I'll cover some other stuff in the comments if time permits today, but...World War Z.
I avoided comments on it back when everyone else was talking about it, so I'm sure this was discussed, but if the movie changes this much from script sale to production, why even keep the name? This movie had no social commentary at all, which was primarily the book's focus. If one read the synopses of each thing back-to-back they'd never know one was related to the other. Pointless.
Still, I would have forgiven everything if the movie had been particularly good, but it wasn't. I shrugged my shoulders at the end of 110 minutes where I really never felt all that tense, and that was that. Oh well.
I have been enjoying Fargo but a couple little things have bothered me.
I took 11 year old girls to Malefecent. They loved it.
I took the 8 year old boy to How To Train a Dragon 2. He didn't seem to like it too much. I think having one of the main characters dying bothered him but he isn't one to really explain his feelings beyond just saying he didn't like it.
he isn't one to really explain his feelings
What male does, regardless of age?
What did you think of Maleficent?
It was ok. A little boring. Good for an 11 year old that hadn't seen that story done before.
Had the 11-year-olds seen Frozen?(That's a dumb question.)Given that the 11-year-olds had seen Frozen, how far away did they see the "twist" coming?
They didn't seem to see it coming. At least, they didn't say anything about seeing it coming.
Also, the 11-year old got the Wicked book for Christmas but we decided not to let her read it based on some things we read about it. Maleficent seemed like a rip-off of Wicked but she wouldn't have known that.
I haven't seen Frozen so thanks for ruining it for me! (Just kidding. I don't really care.)
I caught Muppets Most Wanted and Lego Movie at the $1 theater with Runner daughter. Enjoyed them both. Still tickled by Tina Fey's "easter egg" in the Muppets flic:
Finished off the latest season of Game of Thrones. More death, and more stuff happening.
The Simpson's Lego episode ("Brick Like Me") was particularly well done, and from a premise that made sense for the idea. Nice to see they're nowhere near phoning these episodes in.
I watched a few movies during my trip, although not as many as I'd like because the selection on Aer Lingus was not great and being in the UK apparently significantly restricted what I could watch on Netflix.
I finally got around to watching They Live which was humorous, but kind of slowly paced.
I re-watched The Lego Movie on the plane back to the states because the first time I watched it was video from inside a theater. (I didn't want to wait until it dropped on DVD to watch.) It was better the second time because I could actually see everything and pick up on some of the subtle visual jokes (I don't know why, but I found Vesuvius's outfit change hilarious.) Anyway, still love this movie.
I also watched Robocop on the plane and found it generally pretty "meh", although that is better than I was expecting, so there's that. There was a conspicuous lack of Ford Tauruses though.
Roddy Piper! Yeah, that film had "B" written all over it.
I saw Edge of Tomorrow with the boy over the weekend. Of course Cruise gotta Cruise but overall a decent sci-fi flick. Some humor, decent action that wasn't too over the top a la Peter Jackson, interesting story. Kicked balls over the last sci-fi flick I saw in the theater which was the last Star Drek film.
Dr. Chop and I took in Edge this weekend as well. As far as Cruise B Cruise goes, I'd say that this is the least Cruiseiest of Cruises in recent movies. I really enjoyed the flick as good summer fluff even if the last two minutes were suspect.
I went to this on Saturday. I also enjoyed it, despite the ending being just a little too neat. Apparently the ending in the light novel it's based on is much, much more grim. I'm definitely thinking of buying a copy of it, even if it's just for ABe's illustrations.
Yeah, the last two minutes. I guess I should have mentioned that. Both me and the boy audibly groaned when that happened.
We tried to watch it Saturday but it was sold out. It only grossed $6 million that day, all from the Rosedale theater apparently.
We got the last two seats at Showplace. I don't think I can ever go to another theater without recliner seats again.
I saw it this weekend and agree. A couple of times Cruise wavered on the edge of his worst mannerisms, but the director reigned him in nicely. The last two minutes were a cheap Hollywood deus ex machina, though it doesn't negate the fun that came before.
Road trip with 3-year-old daughter caused me to purchase a bunch of DVD's we didn't already own. Watched or heard all of them multiple times in the RV. Listed in order of my daughters preference:
Cinderella
Curious George: Rocket Ride and Other Adventures
Toy Story
Despicable Me
Doc McStuffins: Friendship Is The Best Medicine
Shrek
March of The Penguins
We also watched Dallas Buyers Club which was an excellent flick, Mud which was also damn good, and Ravenous which was completely unexpected and also very entertaining. I think I saw it back when it first came out, but had completely forgotten about it.
Waiting at home is Gravity.
I've done the watched/heard thing with multiple movies on long trips with the kids- I'd listened to Wreck-it Ralph and Brave probably two-three times each before I ever sat down and watched them. It's weird when I know what the storyline and the dialogue, but I was eager to see what exactly was going on to make the characters react the way they do.
I watched Mud, it was better than I thought it was going to be.
I also re-watched Ravenous when I saw it was on Netflix. I remembered liking it quite a bit the first time I saw it but I had trouble telling Guy Pearce and Robert Carlyle apart (What? Two skinny foreign dudes with greasy long dark hair who I don't think I'd ever seen in movies before- it's a lame excuse, I know). Now that I can tell the actors apart, I liked it even more.
I think I'll have to re-watch Ravenous. I saw it opening weekend. I went with three friends. There were two other people in the theater. My friends and I were dying laughing, the other two people in the theater didn't seem to find it as humorous as us. I don't think I'll ever understand why they tried to advertise it as a serious period piece drama about cannibals.
The Rotten Tomatoes review that seemed most accurate was something like, black-comedy, one-of-a-kind, tongue-in-cheek/blood-in-mouth historical horror movie.
I mostly picked movies I'd seen a bunch of times having learned (mostly) what it is my daughter will like. Forgot to add Up to that list, but actually, I think my wife and I liked that one more than she did as it was only viewed once.
As for Ravenous, I'd say we had a similar experience with the actors. I watched it again because of other work those two have done that I remember really enjoying (Memento, L.A. Confidential, Trainspotting, The Beach). I don't know if I liked it more, but I appreciated how different it was and the various characters were well done.
Surprised you haven't seen Pearce before at least. He's a favorite of mine and been in a lot of good ones.
mud.... For as much critical acclaim Mr. McConaughey is receiving, those kids were absolutely amazing. Neck Bone. What a performance (I hope he was acting).
Mud was absolutely fantastic, those boys were great. I just watched it again the other evening. Great flick.
Completely agree. And if he wasn't acting, then that casting agent deserves even more credit. Another thing I really liked about the movie was the pacing and visuals. So many shots that really set the mood without anyone in them or anyone in them doing much of anything.
In addition to Edge of Tomorrow, I finally saw Frozen. Horrific script, but I laughed out loud a half-dozen times and the songs were fun.
Finished Dexter. Not sure I've ever seen a worse final season. Otherwise, working through OITNB: 2
I wish I would have stopped watching Dexter well before the last season.
I saw Maleficent in the theater, just my wife and I. I'm glad I didn't pay money for my kids to see it, to. I thought it was garbage.
It reminds me of Frozen in that a few tweaks could have made it way better. But that was redeemed by the rest in a way that this was not.
First off:
Aw crap, I gotta return to work. More thoughts later.
In addition to Edge of Tomorrow (I really, really wish they'd kept the name All You Need is Kill), I went to The Fault in Our Stars with J & another friend of ours last weekend. They'd both read the book, I had not. It was pretty well made and pretty sad. I'm glad I went but it won't be on the top of my movie lists this year I don't think. J & I also went to Godzilla which was pretty fun. It inspired me to go buy a few of the Toho Godzilla Blu-Ray twin packs, so I have some stuff to catch up on.
Other than that, I've watched all of Bob's Burgers in the last few weeks. I totally adore it. The first season was super hit or miss, but starting with season two I totally fell in love with the show. I hope it airs for many more years. I also finished Review which is one of the funniest things I've watched in a really long time. It's brilliant and you should watch it.
Now I need to decide what to watch next. Fargo and Louie probably top my list, but they don't work with Hulu Plus on my TV which is annoying. I just bought the True Detective Blu-Ray set, so that's probably what I will watch next.
I'm very excited for Nathan For You returning next month. I'm hoping to catch We're The Best! when I'm in LA. And I hope that Obvious Child opens in Winnipeg sometime soon.
I watched a film called The Kings of Summer not too long ago and enjoyed it. Its a teenager-coming-of-age film, but also light enough to not let the movie drag.
Nick Offerman plays a father and is sort of Ron Swanson, but also not. I dont often recommend movies, but seek this one out.
For the most part, I enjoyed Fargo. The Americans season 2 was top notch and Louie is just ..well Louie (in a good way!). Im glad Parks and Rec got a 7th season because its nice to go out on your own terms, but S6 was a big down step for the series. Sad to see Community leave, but it had a great run. That series "high notes" were some of the best half hours in television.