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 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
MK leaned into its game's goofy lore while SF tried to distance itself (just as SMB did) and ended up in a worse place.

I've mostly heard this in regard to comic adaptations, but one way to describe it that I really like is "ashamed of the source material".

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
I think what elevated Mortal Kombat above Street Fighter was that everyone involved knew what kind of movie they were making. Everything lined up from the sets to the choreography to the acting. As good as Raul Julia was at hamming it up, he was no Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa. Don't even get me started on Christopher Lambert vs Jean-Claude Van Damme. MK leaned into its game's goofy lore while SF tried to distance itself (just as SMB did) and ended up in a worse place.

I view both films as campy nonsense that only a fan of the respective series would enjoy.

While I'm here, I finally saw The Predator now that it's out on DVD, and the Nun.

The Nun: God this was cliche. One of the nice things about the Conjuring films is that even when they're not very good you can feel the enthusiasm with which it was made and just go along with it. The Nun had none of that. It wasn't awful per se, but it was definitely lazy through and through. And I really just can't be bothered to think much more of it than that. Cliche'd and lazy. Five hats out of ten.

The Predator: The only parts of this movie that were good were the action parts. Those parts were great. So great I wonder if one team made them, and then a completely different, far less interested in the actual premise, team made the rest of it. I swear it's like someone just took the cheesy parts of Independence Day (while making them more eye rolling rather than endearing), the kid with advanced technology parts of Kin (why?), and decided they'd rather be working on either of those movies than a Predator film. Sure enough the whole "they're evolving with what they hunt" plot point was stupid as balls. EDIT: Oh and the characters didn't have any. Really the only high point is that the action worked pretty damn well, in spite of the completely discombobulated plot. Six hats out of ten.

Sure, but for fans of campy nonsense there is a huge difference in quality.

Speaking of which, I always enjoyed the Mark Decascus vehicle Drive. It's got action. It's got sass. It's got a cyborg who kills someone with a quarter.

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
Sure, but for fans of campy nonsense there is a huge difference in quality.

That's fair.

I heard what I think is a spoiler about The Predator, but I want to know if this is true or if my friend is messing with me.

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
I heard what I think is a spoiler about The Predator, but I want to know if this is true or if my friend is messing with me.

Spoiler:

Is the Predator's ultimate hunt really a kid with autism?

[/spoiler]

Huh ... I'm not sure ... of anything anymore

Good insight into Super Mario Bros there, Bob.

Mortal Kombat also had a great soundtrack!

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
And if you want a so bad it's good video game movie, it's hard to top Super Mario Brothers. "Trust the fungus."]

When Bob Hoskin's son asked why he'd taken the role, Bob replied "to keep you in shoes". The reply? "I don't need shoes that badly"

The Pyx- This movie was a hard-boiled detective movie that dabbled in Satanic Cults. It was set in Quebec, and there was large swathes of dialogue in French-Canadian with no subtitles. They often switched from French to English inbetween and during scenes. However, the main cop was Christopher Plummer and the star actress was Karen Black.... so at least the movie was handled by quality performers.

It was kind of slow moving, dull, and had an annoying folk music soundtrack. Worse, the big pay-off wasn't even that big of a pay-off. This maybe because it was a Canadian film.....

 AndrewGPaul wrote:

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
And if you want a so bad it's good video game movie, it's hard to top Super Mario Brothers. "Trust the fungus."]

When Bob Hoskin's son asked why he'd taken the role, Bob replied "to keep you in shoes". The reply? "I don't need shoes that badly"

I'm getting sick of all this job shaming. Besides, it's not like he was Michael Caine taking a role in Jaws 4.

Yeah, as an actor you never know where the next paycheck is, so sometimes you take drek because they are paying you. One moment you can be top of the heap, and the next you are back to nobody. Therefore, you take what is offered.

I think Sam L. Jackson speaks pretty openly about this.

I think Caine's quote "First of all, I choose the great roles, and if none of these come, I choose the mediocre ones, and if they don't come, I choose the ones that pay the rent." covers it and he has taken a fair few of the latter

Also watched Die Hard at the cinema yesterday

A fittingly high point for the 80's action movie genre to end on, before Willis' ego ruined him

I mean, it probably also helps to not live a stereotypical celeb lifestyle, most people even in expensive cities could live comfortably for a lifetime on one paycheque for a big name actor, even a couple of years as a middling second fiddle/character actor type is hardly chump change.

I get the idea of taking what you're given when you're a jobbing youngster trying to make your name getting "Bloated River Corpse" and "Angry Person In Queue #3" type roles, but I really struggle to believe that Sam L. Jackson is living paycheque to paycheque these days.

There's a lot of hazard in sitting idle, though. Some people are fine not going out and working, but many seem to suffer some kind of psychological issues when they are not doing some kind of job, regardless of whether they need the money. So, actors will go out and act, even if they don't need the money, even if the film is schlock. Yeah, I wish I had that problem, but that doesn't mean it's not real.

 Yodhrin wrote:
I mean, it probably also helps to not live a stereotypical celeb lifestyle, most people even in expensive cities could live comfortably for a lifetime on one paycheque for a big name actor, even a couple of years as a middling second fiddle/character actor type is hardly chump change.

I get the idea of taking what you're given when you're a jobbing youngster trying to make your name getting "Bloated River Corpse" and "Angry Person In Queue #3" type roles, but I really struggle to believe that Sam L. Jackson is living paycheque to paycheque these days.

Well, Mr. Jackson's point is that one day you are getting offered roles left and right, and the next day no one is calling you. The acting business is very uncertain, so take the business while they are still calling you seems to be his motto.

 Easy E wrote:

 Yodhrin wrote:
I mean, it probably also helps to not live a stereotypical celeb lifestyle, most people even in expensive cities could live comfortably for a lifetime on one paycheque for a big name actor, even a couple of years as a middling second fiddle/character actor type is hardly chump change.

I get the idea of taking what you're given when you're a jobbing youngster trying to make your name getting "Bloated River Corpse" and "Angry Person In Queue #3" type roles, but I really struggle to believe that Sam L. Jackson is living paycheque to paycheque these days.

Well, Mr. Jackson's point is that one day you are getting offered roles left and right, and the next day no one is calling you. The acting business is very uncertain, so take the business while they are still calling you seems to be his motto.

A lot of the reason shows go on for several seasons past their prime is simply because ending it means all those people have to find a new job.

Okay, let's get back to some reviews.....

Blood Tide- Another great title with a mediocre movie. I mean, the script for this one isn't bad. I could see someone able to pull it off really well.... I expected a total turkey but it was better than that. However, it does have long bits where you are waiting for something to happen. Again, lot's of sizzle but no steak.

James Earl Jones is good as a greedy, skeevy diver whole likes to spout Shakespeare all the time. Jose Ferrer is good as the greek headman. The rest..... could use some work....

Been a bit since I have watched a movie, but I decided to go with a double feature of Over-the-top ridiculousness.

1. Ninja Assassin- Whatever happened to Rain and the attempt by the Wachowski's to make him a thing in the US. He had been a korean pop-star but was trying to make the leap. He was in this and Speed Racer as Taijo Togokhan.

Anyway, if you have seen any Ninja movies you know the basic story to this one. The two things that interested my most were:

1. Naomi Harris is in this!
2. Rain mostly uses that cool weapon that is a blade on a chain. So nice to get away from the tyranny of Katana in such movies.

There is much fighting and bloodshed of the CGI variety.

2. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World- I really enjoyed this one. It was the most 'actin" I have seen Michael Cera ever do in a film! I would watch it again, and possibly even buy it..... I enjoyed it that much.

It is a quirky mix of Juno, Jay and Silent Bob, and the Way of the Warrior..... plus some other fun stuff. Brandon Routh and Chris Evans are great additions to this film. Brandon Routh used to be something.... and now he is Legends of Frikkin' Tomorrow! Wow!

Anyway.... go watch it.

Ninja Assassin is great. My favorite ninja movie. The sheer volume of ninja stars is amazing.

I LOVE Scott Pilgrim but I really wish they would have waited for the comic to wrap up rather than go with their own end. It's not terrible, but misses a few insightful character beats I'd have love to have seen brought to life in the film.

On a similar note, I finally got around to watching Ready Player One last night. I kind of despised the book to a degree but really enjoyed the movie. There are bits of what I didn't like about the book that still seep through, there's a little too much boilerplate Hollywood in the ending, and its clear Spielberg geeks out over movies more than games (duh) but I enjoyed it enough to really wish I had caught it in theaters.

 Lance845 wrote:
Ninja Assassin is great. My favorite ninja movie. The sheer volume of ninja stars is amazing.

Right, they throw Ninja Stars as fast as guys with guns can shoot bullets!

I am still a sucker for the original American Ninja film.

Withnail & I - they went on holiday by mistake.

Any love for Gymkata too then?

Just watched the Dirty Dozen again. While it generally holds up as a piece of entertainment there are still some issues that really stand out. The crazed religious bigot and racist Maggot would never be allowed on a team, even one like this, and it hurts the movie a bit as he is so blatantly unstable and crazy that it just comes across as more narrative necessity to keep him around than him being necessary for the group. There is also a lot of accurate hip firing with inaccurate weapons through cover. Sniper shooting through a window? Hip fire a grease gun from the ground a building over and you'll be fine.

Also watched Once Upon a Time In America and honestly didn't find it all that great. The cinematography and composition is quite beautiful but the story is inconsistent. The sexual politics is especially out of place even for the time (filming or with the diegesis of the film) and doesn't seem natural. If you like Sergio Leone it is worth a watch but make sure it is the full version, which is nearly four hours, and not the butchered US theatrical release which is not even two hours.

I watched IO on netflix recently. The ending was a little off but not bad. The girl plays her part really well and Anthony Mackie might be a better actor then anyone gives him credit for so far. Not that hes been bad in any of it btw. Just that hes better then you would think.

 Easy E wrote:
2. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

I will rewatch it solely because Alison Pill is in it.




Quick reviews? Let me try...


Avatar - Boy falls in love, turns blue in the end.



Titanic - Boy falls in love, turns blue in the end.




Kubo and the Two Strings - This is a fantastic story. Not so dark to scare off my children, but deep enough to challenge everyone in the room.

Kubo is fantastic. Beautiful, really engaging film.

We only made it halfway through Kubo because it did, in fact, scare the child. Hope to finish it someday.


Flight of Dragons- Gary Gygax-alike turns into dragon, shouts science.

The Dark Crystal- puppets are kinda creepy on purpose in this one.