Whatcha Been Watching?

This is the place where you can conflab about all the other stuff besides videogames
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Alex79
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Re: Whatcha Been Watching?

Post by Alex79 »

For no reason in particular I decided to start a complete rewatch of Red Dwarf the other night. Being too lazy to dig out my DVDs I was glad to see most of it was on Netflix. I never watched past series 6 before, since the bits I saw of the later series were complete rubbish, but for completion sake I'll watch it all this time. I know it seems like it's cool to say Red Dwarf was shit these days, but I loved it back in the day and having watched most of series one again over the last couple of night I'm finding it highly enjoyable. Not necessarily side splittingly funny, but...'nice', in a nostalgic kind of way.
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Re: Whatcha Been Watching?

Post by Stanshall »

It's very cosy viewing for me, even if I don't find it funny any more. It's a lovely watch, though the earliest (best) series are rather bleak!
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Re: Whatcha Been Watching?

Post by Joshihatsumitsu »

Partly because it was Halloween, and partly because Tobe Hooper passed away this year, I decided to rewatch a little 1974 film called Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

The first time I saw this movie would have been my teenage years, on VHS, and it was when I had time off school due to having wisdom teeth removed (braces and acne build character I guess :( ). And at the time it wasn't a movie that scared me, so much as it was a movie that I found unsettling and creepy.

Also, I grew up in a semi-rural environment, with farmland and dilapidated barns, and oppressively hot summers that would beat down on you, with little relief at night. And the look of TCSM, that sweaty Texas heat offering no relief, really felt familiar to me, and definitely added to the impact of that movie.

Obviously, re-watching any movie inevitably lessens the impact, and it's impossible to recapture that initial response, but it was great to revisit, and I still have a great affection for it.
Todinho

Re: Whatcha Been Watching?

Post by Todinho »

So I watched the Last Jedi and I dont think I like it, as someone who didnt love Force awakens I think this movie is on par with that one on a cinematography level, but the actual story and characters I really disliked.
I watched the movie twice already because the first time I was both teary eyed and livid, this strange mix of really liking some of it and really hating other parts, but rewatching it today I dont feel anything anymore Im just feeling unfullfilled.
I do recommend everyone see it and arrive at their own conclusions though, because there's clearlly more then enough people that think this is the best Star Wars movie yet.

It`s one of those movie that you cant have any kind of meaningfull conversation without spoiling it so:
Spoiler: show

So let me start with the humor which I already disliked on Force Awakens and in here it`s even more outta place, sometimes it`s in the middle of tense actions sequences like in the end where Kylo orders everyone to fire at Luke and the movie decides it`s time for a funny goof with Hux repeating it, or in the beginning of the movie where Poe is alone in front of the destroyers and they are all laughing at their commander, now Imagine that happening with moff Tarkin, or hell any of the imperial officers of the original trilogy, yeah the series use the bad guys as comic relief at times but it was the average stormtrooper not the main bad guys.

This leads me into another big problem I have and had since Force Awakens the weak villans, Hux is like a child and he is somehow the commander of the entire first order, hell he`s used mostly as comic relief and he is one of the main antagonists he is terrible, he`s not intimidating,has no presence and really acts like a whiny child instead of a military officer. Let`s get to Snoke then, now I dont know why people liked this guy to begin with because I hated everything about him but people kept telling me to wait for the next movie and well I was right he is awfull, he is discount/disposable palpatine, as soon as we enter his throne room I went "Are we really doing this again?" only it was worse because he just dies and in the next scene his corpse is comic relief, that`s your villain he had no backstory he was nothing.
Now we get to Kylo Ren which I hated but everyone told me I was crazy and he was gonna be so developed in the next movie,etc. Well here we are and he`s still a whiny brat that fails at everything, with no motivation which they could`ve given him, they could`ve expanded on what his fight with Luke made him but instead all of that is hand waved aside and we barelly understand what happened, worse is his whole shift saying how Rey should let go of the past, his whole character last movie was that he was a Darth Vader fanboy and now he`s over it because Snoke said his mask was stupid, how is this guy supposed to be the antagonist Rey is just gonna destroy him in 3 seconds in the last movie.

This brings me to the rest of the characters in general and how they are all very poorly written in my opinion, let`s start with Rey, Max Landis said it best last time around that she was a mary sue and had no difficulties and that her character had no growth and I basically have to repeat that in this movie, hell she beats up Luke Skywalker, saves Kylo Ren in the fight, is great at using the force with no training,etc. She has everything, she has no flaws, the only conflict you could say she has is about her parents, that gets touched on in 2 seconds and then poof she is fine, also I never cared who her parents were but that reveal didnt feel like a revelation for the character it was more like a slap in the face of the audience it was almost like calling them stupid for creating theories and especulating about it. Honestly if anyone can tell me how she has grown at all in these 2 movies please do because I cant see, in fact it would be 100x more interesting and make more sense if she just went to the dark side.

Now let's get to Finn, now I liked him alot in VII because he was different, he was a coward that actually had somewhat of an arc and became a hero in the end despite being a normal guy that's not really good at anything, that's cool. In this movie however they just forgot about him in the beginning they almost reset his character making him a coward that's running away again and then they shove him in a terrible subplot that is completelly pointless with an insuferable side character. His character doesnt evolve and he doesnt even do anything that matters, I feel Like they just forgot they had that character and then realized he was one of the leads of the last movie so they had to give him something to do.

Poe has a character arc but it's so cartoony and childish that all that was left for it to be on saturday morning cartoon level was for he in the end of the movie turn to the screen and say "See kids that's why you shouldnt be implusive" it's just so damn simple it's almost insulting.

Lastlly Luke, now I actually liked the idea of what they were going with Luke but the problem is it doesnt really get fleshed out enough, he has very few lines as it is so there's really no relationship formed between him and Rey unlike say what he had with both Obi-wan and Yoda, but what really upsets me was his whole motivation for becaming a hermit, I mean you really couldnt think of a better reason then "oops turned on my lightsaber, fucked up now I gotta run" Now Luke Skywalker from the original trilogy was many things but he wasnt a coward that ran away from his problems, so i like the idea of hermit Luke but it's just terribly executed.

Now getting in more of the meat of it, the movie really likes offering something familiar and then subverting expectation, which is why I guess many critics are calling it bold but at the same time it's incredibly safe, I mean when rey and Kylo are at Snoke' chamber it's just the scene from Return of the Jedi again almost beat for beat it's the same but then they add "twist" that Kylo ren isnt actually a guy good so that's subversive I guess, the last battle it's just Hoth again but in the end of the movie in fact the chase that happens all throught the movie is just an echo of the chase after the battle in empire and the movie even ends with them on a ship unsure of the future like in empire.
The Luke and Kylo confrontation at the end is just Obi-wan and Vader again, now the movie lures you into thinking it's not by that being a projection which was clever until Luke dies anyway which makes that scene actually the same as the one in new hope. Hell now the whole First order vs resistance is pointless it's now just basically Empire and rebels again, they even call themselfs rebels at several points, well what about the republic? How did the first order took over everthing? huh it doesnt matter I guess we`re now just like the old movies stop thinking about it, or worse go buy some books or comics or whatever if you want to know that.

So Im here scratching my head wondering how critics are saying this movie breaks the mold, why? Because they killed Snoke without ceremony?Because Luke didnt train Rey? Well she doesnt need any training as we estabilshed she can do everthing herself. What`s in this movie besides the cinematography that makes it worthy of so much praise I dont understand, this movie is just Empire and Jedi cobbled together with a few deviations that in my mind dont make it better in anyway. So yeah Im at a loss, im not someone who obssessed over fan theories or was really into the new expanded universe and connecting the dots, I didnt watch any trailers and just jumped from the previous movie to this one and I honestly dont feel this movie deserves the high praise it`s getting, it`s a bold new direction for Star Wars, it doesnt have any great message or theme, Im baffled forget it`s a star wars movie as a movie I dont get what this does that`s apparently so special, maybe it`s just me but Im at a loss that`s ultimatly what this movie leaves me in and honestly it killed any desire i have to watch future Disney Star Wars movies.
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Alex79
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Re: Whatcha Been Watching?

Post by Alex79 »

Because I wanted a refresher before watching the new miniseries I went back and watched all of The League Of Gentlemen over the last few days. It's held up remarkably well, and is just as good now as it ever was.
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Re: Whatcha Been Watching?

Post by Joshihatsumitsu »

I finally caught up with Persona 4 Golden: The Animation, which had been sitting patiently on my shelf for some time.

I am going to compare the experience with the time I went to see The Da Vinci Code in the cinema with my Dad. I had not read the book (still haven't) and my Dad loved it, and my Dad, subsequently had no problems bridging a lot of gaps that the movie had, and enjoyed it. I, on the other hand, found the story-telling really sloppy, and judging it purely as a cinematic experience, disregarding the connection to the book entirely, it was a bit on the average side.

Having played through Persona 4 Golden on the Vita, a game I deeply love, I had a similar experience. To someone who hasn't played the game, P4GA is incomprehensible. If I was able to bridge gaps, it is purely because of my experience with the game. I imagine for anyone going into this new, it would be hard to connect with anything that is happening, and I doubt they'd enjoy the experience.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I made the time to sit through and watch every episode. But this is one of those situations where you really need the context of the game, because otherwise it'll make no sense at all. Persona makes for a very strong game, and a very weak TV series - chalk that up as a victory to storytelling in games!
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Re: Whatcha Been Watching?

Post by KSubzero1000 »

Just finished watching mother!.

I knew next to nothing about it going in, only that it was a divisive film. I ended up loving it. The biblical theme is rather obvious, but at least it wears its inspiration on its sleeve, rather than shoehorning random half-baked christian references into its story like so many other films (and stories in general) tend to do.

One of Aronofsky's best, I wouldn't change a single frame. I can totally see how it might turn some people off, however.
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Re: Whatcha Been Watching?

Post by ratsoalbion »

I saw it at the cinema and loved it too. It’s an angry, black comedy and utterly delirious.
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Re: Whatcha Been Watching?

Post by Combine Hunter »

I've been watching The Americans with my partner, and really enjoying it. I was promised that it got better and better as it went along, and that recommendation is proving to have weight. Season 1 is fun, but doesn't quite know what to focus on, but now we've reached the later episodes of Season 4 and it's become a really tightly written thriller.

The show's one weakness is the visuals. I've been spoilt by the likes of Better Call Saul and Fargo, but the cinematography doesn't really pop or have personality. Those two examples find interesting ways to frame things, so story information is cemented in your head with strong imagery. This is a lot of standard shot reverse shot. The writing makes up for it though.
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Re: Whatcha Been Watching?

Post by Suits »

Not really a TV show as such but I'm addicted to watching Sips' playthrough of Subnautica on YouTube.

I watched his original playthrough some years ago when the Alpha/Beta came out and enjoyed it greatly.

I like the idea of the game but seeing as though the full release isn't out on consoles yet, this is serving me just fine and will probably quench my thirst regards playing it.

This game goes some places I never thought it would - I'm really enjoying it :lol: .
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Re: Whatcha Been Watching?

Post by James »

Been watching loads lately!

I watched the entire run of Veronica Mars last month, for the first time. Thoroughly enjoyed it, though I kinda felt that the first season was the show's peak.

After that, it was Altered Carbon. I've seen a lot of criticism on Twitter. But most of that was people falling off it after an episode or two, so there wasn't much depth to why it rubbed some folks the wrong way. I enjoyed it, for the most part. Certainly, some of the adult content was a little more graphic than I would've liked. Many of the themes, plot points and characters leaned heavily on genre stereotype. But I felt it was pretty well-done on the whole. Certainly happy to watch another season, and I've started listening to the audiobook too.

Just yesterday I started watching The Thick Of It, and I'm already through seasons 1 and 2, and the two specials. It's ridiculous that I waited this long to watch it, to be honest. Cringe-inducing comedy at its finest. I can't wait to watch more tonight.
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Re: Whatcha Been Watching?

Post by Todinho »

Ok stop what you're doing right now and go watch Annihilation on netflix right now! This moive is great it's one of the best science fiction movies I've seen in ages, well since Arrival anyway, and it's the trip kind of Science fiction that we dont get anymore, do you like 2001? Go watch this movie!

Even if you dont like Science fiction just watch because visually it's a stunning movie, definetly one of the most striking movies I've seen in ages and the cinematography amazing, also this is one of the most genuinely unsettling movies I've seen maybe ever, I thought I had seen it all but there were moments here that I really winced and one in particular that horrified me to the point I wanted to look away from the screen but at the same time couldnt look away, the closest thing I can compare it to is when you see THE chimera in Fullmetal Alchemist. I was really curious after the movie ended who made this movie so I went and see and it's the same writer and director for Ex Machina(which is another great sci-fi movie, one of the best when it comes it's subject matter,) he also wrote 28 days later and Annihilation is up there with his other work Im really blown away by it.
Also something I noticed after the movie was done was that it had a all female cast of capable scientists that dont do dumb shit for no reason and are really relatable characters, and you know you could've written most if not all of them to be male if you wanted but they didnt they did a great all female sci-fi movie like it was no big deal and I think that's awesome too.

So yeah go watch it!
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Re: Whatcha Been Watching?

Post by Alex79 »

Been watching a few easy going programs that don't require much effort from the viewer lately.

The Good Place on Netflix is a comedy with Ted Danson and is actually really enjoyable. Basic premise is a woman gets sent to heaven (the good place), due to a clerical error, which meant she should really have been sent to the bad place. There are lots of plot twists, and I recommend it if you want something you can watch with ease.

See also, Love. Another Netflix comedy about two people starting out in a relationship. Only watched four episodes so far, but again it's really enjoyable.

I also started watching Parks & Recreation. I am a huge fan of The Office (US) but never got round to watching this until now, and it's great.

Finally, something that isn't as easy going but very good so far (after three episodes) is Seven Seconds, also on Netflix. A teenager gets killed in a hit and run by a police officer and the show is basically about the cover up and repercussions of this.

All get the Alex79uk seal of approval, which is 82% more accurate than Rotten Tomatoes recommendations.
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Re: Whatcha Been Watching?

Post by Simonsloth »

Todinho wrote: March 16th, 2018, 3:45 pm Ok stop what you're doing right now and go watch Annihilation on netflix right now! This moive is great it's one of the best science fiction movies I've seen in ages, well since Arrival anyway, and it's the trip kind of Science fiction that we dont get anymore, do you like 2001? Go watch this movie!

Even if you dont like Science fiction just watch because visually it's a stunning movie, definetly one of the most striking movies I've seen in ages and the cinematography amazing, also this is one of the most genuinely unsettling movies I've seen maybe ever, I thought I had seen it all but there were moments here that I really winced and one in particular that horrified me to the point I wanted to look away from the screen but at the same time couldnt look away, the closest thing I can compare it to is when you see THE chimera in Fullmetal Alchemist. I was really curious after the movie ended who made this movie so I went and see and it's the same writer and director for Ex Machina(which is another great sci-fi movie, one of the best when it comes it's subject matter,) he also wrote 28 days later and Annihilation is up there with his other work Im really blown away by it.
Also something I noticed after the movie was done was that it had a all female cast of capable scientists that dont do dumb shit for no reason and are really relatable characters, and you know you could've written most if not all of them to be male if you wanted but they didnt they did a great all female sci-fi movie like it was no big deal and I think that's awesome too.

So yeah go watch it!
I just finished watching it and agree with everything you’ve said. Thoroughly recommended. Garland is so consistently brilliant and in my eyes when I see his name associated with something it piques my interest immediately.
Todinho

Re: Whatcha Been Watching?

Post by Todinho »

Simonsloth wrote: March 25th, 2018, 9:43 pm
Todinho wrote: March 16th, 2018, 3:45 pm Ok stop what you're doing right now and go watch Annihilation on netflix right now! This moive is great it's one of the best science fiction movies I've seen in ages, well since Arrival anyway, and it's the trip kind of Science fiction that we dont get anymore, do you like 2001? Go watch this movie!

Even if you dont like Science fiction just watch because visually it's a stunning movie, definetly one of the most striking movies I've seen in ages and the cinematography amazing, also this is one of the most genuinely unsettling movies I've seen maybe ever, I thought I had seen it all but there were moments here that I really winced and one in particular that horrified me to the point I wanted to look away from the screen but at the same time couldnt look away, the closest thing I can compare it to is when you see THE chimera in Fullmetal Alchemist. I was really curious after the movie ended who made this movie so I went and see and it's the same writer and director for Ex Machina(which is another great sci-fi movie, one of the best when it comes it's subject matter,) he also wrote 28 days later and Annihilation is up there with his other work Im really blown away by it.
Also something I noticed after the movie was done was that it had a all female cast of capable scientists that dont do dumb shit for no reason and are really relatable characters, and you know you could've written most if not all of them to be male if you wanted but they didnt they did a great all female sci-fi movie like it was no big deal and I think that's awesome too.

So yeah go watch it!
I just finished watching it and agree with everything you’ve said. Thoroughly recommended. Garland is so consistently brilliant and in my eyes when I see his name associated with something it piques my interest immediately.
:D I really hope this movie does well we need more good sci-fi like this.

Speaking of good sci-fi I finnaly watched Blade Runner 2049 and all and all I really liked it, I think it's the best sequel it could be, it does a great job expanding the world of the original and more importantly it doesnt ruin the original story which I was very afraid it would. Now im not in the camp of people that think this one is as good as the original or that is better but it still does a pretty good job, the one thing I do prefer here alot more is the protagonist I think K is a way better main character the Decker ever was, his story is really compeling and it ends in a nice place(though the ending itself I have a few problems with, for very especific reasons) and if there's something I really disliked here was the villain, I couldnt care less about him and Jared Letto seemed to be hamming it up for no reason, his motivations and plans are to me the weakest part of the movie and what brings it down the most. Kinda of funny that the best thing about the original was the villain where here he's the weakest and the strongest thing about 2049 is the protagonist which to me always was the weakest link in the original Blade Runner.
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Re: Whatcha Been Watching?

Post by KSubzero1000 »

Todinho wrote: March 25th, 2018, 11:43 pm the one thing I do prefer here alot more is the protagonist I think K is a way better main character the Decker ever was, his story is really compeling and it ends in a nice place(though the ending itself I have a few problems with, for very especific reasons) and if there's something I really disliked here was the villain, I couldnt care less about him and Jared Letto seemed to be hamming it up for no reason, his motivations and plans are to me the weakest part of the movie and what brings it down the most. Kinda of funny that the best thing about the original was the villain where here he's the weakest and the strongest thing about 2049 is the protagonist which to me always was the weakest link in the original Blade Runner.
Completely agreed on both counts. I think that K is one of the best written protagonists in recent years but that 2049's villain (I don't even remember his name) is unfortunately the low point of the movie. He's completely one-note and doesn't seem to serve much of a purpose other than being evil and framing certain scene(s) a bit better. Quite the contrast with Roy Batty.

Overall, I really like 2049. It may not be a stone-cold classic like the original Blade Runner, but it's close. Very close.
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Re: Whatcha Been Watching?

Post by Simonsloth »

Apologies for lowering the tone from the previous discussions but I’ve just watched the new Rob Beckett Game sponsored Channel 4 programme ‘playing for time’.

What an absolute disgrace of a programme. Factually incorrect, poorly put together and filled me with anger!

It’s the polar opposite to Go8bit which I think is fun, inventive, varied and made by those with more than a passing interest in the medium. Sure it misfires on its guest choice and unbalanced panel but is a fun gamesmaster-like jaunt.

Playing for time feels like it’s been phoned in and I’m surprised Game would put their name all over it.

So much anger!
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Re: Whatcha Been Watching?

Post by Bakers_12 »

I enjoy Go8bit too. The main criticism by most people is the guest choices but if you have “proper” games fan who where good/competent some of the funny moments would not happen and it would get too serious when the games are being played. The big deal about the revolving stage whinds me up. Know why they have it but it’s such a waste of time.
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Re: Whatcha Been Watching?

Post by Todinho »

So I watched season 1 of Legion(well the 8 episodes that were on Netflix anyway)after hearing all sort of praise for it, to be honest Im abit dissapointed with the whole thing. To be clear there are parts and aspects of the series that I really really like, for starters I love how the first episode kicks things off it's an amazing introduction to the main character and the world. One of the main highlights of the show of course was how it used it's visual medium to help the story by using visual effects,editing,messing with sound and even aspect ratio to sort of put you there with the characters, its certainly one of the most visually interesting tv shows I've seen in awhile. Lastlly everything to do with the main character is great, I think his struggle with figuring out whats real is really good.

The problems I have is pretty much everything else, all the other characters are cardboard cut-outs and really boring to watch really also the entire persecuted mutants plot is done so by the numbers that I feel the showrunners placed there just out of obligation in fact all the connections of this show to the x-men kinda of weakens it in my opinion. The bigger problem I have is how the final episode wrapped things up because up to that point I was really into the main focus of the show which was the internal struggle of the main character but the problem I have is that everything kinda gets wrapped up in that episode in a very anti-climatic and unearned way I felt, which brings me to another issue I have is that alot of the things that happen dont make alot of sense, like how many of the powers work etc, usually that stuff doesnt bother me too much and it's a show about mutants I get it but here it felt so inconsistent and all over the place not to mention some things flat out dont make any sense and the show just expects you to just go with it it doesnt even recognize it. Another example of that is how I could never pinpoint when did the show took place, at first I thought it took place in the 60's or 70's maybe by how many of the characters were dressed by then how many of the characters act dont really match that and neither does the tech, but nobody uses a cellphone at any point so it isnt currently either, so I thought maybe it's like a retro sci-fi but that's never properly estabilished and by the end of the show I was still not sure when did the show take place.

So yeah I really like parts of this show(episode 1,5 and 6 in particular) but other parts are just so boring and not compelling in anyway, add to that the fact that the show can be pretty inconsistent and how the final episode wrapped things up and the show left me with a bad taste on my mouth and given that the thing I was most interested in is kinda of resolved in the end of this season Im not exactly looking foward to watching more Im afraid, I just might if I was assured that there would be more of Aubrey Plaza though she's the absolute stand out of everyone in the series.
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Re: Whatcha Been Watching?

Post by Simonsloth »

Episode 1 is fantastic! I recommended it to everyone after I saw it but the rest of the series couldn’t quite live up to the opening
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