38 thoughts on “Third Monday Movie Day: Freebies”

1. If you had an Agent Cody Banks fix, wouldn't you just pop in one from your CD collection like I my neighbor does?

   1. Wow, there's pretty much a reason those are free. I did like The World's Fastest Indian back in the day, though.

      1. Dude. There's an Oscar winner there. It's a mixed bag.

         1. "pretty much"
            I could have said "98%"

            1. Fair enough. I guess I was just surprised enough at the fact that there were some quality selections that they stood out for me.

               1. also fair enough. you didn't say "high quality"

   2. I'm most drawn to the Kung Fu movies in the list. I think I've watched some of those on NetFlix, but I'm not sure.

2. There are a few good ones there. Terminator, Rocky, etc.

3. Have we talked season six of House of Cards yet?

   'Spoiler'	SelectShow
   Was there a writer's strike or something?

4. I'm absolutely loving The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (Netflix) a series of vignettes beautifully filmed and wonderfully acted by a slew of great actors. And it's the Coens, so of course it has its quirkiness.

   1. Yes. I watched the first three last night.
      The previews made it look like the section with Tyne Daly might be a framing device for the whole thing. I was hoping it was going to be adapted from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales much in the way that O Brother was adapted from Homer.

      1. There wasn't anything tying them together other than Westerns and not being exactly upbeat; the Zoe Kazan story was particularly sad. But wonderfully told.

5. Saw the Freddie Mercury biopic this weekend. It was a lot formulaic and a bit melodramatic and played fast and loose with the history (or just makes shit up). And nonetheless enjoyable, mainly on the strength of the concert pieces.

   Rami Malek was overall excellent (and really nailed the Wembly performance). Gwilym Lee was spot on as Brian May. Actually, all of the band guys were spot on, visually, and injected some humor into the thing.

   And enjoyable cameos by Mike Myers and (who played Elton John? I recognized the actor at the time, but can't find him listed anywhere). Petyr Baelish was suitably oily as John Reid.

   I'm not sure I buy some of the criticisms. (The Forbes review claims the film is homophobic, which I found ridiculous). But the film tries way too hard to make Freddie out to have been a tortured soul.

   1. Mike Myers played a record exec.
      

      1. I know that. I could have sworn there was another well-known actor with a cameo as Elton John.

         1. Buckethead?

      2. Search out his interview with Colbert on the role. Pretty interesting full circle for Myers!

   2. Do you pronounce it bio-pic or bi-opic? Always wondered that.

      1. I pronounce it bi-opic, which is probably wrong as it's a portmanteau of "biography" (a "bio") and "picture" (a "pic").

         1. I didn't even know this was a question. It's short for "biographical picture", so Bio-Pic

            So, is it Wis-consin or Wi-sconsin?

            1. I may have to start using the latter, just for kicks. "Oh, you're from Wee-sconsin, then?"

               1. I had never heard of the first until leaving our section of NW MN, so never considered it anything other than wiSCON-sen

                  1. I'm with you there. /wuh-SCON-Sin/
                     How else would "'Sconnies" make any sense?

                     1. I've always pronounced it "wihh-SCON-sin" with the initial eye sound like in "ick".

                        1. right. often I hear it as wis-con-sin, which just makes me shake my head

                           for that matter, I think the silent "t" in often has died. RIP

            2. But "Bio-Pic" sounds like a Biology Photograph (or worse, given what "Bio" is an office euphemism for).
               And I think the near-even syllabic stress required for that pronunciation is much less pleasant to hear. Might as well not be a compound, just "bio pic".

               OTOH, "Bi-opic" sounds like an adjective meaning double-visioned (analogous to "myopic").

               Wiktionary says "Bi-opic" (rhymes with "topic") is nonstandard USA pronunciation.

               1. I don't have a problem with "bio-pick". But for some reason I always struggle in my head with the pronunciation of "cosplay".

            3. M-W dictionary pronounces it bio-pic.

6. * Solo is a Star Wars movie that would've been much better served if it had not tried to posit itself as the main character's backstory -- there was not even an instant where I looked on the screen and thought "yup, that's Han Solo". The first half of the movie was pretty good, but Donald Glover excepted, the second half sort of fell apart right as it should've been getting good. It's a heist movie without a particularly compelling heist, and that's no fun.

   * Newbish and I watched Snoopy Come Home, which prompted a Snoopy obsession. It's a very charming movie, and I feel like it holds up better than some of the even more "classic" Peanuts movies (Christmas, Pumpkin, etc). Voice acting has come a long way, though.

   * The Halloween re-sequel was pretty good, and I say that as a person who was kind of "eh" on the original (which is a movie where you probably had to be there). It wasn't revelatory or anything, and it was certainly never anything resembling "scary", but it had a lot of gory fun.

   * The Good Place is as funny and charming as it's ever been, but something feels....off? I'm hoping this latest upset of the status quo will kick things back into gear.

   1. I've actually liked S3 more than S2 of The Good Place I think. The recent few have been really good. As per usual, we've got through about eight seasons of material for any other show in about 2.5 seasons. Oh, and guessing I've mentioned it, but the official podcast is really good.

      (Which reminds me, I mentioned a Newsradio podcast awhile back. Gone through a number of episodes. It's not as good.)

   2. I'm with Nibbish on this one. I think s3 of Good Place hasn't been as good this year. I think the latest episode will kick start things.

   3. Good Place

      'Spoiler'	SelectShow
      I think part of the problem with Season 3 is how rushed it has felt, which is saying something given how like HJ said they blow through seasons worth of plots in a few weeks. The way Tahani made up with her sister felt contrived and lack some of the genuineness the show is known for. That said the gags are always great. I think I also just miss The Neighborhood.

7. finally started watching this season's Doctor Who.

   so far, so good. Ignoring the whole "falling miles out of the sky without bursting into flames or becoming total road kill" thing for the opener. And some odd choices in the Rosa Parks episode.

   The new doctor has some charisma. I loved Peter Capaldi (and the two preceding doctors, Tennant and Smith, have grown on me). I think I'm going to love Jodi Whitaker.

   1. spunky energy doesn't make up for so-so writing

   2. I'm recording them all, but haven't had time to watch any yet.

8. Anyone watched Man in the High Castle? It's my winter ride my bike in the basement selection. I'm just over 1/2 through first season. I've heard that Season 2 is better, haven't heard much about 3rd season. It has some interesting concepts, will be interesting to see where it goes.

   1. I gave up about that far in. It just moved far too slow for what was actually happening, I felt.

      1. Definitely that’s the common sentiment. I’ve heard it picks up, especially season 2 so I’ll ride it out (pun intended)

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