Last Movie You Watched

[SonicMan46]

Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014) w/ Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel Jackson et al - on my 'to see' list and streamed off Amazon last night - received only a 2* rating in our local paper earlier this year (a syndicated review so not sure of the reviewer); BUT, 7.9/10 at IMDB & 89% (7.6/10) from Rotten Tomatoes; 4.5/5* by the Amazonians - LOTS of action, noise, and mucho CGI - held my interest & introduced some new characters - recommended to those who enjoy these Marvel comics movies (at home a HDTV & decent TV sound a must!) - not a BD buy for me, but would certainly do at least a 3 1/2* and probably go to 4* if I reviewed the film on Amazon since one cannot pick a half point.  Dave

[psu]

Actually watched the Director's Cut. But I mostly did not like the new things that were added back.

[asin] B002NZK5QY[/asin]

[Bogey]

Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014) w/ Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel Jackson et al - on my 'to see' list and streamed off Amazon last night - received only a 2* rating in our local paper earlier this year (a syndicated review so not sure of the reviewer); BUT, 7.9/10 at IMDB & 89% (7.6/10) from Rotten Tomatoes; 4.5/5* by the Amazonians - LOTS of action, noise, and mucho CGI - held my interest & introduced some new characters - recommended to those who enjoy these Marvel comics movies (at home a HDTV & decent TV sound a must!) - not a BD buy for me, but would certainly do at least a 3 1/2* and probably go to 4* if I reviewed the film on Amazon since one cannot pick a half point.  Dave

A tad better than "meh" on my movie rating scale, Dave.

[TheGSMoeller]

A tad better than "meh" on my movie rating scale, Dave.

I think it's Marvel's best written film so far. It's like an element of Bourne and even Bond were added to script.

[Mookalafalas]

It's like an element of Bourne and even Bond were added to script.

  Then I'll assume it was the acting or FX that somehow got it to "a tad over meh".

[SonicMan46]

A tad better than "meh" on my movie rating scale, Dave.

Hey Bill - well, I was willing to go 4* on Amazon which is above 'meh' for me (that would be 3*) - and thought that it was better than the first one (although I don't remember it much) - still, will not be a purchase - one look was enough.  Dave

[Bogey]

I think it's Marvel's best written film so far. It's like an element of Bourne and even Bond were added to script.

No, no, no, Greg.   If I want those guys, I will watch them.  Gimme Cap fighting real super villains!  I want the classic ones.  Over the top super powers or  mad geniuses with uncountable minions for Cap to take on.  Not just another punching machine like this one which made me yawn at points and eat dropped popcorn off my lap during the fight sequences.  Mordok would do in a pinch.  Or a story where he has to take on a misunderstood Sub Mariner.  Now that would be epic!  In short, give me the unbelievable.  Guardians of the Galaxy pulled this off, and the Avengers did as well.  Man, that last Avengers' battle scene was one for the ages.

[Bogey]

Thanks gents. I'm going to make the purchase. It's a birthday present for my somewhat precocious nephew. His parents can turn it off if gets to be a bit too much for him. 

I remember with our son was young.  4-6 were fine.  1-2 so-so, but 3 was a bit too dark so he had to wait.

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Actually watched the Director's Cut. But I mostly did not like the new things that were added back.

[asin] B002NZK5QY[/asin]

I liked the stripping scene (for other than obvious reasons). But I agree, those dogs barking during playing of the piano was kind of stupid.

[Mookalafalas]

Todd's review got me watching "archer" episodes
   Incredibly unproductive, but oddly hard to stop watching.  1/2 way through season 2.

[Drasko]

Probably the worst season, well maybe except the 'Warlow' one, that was really horrid, or was that only a sub-plot? Anyhow, had to end somehow. But first two or three seasons I think are definitely re-watchable, plus still my absolutely favorite opening credits on TV.

[Todd]

I think it's Marvel's best written film so far.

But that could still mean it is well below average . . .

It should be arriving from Netflix today, so perhaps I'll toss back some rye and have a go this evening.

[snyprrr]

..

[asin]B00JGR3M26[/asin]
Fitzcarraldo: Fitzcarraldo is an obsessed opera lover who wants to build an opera in the jungle.
To accomplish this he first has to make a fortune in the rubber business, and his cunning plan
involves hauling an enormous river boat across a small mountain with aid from the local Indians.

Have we all seen Kinski's 'Jesus Christ' one-man-show? hmm? Could it be... awesome?

[Wakefield]

Watched yesterday in 4D with my 12 y.o. nephew... It's exactly what is supposed to be: an entertaining action movie for young people.

BTW, this made me to think of the nature of beauty or why some women are attractive to us: I mean Zoe Saldana is hot even painted green (well, this is, after all, just a minor change compared to Avatar). 

[Brian]

Good timing, Gordo. I just now watched The Avengers. Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., and Samuel L. Jackson play themselves, and they're fun. The first 20 minutes are deliberately campy and absurd, but once the action sequences start, the camp is seemingly replaced with seriousness. I find superhero fights and superpowers pretty boring, and the fights in this one were mostly boring, but there were fun parts too. All in all, kind of wish I had watched something else, because it's an absurdly long movie, but hey, at least now I know what all the hoopla is about.

In the Gigantic Blockbusters category, Avengers is way better than Avatar, but about half as enjoyable for me as Skyfall.

[SonicMan46]

Watched yesterday in 4D with my 12 y.o. nephew... It's exactly what is supposed to be: an entertaining action movie for young people.

BTW, this made me to think of the nature of beauty or why some women are attractive to us: I mean Zoe Saldana is hot even painted green (well, this is, after all, just a minor change compared to Avatar). 

Hey Gordo - what does 4D mean?   I saw the film in 3D on the big screen w/ great sound - posted a few pages back on this thread - BUT if I could add another dimension - WOW!  Dave

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Good timing, Gordo. I just now watched The Avengers. Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., and Samuel L. Jackson play themselves, and they're fun. The first 20 minutes are deliberately campy and absurd

Thank god I wasn't only one who thought that way. The rest of the movie easily lifts it as one of the best superhero movies I've seen but I was bit worried with such a beginning.

[Brian]

Thank god I wasn't only one who thought that way. The rest of the movie easily lifts it as one of the best superhero movies I've seen but I was bit worried with such a beginning.

Oh, the beginning was my favorite part. I think the whole idea of superheros is ridiculous and comic, and so camp and absurdism are the only ways I can really enjoy the genre.

[Wakefield]

Hey Gordo - what does 4D mean?   I saw the film in 3D on the big screen w/ great sound - posted a few pages back on this thread - BUT if I could add another dimension - WOW!  Dave

You can do it, Dave! 

4D film or 4-D film is a marketing term for an entertainment presentation system combining a 3D film with physical effects that occur in the theatre in synchronization with the film. (Note that 4D films are not actually four-dimensional in the geometric sense of the word.) Because physical effects can be expensive to install, 4D films are most often presented in custom-built theatres at special venues such as theme parks and amusement parks. However, some movie theatres have the ability to present 4D versions of wide-release 3D films. The films Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008) and Avatar (2009) are among the films that have received a 4D treatment in certain theatres.[1]

Effects simulated in a 4D film may include rain, wind, strobe lights, and vibration. Seats in 4D venues may vibrate or move a few inches during the presentations. Other common chair effects include air jets, water sprays, and leg and back ticklers. Hall effects may include smoke, rain, lightning, air bubbles, and special smells (for example, fireworks smells at the London Eye's Experience, and gassy smells when a stinkbug sprays it in It's Tough to Be a Bug).

4D films have also occasionally been marketed as 5D, 6D, 7D and so on in order to emphasize the variety or uniqueness of their theatre effects. However, there is no consistent standard among films for the application of these marketing labels.

Notable formats for providing different aspects of a "fourth dimension" to films include Sensurround, Smell-O-Vision and 4DX.

In short, 3D plus shaken seats and some sprinklers throwing water on your face. 

[Mookalafalas]

Good timing, Gordo. I just now watched The Avengers. Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., and Samuel L. Jackson play themselves, and they're fun. The first 20 minutes are deliberately campy and absurd, but once the action sequences start, the camp is seemingly replaced with seriousness. I find superhero fights and superpowers pretty boring, and the fights in this one were mostly boring, but there were fun parts too. All in all, kind of wish I had watched something else, because it's an absurdly long movie, but hey, at least now I know what all the hoopla is about.

In the Gigantic Blockbusters category, Avengers is way better than Avatar, but about half as enjoyable for me as Skyfall.

  Funny how extremely different our opinions tend to be.  I thought Avengers was a hoot, and couldn't understand Skyfall's popularity (and critical success) at all.  I think Todd said something like Josh Whedon is the worst script writer in 20 years (because of how terrible Avengers is).  However, I was really impressed by Whedon's script.  Of course the overall plot itself is the same as literally dozens of other sci-fi and action movies (and every episode of Buffy the Vampire slayer, that is--bad guys want to open portal to another dimension to let evil pour through and enslave the people of Earth).  The hard part was to have 5 leading characters in the same movie and have it not become The A-Team. I thought it would be impossible. Yet Whedon simultaneously balances conflicts between every pair of characters, and yet simultaneously has them cohere as a team, and throws in a few laughs.  It was the comic-book action movie version of a complex Bach fugue.  Personally, my inner adolescent liked all the action scenes, especially those with the Hulk, and where the heroes fought each other.  Personally I didn't think the first 20 minutes was "camp"--I just thought it was a kind of weak set-up.