Last Movie You Watched

I've never seen the John Wick movies or any of the Matrix sequels so Speed is pretty much my go-to Keanu action movie. Though when I think of Keanu I am one of those who think of Bill and Ted first. That was my introduction to him as a kid and I still love those movies though I didn't like the new one. Because I thought of him as Ted I couldn't really accept him in Point Break when it came out and so even though I don't have anything against it that kept it from becoming a classic for me I think. It took a couple movies before I could accept him in action roles or playing more serious characters.

 

I rewatched Battleground (1949). It still has the same charm and power. Plus it looks great. Particularly for being shot on a soundstage. If you haven't seen it but you're familiar with the excellent Band Of Brothers (esp the Bastogne episodes) you will be very impressed with this movie, It really holds up. And the cast really is a bunch of "wonderful guys". Van Johnson, Jim Whitmore, Ricardo Montalban, John Hodiak, Richard Jaekel.... and so on.

(pssst. The whole movie is on Youtube in very good quality)

 

Who? The man in the steel mask. That’s who.

I defy you to watch this innocently and not get drawn in by it within five minutes.

 

KAL EL NO

 

You guys have tweaked my interest....I am in

 

Axe Em what a great movie go watch it on youtube right now it's free.

 

I don't have a lot of time, so here's a quick review and some new thoughts.

After a week and three viewing sessions, my dad finished Zack Snyder's Justice League! My dad LOVED it. He kept going back to the 2017 version and was so astounded about how much was left on the cutting room floor, and how much the theatrical version had changed. Dad called Flash's big moments (which isn't a surprise since we used to watch CW's The Flash show) and was a little confused about the Knightmare stuff, but overall he had a blast with it. I'm not sure how he'd feel if he hadn't seen the 2017 version, but that's fine as well.

Seeing this a second time actually makes me like it more in a lot of ways. Wonder Woman's one woman chant really grates on my nerves, but in a weird reversal of the first time I watched it, the longer the movie went on the less I cared about it. It's honestly Junkie XL's worst addition to an otherwise phenomenal score. The Flash and Cyborg themes are so good! I hope we see these leitmotifs again someday. And I think Batman's new (new) theme is growing on me.

The other major point I want to talk about is a small Avengers and Justice League comparison. ZSJL is all about community and overcoming pain & loss. These are the core themes and they're not subtle to me at all in this movie, and that shouldn't be surprising given Snyder's own history with this film. Batman, a loner who has seen those he trusted and loved die, is actively recruiting; Wonder Woman, a Amazon who shut herself off from the world for YEARS, is bonding with member of a species her people hate and also vouching for Victor; Barry is someone stuck in the past, but he knows he needs to live for the present and the future; Aquaman is a man stuck between two worlds but a stranger to both...but maybe, just maybe with these people he can find a place to belong.

The character's lines also mention this, with Aquaman at the beginning claiming that the strongest man is strongest alone but later coming to the aide of his allies.* Barry openly states he needs friends. And Cyborg's arc-fulfilling moments are all about this theme.


The Justice League is about those who need community and a purpose finding both.

Contrasting that, the Avengers never felt truly unified. They were co-workers, as beautifully put in Thor's line in his third movie. They worked together, had parties together, and laughed together...but they weren't close as a whole, not really. They came together for a purpose, not because they collectively had something the others needed. The Avengers didn't know each other outside of what their public profiles said. And that's not a bad thing! Neither path is better than the other, I'm just pointing out a difference of feeling. Infinity War and Endgame changed this a little too, but the Cap movies did the most for changing the dynamics of the Avengers, not their actual movies.

All three movies (Avengers 1 & 2, and ZSJL) have smaller, character dynamic focused scenes that really build up the people we're following, and that's what I love about them.

The effects of parenthood on heroes is also a major theme in Snyder's superhero movies.

I still think that sequels should be planned, no matter what the Warner Bros head says. It would give fans what they want while also giving HBO Max more exclusive content, which is always good (for them). But alas...

Lastly, about the planned sequels...some of those ideas are TERRIBLE. There was a romance aspect that ABSOLUTELY SHOULD NOT BELONG IN ANY POTENTIAL SEQUEL. IT SUCKED. GIVE US A DIANA/BRUCE ROMANCE AND CALL IT A DAY. THAT'S ALL WE NEED.





*Two lines from the Joss Whedon version that I also think really demonstrate this is the comeback to Aquaman's quote and an extra line by Gordon. In the Whedon version, when Aquaman asks if Bruce has heard about how the "strongest man is strongest alone," Bruce notes that Arthur's saying is the opposite of what the quote intended. And when talking to Gordon, the commissioner notes that it's nice to see Batman playing well with others again, hinting at the man's lonely nature. I

 

If you enjoyed the other films, you'll really love this! A lot of fun and just a great monster movie. Action packed and full of awesome moments.

 

I had to fight to get it on the TV because my girlfriend, who is kind of clueless about music older than 1995 unless I introduce her to it, was under the impression that the Dead were some kind of blood and fire spewing heavy metal band (I'm guessing based on the name and the skeleton mascot) as opposed to a laid-back hippy jam band.

 

I just finished re-watching solo. I love it. I think it is pretty good. I love the young han and Lando. Both are funny. And not to mention L3.

 

I finally did it, I watched Indiana Jones!

 

Most recently, ANH. Im making my way through the saga once again. This is what boredom does.

 

After several months of being off the air the 007 Channel came back on Pluto and I was happy to turn it on today only for them to go through a pretty weak string of Bond movies. If they had included a couple of the later Brosnan films it would have been all my least watched/liked Bond movies. It was like You Only Live Twice, Diamonds Are Forever, Live And Let Die and I think another one may have been on at some point but I just kind of had it on in the background while doing other stuff usually.