2, maybe a few hits from the vape pen, etc. It is loud and raucous, purely slapstick at times. This is the trashy screwball comedy of our time. But is also has a ton of heart because of Ani- one of the great recent movie characters. She is so smart and funny and relentless and angry. Props to Sean Baker and Mikey Madison for creating her. A truly electric movie. I love Anora.
Ghost World (2001): I did not love Ghost World. Thora Birch's Einid sucks as a character. She is ****ty to her dad who is such a sweet guy played by Bob Balaban. She treats her best friend ScarJo like crap. She tries to humiliate Steve Buscemi, ends up becoming friends with him and then goes about being a b to him. She just sucks. The premise is 2 super cute and quirky girls graduate high school as self imposed outsiders. They try to grow up, befriend a lonely middle aged record collector and unsuccessfully work through their ****. The movie has some funny spots and some hints of charm but it's all weighed down by just how much a bummer the main character is. Plus the whole "we're outsiders" is a lot less interesting when they are choosing to be outsiders just out of spite for everyone else in the world. That's really not being an outsider so much as just antisocial a-holes.
Lars and the Real Girl (2007): This is another movie about an outsider. Ryan Gosling's Lars is a likeable fellow. Everyone wants to hang out with him and see him happy. He has a cute co-worker who desperately wants to date him. However, he just can't do it and cuts himself off due to his anxiety and shyness. So he does what any reasonable person does in that situation, he orders a sex doll online and begins bringing around with him as if she's his real girlfriend. And the local doctor recommends the obviously good advice of everyone in the community should just play along. And everyone in the whole town does. While it is cute seeing friends and family and coworkers come together to support Lars and his girlfriend, it gets a little too silly. I guess I give this a tepidly positive reaction.
The Descendants (2011): After enjoying The Way Way Back so much, I looked up the co-writers and co-directors (Nat Faxon and Jim Rash) to see what else they had done. I saw they helped write this movie with Alexander Payne. So being that I enjoy Payne and somehow missed this one, I knew it had to be added to my summer watchlist. It got a lot of Oscar nominations and was one of the critical darlings of 2011. Clooney won a Golden Globe and the movie received Best Drama from the Globes. I have to assume all that love was partially due to how weak of a movie year 2011 was. I liked the movie, it was a solid family dramedy about a distant father/husband who has to step-up when his wife is put into a coma from an accident. He's trying to figure out what to do with his wife, how to be a single dad for his two daughters and dealing with a controversial half a billion dollar real estate deal for the land in Hawaii that his family inherited. Clooney and Woodley are good in it. But it's nothing special really. I haven't seen Downsizing yet but I definitely prefer Sideways, Election, The Holdovers, Nebraska and even About Schmidt if we are just talking Alexander Payne movies.
Sidebar: Really how bad was 2011? Yikes. We got 2 Spielbergs and a Scorsese movie. War Horse, Tin Tin and Hugo. The Help
The only thing i remember from Ghost World is the movie theatre upsell scene
“Medium? Why sir, do you not know that for a mere 25 cents more you can purchase a large beverage? And you know, I'm only telling because we're such good friends, medium is really only for suckers who don't know the concept of value.”
Cena was fine in this. So was Elba. The film was just a little flighty and didn't seem to be able to make its mind up on what it wanted to be.I irrationally enjoy Cena movies.
Sidebar: Really how bad was 2011? Yikes. We got 2 Spielbergs and a Scorsese movie. War Horse, Tin Tin and Hugo. The Help
It does not look that bad to me either. Liked Moneyball, The Descendants, and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, when I look at the Oscar nominees that year too.Sidebar: Really how bad was 2011? Yikes. We got 2 Spielbergs and a Scorsese movie. War Horse, Tin Tin and Hugo. The Help
IMO not as bad as this post makes it. I had circled 2007 as I went year to year for a perfect example for GM why looking at box office might not be the best indicator of quality of year in movies. After you posted this I looked at my 2011 page and had a ton written down as far as odd surprises and personal favorites that I recommended to people at the store, and would get positive reactions when they returned. I will say it's another good example of why we might not want to trust the box office OR the academy most years.
Here is some that were closest to the top for me (I will leave off other ones that might make my list)
Another Earth
Crazy Stupid Love
50/50
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Take Shelter
Young Adult
Attack the Block
Grave Encounters
Bellflower
The Guard
Goon
Kill List
Haywire
Super 8
Ya, I knew you never killed a baby man. You've never even killed a baby. That scene was epic yet ugly.
Great film.
Fun fact (for me): Tom Cruise and his wife at the time (Mimi Rogers) lived in Highland Park, TX for the filming of this movie. Kids would swear they "found him" trick-or-treating that one year he was there. Lol.
Anyhow, the opening of the movie features wrestling scenes and the crew used local wrestlers from the area in the shots, including one of my very best friends Judson Burch. I think we saw his leg.
RIP Judson...one of the best friends and wrestlers I ever had or knew.
I agree on those movies all being pretty good. Drive too (though it got overhyped). Brides Maids was funny. Tree of Life, it might be the best movie of the year in terms of cinematic achievement and I prefer 3 or 4 other Malick movies more.It does not look that bad to me either. Liked Moneyball, The Descendants, and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, when I look at the Oscar nominees that year too.Sidebar: Really how bad was 2011? Yikes. We got 2 Spielbergs and a Scorsese movie. War Horse, Tin Tin and Hugo. The Help
IMO not as bad as this post makes it. I had circled 2007 as I went year to year for a perfect example for GM why looking at box office might not be the best indicator of quality of year in movies. After you posted this I looked at my 2011 page and had a ton written down as far as odd surprises and personal favorites that I recommended to people at the store, and would get positive reactions when they returned. I will say it's another good example of why we might not want to trust the box office OR the academy most years.
Here is some that were closest to the top for me (I will leave off other ones that might make my list)
Another Earth
Crazy Stupid Love
50/50
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Take Shelter
Young Adult
Attack the Block
Grave Encounters
Bellflower
The Guard
Goon
Kill List
Haywire
Super 8
Looking at some others released that year, I see Midnight in Paris (good late era Woody Allen) and Jiro Dreams of Sushi for a doc too.
Not the worst year that I’ve seen. Maybe not a lot of A-level elite stuff, but a good number of B-plus’s, I guess.
2011 is right in the heart of the apart of my life when I was paid the absolute least attention to movies. I’m very much unfamiliar with almost everything you listed in your post. So yeah I do agree this thread is quite helpful for keeping that kind of conversation alive.Andy still has the ability to surprise - Drive and Girl with the Dragon Tattoo are not I expected to see on a list from you. I forgot Rise of the Planet of the Apes in my list above - it's probably my 2nd favorite of the franchise behind the OG. There was a lot of heartbreaking stuff in that movie and I thought they set up the reasons behind the 'rise' quite well.
Of course nobody has named one of the best of the year and best animated movie of the 21st century yet.
I wasn't trying to be argumentative my initial post either. I totally get the POV somebody would have if they were trying to find something to watch in a typical theater in 2011. I am guessing movies like Attack the Block weren't heavily featured. More pointing out what we lost by physical stores like a rental store or record store (with decent employees) going away. It's also a way to highlight why this board and these threads are so important to keep those suggestions and similar atmosphere alive.
Totally understand, and my blind spots start big time a few years later. I have the fewest movies written down from say 2016 on when I left the store and had 2 kids instead of one.2011 is right in the heart of the apart of my life when I was paid the absolute least attention to movies. I’m very much unfamiliar with almost everything you listed in your post. So yeah I do agree this thread is quite helpful for keeping that kind of conversation alive.Andy still has the ability to surprise - Drive and Girl with the Dragon Tattoo are not I expected to see on a list from you. I forgot Rise of the Planet of the Apes in my list above - it's probably my 2nd favorite of the franchise behind the OG. There was a lot of heartbreaking stuff in that movie and I thought they set up the reasons behind the 'rise' quite well.
Of course nobody has named one of the best of the year and best animated movie of the 21st century yet.
I wasn't trying to be argumentative my initial post either. I totally get the POV somebody would have if they were trying to find something to watch in a typical theater in 2011. I am guessing movies like Attack the Block weren't heavily featured. More pointing out what we lost by physical stores like a rental store or record store (with decent employees) going away. It's also a way to highlight why this board and these threads are so important to keep those suggestions and similar atmosphere alive.
I missed that Attack the Block was 2011 - add that to my list too.
Funny how our lists will look because about 2016 is when my movie watching really ramped up again.Totally understand, and my blind spots start big time a few years later. I have the fewest movies written down from say 2016 on when I left the store and had 2 kids instead of one.2011 is right in the heart of the apart of my life when I was paid the absolute least attention to movies. I’m very much unfamiliar with almost everything you listed in your post. So yeah I do agree this thread is quite helpful for keeping that kind of conversation alive.Andy still has the ability to surprise - Drive and Girl with the Dragon Tattoo are not I expected to see on a list from you. I forgot Rise of the Planet of the Apes in my list above - it's probably my 2nd favorite of the franchise behind the OG. There was a lot of heartbreaking stuff in that movie and I thought they set up the reasons behind the 'rise' quite well.
Of course nobody has named one of the best of the year and best animated movie of the 21st century yet.
I wasn't trying to be argumentative my initial post either. I totally get the POV somebody would have if they were trying to find something to watch in a typical theater in 2011. I am guessing movies like Attack the Block weren't heavily featured. More pointing out what we lost by physical stores like a rental store or record store (with decent employees) going away. It's also a way to highlight why this board and these threads are so important to keep those suggestions and similar atmosphere alive.
Agree completely with all this. I saw Safety Last on the big screen a couple years ago and it was really cool. I knew about the climb part but was surprised by how funny the first 2/3 of the movie are. I've seen a few other Harold Lloyd movies and I would suggest Speedy. It's got a great trip to Coney Island, a Babe Ruth cameo and lots of stunts around NYC. Beyond just being funny and sweet, it's an amazing time capsule of 1920s New York City.
Netflix literally designs their movies to be watched while people use their phones. No joke, they see most of their content as just a 2nd screen. That is part of the reason characters are so often explicitly saying out loud what you already see and know is happening. It's to make sure you can follow along if you aren't actually looking at the movie or were zoned out for a bit.
Comedies were already covered by 80s and Andy, but lots of great stuff outside that. Knowing some of your recreational habits, maybe could enjoy that with The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari — one of the trippiest movies that I’ve ever seen.
Former, gb.
So glad I canceled that subscription. F them, but that is also a but on "us" as consumers. We really are descending into Idiocracy.
Ah, notebook out of date. Haxan is great too.
So does another channel.
I like that it has a ton of bonus features as well, for many of them it is basically like streaming the full disc. I watched a couple bonus features for Safety Last! last night. They have have a "directed by Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin" and "starring Harold Lloyd" curated section, so we will sift through those.
Pretty recent development, and I gotta keep the shtick for comedy's sake as well.
Haxan is such a creepy freaking movie.Pretty recent development, and I gotta keep the shtick for comedy's sake as well.
Floppinha wanted another horror movie, so we checked out Soderbergh's Presence.
Its less horror, than intellectually creepy family melodrama. But it scared floppinha more than all of these throw away jump scare boo gore movies.
