🍿 Movies 🎬

The Nun II:
1956 in France, a priest is horribly murdered. An evil is spreading. Once again, Sister Irene comes face-to-face with Valak, the demon nun.

Slow buildup, but yes, creep is there. They do kinda fill in the backstory if you haven't seen the first one (which is a good movie). This one seemed more of "here are a bunch of pieces of the puzzle, but we're leaving key parts out,  for now, because we're smarter than you." Meh. I prefer give the viewer the pieces, and let us see if we are as smart as you. 

Either way, satisfying movie overall. I'm glad that it didn't delve into the gory, it kept to the violent. And the creep. Lotta creep. 

Posted by: @the-rube

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The Nun II:
1956 in France, a priest is horribly murdered. An evil is spreading. Once again, Sister Irene comes face-to-face with Valak, the demon nun.

Slow buildup, but yes, creep is there. They do kinda fill in the backstory if you haven't seen the first one (which is a good movie). This one seemed more of "here are a bunch of pieces of the puzzle, but we're leaving key parts out,  for now, because we're smarter than you." Meh. I prefer give the viewer the pieces, and let us see if we are as smart as you. 

Either way, satisfying movie overall. I'm glad that it didn't delve into the gory, it kept to the violent. And the creep. Lotta creep. 

Great movie. We tear some of these down and romanticize the early horror movies but there’s some really good, well written and made horror movies coming out that are head and shoulders above some of the early anchor horror films 

I prefer the shadows, creep, suspense, cloak, mirrors. Never was a fan of the gore/slasher movies, where graphic violence was there for the gore porn. 

Posted by: @slap-shot

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She Walks in Darnkess - Netflix from Spain.

A young police offer leaves her current life behind to pose undercover as a member of ETA (think Spanish IRA) risking her life to uncover terrorist hideouts in the south of France.

 

Not a true story but ETA was a real armed Basque separatist organization and some of the events depicted for historical reference were real.  We thought the story was great as well as the acting and overall production.  Would recommend.  

 

After reading Slap's review, to quote Leo Dicaprio's character Calvin Candie in "Django Unchained:"
You had my curiosity, now you have my attention

I agree with this review, and I might add, you would think the ETA would be a LITTLE more thorough in a couple things in the movie, and also, in a certain situation that the UC was put in, one would pay STRICT attention to some info that was passed to her, and not waver from that info. 

Variety came out with their list of the 100 funniest movies ever made.  

While their #1 is definitely funny it wouldn’t be #1 on my list.

https://variety.com/lists/best-comedy-movies-all-time/some-like-it-hot-1959-2/

Good lord that list is kind of awful.  Caddyshack is the only movie in the top 25 that I would set myself in front of when considering to watch a funny movie.

Slap Shot not on the list, article disregarded.

Posted by: @g-manpuck

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Good lord that list is kind of awful.  Caddyshack is the only movie in the top 25 that I would set myself in front of when considering to watch a funny movie.

Humor is subjective I guess.  I wouldn’t even classify some of those as comedy.  Agreed it’s not a great list.  But then again I’m not old enough to have seen many of those movies so most of the ones I find funny aren’t on the list either.   

Posted by: @g-manpuck

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Good lord that list is kind of awful.  Caddyshack is the only movie in the top 25 that I would set myself in front of when considering to watch a funny movie.

Lists like these almost always stink (this one included) but I wouldn’t go this far after looking through it. 🤷‍♂️ To each their own. 

Having to go to 77 to find Blazing Saddles?  Please.  Top 10.

These lists are what they are---I always remember that cinephiles are so much more special than the unwashed in flyover county.

There's plenty of good movies on that list and it's gonna be hard to please everyone especially with the comedy genre. There's plenty of guilty pleasure comedy movies that have funny parts to them but aren't exactly good movies. I did find it funny that Eddie Murphy Raw is on there though, that's not even a movie. 

The Island:
In 2019, a mercenary pursues a man and woman who escaped a research facility after learning their true fate.

Started off really well, awesome cast, and then Michael Bay Michael Bay'd it. Ended up pure garbage. I viewed the plot as a kind of cross between The Matrix and What Happened To Monday? which are both excellent movies, even though many haven't heard of the latter. 

Chalk it up to my own fault, looking at the cast and story and hoping they could overcome the reputation of the director. Not in this case. 

I watched poor things which is on that top 100 list.  Not a comedy.  Now I know the person who made that list is wack.  

Posted by: @cowgirl

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I watched poor things which is on that top 100 list.  Not a comedy.  Now I know the person who made that list is wack.  

Poor Things....on a comedy list.....wow. (I haven't looked at the aforementioned list, simply due to the feedback on here about it)

I watched Gladiator 2 yesterday it was ok but could not come close to how good the original Gladiator was

Apparently James Cameron believes a movie should have to be in 2000 cinemas for a full month to be eligible for an Oscar...  https://www.theringer.com/podcasts/the-town-with-matthew-belloni/2025/11/24/part-2-james-cameron-on-avatar-4-and-5-movie-biz-fears-3d-netflix-and-aliens

While I certainly understand the desire for a meaningful theatrical release, that threshold seems awfully high.

Posted by: @trixr4kids

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Slap Shot not on the list, article disregarded.

I was robbed!!!

____

btw when did Fargo get reclassified as a comedy?

Planes, Trains and Automobiles is #1 and it's not on the list, unless I missed it.

If you asked me tomorrow the list would have changes, but must-haves for me off the top of my head-

• Fletch
• Stripes
• Caddyshack
• Vacation
• Slap Shot (duh)
• Airplane
• Young Frankenstein
• Blazing Saddles
• Trading Places
• Coming to America
• Ferris Bueller
• Broadcast News
• Planes, Trains...
• Arthur
• The Naked Gun
• A Christmas Story
• Elf
• Back to School
• Sixteen Candles
• The Full Monty
• Shaun of the Dead
• MP and the Holy Grail
• Paper Moon

I know there's more intellectual bits out there and movies pre-1970 but I have work to do. 

A number of those were on the list (kind of hard to have a top 100 and skip that entire stack).  But yeah, some big misses.

I didn't look at the list past the Top 5, I was just sharing some of my own personal faves.  YMMV  😀 

Posted by: @slap-shot

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If you asked me tomorrow the list would have changes, but must-haves for me off the top of my head-

• Fletch
• Stripes
• Caddyshack
• Vacation
• Slap Shot (duh)
• Airplane
• Young Frankenstein
• Blazing Saddles
• Trading Places
• Coming to America
• Ferris Bueller
• Broadcast News
• Planes, Trains...
• Arthur
• The Naked Gun
• A Christmas Story
• Elf
• Back to School
• Sixteen Candles
• The Full Monty
• Shaun of the Dead
• MP and the Holy Grail
• Paper Moon

I know there's more intellectual bits out there and movies pre-1970 but I have work to do. 

Good list! 
I would have to put Major League and Tommy Boy on my list.  I’m generally not looking for something intellectual if I want a good laugh/stupid humor.  

Posted by: @cowgirl

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Posted by: @slap-shot

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If you asked me tomorrow the list would have changes, but must-haves for me off the top of my head-

• Fletch
• Stripes
• Caddyshack
• Vacation
• Slap Shot (duh)
• Airplane
• Young Frankenstein
• Blazing Saddles
• Trading Places
• Coming to America
• Ferris Bueller
• Broadcast News
• Planes, Trains...
• Arthur
• The Naked Gun
• A Christmas Story
• Elf
• Back to School
• Sixteen Candles
• The Full Monty
• Shaun of the Dead
• MP and the Holy Grail
• Paper Moon

I know there's more intellectual bits out there and movies pre-1970 but I have work to do. 

Good list! 
I would have to put Major League and Tommy Boy on my list.  

I would have too eventually once they came to mind.  

I went through that list again just to count how many of the flicks I would watch intentionally again...my number 29.  About half of that list seemed pre-1960 which isn't in my wheelhouse.  I would watch just about all of @slap-shot list and I can't really think of many films I would add to that list.

Lilly

An emotional drama about a courageous factory worker who fights for justice when cheated and mistreated by her company. Based on the life of Lilly Ledbetter.

Pretty good drama, and they mix in real footage of RBG/Obama/Hillary/etc throughout the movie, in regards to the Fair Pay Act. Patricia Clarkson is excellent, as usual. She plays the downhome but strong female character to a T (also see: Miracle). This movie is not overly sympathetic, nor does it over-portray the big bad corporation. It lays out the story in a matter-of-fact way. 

Definitely worth a watch. 

Posted by: @slap-shot

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btw when did Fargo get reclassified as a comedy?

Fargo is a black comedy.  But if they're including those, then Election should definitely be on this list.  

The Banshees Of Insherin would also qualify.

Aquaman And The Last Kingdom:
Black Manta seeks revenge on Aquaman for his father's death. Wielding the Black Trident's power, he becomes a formidable foe. To defend Atlantis, Aquaman forges an alliance with his imprisoned brother. They must protect the kingdom.

IIRC, this movie had a lot of editing done due to the Johnny Depp/Amanda Heard lawsuits, and it shows. Lots of jumps in the storyline, and then the "simple line of dialogue" to explain things away*. It was entertaining enough, and you don't REALLY have to see the first one to get the gist of the backstory of the first one. 

A little heavy-handed on the global warming message, but it did fit the (as of now) 2 movie story arc, and it was tolerable. It was more a mindless action movie that one just loses themselves in. 

*Thank You For Smoking summed it up in a quote about a possible issue with science in a movie: "But it's an easy fix. One line of dialogue. 'Thank God we invented the... you know, whatever device.'"

By that metric, Evil Dead 2 is a top 20 all time comedy 

Re-watching "Face/Off" with Travolta/Cage.

Man, this did not age well. It's in Roadhouse territory. 😉 

Self note: it was on that border to begin with, but after time, it's full-fledged. 

Posted by: @the-rube

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Re-watching "Face/Off" with Travolta/Cage.

Man, this did not age well. It's in Roadhouse territory. 😉 

Self note: it was on that border to begin with, but after time, it's full-fledged. 

Roadhouse is actually watchable. Face/Off was horrible from its onset. 

Posted by: @slap-shot

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Posted by: @the-rube

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Re-watching "Face/Off" with Travolta/Cage.

Man, this did not age well. It's in Roadhouse territory. 😉 

Self note: it was on that border to begin with, but after time, it's full-fledged. 

Roadhouse is actually watchable. Face/Off was horrible from its onset. 

 

Those are words you want to think about, sir. 😉

It was a popcorn movie to begin with, and that's fine and dandy, might even call it a dark comedy, with John and Nic being caricatures of themselves. The rest of the movie...it aged as fine as countryside gas station shrimp. 

Annendum: Danny Masterson plays Karl, the guy after the daughter, in a non-gentlemanly way. Go figure. 😉 

Posted by: @the-rube

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Annendum: Danny Masterson plays Karl, the guy after the daughter, in a non-gentlemanly way. Go figure. 😉 

Guessing he’s pretty convincing?

Spoiler, he gets stabbed. So yeah. 

Went and saw 'Wake Up Dead Man' on Friday night.  Really enjoyed it, and nice to see it on the big screen.

Liked it a lot more than Glass Onion, but still not quite as good as the Original Knives Out which was fantastic.

Worth seeing!

36 years ago today… and it’s on tv!!!

I need to watch that and Elf again.

In no order:

Christmas Story, Violent Night, Christmas Vacation for movies. 
A Very Murray Christmas and the fireplace channel (I think 45 and PBS), for the (other) category. 

Last year we put on a stream of Nick Offerman sitting by a fire drinking Lagavulin. It is 45 minutes looped out to ten hours. 😂 

For your Die Hard Christmas movie fan… 

Finally pulled the trigger on a canvas I have been looking at, and got it today. 48"W x 24"H.  (I also have a 36"W x 24"H Scarface, sitting at his desk with a cigar, and a 48"W x 36"H Goodfellas, showing the four main stars).

Is anyone excited for the next Avatar movie?  I really liked the first 2 but they fall into the category of movies I enjoyed but didn’t need to see a second time.

I have very little interest in the third one.  I just feel like it will be more of the same and I don’t have enough interest invested in seeing more.

Posted by: @zwak

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Is anyone excited for the next Avatar movie?  I really liked the first 2 but they fall into the category of movies I enjoyed but didn’t need to see a second time.

I have very little interest in the third one.  I just feel like it will be more of the same and I don’t have enough interest invested in seeing more.

I enjoyed the first one; the second is still unwatched on the DVR so I can’t comment any further than that. 😂

Flight Risk:
A pilot transports an Air Marshal accompanying a fugitive to trial. As they cross the Alaskan wilderness, tensions soar and trust is tested, as not everyone on board is who they seem.

Basically a 3 person movie with Mark Wahlberg (who DOESN'T PLAY A COP OR SOLDIER! I KNOW!), Topher Grace, and Michelle Dockery (don't know her work, looking at imdb, it's mainly Downton Abbey). It was sustainable, but not thrilling overall. Good enough to waste 90 minutes on. *shrug*

Weapons:
When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.

To say this was an odd movie is an understatement. Told from the points-of-view from the various characters until it all comes together. This definitely leads to a few "wtf theories" and some red herrings. A bit gory for my tastes at times, but I dealt with it, just a caution for others who are not into that sort of thing. 

Overall, good horror movie, but still not a fan of Julia Garner (also saw her in the TV show The Americans), who is one of the lead actors in this. 

Sinners:
Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.

Set in early 30's Mississippi, mostly black cast/setting. This is one messed up movie, although it reallllllllly heavily borrowed the template from another movie, down to the main setting of the second half of the movie; I won't say which one, so as not to spoil it, but if you've seen the movie I'm talking about, it'll click pretty fast at a certain moment while watching. 

I found the music and history part of it very interesting, it doesn't really hold back on how life was led back then. Make no mistake, the story is obviously fiction, but they did try to incorporate as much real life as they could, as opposed to the "generic time and place and lifestyle." For example, a white woman approaches a couple black men, and the older black man instructs the younger one to "look away, don't look at her." That's the way it was back then. 

Overall, not having seeing the trailer, not what I expected at all, but was pleasantly surprised. Also, watch all the way to the end through the credits. 

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery:
Benoit Blanc returns to face his toughest case yet.

The first one was great. The second one, even better, This third one...convoluted, and not in a good way. Too many cooks in the kitchen? Convert that to too many twists in the plot. The first two, you could catch a detail or two, and maybe have a theory on the case. This one? You could maybe catch one detail in the dialogue (I actually did, being raised a Catholic), but other than that? Too messy of a mystery. 

A great mystery movie presents enough clues to the viewer to sniff things out. An average one gives enough to think about possible theory or two, narrows the solution down. This one does neither. It's okay, but given the first two installments, it does fail in that regard. Basically, it thought too hard about what it was. 

Strip it down a little, and you have a winner. Worth watching, but overall, a disappointment in expectations. 

Posted by: @the-rube

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Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery:
Benoit Blanc returns to face his toughest case yet.

The first one was great. The second one, even better, This third one...convoluted, and not in a good way. Too many cooks in the kitchen? Convert that to too many twists in the plot. The first two, you could catch a detail or two, and maybe have a theory on the case. This one? You could maybe catch one detail in the dialogue (I actually did, being raised a Catholic), but other than that? Too messy of a mystery. 

A great mystery movie presents enough clues to the viewer to sniff things out. An average one gives enough to think about possible theory or two, narrows the solution down. This one does neither. It's okay, but given the first two installments, it does fail in that regard. Basically, it thought too hard about what it was. 

Strip it down a little, and you have a winner. Worth watching, but overall, a disappointment in expectations. 

15 minutes in I thought it was gonna be a comedy. 

Posted by: @bigbeer

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Posted by: @the-rube

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Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery:
Benoit Blanc returns to face his toughest case yet.

The first one was great. The second one, even better, This third one...convoluted, and not in a good way. Too many cooks in the kitchen? Convert that to too many twists in the plot. The first two, you could catch a detail or two, and maybe have a theory on the case. This one? You could maybe catch one detail in the dialogue (I actually did, being raised a Catholic), but other than that? Too messy of a mystery. 

A great mystery movie presents enough clues to the viewer to sniff things out. An average one gives enough to think about possible theory or two, narrows the solution down. This one does neither. It's okay, but given the first two installments, it does fail in that regard. Basically, it thought too hard about what it was. 

Strip it down a little, and you have a winner. Worth watching, but overall, a disappointment in expectations. 

15 minutes in I thought it was gonna be a comedy. 

 

Definitely some lines that are not-subtle comedy. You bring up a good point. There were comedic lines/situations in the first two, but they were more subdued.

As of what I am hearing, RIP Rob Reiner and wife, homicide. 🙁