Let’s Talk Movies! #31: Pandas, Zombies, Male Models, Superheroes, Greeks and…Caesar!

[PeterG]

I watched "Whip It" a while back. It's the roller-derby comedy-drama which was Drew Barrymore's first (and only) directing gig. I seem to remember it as a bit of a flop, so I didn't have much of an expectation of it. So I was very pleasantly surprised. It does have an understated feel to it, even though there are big moments both dramatically and comedically. Dramatic thanks to Marcia Gay Harden and Ellen Page as mother and daughter (and Daniel Stern who is also great as the husband/father). And comedically thanks to Page again as well as Kristen Wiig, Juliette Lewis, Andrew Wilson as the coach, Alia Shawkat as Page's best friend and Barrymore doing double-duty in a supporting role in addition to directing the movie. And Jimmy Fallon has some funny bits, but he's kinda creepy as much as funny (but that's kind of the role)! Overall I found the movie to be quite involving and great as both a family drama as well as a sports comedy. But my biggest thought about the movie is that it's a shame that Barrymore hasn't directed more movies. And that Page isn't getting as many big movie roles as she deserves. Oh, and the scene where the tough Juliette Lewis puts it to tiny, meek Page...who is not afraid and gives it right back to her. I had to re-watch that fierce scene many times!

Amazon just sent a promo offering me a free digital download of Kung Fu Panda. I've never seen the movie. Is it worth the time?

It's good to watch with kids, but not one I'd overly recommend if it's just for you. Unless you loooove animated movies and/or those who are in the cast.

Someday we should have a discussion on what makes a man in film, tv or on stage sexy. Re Magic Mike: There was all of that skin in both films and yet I go back to an old stage version of "The Taming of the Shrew" and remember how incredibly sexy I thought this particular Petruchio was when he was trying to woo Katherine. His name was Marc Singer and he was in a few films and tv shows but on that night on that stage he was HOT--much more than any guy trying so hard to be sexy imho--like in Magic Mike...

Hey, no reason we can't have this conversation now! To me, there's lots of different ways for a man to be sexy. It can be purely physical. It can be how he carries himself...or being a man of character...or a man unafraid to face overwhelming obstacle. It can be a pretty broad topic in my opinion. My library has that Marc Singer TV-Movie you mentioned, just put a hold on it. I'll get back to you on it!

 

[Cachoo]

[QUOTE="PeterG, post: 4661021, member: 1634

Hey, no reason we can't have this conversation now! To me, there's lots of different ways for a man to be sexy. It can be purely physical. It can be how he carries himself...or being a man of character...or a man unafraid to face overwhelming obstacle. It can be a pretty broad topic in my opinion. My library has that Marc Singer TV-Movie you mentioned, just put a hold on it. I'll get back to you on it! [/QUOTE]

We mentioned Daniel Mays earlier. He is not handsome but I bet with the right part and his wonderful ability he could pull sexy off. There was a thread at another place I post (college basketball website.) In this thread the question was if they could have a night with one actress in one film who would it be? So there are all of these pictures of beautiful, barely dressed women. I think Phoebe Cates in her red bikini in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" had multiple votes. And when I thought about the actor I found sexy it had little to do with seeing him undressed. Even a conventionally handsome guy, like Chris Pratt, is a favorite because he's so damned funny. And I see him when he was heavier and still think him adorable because he is a hoot. One guy I've found attractive is Louie C.K. And his character runs the gamut of emotions in his show. That willingness to open up is part of his attractiveness imho. I am running on and would love to read what you and others see as sexy.

 

[watchthis!!]

Movie news.

In Celebration of Our 2015 Performer of the Year: Alicia Vikander
http://filmschoolrejects.com/features/performer-of-the-year-alicia-vikander.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FilmSchoolRejects+%28Film+School+Rejects%29

Seven films in which she played a major role were released this year, and they were all over the map in terms of, well, everything: Genre, critical and box office reception, budget, and scope, just to name a few. Testament of Youth was a love story set in World War I, Seventh Son a sweeping fantasy epic, Son of a Gun a chaotic Aussie thriller, ’60s era The Man from U.N.C.L.E. an action-comedy spy romp, and Burnt a straightforward rom-com. Regarding her two most talked-about roles, Ex Machina and The Danish Girl, the first was a slick, sci-fi psychological thriller and the latter a beautiful biopic period piece that may very well net Vikander her first Academy Award – if Ex Machina doesn’t do it first.

The Best Foreign Language Films of 2015
http://filmschoolrejects.com/features/best-foreign-movies-2015.php?all=1

Hmm. Apparently, I am really about of the loop when it comes to foreign language films!!


‘The Little Mermaid’ with Chloe Grace Moretz Finds a Director
http://collider.com/the-little-mermaid-reboot-director-rebecca-thomas/

Newcomer Rebecca Thomas replaces Sofia Coppola, but writer Richard Curtis (Love Actually) remains with the project. Who's up for a live-action version of The Little Mermaid?

 

[PeterG]

Okay if we talk Star Wars in this thread?

Weekend Domestic Chart for December 18th, 2015

But first!

A close race for the runner-up spot, with Chipmunks edging out comediennes for the #2 spot. Just over 14 million for Alvin and company, and just under 14 million for Fey and Poehler. But...the fourth Chipmunks movie played in 3,653 theatres where it averaged $3,911 per theatre. Sisters played in only 2,962 where it out-performed Alvin by making $4,700 per theatre. Wonder what the thinking was of having Sisters playing in almost 1,000 less theatres than Alvin and the Chipmunks. Mind you, it's lucky either movie got that many theatres against Star Wars in it's first week!

The only other debut of note is the action flick with mega-movie star Bruce Willis and the uber-hot stud Kellan Lutz: Extraction! It debuted at number...48? Where it played in...thirteen theatres? And averaged...$842 per theatre. For a grand debut week of ...$10,948. Man...Willis really needs to return Cybill Shepard's phone calls to do that Moonlighting community theatre project she has been begging him to do for years...

Can we talk Star Wars now? I had heard that it would have to make 1.5 billion to make a profit. Today on the radio they said that one prediction for worldwide gross for this movie will reach 2.7 billion. That would put it just below Avatar at 2.78 billion. Will be very interesting to see if it can take the #1 spot of all time from Avatar. Stay tuned! Star Wars played in 4,134 theatres (less than the final Hunger Games movie, which played in 4,175 theatres it's first two weeks) and made just shy of $60,000 per theatre (Hunger Games did about 24,000 per theatre it's first weekend). And Star Wars made just under 248 million the first weekend and 281 internationally, so 528 million internationally.

Star Wars 247 million opening stomped the previous record holder (Jurassic World) which did $208.8 million. The 528 international tally also edged out Jurassic World for global opening as Jurassic World only managed to make 525 million the first week. And Star Wars won't open in China until January. Star Wars is also the first movie to make 100 million in one day. I'm sure Star Wars has broken many more records than what I've mentioned. Please post about any records broken that you've heard about which I missed!

In spite of Star Wars' domination this weekend, a couple of movies made some big revenue jumps this weekend:

+126% - Youth (Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel, Rachel Weisz drama)
+108% - The Danish Girl

 

[Cachoo]

Just watched "Bolshoi Babylon" on HBO. That was nice of them to open the curtains to show the messy situation when one of the directors was attacked with acid. The show must go on after all...

Also my favorite movie this year "A Little Chaos" is now in rotation and I can watch it to my heart's content. I don't know exactly why that little film captured my heart this year but it did and now I can see Kate Winslet and Matthias Schoenaerts as much as I desire in this little gem.

 

[Jay42]

I watched "Whip It" a while back. It's the roller-derby comedy-drama which was Drew Barrymore's first (and only) directing gig. I seem to remember it as a bit of a flop, so I didn't have much of an expectation of it. So I was very pleasantly surprised. It does have an understated feel to it, even though there are big moments both dramatically and comedically. Dramatic thanks to Marcia Gay Harden and Ellen Page as mother and daughter (and Daniel Stern who is also great as the husband/father). And comedically thanks to Page again as well as Kristen Wiig, Juliette Lewis, Andrew Wilson as the coach, Alia Shawkat as Page's best friend and Barrymore doing double-duty in a supporting role in addition to directing the movie. And Jimmy Fallon has some funny bits, but he's kinda creepy as much as funny (but that's kind of the role)! Overall I found the movie to be quite involving and great as both a family drama as well as a sports comedy. But my biggest thought about the movie is that it's a shame that Barrymore hasn't directed more movies. And that Page isn't getting as many big movie roles as she deserves. Oh, and the scene where the tough Juliette Lewis puts it to tiny, meek Page...who is not afraid and gives it right back to her. I had to re-watch that fierce scene many times!

I really liked Whip It. It's a lot of fun and I think Drew Barrymore did a good job for her first directorial effort. I wasn't sure what to expect when I watched it because some of the reviews weren't great but it is a solid movie and lots of fun to watch.

 

[Seerek]

The Best Foreign Language Films of 2015
http://filmschoolrejects.com/features/best-foreign-movies-2015.php?all=1

Hmm. Apparently, I am really about of the loop when it comes to foreign language films!!

This is reasonably good list. Also good to see that the writer didn't limit himself to just the national submissions for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars (e.g. 2 from Brazil)

Keep in mind that some from that list are actually from 2014 (e.g. Wild Tales), but only made their way onto North American theatres in 2015.

Here are the 9 films which made the Academy Awards Best Foreign Film shortlist late last week (the list will be shortened again to 5 for the final nominations next month)

Belgium The Brand New Testament

Colombia Embrace of the Serpent

Denmark A War

Finland The Fencer

France Mustang

Germany Labyrinth of Lies

Hungary Son of Saul

Ireland Viva

Jordan Theeb

 

[PeterG]

For some reason I had the new version of The Karate Kid on my To See list. The one with Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith and Taraji P. Henson. Torture porn. Disgusting. Correction...kiddie torture porn. Vile!! Watching all these adults let their kids get pummelled to such an extent that they definitely needed hospitalization while cheering them on in "the name of sport". What a bunch of sick people to make a movie like this and not only put all these child actors through this, but to make all the children watching this movie think that using physical force/violence to get your way or make a point? This is how we treat youth and then act all confused when we ask "why do violent things happen in our communities"? How docile. And enfuriating!

I didn't get around to commenting on a lot of things from the previous thread. So here I goes....

Spectre had it's kissing scenes censored in India before being released in that country and India's netizens had a field day! It also had the best opening of any James Bond movie in India.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/spectre-bond-india-kissing-1.3326032

Weird. Had no idea the India film board (or whatever) was that extreme! Censoring kissing?? Extra weird because some Bollywood movies can be extremely violent.

Spirit Award Nominations were released today

Carol and Beasts of No Nation received the most nominations (6)

I had to imdb three of the best picture nominees (Tangerine, Anomalisa - opens in Janurary - and Beasts of No Nation). The latter (a war drama) opened in October and made $90,777 at the box office. Yikes! But it has high ratings from both critics and the audience at rotten tomatoes: 91% by critics and 93% by the audience.

Interesting to see David Robert Mitchell for the horror movie, It Follows, although it's more of a psychological drama/thriller than a slasher flick.

Happy to see Jesse Andrews get a "Best First Screenplay" nod for Me and Earl and the Dying Girl...that was a movie not on my To See list but thanks to this thread, I decided to see it and am sure glad I did. Loved that movie!

Some of the other movies nominated that didn't ring a bell for me at all:

- Bone Tomahawk (adventure drama with Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, David Arquette and Richard Jenkins)

- James White (drama with Cynthia Nixon and Ron Livingston)

- The Mend (comedy drama with Josh Lucas)

- Glass Chin (dramatic thriller with Billy Crudup, Kelly Lynch and Corey Stoll)

- Meadowland (drama with Olivia Wilde, Juno Temple, Luke Wilson, Elizabeth Moss, John Leguizamo, Giovanni Ribisi and Mark Feuerstein)

- Advantageous (sci-fi drama with Jennifer Ehle and Ken Jeong)

...off to watch a bunch of trailers now!!

 

[Tesla]

@PeterG Beasts of No Nation also opened and is on Netflix. That might account for the low box office.

 

[smurfy]

Weird. Had no idea the India film board (or whatever) was that extreme! Censoring kissing?? Extra weird because some Bollywood movies can be extremely violent.

I do not know much about Bollywood movies, except that the romances are very chaste and kissing is not shown.
I can't where I read this, but interview with Ashaya Rei (sp?) I think, and doing 'western' movies and the difference.
I have only seen the romantic/musical Bollywood style movies, I have never seen a violent one, not that I have seen a lot.

 

[PeterG]

I have only seen the romantic/musical Bollywood style movies, I have never seen a violent one, not that I have seen a lot.

Here's a list of the top 10 Bollywood movies of 2015: http://mtwiki.blogspot.ca/2015/04/t...st-grossing-movies-of-2015-at-box-office.html

#1 is a comedy drama and the next three look to be musical romance/comedy type of movies. But then the violence begins:

#5 - Baby. Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Yu_2nyOP5o

#6 - Welcome Back. Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIKfSPbsuyw

#7 - Singh is Bling. Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuVAGjO-s2I

#8 - Gabbar Is Back. Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T95zFC4Z2pY

#10 - Brothers. Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuRSCU0tOKs

I only scanned the trailers to see if they were violent as I thought they would be. Boy, were they ever!! They look way more violent than American movies to me, but I'm not into that kind of movie, so maybe the American ones are just as violent.

It's so weird to see such violence on the screen and then have people wonder why violent things happen in the news when violence is normalized to such a great extent on the movie screen...

 

[watchthis!!]

I've pretty much liked all of Jake Gyllenhaal's movies, so I got Southpaw from the library the other day. It's a first-class made movie with a third-class script. Everything about the movie is so well done, but the story is so lacking! A boxer with a 43 win, zero loss record faces catastrophe and the movie focusses on him learning how to box. Huh? Zero losses and the movie focusses on him learning new boxing techniques? Weird. The movie hardly addresses any of the losses and hardships he ends up having to face. Those hardships are either glossed over or ignored completely. This could have been a great movie, but instead it's just another routine boxer flick. So disappointing!

 

[Kasey]

MUST.SEE.ZOOLANDER!!!! wheee, it's a walkoff!!

 

[PeterG]

Yikes. What a battle for the #2 spot for this weekend's box office:


Dec. 25th - The Revenant (Limited) – Western thriller wtih Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy and Domhnall Gleeson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRfj1VCg16Y

Dec. 25th - The Hateful Eight – Drama with Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Tim Roth, Demian Bichir, Michael Madsen and Bruce Dern
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnRbXn4-Yis

Dec. 25th – Joy – Drama with Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro and Bradley Cooper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR-2TiQVY-k

Dec. 25th - Point Break – Action thriller with Ray Winstone and Teresa Palmer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncvFAm4kYCo

Dec. 25th – Concussion – Sports drama with Will Smith, Albert Brooks, Alec Baldwin, Paul Reiser and Luke Wilson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io6hPdC41RM

Dec. 25th - Daddy's Home – Comedy with Mark Wahlberg, Will Ferrell and Linda Cardellini
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaE49iAZW-M

Dec. 23rd - 45 Years (Limited) – Romantic drama with Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg5cpiX18TA

 

[judiz]

Watched The Intern on demand tonight while eating chocolate ice cream - no better way to spend an evening.

 

[Buzz]

Would love to see Concussion but not right now.

 

[MacMadame]

I'm not sure I will be able to watch Concussion without getting very upset but I want to see it.

 

[Cachoo]

I watched "Aloha" last night. I thought it was several good actors left with a wishy-washy script. Too bad as I usually look forward to anything Cameron Crowe touches.

 

[peibeck]

Looks like the studio behind Sisters understand the idea of counter-programming. Unlike the people behind The Revenant and The Hateful Eight, both of which are coming out on December 25th and are too similar to share the release date. Any predictions as to which of those two will do better? I'm thinking The Revenant as I think it's more of an action movie whereas The Hateful Eight is like a filmed stage play, with all the action taking place in basically one room.

Other than both being set in the Wild West, I don't know that I'd consider "The Revenant" and "The Hateful Eight" as similar type movies. Though both are apparently about 3 hours long (in fact, I read when "Hateful Eight" goes wide it will be have 20 minutes trimmed off, so if you want to see the full version you have to see it in one of the 100 large format releases that open on Christmas Day.)

I don't know that "The Revenant" is really an action film so much as a drama. Apparently there is one 45 minutes stretch of the film with virtually no dialogue at all, just Leo wandering around the wilderness. It's gotten great reviews, but from what I understand it is a "love-it-or-hate-it" kind of motion picture.

Box Office wise (at least domestically) I think "Hateful Eight" will do better. Tarantino appeals to both an adult and younger audience base. But that's just my guess.

 

[PeterG]

Would love to see Concussion but not right now.

I'm not sure I will be able to watch Concussion without getting very upset but I want to see it.

Oh, sure. Pick the one movie that I'm not interested in seeing!! Actually I might agree with you both to some extent in that I kind of want to see and kind of don't (because of the subject matter). But I think I've just seen enough sports dramas recently, so this one didn't make my list.

Other than both being set in the Wild West, I don't know that I'd consider "The Revenant" and "The Hateful Eight" as similar type movies.

Aren't they both revenge westerns? Except in one who don't know all the details of whodunit (The Hateful Eight) so that one has a bit of mystery aspect to it.

 

[peibeck]

Aren't they both revenge westerns? Except in one who don't know all the details of whodunit (The Hateful Eight) so that one has a bit of mystery aspect to it.

Oh okay.... I guess to me, I guess I meant I would not consider them similar in tone. I think "Hateful Eight" seems like regular Tarantino: "tongue-in-cheek" and homage to movies (westerns), whereas "The Revenant" screams "I'm serious drama!!!"

 

[Buzz]

Trailer for Captain America: Civil War. I saw it for the first time this week.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uVdV-lxRPFo

 

[Aussie Willy]

I saw Suffragette yesterday. Interesting movie. Not sure I liked the direction of it. Too many closes and annoying hand held camera. But the history of the story is really fascinating and just makes we so aware of how far as a society we have come. Also the performances are very good. I always like Helena Bonham Carter.

Can't wait for the Hateful Eight. Love Tarantino. And I love how he has filmed it in 70mm. Which going by the ad at the cinema I went to yesterday I think is going to show as intended.

 

[PeterG]

I really liked Z for Zachariah, even though it's one of those open-ended movies where the screenwriter wants his audience to decided for themselves what happened. As a would-be writer this inspires me because if I can't figure out a good ending for a project...I'll just leave it open to the audience to choose their own adventure! It's getting to the point where enough stories like this have been told and it's just starting to look like laziness. What's next, an open-middle story/movie? An open-beginning story/movie? Whenever you get stuck, just leave out that part of the story!! But aside from that, I like everything about the movie. Interesting story about three random people who find each other in a post-apocalyptic world and how even with so few humans seemingly alive, our human problems can still result in dangerous possibilities. The cast are all great (Chiwetel Ejiofor, Chris Pine, Margot Robbie), the direction is spot-on and it's a very nice looking film. If only they could have come up with an ending!!!

I was honestly shocked to find out that J.K. Rowling based the new film "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" in 1920's America. The EW feature said that most Americans don't have any notion of wizards/witches as they went underground after the Salem Witch Trials. I think this sounds interesting.

What an amazing cast!! Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller, Colin Farrell, Ron Perlman, Jon Voigt and Samantha Morton. Imdb.com lists it coming out in 2016 with parts two and three in 2018 and 2020. Didn't realize it was a trilogy. It also stars Katherine Waterston who will be the new lead in the new Alien movie out in 2017 (Alien: Covenant), along with Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace.

https://youtu.be/uVdV-lxRPFo I don't follow the Marvel cast of thousands but a rift among the Avengers looks interesting. (Captain America: Civil War)

Looks really good! Although it does resort to the "let's punch it out" way of resolving issues rather than talking them out, but that's kinda the American way (at least in the movies, if not in real life)....

 

[made_in_canada]

My sisters in law and I went and saw Sisters on Christmas day. It was exactly what we expected. Many laugh out loud moments and a lot of fun.

 

[Artemis@BC]

Dec. 23rd - 45 Years (Limited) – Romantic drama with Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg5cpiX18TA

Oh my, I absolutely must see that one. I'd run to see anything with either Rampling or Courtenay, so the two of them together will be phenomenal.

 

[Cachoo]

I really liked Z for Zachariah, even though it's one of those open-ended movies where the screenwriter wants his audience to decided for themselves what happened. As a would-be writer this inspires me because if I can't figure out a good ending for a project...I'll just leave it open to the audience to choose their own adventure! It's getting to the point where enough stories like this have been told and it's just starting to look like laziness. What's next, an open-middle story/movie? An open-beginning story/movie? Whenever you get stuck, just leave out that part of the story!! But aside from that, I like everything about the movie. Interesting story about three random people who find each other in a post-apocalyptic world and how even with so few humans seemingly alive, our human problems can still result in dangerous possibilities. The cast are all great (Chiwetel Ejiofor, Chris Pine, Margot Robbie), the direction is spot-on and it's a very nice looking film. If only they could have come up with an ending!!!



What an amazing cast!! Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller, Colin Farrell, Ron Perlman, Jon Voigt and Samantha Morton. Imdb.com lists it coming out in 2016 with parts two and three in 2018 and 2020. Didn't realize it was a trilogy. It also stars Katherine Waterston who will be the new lead in the new Alien movie out in 2017 (Alien: Covenant), along with Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace.



Looks really good! Although it does resort to the "let's punch it out" way of resolving issues rather than talking them out, but that's kinda the American way (at least in the movies, if not in real life)....

I did not know it would be a trilogy either. And it will be full of surprises as this is something new without a detailed series that we've already read. I hope it is as entertaining as the Potter films.

 

[smurfy]

I saw '45 Years' in my movie preview club about a month ago.
In our review cards - there is a selection of you would not recommend, recommend to all or recommend to certain people.
I loved the movie and it falls into the 'recommend to certain people'. It is a slow burn, not everyone's cup of tea. I enjoyed it.
Rampling in particular was just amazing.
Interesting to think about a 45 year marriage and a letter arrives that puts everything into question.
Some people in the club did not like it. But I am a firm believer - sometimes slow, not a lot of action, gives a good payoff if you are patient.

 

[Allskate]

I saw Brooklyn and found it disappointing. The sets and costuming were wonderful, but the story didn't go anywhere interesting and I spent the second half of the film waiting for it to be over. And the male lead was neither compelling nor convincing. He was trying way to hard to channel a young Marlon Brando.

I didn't get the Marlon Brando vibe you did and thought he was fine. But, I did find the movie very disappointing, mainly because of the script. The first half dragged. The last half had a silly plot twist that made no sense and was inconsistent with her character.

This time of year, I usually have a long list of movies I want to see. But, this year, I don't. I know Star Wars is getting great reviews, but I've only seen one of the previous Star Wars movies, and that was years ago, so I probably wouldn't be able to appreciate the new one.

 

[Xela M]

Bridge of Spies is one of the best films I have seen in a cinema. Really brilliant.

I hate both Hanks and Spielberg, but somehow the combination of them both made a perfect film. Cannot recommend it enough.