Movie/TV recommendations

[Bjorn]

The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore premiered tonight, and for the first time in years I made it a point to watch something live on TV that wasn't a sporting event (I think the last time it happened was when Drew Carry took over The Price is Right).

There's a bunch of promise here. It's functionally the old Politically Incorrect format (a panel of people talking about something), except that Wilmore actually has a more intriguing point of view than Maher, and is a lot funnier. And hey, look, a group of five people talking and only one of them was a white dude. The #keepit100 segment is a great idea, but felt a bit forced the first time out. But compared to what I have thought of new talk/comedy shows in the past, Wilmore was a lot stronger out of the gate than Colbert or Stewart were when they took over their shows.

Its definitely getting worked into my regular lunch time rotation.

[Ben X]

Can everyone keep their Whiplash discussions spoilered up, please? Thanks to those already doing so!

[Bolegium]

The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore premiered tonight, and for the first time in years I made it a point to watch something live on TV that wasn't a sporting event (I think the last time it happened was when Drew Carry took over The Price is Right).

There's a bunch of promise here. It's functionally the old Politically Incorrect format (a panel of people talking about something), except that Wilmore actually has a more intriguing point of view than Maher, and is a lot funnier. And hey, look, a group of five people talking and only one of them was a white dude. The #keepit100 segment is a great idea, but felt a bit forced the first time out. But compared to what I have thought of new talk/comedy shows in the past, Wilmore was a lot stronger out of the gate than Colbert or Steward were when they took over their shows.

Its definitely getting worked into my regular lunch time rotation.

 

I had no idea this existed so thanks for brining it to my attention. On a slight tangent I think Jessica Williams is super really awesome and it would be great if she had her own show, or at least appeared more frequently on other shows.

 

I saw Into the Woods today and quite liked it, was even surprised at how moved I was at some parts. I'm kicking myself for missing a Q&A screening with the Director of Photography Dion Beebe recently, especially since that's my line of work/study.

[brkl]

It was originally called The Minority Report with Larry Wilmore, which is an amazing name.

[Bjorn]

Yeah, they chickened out, plus wanted to align the branding more with The Daily Show. 

 

The topic of the first episode was the state of protest in the US, and tonight's episode is going to be Bill Cosby. 

[Brannigan]

i thought there was a copyright issue with the name

[feelthedarkness]

i need to peep that Larry Willmore!

 

Also, I'm really easy going about my TV Sci-fi, in that I desperately want something good and catch on, but I definitely enjoyed the 12 Monkeys premier. 

[twmac]

My feelings on Whiplash.

 

JK Simmons character is essentially the evil villain in a James Bond movie with his protegee as JB. He tells his victim all of his evil plans as he tortures him (emotionally but also physically) and even how to beat him.

The problem is, and you see it in his gleeful grin as Miller rises to the occasion, the plans he revealed were meant for Miller's own destruction and by following his teacher's logic he has completely broken himself to the teacher's will.

Much of the earlier parts of the film felt like I was actually watching Full Metal Jacket and it was JK breaking down Miller's id and attempting to rebuild him as a machine.

So yeah, didn't find the film at all sympathetic with Fletcher (JK Simmon's character), because every time they showed you even a hint of humanity in him the immediately juxtaposed that with him being utterly ruthless.

My favourite moment is when asked 'What if you discouraged the next Parker?' he replies that it would never discourage the next Parker but also he admits that he has never had a Parker in his class. You could take that to mean that he has actually discouraged or broken every potential Parker in his class.

 

If it is not clear from the spoilers - I loved it.

[Bjorn]

i thought there was a copyright issue with the name

 

There is the Philip K Dick story (with the movie version starring Tom Cruise), but I never saw them reference it as a reason for the name change. The official reason was to unify the branding with the Daily Show and that they didn't want the name to lead people to think that it would only be a show about "black" issues or news.

[Brannigan]

http://www.avclub.com/article/larry-wilmores-comedy-central-show-gets-new-name-a-212098

[Gwardinen]

I was curious enough to watch the Larry Wilmore thing through a proxied Hulu. Most of these kinds of shows don't translate that well internationally, but I actually mostly enjoyed it. Certainly enough to check out the next episode tomorrow.

[Bjorn]

http://www.avclub.com/article/larry-wilmores-comedy-central-show-gets-new-name-a-212098

 

Ah, I had missed the news of a new series being developed, but I had seen a couple of quotes from Wilmore about branding and the concern about people thinking the show would only be about minority issues.

[Brannigan]

I hadn't seen that, so I guess a bit of both.  Still miss the original name though

[Erkki]

Just saw Babadook. It was good for a horror movie, but still a bit generic.

[Professor Video Games]

Saw Inherent Vice over the weekend. Very mixed feelings on it. I haven't read the book and though I tried my best to keep up with the plot, I was pretty lost by about 2/3rds of the way through. But even if the plot details didn't matter, it generally just moved too quickly to ever let anything develop. That said, there were some great moments (mostly revolving around Josh Brolin eating things) and the whole web of conspiracies that may or may not be real atmosphere certainly felt like a good Pynchon translation based on the little of his other stuff I've read.

[Mawd]

So Birdman. Pretty much what everyone said it was. Really fun but ends in a way that didn't really grab me. Music and acting in it were terrific though.

 

Oh and I finally watched Only Lovers Left Alive which I thought was really very good.

[Merus]

I had heard that The Imitation Game glossed over Alan Turing's sexuality. I'm not sure what movie those people saw.

 

I'm pre-disposed to liking it because he is one of the titans on whose shoulders I currently stand, but I liked it. It's Oscar bait, but they didn't fuck it up and that's all I care about.

[Bolegium]

I've heard from critics that his sexuality is used as a mid-point plot twist, and that the details of his suicide are sort of glossed over in a bit of text. People I know who have seen the movie seem to like it though.

[Merus]

Both of those things are true, but they use the homosexuality charges as the framing story and somehow manage to tie the Turing Test to his sexuality as well. They also make clear that he's been greatly diminished by the charged, although the poison apple detail would have been a good one to add given there's a scene where he tries bonding with his team by giving them apples.

[brkl]

The poison apple is possibly a myth, so there's that. Can't remember the source, but I read an article that claimed the apple wasn't tested, but presumed to be the source of the poison. He could also have been poisoned accidentally while working.

[Bolegium]

I'm finally watching Pushing Daisies, only 4 episodes in and I love it.

 

One thought I have is that I think Haven and maybe to a lesser extent Fringe have similarities to Pushing Daisies in the way they treat 'antagonist' characters and conflict. I'm generalising and I haven't seen all the episodes for any of those shows, but most of the 'bad' characters aren't completely evil, they're just people who have different motivations and are still capable of doing 'good'. The 'good' characters are less interested in punishing people or getting 'justice', and more there to help survivors cope, and to solve mysteries to provide understanding and context. The protagonists' power comes primarily from a capacity for great empathy, or some variation of it.

 

The shows' target demographics also seem to lean more towards a female audience rather than a 'standard' male one. Along with everything mentioned previously, the mixture of morbid themes with light-hearted tone and a rejection of cynicism has similarities with Paprika, and Miyazaki's films.

 

I like dark and gritty, but it's also really lovely to see stuff like this and I wish there were more!

 

Also the scene transitions in PD are done so well.

 

Also Lee Pace is dreamy.

[Erkki]

I'm sick at home without energy to do much besides watch movies. So today I had an 80s adventure movie binge. After watching Conan the Barbarian recently, I had to recheck if the sequel Conan the Destroyer is really that much worse. Yes, it kind of is, although it has it's moments. I forced myself to watch Red Sonja also, but that one has nothing much going for it. Followed those with Romancing the Stone (still rather enjoyable), and slept through most of it's boring sequel Jewel of the Nile. They really didn't know how to make good sequels in the 80s, with a few exceptions.

 

Maybe I'll take on the Mad Max trilogy tomorrow.

[Merus]

They really didn't know how to make good sequels in the 80s, with a few exceptions.

 

Maybe I'll take on the Mad Max trilogy tomorrow.

 

Ho boy, Mad Max 3 is a perfect example of not being able to make a good sequel. Mad Max 1 and 2 feel very different.

 

Having seen Mad Max 3, I'm looking forward to Fury Road because most of the mistakes of 3 have clearly not been made in Fury Road. That doesn't mean it won't have its own mistakes, just that Fury Road at least has car crashes and larger-than-life gangs.

[Twig]

yeah but mad max 3 had the thunderdome so

 

(i actually have no strong opinions about mad max, but i watched the trilogy for the first time a few years ago and enjoyed all three (i think 2 was my favorite, iirc))

[Bjorn]

  to the Thunderdome.

 

Also 3 has a badass Tina Turner, which apparently left an indelible impression on the lady, making Turner one of her heroes and icons for a long time.  Honestly I don't remember the movie that well to know if Turner was actually that badass, but to a 10ish year old girl, she was.