Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy:
Through firsthand accounts from survivors, medics and event workers, the documentary explores the 2021 Astroworld festival disaster and its consequences.
How this happened in this day and age...unfathomable, IMO. Cutting the simplest of corners, all for the bottom line. So many errors in judgement that even someone like you or I could point out, and they had professionals on this. It really got to me, the carelessness about the organization of this particular fest, even more so then the Fyre Fest and Woodstock II...
Personal opinion, I don't blame Travis Scott (headliner and idea man behind this fest). I blame the people around him that were supposed to communicate with him and organize this.
Becoming Led Zeppelin:
The film traces the journeys of the four members of the Stairway To Heaven rockers through the music scene of the 1960s and their meeting in the summer of 1968, culminating in 1970.
Basically a "Behind The Music," the only bonus is some audio from John Bonham (who was reluctant to do interviews) and early footage that one could probably only find on youtube. It's ok for the casual fan, unsatisfying for the hard core fan.
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.
Trainwreck: Poop Cruise (Netflix)
Back in 2013 a Carnival cruise ship lost all electrical power due to a fire. It remained seaworthy but had no engines so it just drifted. No power meant no toilets so people had to use other methods.
Very interesting watch but also disgusting to put yourself in their shoes. They interviewed crew members, lawyer, passengers, PR official, and former broadcaster. I just can’t imagine being those poor passengers.
Movie is less than an hour long so it’s a quick watch. Very interesting ending that explains why there were no lawsuits filed.
Trainwreck: Poop Cruise (Netflix)
Back in 2013 a Carnival cruise ship lost all electrical power due to a fire. It remained seaworthy but had no engines so it just drifted. No power meant no toilets so people had to use other methods.
Very interesting watch but also disgusting to put yourself in their shoes. They interviewed crew members, lawyer, passengers, or official, and former broadcaster. I just can’t imagine being those poor passengers.
Movie is less than an hour long so it’s a quick watch. Very interesting ending that explains why there were no lawsuits filed.
Just saw this yesterday, and agree on all counts.
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 Amateur:
Charlie Heller is a brilliant CIA decoder whose world comes crashing down when his wife dies in a London terrorist attack. When his supervisors refuse to take action, his intelligence becomes the ultimate weapon as he embarks on a dangerous trek across the globe to track down those responsible.
Really liked this one. It had some fish out of water, revenge, action, thriller cliches, but yet it didn't feel like a rehash and was fresh and new. I predicted one plot point but there were some other unpredictable moments as well. Recommend.
A King Like Me:
Follows members of the Zulu Club, New Orleans' first Black Mardi Gras, as they work to bring the Zulu parade back to the streets.
I had heard OF them, but knew nothing ABOUT them. Interesting documentary, in-depth of what they mean to NOLA. One particular thing threw me off, but they do explain it in detail, and that is them wearing blackface during the parade. They do present opinions pro and con, and both sides have solid reasoning.
Definitely a good 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.
R.I.P. Michael Madsen
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/entertainment/actor-michael-madsen-death-malibu/3738032/
B1G refs... corrupt, or just incompetent?
R.I.P. Michael Madsen
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/entertainment/actor-michael-madsen-death-malibu/3738032/
So good in Reservoir Dogs
Jurassic World: Rebirth
Fun summertime popcorn movie. Don’t think too hard it’s dinosaurs for cripes sake.
Don't forget Tilt, one of the worst series ever (don't blame him, though).
RIP MM. I'd hate to be "Stuck In The Middle" with 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.
Jurassic World: Rebirth
Fun summertime popcorn movie. Don’t think too hard it’s dinosaurs for cripes sake.
can’t remember the last movie I’ve seen in a theater but might have to catch this one. I love the Jurassic movies!
Jurassic World: Rebirth
Fun summertime popcorn movie. Don’t think too hard it’s dinosaurs for cripes sake.
can’t remember the last movie I’ve seen in a theater but might have to catch this one. I love the Jurassic movies!
Here and there it is a bit distracting how overqualified some of the cast is, but you get used to it eventually. 😂
Jurassic World: Rebirth
Fun summertime popcorn movie. Don’t think too hard it’s dinosaurs for cripes sake.
can’t remember the last movie I’ve seen in a theater but might have to catch this one. I love the Jurassic movies!
I also don't remember the last movie I saw in a theater but Patti and I are going to this one on Monday.
I think the last time I saw a movie in the theater it was Top Gun: Maverick. 😮
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 Old Guard 2:
Andy leads immortal warriors against a powerful enemy threatening their group. They grapple with the resurfacing of a long-lost immortal, complicating their mission to safeguard humanity.
Some very nice twists in the plot, the fight choreography was damn near ballet (think Matrix or John Wick), and the ending is WIDE open for a third movie. Overall, good storyline you do get involved with the characters, but in these immortal movies, I always have the one question:
if they are immortal, when do they stop aging in physicality? Obviously a plot hole, but legit question.
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.
Captain fantastic: Home schooled family in the Oregon hills, kinda funny with a little drama, we really liked it!😁
Jurassic World Rebirth.
The first 20 minutes or so were not good. Slow, boring and awkward. Fortunately it picked up after that and it finally started exhibiting some of the charm the first run had.
It does rehash a lot of things we've already seen, and when the main group of characters splinters off into 2 groups the latter half of the movie, the scenes with one of the groups were less enjoyable.
That said for us it was worth seeing in the theater. Good action, some good humor in spots, the AI was great and the pacing was good outside the first 20.
And from the previews after not having seen anything in a theater in a long time, we look forward to seeing the next Superman and Tron movies.
A Good Old Fashioned Orgy:
A group of 30-year-olds who have been friends since high school attempt to throw an end-of-summer orgy.
Basically a Porky's or Animal house for post-college people. Raunchy, great cast, a "latter day coming of age" (wow, we're getting old! sorta thing). Entertaining enough to watch, not going to see it on TCM or anything anytime soon. 😉
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.
Trainwreck: The Real Project X:
A Dutch teen's accidental public Facebook party invite goes viral, inspired by Project X movie. Thousands RSVP. Officials ignore warnings. With no entertainment planned, arriving crowds in Haren turn to rioting.
At the time, both the adults and the young'ns did not realize the impact of social media. It is still apparent now. The ripple effect is REAL. Get it through your heads. This was a total sh*show. Mob mentality.
This "Trainwreck" series (akin to the "30 By 30" series) has been very good so far.
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.
Trainwreck: The Real Project X:
A Dutch teen's accidental public Facebook party invite goes viral, inspired by Project X movie. Thousands RSVP. Officials ignore warnings. With no entertainment planned, arriving crowds in Haren turn to rioting.At the time, both the adults and the young'ns did not realize the impact of social media. It is still apparent now. The ripple effect is REAL. Get it through your heads. This was a total sh*show. Mob mentality.
This "Trainwreck" series (akin to the "30 By 30" series) has been very good so far.
Maybe it’s because I’m old and don’t know much about the whole Project X thing, but I found this to be the weakest episode of the series so far.
I’m old enough that when I think of Project X I think of the Matthew Broderick movie of the same name.
I do remember the Broderick movie, and I can see how that plays a part in memory.
Basically, a in this story, a town of about 18K has an invite that gets 300K RSVPs.
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.
Brick (German movie):
A couple whose apartment building is suddenly surrounded by a mysterious brick wall must work with their neighbors to find a way out.
This is referenced in the movie, it's part Squid Game and part Matrix feel, but the parts you may think it is aren't the parts it actually is. I'd say it's a rather intelligent movie, trying to figure how to get out, but even then...DO you want to get out? Why is the wall there? The secondary plots contribute to the main plot in good fashion, definitely affects decisions that are made. The more I reflect on it, the more I like 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.
Superman (in theaters)
Saw this in IMAX yesterday. I had not intended on seeing it but saw some good reviews and gave it a shot.
Overall I would give it a B to B+. I'm not a huge comic book guy but I did not like the more recent Superman movies where he was a darker character. I just don't think of him as a dark character like Batman.
In this movie they definitely bring back the bright positive Superman character. David Corenswet does a really good job as Superman and he has really good chemistry with Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. Nicholas Hoult is really good as Lex Luthor. There was good blend of action, humor and some drama.
The reason I didn't give it a higher rating is because like a lot of recent superhero movies, there is an introduction to an alternate like universe. Maybe because I'm old but the alternate universe bit is getting a bit old for me. It just makes for CGI overuse. CGI mass destruction scenes are also getting overused.
The movie clocks in at just over 2 hours and I had a smile on my face at the end so I do recommend it.
p.s. There are 2 added scenes in the credits. First one is halfway through and the other is at the very end. Neither of them do anything to expand the story or future movies. Both were pretty worthless and honestly not worth staying for.
p.s.s There are some good cameos too. There's also a cameo that wasn't. I could have sworn that a famous pop singer had a cameo as character but it turns out it wasn't her. Looks just like her in the movie though.
Almost Cops (Bad BOAs) (Dutch):
A dedicated special investigator is forced to team up with a reckless demoted ex-detective to hunt down a killer in this buddy cop comedy.
Basically team up a poor man's team of Idris Elba and Kevin Hall, and put them in Community Service Officers' roles. It's about what you expect, with conflicting personalities, conspiracies, etc. Not a horrible waste of 90~ minutes, but not something one would purposely look for.
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.
Almost Cops (Bad BOAs) (Dutch):
A dedicated special investigator is forced to team up with a reckless demoted ex-detective to hunt down a killer in this buddy cop comedy.Basically team up a poor man's team of Idris Elba and Kevin Hall, and put them in Community Service Officers' roles. It's about what you expect, with conflicting personalities, conspiracies, etc. Not a horrible waste of 90~ minutes, but not something one would purposely look for.
We watched it and I'd say just about the same as the bolded.
There's Someone Inside Your House:
The graduating class at Osborne High is being targeted by a masked assailant, intent on exposing the darkest secret of each victim, and only a group of misfit outsiders can stop the killings.
Teen slasher movie, but more subtle in the gore and such. They don't really over-do the effects. The usual red herrings, twists and turns. Average overall, but I do have to say an A for effort on the motive, given how it affects the other potential victims in the story. However, you'll probably figure out the whodunnit and the final scene(s) are a bit anti-climactic. The fun of this movie, like many others before it, is how you get there.
Also, a heads-up, it tries (and fails) to make (what they think are) subtle jabs on some societal issues, and in most of the cases, those are irrelevant to the plot. I stress "most" and am referring to plot points only, not anything from my perspective.
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 Dig:
An archaeologist embarks on the historically important excavation of Sutton Hoo in 1938.
Based on true story, the movie is dialogue-based, character-based. The moralities of Edith Pretty's (property owner) and Basil Brown's (excavator) characters really drive the movie. This telling of the story does not put much of Britain's "museum elite" in a pretty light, that's for sure. I thought it was a good relaxing watch.
Wall To Wall (Korean movie):
Woo-seong, a man who finally saves up enough to buy an apartment, only to have it turn into a nightmare with financial ruin and mysterious noises from neighboring floors.
Oh man, you have psychological turmoil, corruption, rabbit-holes, twists, turns, social commentary, everything. After a bizarre intro to the movie, it settles in, and you get the downward spiral of the main character. This movie is a trip, I tell ya. Even the ending really makes you think about the movie as a whole (yes, there is a message in there; took me a little bit before I REALLY got it). Definitely recommend this one.
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.
Sunday Best:
Examines the groundbreaking career of pioneering television host Ed Sullivan, focusing on his platforming of Black musicians during the civil rights era.
While it touches on Ed's upbringing, that is far from the focus. It simply provides the reasons behind what he did on/for the show. Lots of musical snippets, integrates (no pun) the social movements of the era(s) as to racial relations, very good documentary.
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 watched E1 of two different crime/investigative series that both so far hold a lot of promise:
Boglands – Irish on streaming
Dept. Q – British on Netflix
Badland Hunters (Korean movie):
When an earthquake turns Seoul into a lawless badland, a fearless huntsman goes on to rescue a teenager from a mad doctor who held the teenager captive in a camp full of dangerous cultists.
Over the top action? Check. Bloody messes (although the quick-cuts of the "scene" are so quick, it's just a bunch of brief glimpses)? Check. Cliched story of "save the princess?" Check.
And it was entertaining as all hell. Even one or two comedic moments (don't get me wrong, I'm serious in the one or two; this isn't a Chris Rock/Jackie Chan movie 😉 ). Definitely a "get lost in a movie and forget about life for a while."
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.
Happy Gilmore 2:
Revisit Happy Gilmore's golf career after his win in the Tour Championship.
Redemption story, duh. It was the only way to make sense for a sequel. That being said, my only nitpick was the over-use of flashbacks to the original movie, and that is a nitpick. Love all the real people playing themselves, nice touch (especially in the bonus credit scenes 😉 ).
Overall, you're going to have fun with it, and that's all that mattered in the first one.
One final note...seems a bit of "The Waterboy" character seeped into Happy's character at times. It's not subtle if you have seen both movies, but subtle if you have not.
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.
Sunday Best:
Examines the groundbreaking career of pioneering television host Ed Sullivan, focusing on his platforming of Black musicians during the civil rights era.While it touches on Ed's upbringing, that is far from the focus. It simply provides the reasons behind what he did on/for the show. Lots of musical snippets, integrates (no pun) the social movements of the era(s) as to racial relations, very good documentary.
Thanks for posting. Very enjoyable. I’m old enough to remember the stranglehold that Ed Sullivan had on Sunday night viewing for our family like many others. I wasn’t really old enough at the time to fully comprehend the significance of the race dynamics, but looking back I think it helped make it seem normal for a young white kid to see black performers on T.V. even though it wasn’t wide spread.
Happy Gilmore 2:
Revisit Happy Gilmore's golf career after his win in the Tour Championship.Redemption story, duh. It was the only way to make sense for a sequel. That being said, my only nitpick was the over-use of flashbacks to the original movie, and that is a nitpick. Love all the real people playing themselves, nice touch (especially in the bonus credit scenes 😉 ).
Overall, you're going to have fun with it, and that's all that mattered in the first one.
One final note...seems a bit of "The Waterboy" character seeped into Happy's character at times. It's not subtle if you have seen both movies, but subtle if you have not.
This is pretty raucous and funny, Bad Bunny is halitosis I mean hilarious
Answers to Friday, July 25, 2025
1. Quit While You’re Ahead: There have been six movies with one-word titles beginning with the letter “C” that have won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Name as many of those movies as you can for one point each. Zero points total if you get any incorrect.
“CODA,” “Crash,” “Chicago,” “Casablanca,” “Cavalcade,” “Cimarron”
2. In the term “20/20 Vision,” what unit of measurement do the “20s” refer to?
Feet
3. Homer Simpson, Bart Simpson, Philip Fry, Bullwinkle Moose, Rocky Squirrel, and Elmer Fudd all share the same middle initial. What is it?
J.
4. The Roman goddess of wisdom is the counterpart of the Greek goddess Athena, and is commonly pictured with her pet owl. Name that Roman goddess.
Minerva
5. Today is July 25. On this date in 1965, Bob Dylan infamously “went electric” at the Newport Folk Festival in what state?
Rhode Island
Questions for
Monday, July 28, 2025
Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in tomorrow’s email.
1. Prior to the Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990, a separate box, made by Sanyo, was required to display something on your TV screen. What did that box display?
2. Tendons and ligaments are both sometimes known by what five-letter word, which comes from a Proto-Indo-European root for “to tie” or “bind”?
3. The late singer Michael Lee Aday became the celebrity spokesperson for A.1. steak sauce in 2009 because the sauce “Makes BLANK sing.” Fill in that blank.
4. When the Supreme Court ruled on “Brown v. the Board of Education,” it overruled a precedent set by what 1896 case?
5. What disease, whose name comes from the Greek for "inflammation of the liver," includes fatigue and jaundice among its symptoms?
@zwak wrong thread (I moved to the Trivia thread)
B1G refs... corrupt, or just incompetent?
Happy Gilmore 2. I apparently enjoyed it more than some. Yes it was 'stupid' but it's an Adam Sandler comedy. I thought there were plenty of funny moments (including the entire player's dinner) and I wasn't bothered by the callbacks to the original. That said the whole tour v tour competition stuff was completely lame and some of the cameos were a miss. Overall a B-.
Devil at the Crossroads – Robert Johnson documentary. What a fascinating story – not only because of what is actually known about him, but also because of the lore, rumors and speculation. For a man that only recorded 29 songs, he’s quite possibly the most influential musician of the past 100 years when you think about who not only who he directly influenced, but also the musicians that were subsequently re-influenced by his works. Triumph and tragedy with an emphasis on tragedy, with sadly all of the triumph occurring after he was gone. Also a member of the infamous 27 club. One funny moment was Keith Richards mentioning how he somehow managed to avoid that pitfall.
Devil at the Crossroads – Robert Johnson documentary. What a fascinating story – not only because of what is actually known about him, but also because of the lore, rumors and speculation. For a man that only recorded 29 songs, he’s quite possibly the most influential musician of the past 100 years when you think about who not only who he directly influenced, but also the musicians that were subsequently re-influenced by his works. Triumph and tragedy with an emphasis on tragedy, with sadly all of the triumph occurring after he was gone. Also a member of the infamous 27 club. One funny moment was Keith Richards mentioning how he somehow managed to avoid that pitfall.
This is indeed a phenomenal documentary
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.
Freelance:
An ex-special forces operative takes a job to provide security for a journalist as she interviews a dictator, but when a military coup breaks out in the middle of the interview, they are forced to escape into the jungle.
John Cena and Alison Brie star in this one, and JC is definitely The Rock V.2 for WWE actors. Typecast, but entertaining nonetheless. Overall, the movie is your basic popcorn-eating action movie, with one-liners thrown in, the dictator character reminds me a bit of the dictator in "Machete Kills," if I am being honest about it.
It's worth watching, just don't expect anything deep.
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.
After The Sunset:
The story of what happens after a master thief achieves his last big score, when the F.B.I. Agent who promised he'd capture him, is about to do just that.
Pierce Brosnan and Salma Hayek as the thieves, and Woody Harrelson as the FBI agent? Sold. Don Cheadle is a bonus, although it's pretty much a cameo. It's more comedy and a little drama rather than action; a little cookie cutter for this type of movie (also see Ocean's Eleven type movies), but enough tinkering to rise above.
Fit the bill for tonight, didn't want a deep-thinker, but wanted something non-banal.
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 5th Wave:
Four waves of increasingly deadly alien attacks have left most of Earth in ruin. Cassie is on the run, desperately trying to save her younger brother.
Overall, rather cliched, one can call them out before they happened, if one has seen enough of these movies. However, and I maintain this, it's how someone tells the story, rather than the story itself.
That being said, the storytelling wasn't that great. It "met expectations" but did not exceed them. Note the fluidity of the "met expectations" definition.
I am a fan of Chloe Grace Moretz (star of this movie), as she has done some phenomenal roles. She did the best she could do with this one, though. I think she's better that what she was assigned. Also, Liev Scheiber continues to play a great hard-ass character.
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 5th Wave:
Four waves of increasingly deadly alien attacks have left most of Earth in ruin. Cassie is on the run, desperately trying to save her younger brother.Overall, rather cliched, one can call them out before they happened, if one has seen enough of these movies. However, and I maintain this, it's how someone tells the story, rather than the story itself.
That being said, the storytelling wasn't that great. It "met expectations" but did not exceed them. Note the fluidity of the "met expectations" definition.
I am a fan of Chloe Grace Moretz (star of this movie), as she has done some phenomenal roles. She did the best she could do with this one, though. I think she's better that what she was assigned. Also, Liev Scheiber continues to play a great hard-ass character.
After watching this movie I bought the books. (They never made more than the first book into a movie). I can see why they didn’t. It got weirder.
Rim Of The World:
Four misfit campers must band together and conquer their fears in order to save the world during an alien invasion.
Breakfast Club + Goonies + Alien Invasion. There you have it. Was it great? Naw. Was it good enough for a Friday night creature feature? Indeed. They did try the silly conversations/one-liners a bit too much. Sometimes less is more. The action was good. The coming of age aspect/realizing oneself was good. There was just something missing to make it really good.
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 can actually hear you getting fatter"
"Yes Tommy, anything you want to keep cool"
"Brothers don't shake hands. Brothers gotta hug"
"Did you eat paint chips as a kid?"
"Right here. Not here or here so much. Right here"
Too many to quote them all.
Ok, folks, the guy in front of you is Tommy, he's gonna be taking you through my little spiel here. Tommy is a Scorpio, he likes biking and he's never been laid.
Saw the new Naked Gun today
Wish I hadn't.
I'm a HUGE fan of the original Police Squad tv show, Airplane, and the original Naked Gun movies. The reboot just didn't cut it for me. It had a couple of chuckles but overall just not good. Looked at my watch a lot to see how much was left. Fortunately it was only 85 minutes long.
Liam Neeson seemed game for anything but just doesn't have the same delivery, timing, and facial expressions as the great Leslie Nielsen. The younger generation who aren't as familiar with the originals might enjoy it more.
@zwak , sorry to hear that. I’ll probably break down and see it. I, also loved the original TV show. My kids and wife question my sanity. My kids do like Airplane though.
I will end up seeing it at some point. I recently read "Surely You Can't Be Serious: The True Story Of Airplane" which is basically one long interview with the creators. Obviously same style of comedy (delivering funny lines while playing it straight). How they developed THAT style of comedy and got the actors they got was very interesting.
Kandahar:
A CIA operative and his translator flee from special forces in Afghanistan after exposing a covert mission.
The story was rather cliche, but they really delved into the different factions of the area, the different attitudes of the factions, and how two-faced many are, all sides included. I found that more interesting than the main plot itself. It's the modern wild west, IMO. Give it a shot.
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.