Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

Discuss past, present, and future releases. This is the place for news, reviews, and your 'best' lists.

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numbersix
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

Post by numbersix »

Holiday:6/10
Disturbingly cold film about a criminal's moll and her empty life enjoying the spoils of crime. It's Hanake-esque in its detached perspective, but actually makes for something compelling as we see a desire to break free, only for her to be dranw back into the "safe" world of her sugar daddy. It's deeply cynical, but offers insight into the life of people such as this.

Everybody Knows: 6/10
Flawed drama by Asghar Farhadi. I feel he's a better film-maker when plot is not really a factor. His last two films were more plot-heavy, whereas A Separation and The Pact are more about character and work better. Here, the film is centred around the kidnapping of a teen girl during a family wedding, bringing up past relationships between the mother (Penelope Cruz in one of her best performances) and her old friend (a charming Javier Bardem). The acting is great, and the characters have depth, but it's the plotting and the melodramatic reveals which let the film down.

Museo: 6/10
An odd heist movie, and a good companion to American Animals. Here, it's a true story about two young men who rob Mexico City's main museum of some of its best Mayan artifacts. But the film is really about the consequences of stealing items considered to be of national heritage, as the main character (Gael Garcia Bernal convincingly playing someone half his age) wrestles with his guilt while exploring the nation.

Foxtrot: 6/10
Odd Lebanese movie which starts off with a father and mother being told their soldier son died in combat. But the film jumps around in time, following the son's dreary military life the weeks before, while also returning to the father and exploring his fractured relationship with his family. It's structurally ambitious, and plays with some dark comedy, but it doesn't quite work as a whole.

Triple Frontier: 5/10
JC Chandor's weakest film is also his biggest. It's a sort of action thriller about a bunch of ex-marines (or special forces?) who get back together to take down a South American criminal and take his stolen riches. And things don't go to plan. The problem is that they're set up as the best of the best, but some of their decisions are downright moronic, particularly from their leader (a lazy Ben Affleck). Other performances range from decent (Oscar Isaac) to poor (Charlie Hunnam and his awful accent). Some of the action is tense, but it's not particularly memorable, and the themes of greed are lost by a rather awful ending.

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Ron Burgundy
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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Nice to know i will like Cold Pursuit, i hadn't read a single thing until W's review.

And brock, im shocked you only just saw Point Break!? Esp after Hot Fuzz glorified it.

Wreck it Ralph 2 - 5.5/10
Im pretty sure i didnt hear Ralph say: Im gonna Wreck it!- even once!! Ralph goes from the arcade to the internet, giving the show an injection of new characters and a whole new CGI world to explore. I think this movie was aimed for 10 year olds, where as i felt the last film was fun for the whole family, jokes for all ages. i also noticed most of the packed cinema (months after release btw) was kids with a parent tagging along.
Its a pretty WamBam storyline, goes a bit like this; broken arcade game, Ralph needs to go to the internet to fix, yeah, thats it.
I think there were also a LOT of 'hidden' double meanings in the film, some more abstract than others, which might be shoved into your face; somewhat like Ready Player One and the 'warnings' about future technology.

Alita: Battle Angel - 7/10
Before reading W's little review i had this closer to 8/10. He's right that James Cameron should have kept his nose out of this one, theres a bit too much sentimentality and forced love story: which im sure is just to make $$$, which this didn't.
That said, the CGI and action is stunning and spectacular, even better than the recent Aquaman (3/10 imo). I thought all the actors save for the boy did well, Ed Skrein stealing scenes and Christoph Waltz giving the film some gravity.
Yes the plot got a bit jumbled, i think the studios realised too late they had a potential franchise here. I still enjoyed it.
“One time I wrestled a giraffe to the ground with my bare hands.” — Dale

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Buscemi2
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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The concept for Ralph Breaks the Internet would have been excellent for an R-rated movie. Imagine these naive video game characters going into 4chan or PornHub. But then again, I thought it would have been hilarious had the characters in Ready Player One entered Salo instead of The Shining.
It's like what Lenin said...I am the walrus.

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Ron Burgundy
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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Shhh! Boosh, that was my next idea for a Ralph parody ;)
“One time I wrestled a giraffe to the ground with my bare hands.” — Dale

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Brockster
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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And brock, im shocked you only just saw Point Break!? Esp after Hot Fuzz glorified it.
I've been trying to watch some 80's and 90's movies I missed along the way. I also just caught Roadhouse. Oh boy, what a spectacle that was! I listen to a podcast called Shat the Movies where they break down movies from the 80's and 90's to see if they hold up still. It's pretty hilarious and I would recommend it to you guys. So if I see a movie on TV that they've reviewed I try and watch it.

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W
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

Post by W »

Brockster wrote:
And brock, im shocked you only just saw Point Break!? Esp after Hot Fuzz glorified it.
I've been trying to watch some 80's and 90's movies I missed along the way. I also just caught Roadhouse. Oh boy, what a spectacle that was! I listen to a podcast called Shat the Movies where they break down movies from the 80's and 90's to see if they hold up still. It's pretty hilarious and I would recommend it to you guys. So if I see a movie on TV that they've reviewed I try and watch it.
How about "What's the Holdup?"
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Screen203
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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Five Feet Apart

Continues the tradition of guilty-pleasure teen romance movies as good matinees. Some of the writing is very melodramatic (the scene after Hayley Lu Richardson's friend dies in particular) but the central romance is believable. The acting helps hold up the flawed script. It's nothing new, but it's good for what it is.

6 out of 10


Captive State

This is one of those movies that seems hacked to death in the editing room. There is no clear flow in the various plots, and the direction the plot takes comes off as both incredibly predictable and nonsensical at once. Acting was decent, and the soundtrack got the atmosphere right, but I didn't think that the movie got its message across. I really don't know what to say about this one.

3 out of 10
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Buscemi2
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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Us 3/10

A strong opening can't overcome what is basically an overlong and derivative movie that seems to suggest that Jordan Peele wanted to make his own version of The Purge and nothing more. Once again, Peele plays it safe by refusing to say what he really wants to say, choosing to go for traditional plot conventions put in to make genre fans swoon (random characters designed solely to be killed, 80's nostalgia, confusing chaos for story). If anything, the plot (lifted from The Twilight Zone episode "Mirror Image") suggests a satire but Peele seems to have forgot he was ever funny and plays everything as deadly serious as possible.

There's not much else to say about this overhyped film that will not be competing for Oscars next year, critical praise or not.
It's like what Lenin said...I am the walrus.

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BanksIsDaFuture
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

Post by BanksIsDaFuture »

Us - C for execution, A for effort

Jordan Peele basically remade Trading Places, but just buried the socioeconomic commentary under horror instead of laughs. It's still artfully directed and full of great performances, I just expected more from a "social thriller/horror". It's the question of nature vs nurture and the evolution of the caste system in America, which are great jumping-off points for commentary - I just don't think Peele actually had any new angles on it.

I agree with Busc, I think The Purge hit all of the same beats as Us - if just a little more bluntly.
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Screen203
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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Saw Us last night- movie was great, need more time to think about it. But I may have had the worst experience ever at the theater I saw it in. Will go into it more later
Last edited by Screen203 on March 30th, 2019, 5:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
It's not destroying. It's making something new.

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Buscemi2
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

Post by Buscemi2 »

Hotel Mumbai 9/10

One of the most intense films in recent memory (and possibly one of the highest body counts in a non-action film), this drama about the terrorist attacks on November 26th, 2008 brings to mind Paul Greengrass's excellent United 93 in which a diverse group against all odds fights back against a powerful force. Director Anthony Maras avoids going for the traditional Hollywood formula for such material (top-billed Armie Hammer doesn't survive) and makes the film an ensemble piece with actors mostly unfamiliar to American audiences. Maras also makes the decision to show the horrors of what happened that night (I'm not sure how much is factual but the end results mention the screenplay was based on a documentary about the attacks) and the end result is more terrifying than most horror films.

This is a pretty under-the-radar film but if it's playing near you, prepare to be surprised.
It's like what Lenin said...I am the walrus.

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Screen203
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

Post by Screen203 »

Buscemi2 wrote:Us 3/10

A strong opening can't overcome what is basically an overlong and derivative movie that seems to suggest that Jordan Peele wanted to make his own version of The Purge and nothing more. Once again, Peele plays it safe by refusing to say what he really wants to say, choosing to go for traditional plot conventions put in to make genre fans swoon (random characters designed solely to be killed, 80's nostalgia, confusing chaos for story). If anything, the plot (lifted from The Twilight Zone episode "Mirror Image") suggests a satire but Peele seems to have forgot he was ever funny and plays everything as deadly serious as possible.

There's not much else to say about this overhyped film that will not be competing for Oscars next year, critical praise or not.
I saw the message in Us more being about America trying to hide its history (slavery - with the end having the Tethered have a literal slave chain- , hate groups, etc.) with the attempted suppressing of our horrific past leading to unrest as the marginalized try to show the world what they've been through.
It's not destroying. It's making something new.

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https://nerdist.com/annihilation-shimmer-ending-explained/

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Screen203
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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To elaborate more on the film, acting was outstanding and the score was great too. It did feel as if it ran too long though. The comic relief would have felt out of place if it wasn't directed by Peele.
It's not destroying. It's making something new.

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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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Mirai 4/10

2018 must have been a weak year for animation if this got an Oscar nomination. This pale imitation of A Monster Calls and Miyazaki involves a young boy hating his baby sister but through the past and future of his family, begins to learn the importance of being a good brother. The plot is played out much like a sitcom, the animation is too synthetic (the CGI integrated into the cel animation feels very early 2000's), and the lead character might be the most annoying since the kid in The Babadook. I'm not sure if someone got lost in translation (I saw the dubbed version as that was all that was showing and I figured John Cho and Rebecca Hall in the cast would be half-decent) but I don't think I want to watch it again to find out.

Piercing 1/10

When Maria Dizzia's character gets stabbed and drowns in a bathroom filed with excrement, that summed up my feelings for this ugly, hate-filled film. This homage to 1970's Italian films (not the good ones, but rather the ones that filled out the second half of double features) is a pointless exercise in violence and tedium that probably wouldn't even have worked as a ten minute short. It also shows why Americanizing Audition is a terrible idea. A low point for every actor involved and possibly proof Nicolas Pesce is a one-hit wonder with The Eyes of My Mother.
It's like what Lenin said...I am the walrus.

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Ron Burgundy
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

Post by Ron Burgundy »

Us

7.5/10
“One time I wrestled a giraffe to the ground with my bare hands.” — Dale

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