The Latest Movie/TV show You Watched Topic 2.0

[Zarm]

Yeah, that was...

Something, all right.

[Leviarex]

'Space Amoeba'- Despite Anthony Romero's low rating, I still find it entertaining enough. It's especially great how the three Kaiju are each given enough time to individually shine without overshadowing each other, and having them mutated via alien spores was (for the time) a fairly original concept.

'Star Wars: The Last Jedi'- It seems good on the surface, but upon thinking about it some more, I realized it has its fair share of problems that can't be ignored. Prime examples: Rose being an utterly pointless character, Luke becoming a cliched, burnt out hermit, and Rey's Mary-Sue status made all the worse by the fact that (assuming this won't turn out to be a lie)

Spoiler:

her parents were apparently not special at all, let alone had Jedi connections

.

'Guyver 2: Dark Hero'- My thoughts on it are basically what Brandon Tenold said about it in his review.

[Zarm]

Rey's Mary-Sue status made all the worse by the fact that (assuming this won't turn out to be a lie)

Spoiler:

her parents were apparently not special at all, let alone had Jedi connections

.

Yeah,

Spoiler:

it feels like it wouldn't be so bad if all she had was raw Force potential. She could lift rocks and do other things with natural brute-force, untrained power because she just had so much natural raw power. But she also has extreme fighting skills and control, piloting skill, focus and power demonstrated in this film to be on par with trained Force-users that have been fighting and doing things for years of practicing discipline, and even an apparent ability to turn to the dark side for answers, and once finding it empty, just walking right back to the light side with no consequences. At some point, she needs to have some limitations or foibles to become a human being.

[UltramanGoji]

The fighting skills were obtained by living literally her entire life on a desolate planet with nobody to help her defend herself. She knows how to fly a ship because she's been scavenging the insides of ships to survive.

[eabaker]

And she can't be a Mary Sue if she's not an authorial self-insertion.

[Zarm]

The fighting skills were obtained by living literally her entire life on a desolate planet with nobody to help her defend herself. She knows how to fly a ship because she's been scavenging the insides of ships to survive.

Yes, I'm aware of the justifications given. But combining them all into a single character who is literally perfect at everything, even as good as expert, experienced pilots just from flying simulators on her off time, and also has extreme Force powers that are equal to trained and practiced users, as well as having essentially no limitations or challenges that she can't work out of solo (I'll give her this, I suppose she does actually need to be rescued once in this film, for the first time) just combines into a character that is, as I said, inhuman. There's no relating to her. She's too powerful and a bit too ridiculous. No other character in the Star Wars saga has been so completely self-sufficient and completely competent at literally everything. Even Superman had needed to be rescued more often than this and struggled more to succeed in his first two films.

So I guess I should say that it's not that no explanation has been given, but that I don't fully buy the explanation toward any skills (save perhaps the fighting), and even if you can make up a justification for each and every aspect of her varied superskills-without-training, putting them all together into one person still strains credulity- for me, past the breaking point.

[GodzillaFan1990's]

Gorgo (1961)

10 out of 10 stars

What can I say? There's a reason this movie is a cult classic by giant monster fans including myself alike. I absolutely enjoyed this movie for what it was. Sure it was an obvious rip-off to the Big G we all know and Britain's answer to the King o Monsters but I'll tell you right now it was one of those good rip-offs however. The premise alone is what makes this movie unique. A mother rampaging through jolly good ol' London to receive her captured child back while tanking everything thrown at her like its nothing. I'd argue she could even give 1954 Godzilla a run for his money. The characters I thought were really great and interesting not to mention really good pacing as there were no moments that kept me bored and had me glued to watching it, the setting alone not to mention the destruction near the end of the film as Gorgo's mother attacks London. I also love Gorgo and his mother's design, another thing I think that sets them off from Godzilla despite both being giant aquatic dinosaurs. Best thing about this movie is how its the only giant monster/kaiju film where the monster gets a happy ending and wins with Gorgo's mother successfully rescuing her child and both returning to the ocean. That's something you rarely ever see in these kind of films. Godzilla (1954), monster dies. King Kong (1933), monster dies, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, monster dies. But here it doesn't happen which makes me like this film a lot more. My only nitpick is the movie is kind of short at being an hour and 13 minutes when not including credits which if I directed would've made it a bit longer like an hour and 20 minutes but overall that's pretty much my only nitpick. Everything else I loved about this film.

It's a film I'll definitely be getting around to buying on Amazon at some point. That's for certain. ^_^

[MechaGoji Bro7503]

Dunkirk . Absolutely fantastic and terrifying experience. A soild 9/10.

[eabaker]

Recently watch the BBC production To Walk Invisible: The Bronte Sisters. It was damned well acted and directed. Unfortunately, for the amount of story it had to tell, 2 hours (I believe it was aired as a TV movie in the UK, while here in the States it was broadcast as two 1-hour episodes) simply wasn't nearly enough time. The second half, in particular, once they were actually publishing their novels, felt very rushed, and the ending came almost out of the blue.

Still, "left me wanting more" is hardly the harshest of criticisms, and I'd highly recommend it.

[GodzillaFan1990's]

King Kong Lives (1986)

7.5 out of 10 stars

Got this in the mail much earlier then expected and gave it a watch. Got to say this is a guilty pleasure of mine and feel it gets way too much hate its reputation tends to give it. What I like about this movie is it acts like a whole What-If scenario for if King Kong survived his ordeal from falling the tower which it did being a sequel to the 1976 film which too is a guilty pleasure of mine. I honesty thought some of the characters were pretty good especially Linda Hamilton's character and what I like about this movie is as opposed to other King Kong films is it taking place in an entirely different setting which I think sets it off from the other King Kong films and making it rather unique. Of course there were silly things not needed like Kong and Lady Kong googly eyeing each other which speaking of Lady Kong is another thing I like added into the aspect of this movie making it more unique. My only issue is I don't get what that general's beef was with Kong, like what did he ever do to him? I mean despite the title King Kong still dies in the end so which makes it misleading. Might as well call it King Kong Lives and Dies Again. I tell you. We humans man, we're evil. I'm not kidding, it's true. We tend to destroy what we don't understand... Even then though those are my only nitpicks, the campy fun and nature of this flick and its previous installment is what makes up for the rest of it and I must say even though I liked 1976's King Kong better, this had one thing over it. It honestly had better pacing, no moments really felt slow for me. Overall I enjoyed this movie for the fun b-movie it was. If your a King Kong fan, I'd honestly recommend it but otherwise if not. It's at most an time waster on a typical Sunday afternoon.

[Jeff-Goldblum1]

The Giant Claw

The thing this movie is most remembered for is it's poor model bird. Which is a shame because it's the one thing holding the movie back.

Aside from that the pacing is quite good, the characters are fine and the story is consistent. With a Ray Harryhausen stop motion bird this movie could possibly be a monster movie classic alongside Them! and Tarantula.

But because of that model bird, the whole movie has a Plan 9 reputation and it's actually much better than that.

[Tyrant_Lizard_King]

I love The Giant Claw and honestly think the puppet is part of the film's charm. It's definitely one of the more interesting looking monsters to come out in the 50s.

[Jeff-Goldblum1]

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation

This movie is definitely something. Matthew McConaughey really goes off the deep end in this movie, in all the best ways.

Talking about the Illuminati could be a spoiler but I don't think anyone is worried about that. What did you think of their appearance in this movie?

[GodzillaFan1990's]

Gamera the Brave (2006)

8 out of 10 stars

A worthy and worthwhile follow-up to the Gamera movies. Not as good as the Heisei Gamera Trilogy but IMO it really holds up for what it is. The characters I thought were decent though annoying at times, story while not original especially the whole "son of" route was never the less good and there were moments I liked that I thought was unique especially near the finale where group of kids continue to give each other the stone to bring to Toto, I thought that was a nice touch to add there and unique for that matter showcasing the whole "Friend of Children" as the character Gamera tends to be. That and at the end where they stand in the way of the military so Toto can go free. I also think it was nice how it was pretty much a modern take and feel to the original Showa Gamera movies especially in humor and some of the campiness. Then we have the villain monster who I thought was intimidating and was rather surprised at some moments how dark it was like this guy in the water being pulled down before blood pouring up or eating these groups of people especially considering how fun and cute this movie turned out to be. While I do have some nitpicks like some of the dialogue being cheesy, the finale fight being kind of anti-climatic and Toru's father slapping him (What kind of parent does that to their kid?). I overall thought this was a good movie IMO.

[MechaGoji Bro7503]

Gamera the Brave (2006)

8 out of 10 stars

A worthy and worthwhile follow-up to the Gamera movies. Not as good as the Heisei Gamera Trilogy but IMO it really holds up for what it is. The characters I thought were decent though annoying at times, story while not original especially the whole "son of" route was never the less good and there were moments I liked that I thought was unique especially near the finale where group of kids continue to give each other the stone to bring to Toto, I thought that was a nice touch to add there and unique for that matter showcasing the whole "Friend of Children" as the character Gamera tends to be. That and at the end where they stand in the way of the military so Toto can go free. I also think it was nice how it was pretty much a modern take and feel to the original Showa Gamera movies especially in humor and some of the campiness. Then we have the villain monster who I thought was intimidating and was rather surprised at some moments how dark it was like this guy in the water being pulled down before blood pouring up or eating these groups of people especially considering how fun and cute this movie turned out to be. While I do have some nitpicks like some of the dialogue being cheesy, the finale fight being kind of anti-climatic and Toru's father slapping him (What kind of parent does that to their kid?). I overall thought this was a good movie IMO.

For me, it's my favorite Gamera flick. Although I haven't seen it in years I remember the main kid being a really good and likable character. His backstory was pretty depressing. I'll have to say Zedus is my favorite Gamera villain.

[Maritonic]

Gamera the Brave does not get nearly enough love, in my opinion. Criminally underrated movie.

[Mr. Xeno]

Gamera the Brave does not get nearly enough love, in my opinion. Criminally underrated movie.

Add me to this chorus. Excellent, excellent film that got buried by the fandom because it wasn't dark and gritty like G3.

[Rody]

^I'll also add to the Gamera the Brave praise. I'm probably due to watch the film again; it's an excellently produced, heart-felt movie with surprisingly compelling child heroes and some splendid special effects. Gamera's iconic roar being replaced by a stock villain monster sound is probably the film's biggest flaw.

Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) - I hadn't realized before this was a Frank Capra movie, but it's all too fitting because some of my absolute favorite films are Capra's, and this one is no exception. It's an utter delight watching Cary Grant play a man hyper-actively at the end of his wits (in contrast to Grant's iconic unshakable characters), and the entire film sells its absurdity with brilliant earnest and just a little winking at the audience. It's a hilarious film that's equally dark and quaint, quite unlike anything else I've seen before. I've loved this movie since first sight, and this latest viewing only cemented that for me.

Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973) - at last, I have completed the classic "Apes" films! This one took me a little while to get the hang of (just due to in-taking how certain details of events were presented), but I thought it was a solid, and surprisingly optimistic, final chapter to the series overall. I kind of understand why, and respect how, the first few films took on such a cynical worldview; but as someone who prefers to take a more optimistic outlook on life, watching those films started becoming genuinely hard, so I'm glad 'Battle' (and, to an extent, 'Conquest' before it) strove for a new, brighter resolution. Now to watch the new ones...?

Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017) - now that was really something! I'll have to watch it again to better evaluate it, but my first impression is that this is a really good movie and a welcome, fresh take on the material for the Star Wars film franchise.

[GodzillaFan1990's]

Hostiles (2017)

7.5 out of 10 stars

A slow burn but at the same time entertaining and enjoyable flick. The characters I thought were really good and the acting pretty superb keeping me entertained for the flick it was. What I liked about it is the theme that shows both sides the Europeans and Natives are both guilty of something and neither innocent and I also thought the premise to the film was rather interesting. Another thing I liked about the movie was despite being slow, no scenes dragged on at all which I found rather surprising. While a good movie overall, I'd really only recommend it to those who are into history and historical films for that matter like me, otherwise if your looking for an action or adventure movie I don't think this would be your movie then.

[Jeff-Goldblum1]

Equinox (1970)

Mostly something to watch as a curiosity for the early career of Dennis Murren. Stop motion monsters and demons mostly filmed in minimal locations in the woods.

It's alright it's not the worst movie but most of the entertainment you'll get out of it is if you go in with the mindset that it's a low budget production from early career filmmakers.