Movie/TV recommendations

[JonCole]

You can use the long link, just break the hypertext in the forum text editor so that the YT link is black, non-underlined text and it'll automatically embed.

[Twig]

All you need to do is just paste the link. No hyperlink necessary.

[elmuerte]

just paste the link as if it was normal text, nothing special needed.

[brkl]

You have to type the url to this box here and click post.

[Stuart]

You have to do X and then just do Y.

[dibs]

 

There we go.

[Roderick]

I was disappointed that Edge of Tomorrow was as smart as it was.  If it had been a lot dumber, it could have been good fun.  If it had been a bit better, and ditched the final-obligatory-stakes-raised-thirty-minute-action-sequence, it could have been a classic.  As it is, it's sort of stuck right there in the middle.

 

I saw it yesterday and share your feelings. It's actually a very good and smart film -

until it abandons its premise in the final act aaaaaaand that was that. It's like they ran out of ideas and went for the most meat-and-potato action finale they could think of. All the smartness of the Groundhog Day / Vanilla Sky / Repo Men vibe gone, just James Cameron all the way. A bad way to end what was essentially a pretty awesome film with some really smart choices throughout its first two acts.

[Ben X]

Agreed, although James Cameron probably would have come up with a more inventive/satisfying finale.

[Gormongous]

I liked Edge of Tomorrow, but it was a gut feeling more than anything analytical.

 

Did anyone else stick with the Fargo TV series until the end? It turned out to be good, but not great. Endings are hard, I guess.

 

In retrospect, Malvo was a disappointment from beginning to end. The writers clearly wanted another Anton Chigurh with whom they could spend the entire series, but Malvo wasn't unstoppable or inscrutable in the same way. He talked too much and it was all that goofy "man is the apex predator" stuff that just doesn't hold up once Billy Bob Thornton stops talking about it. Using it to tie up his death in a bow with Gus was stupid, as was the revelation that this was really Gus' story. You could cut Molly out of it, really, and have the same plot: policeman sees criminal fleeing, policeman experiences cowardice, policeman spends a year regretting it, policeman meets magic spirit wolf, policeman gets his man. It was such an unsatisfying conclusion for being so forced and it's cold comfort that the writers clearly knew it.

 

Nygaard's death, on the other hand, was perfect. You made the mistake when you started running, but you don't realize until you stop that it's actually just put you on thin ice.

[TheLastBaron]

I pretty much agree with everyone on Edge of Tomorrow in that it was a good movie, but I thought it didn't stick the landing at the end.  I enjoyed it though, and I went to a cheap theater this time so it was only $5 (all the other theaters around her are $12 for a movie and that's not even counting 3D or XD or anything).

[Ucantalas]

I don't go to movies often, but I don't think I've ever actually paid for a movie ticket.

When I was a little kid, the cost was covered by my parents. Then, when I got old enough to open a bank account I opened an account with Scotiabank that was tied to a SCENE account, so every time I use my debit card I get points that I can use to get free movie tickets. But I didn't live anywhere near a movie theatre, so for years I was just building points without being able to spend them.

Since I moved away for college I have seen probably a dozen movies without ever paying for a ticket. Hell, right now I have enough points for two more free movies.

[tegan]

You're only two movies away from realizing why nobody likes going to the movies.

[Merus]

You're only two movies away from realizing why nobody likes going to the movies.

 

I've been to an American cinema and it crystallised immediately why Americans complain about going to the movies and no-one else does. All the ritual of the cinema has been stripped out and replaced by advertising, transitioning slowly into the actual movie so gradually that no-one takes it seriously. You're not connecting with a bunch of strangers who are all sharing the experience with you; there's a cinema full of douchebags getting in the way.

[Nachimir]

With the exception of small indie cinemas, that's kind of how it feels in the UK too.

[Roderick]

Yeah, I don't feel it's very different in the Netherlands, barring a few awesome cinemas that do things like introducing the film by an expert.

 

Yes, most of the time I prefer sitting in an almost-abandoned theatre, without the hassle of tons of people around me, but when they keep quiet it's fine. I LOVE going to the movies though, there's nothing like it. The big screen, the excitement that - still - surrounds it, and hopefully a good theatre with a luxury vibe... splendid.

[lobotomy42]

I LOVE going to the movies though, there's nothing like it. The big screen, the excitement that - still - surrounds it, and hopefully a good theatre with a luxury vibe... splendid.

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way.  I love going to the movies.  Maybe I just haven't had the bad experiences other people have had, but seeing a new movie in a huge crowd in a large dark room is exciting for me in ways that watching movies at home just isn't. It probably doesn't hurt that it removes a lot of the sources of interruption - pausing netflix to get more snacks, checking your phone/laptop, interjecting your own MST3K commentary - which I find happen quite frequently when I watch movies with other people at home.

[JonCole]

I liked Edge of Tomorrow and my wife convinced me that while the ending isn't amazing by my logical, analytical standards, it was emotionally satisfying for her so I'm going to take her word for it and say it was an overall pretty good, like A- movie.

[SecretAsianMan]

I think the theatre experience is largely unique and can be fun but there are a number of things that diminish the enjoyment for me.  The price, the lack of a comfortable surrounding, the half-hour or more of ads before the movie starts, the way I have to drink my soda slowly or not at all so that I don't have to pee in the middle of the film and miss seeing something, etc.  Most of the time I'd rather just wait for a home release so I can watch it the way I want.  Some movies do warrant the audience experience though.

 

One thing I do enjoy doing in a theatre is sitting through all the credits, even when there's no extra scenes in it.  I feel that all these people worked on a thing I (hopefully) enjoyed, the least I could do is sit around for a few extra minutes and acknowledge that.  At home though, I almost never do this because as soon as the movie is over I do something else.

[Bjorn]

I've been to an American cinema and it crystallised immediately why Americans complain about going to the movies and no-one else does. All the ritual of the cinema has been stripped out and replaced by advertising, transitioning slowly into the actual movie so gradually that no-one takes it seriously. You're not connecting with a bunch of strangers who are all sharing the experience with you; there's a cinema full of douchebags getting in the way.

 

I was super happy when an Alamo Drafthouse came to Kansas City awhile back, even though it's close to an hour drive for us to go there, it's still worth it.  The Drafthouse chain has no advertising, reasonable prices, and a hardcore enforced behavior policy (no phones, texting, etc).  For every single film they show, they make a custom intro reel with movie clips, vintage ads and vintage trailers from movies that are thematically linked in some way.  The first time I went to a Drafthouse in Austin, Tex., it reminded me why going to the movies ought to be an amazing experience. 

 

The Kansas City theater is also in a nearly century old theater that's one of my favorite buildings in town. 

[JonCole]

I went to an Alamo Drafthouse in San Antonio and it was divine. Beat out just about every theater experience I've had in the US.

 

I have a pretty decent AMC theater near my house. The high standard that it sets is that matinee is $5/person, regular admission is $7/person. I pay for a $12 yearly membership that gives a $10 gift card with every $100 spent, no "convenience fees" when ordering tickets online, and free upgrades to drinks and popcorn. The theaters tend to be clean and entry and exit into the theater isn't laboriously complicated to the point where I'd weave through crowds of people. I can generally get out the door for $30 between my wife and I and feel I get my money's worth.

 

That said, the advertising is quite excessive. There's a pre-trailers set of advertisements for about 30 minutes prior to the listed showtime that tend to sleazily give "behind-the-scenes" looks at bad cable TV shows and shitty movies like Transformers with ad budget to burn. There are usually upwards of 10 trailers starting at showtime that probably take up at least 15-20 minutes prior to the movie. Even the turn off your cell phones notice is usually an ad for concessions. I also had a super odd experience in my showing yesterday where a woman was talking loudly and practically screaming during action scenes. I'm pretty sure she was intoxicated in some fashion. I barely heard her when I moved to the front of the theater (she was in the back), but it was still distracting. Nothing substantive was done about her, despite the fact that I complained (which I'm wont to do, considering nobody else seems to bother).

[Roderick]

One thing I do enjoy doing in a theatre is sitting through all the credits, even when there's no extra scenes in it.  I feel that all these people worked on a thing I (hopefully) enjoyed, the least I could do is sit around for a few extra minutes and acknowledge that.  At home though, I almost never do this because as soon as the movie is over I do something else.

 

Incredibly true! I never watch the credits at home, but I always linger until the final burst of music in the cinema. I love it, I always want to hang onto the vibe of having gone to the cinema.

[Nachimir]

I have a pretty decent AMC theater near my house. The high standard that it sets is that matinee is $5/person, regular admission is $7/person.

 

Jesus, everywhere I've lived in the UK has been £7 - £12  (US $12 - $20). It's usually the indie theatres that are cheaper, everywhere else is not only expensive, but has lots of advertising and dickheads playing with their phones in the front rows.

[TheLastBaron]

Jesus, everywhere I've lived in the UK has been £7 - £12  (US $12 - $20). It's usually the indie theatres that are cheaper, everywhere else is not only expensive, but has lots of advertising and dickheads playing with their phones in the front rows.

yeah $12-$20 is about what everything is here, and even the one indie theater around here is super expensive (it's in this super expensive area with a  bunch of luxury apartments and like Gucci and Burberry stores, I think there's a Tesla store there too now).  It's nice in the sense that they play old movies I like that I could never see in a theater normally (Metropolis, Raging Bull, The Godfather, ect.) and stuff like Wes Anderson movies that start with limited releases they get way ahead of other theaters, but tickets aren't any cheaper than other places.  I think when I saw Grand Budapest it was $10 and that was a matinee, though it was one of I think 4 theaters that premiered it so I don't know if that factored into their price. 

 

I don't mind most things at movies like the long/copious ads or the people, but the price definitely makes me think about if I really care about seeing certain movies and a lot of the times I decide that I don't.

[Ben X]

I liked Edge of Tomorrow, but it was a gut feeling more than anything analytical.

 

Did anyone else stick with the Fargo TV series until the end? It turned out to be good, but not great. Endings are hard, I guess.

 

In retrospect, Malvo was a disappointment from beginning to end. The writers clearly wanted another Anton Chigurh with whom they could spend the entire series, but Malvo wasn't unstoppable or inscrutable in the same way. He talked too much and it was all that goofy "man is the apex predator" stuff that just doesn't hold up once Billy Bob Thornton stops talking about it. Using it to tie up his death in a bow with Gus was stupid, as was the revelation that this was really Gus' story. You could cut Molly out of it, really, and have the same plot: policeman sees criminal fleeing, policeman experiences cowardice, policeman spends a year regretting it, policeman meets magic spirit wolf, policeman gets his man. It was such an unsatisfying conclusion for being so forced and it's cold comfort that the writers clearly knew it.

 

Nygaard's death, on the other hand, was perfect. You made the mistake when you started running, but you don't realize until you stop that it's actually just put you on thin ice.

 I agree with you on Fargo, except I thought

Lester's death was just as heavy-handed and unsatisfying as that Collateral wolf shit.

[Gormongous]

 I agree with you on Fargo, except I thought

Lester's death was just as heavy-handed and unsatisfying as that Collateral wolf shit.

 

Yeah, I only made my peace with it after having a hard think, so maybe I just talked myself into what I ended up feeling. I really don't know what kind of ending I wanted from Fargo, but that wasn't it.

 

Also, someone pointed out to me that one of the few storylines about "justice" in the fourth book of A Song of Ice and Fire was removed from Game of Thrones season four. I can't believe I'd forgotten it.

 

But it's official, no Lady Stoneheart, and the director of the season finale says it's because it would be a pointlessly bloody and vindictive way to toy with audience's emotions. Um... okay? I can buy wanting to keep weird instances of outright magic to a minimum, since the show's going for a lower-fantasy vibe than the books except for the dragons and walkers, but when has the show ever pulled its punches with the audience?