Movie/TV recommendations

[brkl]

It's what you get by googling 'huge bell'.

[Roderick]

Ha, yeah, maybe with SafeSearch on!

[ThunderPeel2001]

I'm off to see

Tintin

!

Edited October 29, 2011 by ThunderPeel2001

[ThunderPeel2001]

I'm back. It was

OK

.

[miffy495]

Sounds like a

pleasant evening

!

[James]

I saw We Need to Talk About Kevin earlier this week. I felt like I should mention it, but I couldn't think of anything to say about it other than it was a) depressing and very good. It's frustrating not to have the analytical insight to properly sing the praises of things. The best I can really manage is to say that it's an uncomfortable exploration of a side of motherhood not often seen. And obviously there's the whole nature versus nurture thing.

Behold, the full extent of my critical insight!

[Roderick]

Two movies are of interest:

De Heineken Ontvoering (The Heineken Abduction), a Dutch crime movie about the real life abduction event of beer mogul Heineken. It's pretty good, our country is on a roll with great crime movies. A few weeks back we got De Bende Van Oss (The Gang of Oss), a gangster epic about a provincial city in the 1930s. Really good stuff. Oh, in the former movie, Heineken is played Rutger Hauer. That should get some of you interested.

The Adventures of Tintin: this was unexpectedly good! I really wasn't sure about the art style, but it works fine in the movie and once you accept it you're in for a great, typically Spielbergian ride. This movie is a way better Indiana Jones than the fourth Jones movie was.

[ThunderPeel2001]

I decided to write more than two letters about Tintin:

Overall it was a fun adventure in a way that I've never really seen before. I've never been a fan of Tintin (finding the titular character to be far too dull), but this just about managed to win me over. At its best it reminded me of Raiders of the Lost Ark, at its worst it reminded me of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The worst moments (for me) came when the writers seemed to take the easy way out just so they could have a stupid, slapstick joke. I always thought that Tintin's alleged strong point was its realism and intricate plotting -- While there's plenty that makes the world seem "real", there's also plenty that takes it into Tex Avery territory. It's a weird mix.

I also kept thinking, "this would be so much better if it was live action".

It's still worth seeing, though, and I'm sure kids of a certain age will love it.

[Nappi]

Just finished the series 6 of Doctor Who. Excellent ridiculous stuff!

Karen Gillain's acting definitely got a lot more natural/believable during throughout the two seasons and yes, I'm fairly sure it's not just me getting used to her. I loved the way the writers handled Rory. I was sure he would get the usual third wheel treatment.

[Thyroid]

The Neil Gaiman episode was stellar, wasn't it? It's too bad the River Song stuff didn't live up to its potential.

[Nappi]

The Neil Gaiman episode was stellar, wasn't it? It's too bad the River Song stuff didn't live up to its potential.

It was very good. Still, my absolute favourite from the latest series was "The Impossible Astronaut"/"Day of the Moon".

[toblix]

[MrHoatzin]

You are mad! Also, has the second season of Downton Abbey wrapped up yet? Really nice series that—really lovely dialogue and inter-character interaction—even though the basic thrusts of the story feature some utterly unrealistic utopian portrayals of the dawn of the 20th century.

Sal Limones and myself have been watching the House of Cards—a British political drama series—a short, marvelous thing that exists somewhere halfway between I, Claudius and The Wire. :tup: (I, Claudius is another awesome ancient BBC show that I would recommend, while I am at it, for those who haven't seen it. )

[Chris]

You are mad! Also, has the second season of Downton Abbey wrapped up yet? Really nice series that—really lovely dialogue and inter-character interaction—even though the basic thrusts of the story feature some utterly unrealistic utopian portrayals of the dawn of the 20th century.

Sal Limones and myself have been watching the House of Cards—a British political drama series—a short, marvelous thing that exists somewhere halfway between I, Claudius and The Wire. :tup: (I, Claudius is another awesome ancient BBC show that I would recommend, while I am at it, for those who haven't seen it. )

I love Downton Abbey. Can't wait for the second season to head to the US. I agree that it trends toward the overly romantic, but to be honest I find it almost a relief to have a show that's both 1) not relentlessly cynical and dismal and 2) not unbearably maudlin and brainless.

House of Cards is great. I watched it last month or so and really enjoyed it. Never seen I, Claudius but I've meant to for some time.

[ThunderPeel2001]

Ooh! A show that isn't relentlessly cynical? Suddenly I'm interested!

Edit: Wait. This is what you're all referring to? I did not expect that!

[MrHoatzin]

The show is kindof an anti-Gosford Park. Same exact premises and themes, only whereas Gosford Park's gooey center is comprised of misanthropy, nihilism and class warfare, Downton Abbey's gooey center is made of 100% USDA Prime schmaltz.

[Roderick]

Upon seeing Johnny English Reborn for a second time in theatres yesterday (agent in distress!), I was once again confronted with the horror that is the 'Happy Feet Two' trailer. This thing is so vile and objectionable that I had to put it in words, but it's surprisingly hard to say what exactly makes it so abhorrent. Here is an attempt.

1. Pushing adult themes on seemingly baby penguins in a movie for babies kids. These juvenile penguins are singing gangster rap shit about picking up ladies and 'knocking them out', which frankly I don't know what it means but it sounds scary.

2. Hypersexualizing gender patterns for children. In the trailer there are two groups of kid penguins singing: boys and girls. The boys are all tough and macho, but then the girls come up (visually indistinguishable from the boys) and they all act like three Beyoncé's put together. With high-pitched, breathy moans they sing their stuff, wagging their hips and doing some seductive dance. Then the parent penguin comes up and goes 'oh ho ho, well done son'. It reminded me of those beauty pageants for toddlers where mom dresses them up with lipstick, fake boobs and pink dresses. It's disturbing, wrong, and in a theatre near you.

3. A movie about penguins with no Morgan Freeman voice over

[brkl]

I think I can see the theme they are going for with Happy Feet:

Happy Feet: Racism

Happy Feet Two: Sexism

I wonder what's next?

[elmuerte]

Happy Feet 3: Der Über Penguin!

[Nappi]

Happy Feet 3 will be a touching story of pure hate.

[Moosferatu]

I enjoyed the first season of Downton Abbey, despite it being melodramatic at times. I think the second season is heading to the US at the beginning of next year. My brother and sister-in-law have started watching it already, and they report that the melodrama has been ratcheted up and even includes a taste of amnesia. Not promising.

[Roderick]

The Ides of March. After Crazy, Stupid, Love and Drive, Ryan Gosling once again shows himself to be one of the finest actors in cinema now. The Ides of March is a great movie, too. Very subtle, and subtly exciting.

No references to the Idle Thumbs podcast, alack.

[Gwardinen]

This may be a little out of left field, but does anyone remember Party of Five with enough clarity to give any thoughts on it? For some reason I have an urge to watch it, but with the benefit of hindsight is it worthwhile at all?

[Salka]

Upon seeing Johnny English Reborn for a second time in theatres yesterday (agent in distress!), I was once again confronted with the horror that is the 'Happy Feet Two' trailer. This thing is so vile and objectionable that I had to put it in words, but it's surprisingly hard to say what exactly makes it so abhorrent. Here is an attempt.

1. Pushing adult themes on seemingly baby penguins in a movie for babies kids. These juvenile penguins are singing gangster rap shit about picking up ladies and 'knocking them out', which frankly I don't know what it means but it sounds scary.

2. Hypersexualizing gender patterns for children. In the trailer there are two groups of kid penguins singing: boys and girls. The boys are all tough and macho, but then the girls come up (visually indistinguishable from the boys) and they all act like three Beyoncé's put together. With high-pitched, breathy moans they sing their stuff, wagging their hips and doing some seductive dance. Then the parent penguin comes up and goes 'oh ho ho, well done son'. It reminded me of those beauty pageants for toddlers where mom dresses them up with lipstick, fake boobs and pink dresses. It's disturbing, wrong, and in a theatre near you.

3. A movie about penguins with no Morgan Freeman voice over

Shitting Crikey, I just looked up the trailer and it's hideous. However, if you want a decent movie involving penguins but not Morgan Freeman, you should check out

!

[Roderick]

That's cool, Werner Herzog on deranged penguins.