6696 replies to this topic

[ysbreker]

There are over 550 million firearms in worldwide circulation. That's one firearm for every twelve people on the planet. The only question is: How do we arm the other 11?

I've just finished watching Lord Of War for the second time. It's got one of the greatest openings of a movie ever if you ask me. Go see it if you haven't already.

Ask any dope rat where their junk sprang and they'll say they scraped it from that who scored it from this who bought it off so and after four or five connections the list always ends with the Pin. But I bet you got every rat in town together and said 'show your hands' if any of them've actually seen the Pin, you'd get a crowd of full pockets.

I've also seen brick A somewhat strange movie, but odly compelling. Great acting, superb camerawork, strange but interesting story, what more do you want?

I'm not a dealer, I'm a mother who happens to distribute illegal products through a sham bakery set up by my ethically questionable CPA and his crooked lawyer friend.

And the one series everyone should have seen is, ofcourse, weeds. Funny, touching, great story, superb acting. I can't wait for the next season (starting sometime in august!)

[brkl]

House MD. I've been watching way too much of that show in the past week. It's fucking awesome.

[Wrestlevania]

Down in the Valley (starring the ever-compelling Ed Norton) is the most striking and memorable film I've seen recently. And - for what it's worth - I thought Lord of War in its entirety was a superb film--not just that fantastic introductory sequence.

Bullet Boy premiered on TV here in the UK not so long back, and that's bitter-sweet to watch. Might be because it reminds me so much of the rough easter-English towns I grew up in when I was a kid though. But still, heartily recommended; the main characters are brilliantly portrayed, and very fragile (despite their gangsta leanings). An deeply touching and 'human' film.

At the moment, I have Jet Li's latest - and last - martial arts film, Fearless, ready to go. I'm really looking forward to watching it, too.

TV I've gone off completely, especially since Lost - Season 2 disappeared up its own plot loopholes. I switched off the first episode of the latest series of 24 after just 20 minutes as well; what's happened to great TV series' all of a sudden? Fingers crossed the third season of Battlestar Gallactica gets back to it's first season roots a little more. Otherwise, I can see it being a long, cold winter this year--tellivisually speaking of course!!!

[brkl]

Did you watch the second season of Lost to the end? It had some bad episodes, but really picked up towards the end.

[Wrestlevania]

Did you watch the second season of Lost to the end? It had some bad episodes, but really picked up towards the end.

No. And, out of principle - plus knowing that the original story's been grossly overpadded - I think that's reason enough not to add my number to the viewing figures.

I vote with my remote, and this remote sez, "stop fucking about with perfectly good stories, just so you can stretch 24 episodes out of the thing."

The TV execs responsible for Lost's rapid weight gain should have been drowned at birth IMHO.

[ysbreker]

Wrestlevania, do try to get to see weeds. It's the best tv-show I've seen this year. (Yes. better than BSG)

[miffy495]

Ugh. Down In The Valley was just so slow. Norton put on a good show, as always, but the movie overall just didn't feel worth it. Movie I can really recommend of late was Wordplay. Really good documentary. It'd not neccessary that you be a language geek to appreciate it, but it helps. Also, The Proposition was really good. Well worth admission.

As for TV shows, I've been plowing through all eight DVD sets of Red Dwarf and really haven't watched anything new for a while. I enjoy Rescue Me and Weeds, but always end up just renting entire seasons after they air, so there isn't much I'm ever actually watching. Aside from Daily Show/Colbert, of course. Those are just a given.


EDIT: Oh yeah. One more vote for House as well. So what if every episode is basically the same? It's still good, dammit.

[Oath]

I wish they did more episodes like "Three Stories" and "No Reason" on House, instead of throwing them on the air late in the season as a way of earning some awards. Can't wait for season 3 though (it starts in September, right?).

[Existentialist Jones]

I switched off the first episode of the latest series of 24 after just 20 minutes as well; what's happened to great TV series' all of a sudden?

Tut tut. It did pick up something fierce. A lot of people did say it got too ridiculous this season. I say to them - what show were you watching before? Other than that, I feel compelled to trot out the standard answer that all the best TV shows are old and we are living in an era starved of creativity. Until Fraiser - The Next Generation.

[Wrestlevania]

Tut tut. It did pick up something fierce.

They shot my favourite (and the series' most important) character in the throat during the opening scenes.

But apparently this murderous threat isn't the biggest problem for the White House today. No, it's the ham-acting neurotic wife flipping out and dunking herself in the nearest sink, before stomping off to trash a press conference... puh-lease.

A lot of people did say it got too ridiculous this season. I say to them - what show were you watching before?

Season 3 was pretty shitty by all accounts--didn't watch that one either, as the opening episode there also spiralled into the poo quite rapidly. And it had no affect on my enjoyment of the more-traditional season 4.

[Jayel]

Has anyone seen Babylon 5? If so, how is it? Compared to Battlestar Galactica?
(yes, I know it's old)

[Marek]

I'm interested in the answer to that as well.
I really like the political side of the later seasons of Deep Space Nine, and obviously Battlestar Galactica. Apparently Babylon 5 has that going for it as well. Are all the seasons good though? I saw some early episodes years ago and it didn't really hook me.

[brkl]

It was hard for me to admit that BSG is better than B5. Still, it's a great show. Like BSG, there's a lot of politics (more than BSG) and relationships between characters are important.

[Redwall]

The acting and writing leaves a little to be desired, at least in comparison to the plots.

[n0wak]

There are similaritities with the two, but Babylon 5 really needs to approached differently than BSG. It needs to be seen as a Space Opera from the start. A grand sense of scale, epic, drawn out movements involving political intrigue and war, and most importantly a LOT of character development and struggle. This means that there's a lot of speeches and over the top dialogue (and even soliloquies, sort of), so there's a lot of melodrama in the individual episodes, but taken as a whole there's little to compare it to.

The first season does have a lot of pretty lousy episodes, since it was setting up the show and sticking to the Star Trek-ish different writers tackling their own stand-alone episodes routine, but it's hard to recommend skipping it because amongst that there is a lot of bits and pieces that hint to the greater story arc (which doesn't really get going until mid-way through the second season). There's an episode with Babylon 4 in the first season that looks like a stand-alone episode until it is revisited late in the third season, when it gets a completely different meaning. It was a setup that spans three seasons (the balls to do that!) that, when it comes to, is a total "holy shit" moment.

[Wrestlevania]

There's an episode with Babylon 4 in the first season that looks like a stand-alone episode until it is revisited late in the third season, when it gets a completely different meaning. It was a setup that spans three seasons (the balls to do that!) that, when it comes to, is a total "holy shit" moment.

A friend who was a dedicated follower of Babylon 5 said the series did pitch into the sea quite badly during its middle seasons, but was saved towards the end by some bold writing and a distinct "yes the show's been canned, but we don't give a shit" attitude from all involved.

Never did get around to watching it all though.

[Jayel]

Sounds like it's worth a watching. I'll definitely buy it/rent it/pirate it/wait until it's back on TV.

[Moosferatu]

I just watched the first couple of episodes of The 4400 because I'd never seen it before and I wanted to be able to justly say that it sucks. To my complete surprise, it ended up not sucking. I'm still a bit skeptical as to whether or not the show can keep it up though. Has anyone here watched the second season? How is it?

[Erik]

The first season of Rome has just been aired for the first time here.
I didn't want to watch it in english, so I can't be sure about acting, but the british cast looks very convincing.
The way History embraces the fictional life of the two main characters (whose names are mentioned in De Bello Gallico) is well written and edited. The credits include writers who worked on the Sopranos.
There is a surprising yet logical amount of violence and sex in most episods.

The series has benefited of huge funds, the biggest for a TV show so far : sets, clothes and make-up are great, but it lacks a few huge battle scenes.
That and Vorenus' static acting are the only downsides to this must-watch. Season two is coming for 2007.

[ysbreker]

I just watched the first couple of episodes of The 4400 because I'd never seen it before, and I wanted to be able to justly say that it sucks. To my complete surprise, it ended up not sucking. I'm still a bit skeptical as to whether or not the show can keep it up though. Has anyone here watched the second season? How is it?

I've seen the second season and I'm currently following the third. It's a very decent show I think. Perfect to fill the gap between the BSG seasons. They have put in some nice plot twists and surprises.