list/discuss/rate - your recently watched movies

Arrival (2016): This was politically like The Arrival (1996), in that the Americans politically are the good guys and there are antagonised countries. In The Arrival, Mexico was giving shelter to the malign aliens; and in here, Russia and China (among others) are behaving in a way that doesn't please the good (?) Americans. How typical... Anyway, this was a very good movie; excellent entertainment, really. Even if I don't like the political aspects of such American movies, there's some plausibility in their reflection. At least, the Americans see the world like this. I respect that, eventually. 8.5/10

Dark Skies (2013): Another alien movie, but this time the beings are familiar: the Grey aliens! A fine film, though nothing spectacular. 7/10

Dream House (2011): Back to reality... Or does the perception of the protagonist reflect the actual reality? A decent mystery/thriller. Not a standout film, nonetheless. 6.5/10

Edited by Hugh Manatee - September 12 2022 at 17:38

Tenet (2020)

Gentle and Giant wrote: I agree on Tenet being a mess. Nolan is either brilliant (Memento, Interstellar) or very poor (Tenet, Inception even Dunkirk).

Que la fête commence... (1975 - France): The IMDb users say that the story here is historically correct. The Bretons (or a couple of them) versus the French. Guess who won. Lol. It was a good movie. Good directing, good acting, and an engaging storyline. Not a striking or outstandingly impressive film, though. 8/10

Ne le dis à personne (2006 - France/UK): It has a very impressive scenario, very complex. A bit convulated but it is probably because the past events were unfolded somewhat hastily at times. Truly convincing acting is seen throughout. Some cool action scenes, the most prominent one being the protagonist being chased by the police. A must-see flick for the people who are into action-packed crime/mystery/thriller stuff. 8.5/10

The Empty Man (2020 - US/South Africa): Well, kinda generic American horror with some of its qualities, but the cultic aspect adds to it a lot of mystery and intrigue. This had been done before for sure, but this movie did it like stupendously. Some movies crossed my mind like The Candyman (a horror figure that you summon), Pickman's Muse (the cultic element) while watching it, but this movie stands on its own with many of its qualities; at least I haven't seen any movie that is too alike. I think what happens there can happen in real life (at least it is not impossible for me), which makes the movie different from many of the ridiculous supernatural horror flicks. It is a really powerful movie, so if you get scared while watching (some) horror films, you had better think twice before deciding on watching this one. 9/10

^Give Operation Mincemeat a go.

Thor: Love and Thunder 2021

A movie last night. Day Shift with Jamie Foxx about a modern day vampire hunter in LA. The story is typical Hollywood garbage and the script isn't much better. But these serve only to showcase the tremendous effects, particularly in the fight and chase scenes. I read that many of the vampires were played by out of work circus performers (to give them work during covid) and you can see how well this translates into the packed action sequences with some mind-blowing contortions. In the car chase scenes drones are you to embellish the filming that I've never seen before and it certainly adds another dimension to these stunts (though I think it will become common place in time). Story 2/10, effects and action 10/10, so an average of 6/10