Testy Area 51 (3 Viewers)

[Steve Christou]

Been ages since I last saw Walkabout, the one thing i distinctly remember is a young nude Jenny Agutter, last seen beating up some bad guys in Captain USA 2.

I don't think I've seen Hanging at Picnic Rock.

I have seen Snowpiercer, the uncut Korean version. Good film, but a little heavy with the metaphors.

I still have not seen Edge of Tomorrow, looks like I'll just wait for the blu-ray.

I watched a golden oldie at the weekend, John Frankenheimer's The Train, I had watched George Clooney's The Monuments Men (disappointing) a week earlier which got me thinking about this 1964 movie. One reviewer called it the first Joel Silver movie and I know what he means, Burt Lancaster, in proto-Rambo mode, does everything he can to stop a train full of Paris art treasures stolen by Nazis and on the way to Berlin.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I'd feel so much better about it if the actual title was: Frank Miller's Sin City: A Dame For Which to Kill

...instead of Frank Miller's Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

 

[Elizabeth S]

Plan to see Snowpiercer and Begin Again this weekend.

 

[Steve Christou]

I read a lot. I'd say probably five books a week. One I finished last night was Peter Brook's essays on Shakespeare which were really interesting. But in truth I read a lot of fiction _ I love science fiction, fantasy, mystery, historical fiction. I like fiction. I go nowhere without a book. Thank goodness for e-readers though. I used to pack a suitcase of books for touring. And now I can just load up my nook.

Hey droogs, Kathleen Turner's still around and answering questions online -

http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/jun/27/kathleen-turner-live-qa-post-your-questions-now

 

[Elizabeth S]

I saw Snowpiercer this weekend. It didn't quite live up to the fanatical hype surrounding it, but it was good. I didn't realize Tilda Swinton was so over the top and goofy in this -- in fact, she elicited the biggest laugh in the film which is quite VIOLENT and bleak aside from her. I do prefer Bong Joon Ho's Mother and Memories of Murder, which are smaller, more character-driven stories. I didn't care for his The Host.

I watched Pain and Gain this weekend. Although I like Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson, this film's trailers had never appealed to me. I ended up enjoying it a lot! What an insane story if it is indeed pretty accurate to the facts.

 

[Zen Butler]

"Hanging at Picnic Rock" lol sacrilege

 

[Elizabeth S]

Hopefully seeing both of these this weekend:

 

[Steve Christou]

I saw Snowpiercer this weekend. It didn't quite live up to the fanatical hype surrounding it, but it was good. I didn't realize Tilda Swinton was so over the top and goofy in this -- in fact, she elicited the biggest laugh in the film which is quite VIOLENT and bleak aside from her. I do prefer Bong Joon Ho's Mother and Memories of Murder, which are smaller, more character-driven stories. I didn't care for his The Host.

I watched Pain and Gain this weekend. Although I like Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson, this film's trailers had never appealed to me. I ended up enjoying it a lot! What an insane story if it is indeed pretty accurate to the facts.

I loved Bong's The Host (or should that be Joon-Ho's The Host?) okay 'really liked' more than 'loved' but it was a really cool monster movie with excellent effects, unusual for a movie made outside Britain or the US. The only thing spoiling it are the usual over-the-top histrionics and emotions common in foreign cinema (ooh that wasn't nice at all).

I know you're a big fan of Mark 'The Frowner' Wahlberg Elizabeth, hmm was it a Wahlberg or Bale interview I scanned from a magazine for you a few years ago? Can't remember.

I wanna see Dawn of the Apes not sure if I should just wait for the blu-ray. I'm sure it'll be fun but photo-realistic CG apes just don't have the same appeal to me as the original iconic ape masks.

 

[Ruz-El]

Woah hey everybody! How's things? I want to see the new Apes movie too, and not sure about going to the cinema for it ha ha. I haven't been to the cinema since November. Sadly, after nine years of cancer, dad passed away last month. So once things have fully sorted and settled, I might make it out to a movie.

That said, not much this year has been lighting my fire. Even the Marvel movies seem a bit blah to me. Guardians of the Galaxy looks fun, but could go either way. I might just wait for the next big bluray set and binge watch them. I'm more curious to see the complete Metropolis at the arthouse theater at the end of the month....


SNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT

 

[Steve Christou]

My deepest condolences on your loss Russ. I know you and your dad were very close. How are you coping? Watching more films? Lost in a video game?

I agree Guardians of the Galaxy is hit and miss, might be Marvel's biggest gamble, I read somewhere it was their biggest film to date. Bigger than the Avengers? I want to see it though.

 

[Cees Alons]

Hey droogs, Kathleen Turner's still around and answering questions online -

http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/jun/27/kathleen-turner-live-qa-post-your-questions-now

That was nice. I like most of what she said (lots of typos, though). She also reads the proper books (e.g. SciFi) and owns the right e-reader (the Nook).


Cees

 

[Walter Kittel]

Sorry to hear about your dad passing, Russell. Hope things are better now that a little bit of time has elapsed.

I would agree with you and Steve that Guardians of the Galaxy could be awful, or incredibly fun. I'm having a hard time reading the film from the trailers. The tone of the film is plain enough, but whether it will hold together through a feature length is another story. Really curious to read reviews and other's impressions.

- Walter.

 

[Steve Christou]

Hey Cees, congrats on coming third at the you know what. Germany really demolished Brazil, 7-1. I couldn't stop laughing it was so surreal.

Sandra sent me an email "Un-fookin'-believable" she was always foul-mouthed, even in her emails.

Hey Walter, I didn't even know there was a comic called Guardians of the Galaxy. That talking raccoon might put people off seeing it, or maybe the opposite.

 

[Walter Kittel]

That talking raccoon might put people off seeing it, or maybe the opposite.

I hate to make this comparison, and I'm sure Marvel execs would cringe reading this, but sometimes those types of elements do not translate from the comic to the screen. Anyone remember Howard the Duck?

- Walter.

 

[Ruz-El]

Thanks guys, mum and me are doing fine. It was a long time coming, so we were both about as prepared as we could be. I'm watching movies and getting back into the swing of things. Caught up with Nebraska and American Hustle over the weekend. Loved Nebraska, only liked Hustle. The costumes in Hustle was just too camp and distracting that it pulled me out of the good caper/crime part.

That talking Raccoon is so popular in the nerd world that he got his own comic book. If it hits, maybe they'll put Captain Carrot into the Batman/Superman movie.

 

[Steve Christou]

I'm surprised Howard the Duck hasn't been remade in CG, maybe if Rocket Raccoon turns movie star Howard might get another chance.

Btw I'm writing this with my PC monitor flipped over into portrait mode, looks strange but I'm getting used to it. I bought a BenQ 24 inch monitor recently which can swivel this way and that, especially useful when reading books and magazines, I like looking at the whole page at once rather than slowly panning down (in landscape mode).

Did you know an upcoming video game titled Destiny cost $500m to produce? [bites fist] I didn't. That's more than the combined cost of Avatar and Titanic.

http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Bungie-Destiny-Most-Expensive-Video-Game-Ever-Made-63887.html

 

[Mike Frezon]

Damn, Russell. I knew you were AWOL from the forum for awhile. So sorry for your loss. Just had the one year anniversary of my own dad's death go by this weekend. Tough times. Keep close to your mom.

Steve: I cannot remember the last time the foul-mouthed mistress of the dark got a mention in Testy!

Interest in the World Cup had a huge upswing in the US this time around. Who knows? Maybe...sometime...it will actually catch on over here.

Talking raccoon? Captain Carrot? I'm still waiting for Super Ted to make a return!

And I'm not sure there's a going to be a movie that will get me into the cinema this summer. My son and I went to see Godzilla and were both roundly disappointed. I can't remember what else might be coming of interest.

 

[Steve Christou]

I haven't seen it but why were you disappointed in Godzilla Mike, not enough monster action?

Spielberg will be directing The BFG next, based on a childrens book. BFG sounds like an abbreviation of something Sandra might have called me when she was angry. Hey why I am I still talking about her, she's history.

 

[Ruz-El]

Thanks Mike, and sorry for your loss as well. It's weird, little things pop up that make you sad when you're mostly okay. Take a while for that to stop, if it ever does. It's funny too, the ritual the past 9 years was watch a movie in the evening with Dad. Mum would watch them too, but it was mostly dad and I since I got the bug to watch nearly anything from him. Now poor mum has to sit through Zatoichi movies and the goofy stuff I watch.

Yeah, I lost interest in Godzilla when I saw Cranston talking about how they do a slow burn to build suspense. In a Godzilla movie? C'mon! Speaking of Cranston, I finally watched all of Breaking Bad. TV is better than movies these days. Movies seem to have lost the plot. Literally. I never thought I'd be one of those people bemoaning a lack of story with too much special effects, but here I am. So snooty, Steef will stop talking to me.

 

[Steve Christou]

William Friedkin seems to agree with you Russ -

"Television today is better than cinema; it's deeper and more complex and it is for adults," he remarked."They do not assume you are a child that just wants to watch video games and comic books on a screen.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/exorcist-director-william-friedkin-movies-718275

I loved Breaking Bad btw.

Homeland too.

And I've got 12 shiny new episodes of 24 to watch, woohoo.