War Dogs:
Loosely based on the true story of two young men, David Packouz and Efraim Diveroli, who won a three hundred million dollar contract from the Pentagon to arm America's allies in Afghanistan.
Similar to "Lord Of War" (Nic Cage). Both based on true stories, although this one was more focused on 2 actual people, whereas Lord Of War was kind of a mosaic of 3 different arms dealers, and Lord Of War was more black ops, compared to this business operation, so to speak. Either way, both have WTF moments, and yes, they generally check out, yes, this happened.
That being said, Jonah Hill plays Jonah Hill, so depending on your fandom of his, it's a big plus or a big minus. Miles Teller (Whiplash, Maverick) is very good as the narrator/partner of Jonah Hill's character.
It (again) shows the really ugly side of war, the armchair QBs in the war economy in it for the money only, arming whoever is fighting. Definitely worth a watch, although it's a little less "Yeah, I did bad things for a dollar" compared to Lord Of War. I guess one could say it's a little less "self-aware."
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
Upgrade:
Set in the near-future, technology controls nearly all aspects of life. But when the world of Grey, a self-labeled technophobe, is turned upside down, his only hope for revenge is an experimental computer chip implant.
Modern take on the AI/tech-takeover of everything, especially "I'm afraid I can't do that, Dave." Started off really promising, and then went predictable, as in yawn-predictable. Until that point, though, I thought it was very good, aided by the acting of Logan Marshall-Green, who basically switches from pure human motions, to sorta human motions from scene to scene, and sometimes from cut-to-cut within a scene. (yes, I know about editing and all, just saying there's a lot of switching).
Worth 90 minutes of your time.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
If you are…were…whatever kind of a fan of the Muppets or Sesame Street and Jim Henson you HAVE to watch the documentary on Disney+ about him. It’s excellent and amazing and just yeah…go watch it. Hats off to Ron Howard to making a great doc on an amazing part of my youth. You hear from Henson’s children and the incomparable Frank Oz and others of Henson’s studio. So good.
I am the official Iowa Hawkeye football fan of GPL!
Wingwomen:
Tired of the risks involved in a life of crime, two expert thieves and best friends recruit feisty Sam to assist them with one last job before they move to a new, and less stressful, line of work.
French movie, which I did not know beforehand. Melanie Laurent (Inglorious Basterds, among other movies) starred, and it was pretty good. The one nit I had to pick, is they did NOT explain the HOW of the ending. It just kinda happened, and in a movie like this...just presenting the ending as they did isn't good enough.
I did fully enjoy the snarky, sometimes offbeat comedy aspect as an addition to the action. Think: George Clooney/Brad Pitt in Ocean's Eleven. Side convos that have nothing to do with the mission at hand.
Definitely dive in with some popcorn, and enjoy.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
The Platform:
A vertical prison with one cell per level. Two people per cell. Only one food platform and two minutes per day to feed. An endless nightmare trapped in The Hole.
Poor man version of "Snowpiercer" but it's not a bad thing. The presentation is a bit different, despite the concept being the same. Very mental, with some violence (although those parts are brief). You definitely have to be in the mood to watch a movie like this, you can't just pop it in, because.
It is a Spanish movie, so all subtitles, and again, that's never bothered me, but I know some people don't do that sort of thing.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
Godzilla Minus One:
Post-war Japan is at its lowest point when a new crisis emerges in the form of a giant monster, baptized in the horrific power of the atomic bomb.
More a classic Godzilla movie, it focuses on the main character, rather than the monster. It is all subtitled, which I don't mind one bit, and while I enjoyed it a lot, you do have to be in the mood for it. It's old-school Japanese storytelling/honor form, with modern technology.
Sniper: GRIT: Global Response and Intelligence Team:
Ace Sniper Brandon Beckett and the newly formed Global Response and Intelligence Team (G.R.I.T.) deploy to Malta to eliminate an international terrorist plot and rescue fellow Agent, Lady Death.
Action movie with the snarky dialogue between team members, etc. Decent time killer, but all the cliches and tropes are there. It was entertaining enough. I'll leave it at that.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
We enjoyed Minus One quite a bit, and I agree with you that it's a pretty solid throwback to Godzilla movies of the yore.
Fighting:
In New York City, a young counterfeiter is introduced to the world of underground street fighting by a seasoned scam artist, who becomes his manager on the bare-knuckling brawling circuit.
Channing Tatum, Terance Howard, and a fave of mine, Luis Guzman. Pretty standard formula, I really didn't like Howard's style of speaking. It seemed forced in a way. Tatum can sure play the below-intelligence character, though, that's for sure (and it's not the first time I've seen that). He's good at it, so hey, why not? Guzman loves playing that shady character, too, the one where you don't know if you want to root for him or not, and again, he's good at it. Been a fan of his since Carlito's Way.
It's a Saturday Afternoon Time Killer, nothing more, nothing less.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
Deuces:
An undercover agent infiltrates a crime ring run by a charismatic boss.
Pretty standard UC-role movie where lines are blurred. I think they edited the movie in the wrong way. Made a couple scenes too long or actually left them in, and cut out the minor jumps in the advancement of the story.
The big nit I have is that of course, the man in charge of the operation is white, and everyone else is minority. Really? Going with THAT cliche? Disappointed in that. The Lieutenant was literally the only white dude in the movie, I swear.
That being said, it's passable for the genre.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
Hit Man:
A professor moonlighting as a hit man of sorts for his city police department, descends into dangerous, dubious territory when he finds himself attracted to a woman who enlists his services.
Glen Powell (Hangman from Top Gun Maverick, playing a homebody?!) was amazing to see. It's a chuckle-comedy, some drama, very entertaining, definitely makes you point and holler a bit at the movie "Yo, what are you DOING?" 😉 I think it was the worth the hype that was given, I briefly googled the story it was based on, and it wasn't a book it was some TX monthly thing, and some big parts of the movie were made up (and the movie said so in the end).
Either way, recommend, you will be entertained.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
Hunger (Thai movie, so subtitles or overdub):
A woman running her family's noodle restaurant receives an invitation to join the fine-dining industry under the tutelage of an infamous chef.
Imagine Anthony Bourdain being discovered by Gordon Ramsey...that's the feel I got. I really enjoyed this one, and I will say if you're a foodie/sous-chef/whatever, you will be like a bouncer watching Road House. 😉
The storylines are written well, without going over the top, there are some really dark/intense parts at times, and while it is a bit long (about 2.5 hours) it certainly doesn't seem like it. Definitely recommend.
Edited b/c of my stupidity: Gordon, not Guy. 
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
Secret Obsession:
Recuperating from trauma, Jennifer remains in danger as she returns to a life she doesn't remember.
This isn't even a Lifetime movie, it's not good enough. Yes, I am serious. What utter trash, and I only made it through a 1/3 of the movie. I wish I could erase this from my memory.
And half-serious triggering: It was still better than Mars Attacks. 😉
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
Boston Marathon doc on Netflix (3 episodes):
Follows the tragedy in which terrorists detonated a bomb at the Boston Marathon's finish line; they carried out the attack by placing two homemade pressure-cooker bombs that resulted in three fatalities and numerous injuries.
I saw this pop up when it first came out, and I knew I wasn't ready to watch this, even after all these years. I thought I was ready tonight, and no, not really. the behind the scenes decisions and home footage...whoa. I had to take a couple breaks to gather my thoughts.
VERY good doc, definitely recommend.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
I Am Mother:
In the wake of humanity's extinction, a teenage girl is raised by a robot designed to repopulate the earth. But their unique bond is threatened when an inexplicable stranger arrives with alarming news.
Almost a standard "man vs AI/machines" movie, a la Terminator, in a way. But it does raise the honest question of what if that is actually BETTER for humanity? I know that borderlines on a spoiler, but it really doesn't spoil the twists or the ending in any way. I thought it was really good, and it makes you think how one would act if one were the girl raised by a robot in a controlled environment? I'd say watch this one.
Colors Of Evil: Red (Polish movie):
When a girl's body is found on a beach in Poland's Tricity, a prosecutor teams up with the victim's mother on an impassioned quest for the truth, since a similar murder happened 15 years prior.
The story flips between current and flashback, there are a couple little twists, but overall, standard "levels of corruption" crime story. It's average, basically a time-killer. There are a couple scenes that are a bit disturbing (not graphic, they don't go that far, but you know damn well what is going to happen).
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
I just watched Ghostbusters Afterlife and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Fair Play:
An unexpected promotion at a cutthroat hedge fund pushes a young couple's relationship to the brink, threatening to unravel far more than their recent engagement.
Ohhhhh, this is quite the downward spiral as for the characters. I thought it was very well done overall, until the final scene, where the dialogue/action sunk to a whole 'nother level of trash writing and, for a lack of better word, action. It was that much in contrast with the rest of the movie. I do recommend it, just to see the transformation of the main characters. Brick by brick, whether that wall gets built or torn down...bravo.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
The Clovehitch Killer:
A picture-perfect family is shattered when the work of a serial killer hits too close to home.
Trash. Predictable would be an understatement, and that's all I have to say about that.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
Uncorked:
Elijah must balance his dream of becoming a master sommelier with his father's expectations that he carry on the family's Memphis BBQ joint.
Really good movie about the family ties vs personal dream, and of course the added struggles of being a minority (FTR whether it's race or gender) to get a foothold in the alcohol industry overall. If you like wine and/or BBQ, you will drool at some of the scenes. 😉 Would recommend.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
I concur on Uncorked - very much enjoyed it.
All Day And A Night:
A young man who committed a homicide deals with the repercussions of his action.
A bit more complex than the imdb summary. Switches between the past and the present, with the young man examining all the factors that may or may not have led up to who he is, and how he made the decision to pull the fatal trigger. Definitely influenced by Boyz N The Hood, and that's not a bad thing.
I thought the acting was rather good; no real big names at all. Check it out, it's worth it.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
Freaks (2018):
A bold girl discovers a bizarre, threatening, and mysterious new world beyond her front door after she escapes her father's protective and paranoid control.
It starts out really awkward creepy, dude WTF? Not scary, just genuine creep factor. As the pieces are shown...man, what a jigsaw puzzle figuring out the "freaks." It really becomes effed up weird, in a WTF but hey this is good way. If one wants to twist their mind a bit, definitely check it out.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
Not a movie, but we watched the 3-part Nat Geo series One Day In Jonestown about the massacre. I still remember to this day seeing the Time Magazine cover when I grabbed the mail coming home from school, and sitting down with my mother and father to talk over the events. I’ve seen other documentaries about this story, but this is the most detailed one by far.
^^^ Similar:
Started the Bill Russell Legend and America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders docs.
Watched 1/2 of the Russell one, really good so far, doesn't hold back criticisms or compliments. Lots of old footage.
Watched 2/7 of the DCC, and torn on how I feel. Respect for the training and skill needed, but then again, soooooo superficial on image/appearance/etc. There's a particular participant, and I just feel bad that it seems to be all that she has in life, and what she's willing to do to get there.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
Madam Web. Oh Marvel, Marvel, Marvel what have you become? It was WW 84 level bad. Will they be smart enough to not make a sequel?
I think even the lead actress said that movie was crap.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
If Dakota Johnson knows anything, it’s crap.
If Dakota Johnson knows anything, it’s crap.
Looked up her imdb, and of what I've seen, only 3 movies are good:
The Peanut Butter Falcon
Social Network
Bad Times At The El Royale
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
IMO, that was such a good movie, even being the worst thing...wasn't bad. It wasn't like Julia Roberts (fan) in Michael Collins or Renee Zellweger (not a fan) in Appaloosa where they threatened to bring the whole movie down. Thank GOD the main stars of those movies overcame that challenge.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
Trigger Warning:
A devoted daughter is attempting to figure out the cause of her father's passing.
Started off as a typical one-man-army/government (although localized) corruption plot, then it just became laughable. However, not so laughable it flipped the script and became awesome (see: original Road House as the epitome of this). It was just bad. I wish I had that time back to watch the Kardashians or ice dancing or something.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
We also just watched that and agree it was horrible. I asked my wife to turn it off but she insisted on seeing the ending.
Life:
A team of scientists aboard the International Space Station discover a rapidly evolving life form that caused extinction on Mars and now threatens all life on Earth.
It's Alien all over again. It was okay at best. I will say, it was a coin flip on the ending, and I think either way they went with that would have been okay with me.
Spelling The Dream:
Chronicle of the ups and downs of four Indian-American students as they compete to realize their dream of winning the iconic tournament.
Was interested in this, since I did win my school's Bee 4-4 times, made regionals twice, and state once. The kids nowadays are insane in their studying. Some questions I had seem to be mostly answered, and in a good way. If you are any kind of nerd/geek/dweeb, yes, definitely check this out.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
The Nun:
A priest with a haunted past and a novice on the threshold of her final vows are sent by the Vatican to investigate the death of a young nun in Romania and confront a malevolent force in the form of a demonic nun.
Ok, decent horror movie. Jump-scares, eerie shadows and sh*. A couple of "eww" parts but I can't say that anything was TOO gory. If easily scared, don't watch this at night, for sure. It's genuinely an effed up movie, as to what's real and what's not, and that adds to the allure. If you wanna get a little creeped out, go for it.
Cold Copy:
An ambitious journalism student falls under the thrall of an esteemed yet cutthroat news reporter whom she's desperate to impress, even if it means manipulating her latest story - and the very idea of truth itself.
*SIGH* another student taking a class/program/team/etc under a supposedly master teacher/coach. It very much attacks journalism itself while also kind of supporting it. It's weird. The ending is pretty predictable, the journey, sorta predictable. Worth a watch.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
The Siege Of Jadotville:
Irish Commandant Pat Quinlan leads a stand off with troops against French and Belgian Mercenaries in the Congo during the early 1960s.
Pretty intense war movie. It doesn't get as gory as others, but it doesn't shy away from the violence. Based on true events, it does show the discord between the suits and the soldiers, rationalizing many a thing in the world of global politics. I would recommend.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
Thank You For Your Service:
A group of U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq struggle to integrate back into family and civilian life, while living with the memory of a war that threatens to destroy them long after they've left the battlefield.
A rather frank movie about coming home from the battleground and the after-effects. Doesn't glorify anything, or is overly dramatic about anything. It's the little things that add up, like being in a crowded place, or seeing a trash can on the side of the road, or not knowing your kid doesn't like chocolate because you've been away.
Very effective movie in portraying the various obstacles a soldier has to deal with, HIGHLY recommend.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
Before watching Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, my wife and I decided to watch 1-3 first. She's a big Eddie Murphy fan.
The OG was as I remember and still great. I probably hadn't watched it in full for at least 10 years.
Before we watched 2 & 3 if you had asked me if I had watched them before I would have bet money I had, and yet I couldn't remember a single second of either one. 2 was ok, 3 pretty awful and I won't watch them again if there's ever a 5th.
Axel F I thought was better than 2 and 3, which is something for a movie made 40 years after the original and 30 years since the last.
Would recommend if you're an EM fan.
Mark Cavendish: Never Enough
An intimate and captivating documentary follows pro cyclist Mark Cavendish's fast road to the top, tragic setback and incredible comeback.
I recognized the name, but I mistakenly thought I remembered him being part of the steroid scandal/Lance Armstrong era...it's the opposite of that. He was on Armstrong's team at one point, but not involved, as far as anyone knew. Cavendish had some medical issues concerning fatigue and depression. I used to be into cycling (obv Tour de France) many, many years ago, and watching the footage in this doc, the beauty of watching the races...it's an art to the sport.
Definitely a recommendation, even if you aren't into cycling. The human interest aspect alone is worth a watch.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
The Grizzlies:
In a small Arctic town struggling with the highest suicide rate in North America, a group of Inuit students' lives are transformed when they are introduced to the sport of lacrosse.
Overall, it's a White Savior Movie, preppy white dude that is doing his duty to help the under-privileged. However, instead of helping inner-city kids, he's in the Arctic, helping Inuit kids, in a community with the highest suicide rate in North America (which apparently is fact). Based on a true story. The movie itself is cookie cutter, but I do like that they used MANY Inuit non-actors in the story, and apart from one single instance, the movie stays really close to the story it's based on.
Also, you actually learn about how the Inuit think, what some of their customs are, and why the lifestyle up there is the way it is. The one thing that bothered me was that it portrayed the Inuit thinking lacrosse is a white man's game, and despite modern competition, it's not. It's a First Nations game (Canadian equivalent of a Native American).
I do recommend it, you will learn some things about Inuit culture, and it is interesting to see how other cultures think.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
RIP Shelley Duvall:
https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/11/entertainment/shelley-duvall-death/index.html
B1G refs... corrupt, or just incompetent?
She was great in most everything
she did, but she was perfect
as Olive Oyl.
Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark:
In 1968, the night of Halloween brings mayhem in a small town when a group of friends discovers a notebook written by a mysterious girl that foretells terrifying events.
Well, the title pretty much says it, and in a GOOD WAY. Classic storytelling, great suspense, very nice red herrings, everything. I will admit there is one scene that really was "JFC ok, gonna have nightmares for a while." The presentation of that chapter of the movie was so weird...
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
Megan Leavey:
Based on the true life story of a young Marine corporal whose unique discipline and bond with her military combat dog saved many lives during their deployment in Iraq.
Feelgood story, from start to finish. You know when the good is going to happen, you know when the inevitable bad thing is going to happen, but still worth a watch. Nothing special about this movie/story, but I can't knock it. This is what happened, and we're here to tell you.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
Went to a matinee of Twisters today. Highly recommend. Especially seeing it in the theater. It is a standalone story so you do not need to see the first to follow along.
Went to a matinee of Twisters today. Highly recommend. Especially seeing it in the theater. It is a standalone story so you do not need to see the first to follow along.
The first movie my eventual wife and I went to was Spy Hard in Bahrain in 1996. A few weeks later we went to Twister in Bangkok and both movies have been in regular rotation ever since.
We plan to see Twisters tomorrow in IMAX.
Twister may be the most unintentionally funny movie ever made.
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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I saw Twisters yesterday and really enjoyed it.
Also, a couple of weeks ago I went and saw Fly Me To The Moon and I really enjoyed that one as well! If you haven’t seen it I highly recommend it if you’re in the mood for a fun, light hearted summer flick that will at times pull at the heart strings. Has that fun 60s, space race vibe but don’t go in looking for complete historical accuracy. As you can probably tell if you have seen the trailer, they take some liberties.
In & Of Itself (2020 Hulu). This was different. It's part one-man play, part magic show, part performer challenges audience with cerebral storytelling and audience participation. It most definitely won't be for everyone and it's a very slow build, but in the end I enjoyed all of it and the getting to the end was very worth it.
Also I plan to start watching CeroCeroCero (ZeroZeroZero) which is an Italian crime drama series. The source material is a book by Robert Saviano, who also wrote the book that became the absolutely brilliant series Gomorrah. If this comes anywhere close to that series I'll be very pleased.