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I agree with those rankings. Hot Fuzz is the only one of the trilogy I’d want to rewatch.

 Ahtman wrote:

ccs wrote:
I have no idea if Last Kill is supposed to be set before Born Again S1, or after it. All we know is that Frank has met Karen Page by this point.

From the AV Club review:

For a 45-minute glimpse into what’s been going on with Frank since he escaped the clutches of Kingpin in Daredevil: Born Again, One Last Kill is conspicuously uninterested in connective tissue. It doesn’t explain what the Punisher has been up to in the final days of Mayor Fisk’s reign—like, say, punishing Fisk’s Anti-Vigilante Task Force, which appropriated his skull insignia during their brief campaign of terror. The special doesn’t even bother clarifying how Spider-Man is supposed to be on a first-name basis with him by Brand New Day.

That fine, the AV club can say whatever they like about when they think it's set.

My issue is that what we see on screen doesn't tell us anything about the when save that it's sometime after he's 1st met Karen.
It makes no reference to anything happening in Born Again.
It's just a random slice of violence in Franks life.

I tend to think it was after season 2 Punisher and before Born Again.

Season 2 had Curtis in it right?

 Easy E wrote:
I tend to think it was after season 2 Punisher and before Born Again.

I'm leaning that way, too. I haven't seen Born Again season one since it first aired, but I got the impression that Frank is working in it...

(spoiler because of One Last Kill musings)



However it all lines up, it's a fun feature.

ccs wrote:
That fine, the AV club can say whatever they like about when they think it's set.

I didn't realize that anyone was arguing otherwise, but thanks for the clarification.

ccs wrote:
My issue is that what we see on screen doesn't tell us anything about the when save that it's sometime after he's 1st met Karen.
It makes no reference to anything happening in Born Again.
It's just a random slice of violence in Franks life.

I got that, as I think most did. This was the first "professional" site that said anything about the timeline I came across and often they get PR material with that kind of information so they probably aren't just pulling it out of nowhere, plus it is fun because you bemoan the lack of specificity in continuity whereas they extol it as a virtue.

I watched Titane, it was....something. I think I actually liked it quite a bit, but I can see why a lot of people would hate it.

 Sigur wrote:

I never quite got why people love Hot Fuzz so much. It used to be my least favourite out of the trilogy. Recently I watched it again, and then about a hundred times again (or many times at least), and I'm starting to get it. Surely a large portion of the thing is Englishness and all of that, but it's also just so well written. Really wanna rewatch The World's end now though...

Its the English, specifically the Torygraph, maybe daily mail, reading section of British society, take on the sprawling criminal conspiracies of hollywood cop films. All those comments people have about that wouldn't happen that way etc., combined with petty English practices. It is also one of the few films, though tongue in cheek, that tries to show the hum drum daily police work outside a city, matching it the pettiness and hum drum existence of people in small market towns. I feel I am not explaining it well...

Heresy

Dutch horror flick. Watched it with subtitles. Low dialogue, bags and bags of atmosphere.

It’s set in what I think is medieval times, and deals with Christian and Pagan themes. Just over an hour long.

Definitely worth a watch if you enjoyed The Witch.

Obsession

“Would you like me to put Nikki on the line?”


Obsession is essentially a Monkey’s Paw story about a guy too cowardly to risk rejection making a whimsical wish that his crush would love him more than anyone else on the planet can love. Terror ensues.

This is one of those movies worth seeing with a crowd. It has the same mix of humor and ratcheting tension as Weapons, but where Weapons has a tone shift halfway through Obsession just keeps ratcheting. The movie delivers on creepy and disturbing scenes, with some deeper existential implications. But the big revelation is Inde Navarette’s performance. Expect to see her Nikki imitated and parodied for years.

Watch it.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway Part 2

Enjoyed it, but much like the first I really struggle to connect with the main character or find myself really invested in the conflict. It's a film dense with strategy and political worldbuilding but really struggles to give this band of rebels a feel that they're fighting for a vision they believe in.

Hathaway himself being probably the biggest problem here. Quess's death was hardly tragic and here you basically see him neglect, endanger and arguable sacrifice the lives of everyone around him because a professional mistress flirted with him. I suppose its consistent character writing, but hardly compelling.

It was a rainy and snowy weekend, so I saw some flicks.....

About my Father

An Italian Immigrant kid and a WASP lady want to get married. However, their families have to meet first. Shennanigan's ensue.

I think Robert De Niro my genuinely enjoy being in these types of movies since Meet the Fokkers.

Nothing special but not terrible.

Drunk Parents

Selma Hayek, Alec Baldwin, and Jim Gaffigan in a movie? I will try it.

Oof, note good. Not good at all. Basically a couple of rich losers run out of luck, try some get rich quick schemes, and then eventually land back on their feet. Hijinks ensue. They learn heartwarming lessons along the way....

... too bad I was bored.

Tornado
This is a movie from the Independent Film Channel and it shows. A samurai and his daughter are in the English countryside in 1790 doing puppet shows when they get entangled with a gang of ruffians. Yup. That is the premise and it sounds cooler than it is.

By the end, I was not a fan of Tornado; the main teenage character at all. I did not root for her success.

Joy Ride
Hey, what if we made a ruanchy comedy about 4 females friends on a road trip..... but they were all Asian and they go to Asia! Pretty much what it says on the tin.

If you like raunchy road movie comedies.... well.... this has that stuff you like! Not surprised to see Serh Rogan was involved as a producer.

I thought Joy Ride was a lot of fun right up until it switched to a sappy drama in the last 15 minutes. Daniel Dae Kim saved that part of the film. (It also saved the “they just cast a visibly Korean actress as a Chinese character in the 2020’s?” aspect.)

 Thargrim wrote:
I watched Titane, it was....something. I think I actually liked it quite a bit, but I can see why a lot of people would hate it.

I’ve heard a little bit about this film, mostly a woman, a car, and a pregnancy. It sounds like the kind of weird movie my son likes to watch, but before I left him see it I should ask: how much body horror or disturbing sex does it have?

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
I thought Joy Ride was a lot of fun right up until it switched to a sappy drama in the last 15 minutes. Daniel Dae Kim saved that part of the film. (It also saved the “they just cast a visibly Korean actress as a Chinese character in the 2020’s?” aspect.)

Yeah, I thought it was especially odd when they called out the Koreans in the airport scene when talking about the different types of Chinese.

I was shocked to see that Daniel Dae Kim was on Time's 100 most influential people! Not that it means anything, but I was impressed.

Watchers

Corey Haim! 1980’s! Psychic Pupper! Some sort of genetic werewolf type thing! Michael Ironside!

Can confirm Psychic Pupper Is Very Good Pupper. The film? 6.5/10. You’re not missing owt if you don’t see it. But this is a fun enough bit of distraction.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Rambo

For a movie with such a legacy of cultural impact? I’m always surprised just how low key this is.

Sure there’s mayhem aplenty, but it’s pretty restrained on the whole in terms of realism.

And just think. If Brian Dennehey hadn’t been such an absolute Rooster to a decorated veteran, the whole thing could’ve been avoided.

Bad Brian Dennehey. Dirty Brian Dennehey. In your bed, ON YOUR RUG! DIRTY BOY!

@BobtheInquisitor

It reminded me of David Cronberg type stuff or The Substance, it is a weird sort of artsy movie for sure. The body horror is probably comparable to the Substance, I didn't find the sex to be all that gnarly, it is a bit of a disturbing film overall but I feel like every time I see a movie that is hyped up as disturbing I end up a bit underwhelmed. The movie has an excellent use of a Future Islands song though.

Well, I find those rankings of the Cornetto trilogy films quite insane. Just kidding. But I'd say that Shaun of the Dead is several steps above okay. I'll watch it any day of the week. Hot Fuzz works works incredibly well, reqatching it all the time (I do not love a 'cool' hero though, so I'm not a lot into the shoot-out part). The World's End is just great because of the characters and ideas, even though it has too many of the former. Ending again too much action, the stuff after the ending - yeah, that's ....okay. But I don't have to watch a film about that. Just a bit of a feel-good thing bolted on in the end. Perfectly OK.

 LunarSol wrote:
Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway Part 2

Enjoyed it, but much like the first I really struggle to connect with the main character or find myself really invested in the conflict. It's a film dense with strategy and political worldbuilding but really struggles to give this band of rebels a feel that they're fighting for a vision they believe in.

Hathaway himself being probably the biggest problem here. Quess's death was hardly tragic and here you basically see him neglect, endanger and arguable sacrifice the lives of everyone around him because a professional mistress flirted with him. I suppose its consistent character writing, but hardly compelling.

I watched most of the first film, and ...it looks really good. It does the Gundam thing where it's all about people rather than the robots well. But I just didn't care a whole lot.

The band of rebels are the Mafty people, right? They seemed awfully concerned with branding and appearance over other things. But it's been a good while, maybe I misremember things. I'll stick to old stuff and very, very carefully look at things beyond 1990 and the OYW.


@MDG: Yup, Rambo is lovely.

Mortal Kombat II

This is not a good movie, but it is a very satisfying movie.

Most of the best parts are in the trailers, but.....

- The mini-movie Uncaged Fury is great.
- I was surprised how much it built off the previous movie.
- The sundtrack kept teasing the music that made MK famous, and then really delivered in the end credits.
- No real character intros beyond, "here they are" and it does not matter at all.
- Kung Lao and Lu Kang fight is really good
- They handle the video game stuff pretty well
- James Wan was a producer!

It plays out the questionable treatment of Vietnam Vets fairly subtlety. Dramatised? Of course. But it’s not belabouring the point, and doesn’t necessarily seek to provide a specific answer.

Then comes Rambo, First Blood Pt 2 and with it the enjoyable silliness begins! One man army! Asploding arrows! Red Hot Chopper on Chopper Action! Still time for some introspection about POWs. Literally Disposable Love Interest!

Yes. I’ll be doing Rambo III next. Though for now? Last Blood remains my favourite. That tunnel scene is cinematic perfection.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Deadlock aka Wedlock.

Rutger Hauer Prison Is Hell flick.

Our hero is a diamond thief betrayed, and put in a mixed sex prison where you’re equipped with an explosive collar…that’s paired with a proximity trigger to another inmate’s collar. And you’re not told who.

But, and I stress this? No remote trigger. Because otherwise the film would end when he and his buddy go on the lam.

This is kinda alright, I guess. Kind of a heist flick mixed with odd couple and sci-fi prison tropes.

The acting is fine, but it’s just not a very interesting story.

Greenland. It’s a decent disaster flick. Somehow Gerard Butler sounds like he is putting on a Fake Scottish accent. Morena Baccarin is as easy to watch as always. The US military is surprisingly self sacrificial, and small town America is just full of wholesome people. Remember folks, always trust the federal government!

It was enjoyable enough

Rambo 3

The silliest and worst in the series by a country mile. Rambo goes to Afghanistan to end communism.

Now it’s not that silly as mindless 80’s actioners go. But it strays so far from what made First Blood so special. Rather than an introspective look at how veterans are treated? This is just outright propaganda puff piece.

It is enjoyable, but it’s missing a soul.

My Rambo Ranking?

1st place - First Blood
2nd place - Last Blood

Both are pretty low key and the better for it,

3rd place - Rambo (fourth movie)
4th place - Rambo First Blood Part Two.

Really not much between either of these. In some ways, Rambo is a remake of FBPT. Both are better than they should be for different reasons. I could say joint 3rd place, because they’re interchangeable in this ranking. But I’m giving it to Rambo, because it’s just better made. Also 50 Cal Mayhems.

5th place - Rambo 3.

And it’s a distant 5th place. Like it stopped off during the race for a pie and a pint before sauntering its chunky carcass over the line.

It is better than many films of the genre and same broad era. But as I said above? It’s missing the Rambo soul.

Rambo 3 is the Commando of the series.....

I can agree with that. Fun, but mindlessly so.

Gah… so we are following up Greenland with Greenland 2. This one is offensively stupid. “5 years have passed” and yet the 7 year old from the first film is now 15. The crater in the first one is clearly broadly centred on the UK, and yet somehow Liverpool looks pretty much like it does now. A lot of trees still about after 900degree winds and years of choking ashfall.

Somehow a knackered lifeboat has enough fuel to traverse most of the Atlantic. And the main characters kind of bumble along.

We will watch the second half tomorrow, and I fully expect it to get worse.

 Flinty wrote:
The crater in the first one is clearly broadly centred on the UK, and yet somehow Liverpool looks pretty much like it does now.

It can be tricky. The first time I watched Mad Max I missed the part about the apocalypse. I guess some places don't really look different before and after...

I'm with you on Greenland 2 being offensively stupid. What bothered me about it especially is that it feels like everything is fine for weeks or months or years in any given place. Then the focus characters waltz in and everything's exploding and everyone starts dying, like they have their own personal disaster following them around that's just waiting for the opportunity to strike. I found it a chore to sit through.

The first one is a decent disaster movie. The sequel, not so much.

 Geifer wrote:

 Flinty wrote:
The crater in the first one is clearly broadly centred on the UK, and yet somehow Liverpool looks pretty much like it does now.

It can be tricky. The first time I watched Mad Max I missed the part about the apocalypse. I guess some places don't really look different before and after...

I'm with you on Greenland 2 being offensively stupid. What bothered me about it especially is that it feels like everything is fine for weeks or months or years in any given place. Then the focus characters waltz in and everything's exploding and everyone starts dying, like they have their own personal disaster following them around that's just waiting for the opportunity to strike. I found it a chore to sit through.

The first one is a decent disaster movie. The sequel, not so much.

Exactly! I mean 5 years after apparently a global disaster including supersonic super-hot winds, there are just loads of cars still pootling about and no real apparent issue with fuel supply. The brands that have clearly paid to be included for advertising purposes are barely dusty. Who knew that post-apocalyptic valet was a viable career path. It plays much more like a viral/radiation event apocalypse rather than a post-impact society. Every detail I stop to think about even for a moment melts like a sick mosquito in a blowtorch.

 Geifer wrote:

It can be tricky. The first time I watched Mad Max I missed the part about the apocalypse. I guess some places don't really look different before and after...

I thought Mad Max was societal collapse. The apocalypse comes at some point before the 2nd or 3rd films.

The_Real_Chris wrote:

 Geifer wrote:

It can be tricky. The first time I watched Mad Max I missed the part about the apocalypse. I guess some places don't really look different before and after...

I thought Mad Max was societal collapse. The apocalypse comes at some point before the 2nd or 3rd films.

Yeah, the first film is effectively during the collapse of society, where some sense of order still exists but strained to the absolute breaking point.

But the chronology of the Mad Max films is intentionally vague and fluid. It adds to the kind of dreamlike and oral history elements of the films that is present in them from 2 onwards, where we aren't seeing the events as they necessarily happened, but as they are told later.

Yeah MM1 you still have some functional element of society. There's police, hospitals, holidays and so forth.

However the world is also starting to crumble; gangs are ruling the wild parts of the roads and pushing back against order.

It's subtle though with that layer of storytelling.

MM2 though the bombs drop and it is not subtle in the least

We finished Greenland: Migration off last night. Its gash. Do not watch!

Mando & Grogu

Really, really fun. Excellent family suited adventure flick, though perhaps for older kids.

Not just a fun film, but a fun Star Wars film.