What Have You Watched Recently?

[Lord Liaden]

MI was at its heart a caper show. You didn't really watch it for the characters, you watched it to see what inventive and elaborate scheme they'd come up with to undo the villain of the week. And of course they didn't just shoot the enemy, they were the Good Guys!

 

A tidbit about Leonard Nimoy: I remember an interview with him in which he said a big reason he took the role of Paris on MI was because his character would be playing a different role in every episode. He had some concern about being typecast as Spock in future (no kidding), but he said it's hard to typecast a chameleon.

[Michael Hopcroft]

48 minutes ago, Lord Liaden said:

MI was at its heart a caper show. You didn't really watch it for the characters, you watched it to see what inventive and elaborate scheme they'd come up with to undo the villain of the week. And of course they didn't just shoot the enemy, they were the Good Guys!

 

A tidbit about Leonard Nimoy: I remember an interview with him in which he said a big reason he took the role of Paris on MI was because his character would be playing a different role in every episode. He had some concern about being typecast as Spock in future (no kidding), but he said it's hard to typecast a chameleon.

This. The thing was they were masters of mind games. After all, why shoot a dictator when you can drive him mad and provoke a leadership crisis in his country? An assassination would have been like killing Putin in a very obvious way that points to you, and exponentially increases the chances of getting caught and facing a firing squad or worse.

 

The movies turned the concept into action thrillers with stuntwork and fight scenes replacing the true focus of the series on deception and ingenious planning and execution. It would be like Lupin III, which would be difficult to capture in a live-action film unless you truly understood the character and the world he lives in.

[Lord Liaden]

Excellent point worth emphasizing, Michael. The IMF set things up so that their target would be ruined as a threat to America, with no suspicions or investigations of foreign interference because there was no trail to follow. The reason this happened would be "obvious" but completely manufactured.

[death tribble]

Greg Morris as Barney, Don Mitchell as Mark Sanger in Ironside and Nichelle Nichols as Lt Uhura were the first black faces I saw on TV. They were all portrayed with skill and they were treated as if they belonged. I grew up with positive role models. No-one in the family ever said anything about it so I had no negativity.

 

The first two seasons of Mission Impossible were screened on one of the channels a while back. So I saw Steven Hill as the guy in charge but I remember Peter Graves from repeats in the 70s. Someone postulated that it was the CIA which bearing in mind they were working abroad quite often makes sense. And the point about using subterfuge rather than a bullet to win makes perfect sense as the Iron Curtain was supposed to use that tactic rather than subtlety.

[Ternaugh]

M3gan: A roboticist at a toy company creates an A.I.-powered doll for children, and uses her recently-orphaned niece as a product tester. This proves to be a bad idea, but is a good watch. (Peacock) 

[Ternaugh]

The School for Good and Evil: Overly-long fantasy movie with two girls taken by the Schoolmaster to the School for Good and Evil, where the heroes and villains of stories are trained. Visuals are generally good, though the story's fairly predictable. Apparently based on the first of a series of books, though the movie wouldn't make me want to find them. (Netflix)

 

Play Misty for Me: Clint Eastwood's directorial debut. It's the story of a DJ, who gets involved with a fan who ends up stalking him. I'd watched the TV version multiple times over the years, as it was one of my Mom's favorite movies. Recommended for folks who like thrillers, and is a good watch. (Netflix)

[Michael Hopcroft]

I'm still in a bit of a shock several hours after seeing Knock at the Cabin. The staging and acting are exquisite (Dave Bautista is a revelation(, and the premise is both fascinating and frightening.

 

But the shakenness afterwards was not pleasant, and being alone with this film in a darkened auditorium (49 seats and nobody but me was occupying any of them) had me wonder if I was getting sick -- not as in upchuck time but as in how the Hell am I going to get downstairs, and what if nobody comes lo0oking for me time. Bautista's gentle giant making impossible demands of himself and the inhabitants of said cabin was well worth the price of admission by itself.

[Michael Hopcroft]

And even though there wasn't a preview for it, I went home to find this, and all I was thinking was "How the\ heck are they going to be finding apart for Bugs Bunny in MIddle-Earth"

 

Lord of the Rings New Movies Set at Warner Bros - Variety

 

[Ternaugh]

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish: The animation is often very beautiful in this movie, and the story's no slouch, either. This is a great watch. (4K UHD Blu-ray)

[tkdguy]

OSS 117 -- Double Agent: A 1968 Eurospy movie. At first I thought it was a James Bond knockoff, but it turns out the character was created several years before Bond. The movie was entertaining enough, but some parts were laughably bad.

[Joe Walsh]

We finished S1 of Tales from the Loop (Amazon).  This sci-fi show was one of those where each episode is just barely good enough to keep you watching. Every episode was just OK.  We have no interest in watching a second season of it.

 

We also finished The English (Amazon). Clearly the filmmakers know the history of filmed Westerns and use it to good effect at times. Some scenes are very good. But each episode as a whole was just ok, and the ending of the series was simple and unsatisfying.

 

[Old Man]

Raging Bull (1980 Scorsese version, HBO Max).  Unquestionably the best Scorsese film I've ever seen, with a strong art-house vibe that evoked the best of 1940s filmmaking.  Compelling performances by everyone involved.  It lacked plot or resolution, but as a straight biopic that's not surprising.

 

How It Ends (2018, Netflix).  Forest Whitaker and Theo James embark on a postapocalyptic road trip.  Annoying because it doesn't end.  Nor is the mysterious apocalypse explained.  It's a trick, don't watch it.

 

Physical 100 (Netflix).  Korean reality TV.  I got into this because I recognized some of the MMAers and bodybuilders; the producers absolutely succeeded in pulling in a who's who of Korean athletes.  The conceit of this series was that it was supposed to determine what the best "overall human physique" was, via a series of athletic challenges.  It totally failed to live up to that since the challenges involved a lot of teamwork and strategy.  Like most reality TV it was about twice as long as it needed to be, with all the slow motion repeats of the action and the ridiculous suspenseful buildups.  Get comfortable with the fast forward button.  But the camaraderie among the contestants was strong, and there were no ugly interpersonal conflicts to speak of.  The women in the show were totally shafted by the design of the challenges.  The ultimate winner was a crossfitter, fwiw.

 

World War Z (Netflix).  Brad Pitt saves the world from zombies.  I watch a lot of zombie shows, and this one was pretty meh.

[mattingly]

30 minutes ago, GM Joe said:

We finished S1 of Tales from the Loop (Amazon).  This sci-fi show was one of those where each episode is just barely good enough to keep you watching. Every episode was just OK.  We have no interest in watching a second season of it.

 

For a show with a similar vibe, but quite compelling, I recommend Paper Girls in Amazon.

[Lord Liaden]

Star Trek: Picard Season 3:  Many long-time Trek fans have had serious issues with the first two seasons of this series, myself included. Season 3 has a new show runner, and the change in direction, tone and style is dramatic. If you're fond of The Next Generation, this will put a smile on your face. The hallmarks of TNG writing have returned: strong character arcs and interactions; insightful discussions about the nature of humanity and our place in the universe; gradually unravelling mysterious threat; technobabble obstacles and solutions; mixed with just enough action and spectacle. Several familiar faces from the old days have returned, recognizably the same people -- including, finally, the title character himself -- but having clearly grown over the years. Some new characters are introduced, but unlike in the first two seasons these make sense and behave like real understandable adults.

 

Strange New Worlds went a long way toward recapturing the best of The Original Series, and only four episodes in (as I write this) this season is accomplishing the same for TNG.

[Joe Walsh]

17 hours ago, mattingly said:

For a show with a similar vibe, but quite compelling, I recommend Paper Girls in Amazon.

 

Thanks!

[death tribble]

Crown Court

Case 7 has a defendant representing himself in court as he did not agree with how the barrister was going to pursue his case. This is about a robbery from bank security in which only one of four of the robbers is eventually apprehended. Mark McManus who was a Scot here portrays an Englishman who has a bad rep with the police who he accuses of trying to fit him up. He went on to play Scottish policeman Taggert until his death. Diane Keen plays his wife. Viewing this you could wonder whether or not the police did indeed try to frame him. But he is found guilty. This is 1972 and the police were not tainted. That would come soon.

Case 8. This involves Euthanasia. The Defence are trying to prove manslaughter and not murder. Again this is 1972. To be a British audience the husband who has given his wife an overdose of morphine tablets to stop the pain is recognisable.

 

Maigret

This is the French actor Bruno Cremer playing the titular detective in two mysteries. Maigret et la Grande Perche has him investigating a dentist after a burglar broke into the dentist's place and found the dead body of a woman and has Michel Lonsdale as the husband of the woman who is eventually discovered to be dead. The second Maigret chez les Flamands has the detective travelling to the border with Belgium after a woman disappears and the locals suspect a Flemish family of killing her. This has Alexandra Vandernoot who I knew from Highlander as the daughter of the house. Unlike the BBC version the killer gets away as there is no evidence to prove their guilt and someone else has done a runner leading the police after them. These French films are 90 minutes long allowing more time for the plot to develop.

 

Dr Faustus

This is the play by Christopher Marlowe starring and co-directed by Richard Burton. Rather talky but it raises questions about the soul that stay with you after the film finishes. It is not often that a film gets to me but this one does. Elizabeth Taylor appears as well.

 

Hammerhead

An American agent is assisting British Intelligence as they pursue Hammerhead who they suspect is trying to do something regarding a British delegation to a NATO conference. British actress Judy Geeson plays the love interest. Rarely seen but fun.

 

Shadow of the Hawk

Jan Michael Vincent is an Indian whose grandfather (Chief Dan George) asks him back to the reservation to fight evil. This was unusual and an interesting watch as the evil was one that I was not aware of.

 

Gloria

Gena Rowlands is asked to look after the son of a family who are then murdered by the mob. But the mob wants the son as well and the book he is looking after. Rowlands was the mistress of the head mobster and has no empathy with the kid./ Had not seen this in an age and it is still good,

[death tribble]

You want more ?

 

Well here we go !

 

Five

This is one of the first films dealing with survivors of an apocalypse in this case the bomb. A woman finds a man living in one of her family's places but she won't succumb to his advances as she is pregnant and wants to know the fate of her husband. The come across three other survivors one of whom is black and one who is a racist. This is rather bleak. It's good but down beat.

 

The Devil Commands

Boris Karloff is a scientist who tries to communicate with his recently departed wife. It does not go well.

 

Dick Tracy meets Gruesome

Dick Tracy comes up against the villainous Gruesome who is played by Boris Karloff. Dick's sidekick even says that Gruesome looks like Karloff continuing the gag from Arsenic and Old Lace. This is quick and good.

 

Bulldog Drummond at Bay

Bulldog Drummond has to save the life of an inventor after foreign agents attempt to kidnap him.

 

The Frogmen

Richard Widmark is the new commander of frogmen in World War II. They are preparing the way for invasions of islands held by the Japanese. The men led by Dana Andrews resent the new guy and wonder about him after he misses an assignment. But he helps defuse a torpedo when their destroyer is hit and then leads them on a mission to hit Japanese sub pens. Nice and neat.

 

The Saint series 2

Roger Moore fights all sorts of wrongs across the world. Unlike in season 1 he is now on his own. But he comes up against Oliver Reed twice, once as an Italian and then a Greek. I had never seen these black and white episodes so this was a treat. 

[slikmar]

Been stuck in hotel for basically 2 weeks so caught up on some Prime viewing.

Season 1 of Vox Machina: enjoyable, I can see the gamer basis in it. Crude at times but otherwise I liked it.

The Peripherals: About 8 episodes into this. Show involving what seemed to be VR, but apparently is much more. Good actors in it, decent writing, haven't finished season 1 so can't say entirely what mystery is about.

Carnival Row: Finished season 1, very dark and mostly depressing, but everyone in it is excellent. Reminds me a lot of The Alienist. Elves and fairys etc are real and are refugees in late 1800s/early 1900sin late 1800s/early 1900s London in late 1800s/early 1900s. Interesting twists along the way. Orlando Bloom as a detective and Cara DeLivigne as his former lover head the cast.

Mythica: A Quest for Heroes: first in a series of fantasy movies straight to video purported to star Kevin Sorbo, who appears in the first one less then 10 minutes. Special Effects remind me of the Hercules/Xena. Was a total popcorn movie, not sure if I will watch the rest.

Samaritan: A young boy thinks a garbage man in his neighborhood is an old superhero who is supposedly dead and tries to get him to come out of retirement. Meanwhile, a new villain using the name of Samaritan's enemy Nemesis appears. I will say, I saw the twist from the beginning. Stars Stallone as the Garbage Man.

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

On 3/10/2023 at 5:44 PM, GM Joe said:

We finished S1 of Tales from the Loop (Amazon).  This sci-fi show was one of those where each episode is just barely good enough to keep you watching. Every episode was just OK.  We have no interest in watching a second season of it.

 

I had a lot of hopes for this one, but I think I stopped after two or three episodes. It was painfully slow. 

[Joe Walsh]

13 hours ago, Logan D. Hurricanes said:

I had a lot of hopes for this one, but I think I stopped after two or three episodes. It was painfully slow. 

 

I wish I'd been that smart. 😄

[csyphrett]

Slikmar, if you saw Vox Machina, the actual gameplay is on Youtube if they kept it posted. The sessions were like three hours long.

 

Watched Matrix Resurrections with the boy. Neo is drawn back in to oppose the new machine behind the Matrix after being rebuilt. Two favorite scenes are with Groff as the rebuilt Smith. One is Smith showing up at the old building where Morpheus was captured and he and Neo are talking. The human crew with Neo are freaking out when they realize that this is the Smith from the first trilogy. The second scene is the villain thinks he has everything in the bag and Smith shows up and turns everything into a firefight at Starbucks. Nice callback to the agent possession at the end.

 

It's not as flashy as the originals, and the kung fu doesn't seem as polished, but once the actual plot got started and it became a rescue story it moved fast to the end.

CES   

[Scott Ruggels]

 

 

I enjoyed it. It had a lot of decent CGI and it was mixe3d in with miniature work. Very well done.

[Ternaugh]

I've been on a bit of a nostalgia kick recently, and started watching The Fall Guy on Amazon Prime. I'm a few episodes in to the first season.

 

I also started watching the first three episodes of the original Magnum, P.I. on Prime by way of Freevee, which is ad-supported. Watching the first half of the pilot, there was a 7 second ad for Freevee before the show, and then a 12 second ad for Freevee at the first break, followed by a couple of 30 second breaks later in the show. Second half of the pilot started with a 12 second ad for Freevee, and then the next few breaks slowly increased from 30 seconds to 60 seconds. Watching the third episode today, there was a 60 second ad before the show, and each break was at least 90 seconds (last one was over two minutes).  After I finished the third episode, I went on Amazon to purchase the DVDs of the complete series.

 

I had also recently watched Sorry, Wrong Number, a film noir piece where Barbara Stanwick plays an invalid who is home alone. While trying to reach her husband by phone, she accidentally overhears through crossed lines two people conspiring to murder someone later that night.

[Michael Hopcroft]

On 3/9/2023 at 11:15 PM, tkdguy said:

OSS 117 -- Double Agent: A 1968 Eurospy movie. At first I thought it was a James Bond knockoff, but it turns out the character was created several years before Bond. The movie was entertaining enough, but some parts were laughably bad.

The OSS 117 series was resumed this century but as satires of Western cluelessness about other parts of the world.

[Joe Walsh]

The first three episodes of Rain Dogs (HBOMax) have been different, but good. A woman who is a sex worker but wants to be a writer, her daughter, and a friend who is the black sheep of his wealthy family form an unconventional family of their own. It's violent at times, and can be uncomfortable, but the story and characters have been carrying it well.

 

The first six episodes of History of the World, Part II have been a mixed bag, as expected with a variety show, but overall it's been worth watching.