Seen Any Good Movies Lately?

[Nancy OShea]

Since the pandemic hit, we've stayed away from movie theaters for the most part but we've been streaming plenty. Some were really outstanding; others were just meh!

I thought it might be fun to share our experiences here. 

Last night we watched a 2021 black comedy/action/thriller called "Nobody" which was recommended by a friend.  If you don't mind gang violence and high action car chases coupled with good music & offbeat comedy, it's an entertaining ride.  B+

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7888964/mediaindex/

We recently saw "Don't Look Up" which has a stellar cast and great performances but it fell apart in some places.  Still I can't help but feel there's a really good film in there somewhere.  And a hysterical scene after the credits, so don't turn it off prematurely.  B-

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11286314/mediaindex/

So what have you seen lately?

[Kuji Fox]

I'm excited to see things like Moonfall etc... But this year, I haven't seen anything. 

[Sil.C]

My favourite so far has definitely been Spiderman No Way Home. I've seen it in the cinema 3 times already and would gladly go for a 4th. So much fan service, I cried and laughed within minutes and they made it work well. 

I also watched Free Guy and while I wasn't expecting much, I had a lot of fun!

[EuanWilliamson]

Just one https://youtu.be/g4Hbz2jLxvQ

[Sil.C]

Oh, yes! I don't usually watch animation films, but I had to watch this one. It's done in such an original way with different FPS at the same time, and an amazing story. Loved it!

[SJRiegel]

I recently watched one from a couple of years ago - News of the World

I highly recommend it. Good acting, engaging story and an overall atmosphere that pulls you in.

[Kuji Fox]

Recently I've actually seen Spiderman no way home which was suprisingly fresh. The last James Bond movie almost made me cry, and I've been listening to "No time to die," by Billie Ellish ever since. Don't worry I don't spoil. 

I also ended up watching Hotel Translyvania:4 I laughed outloud at the title and the ridicoulus series continued. Not as terrible as I thought it'd be but still not the greatest. 

I really want to go see American Underdog no-spoilers. 

[Nancy OShea]

Now streaming on Netflix, "The Power of the Dog" is written and directed by Jane Campion ("The Piano"), starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemmons and Kodi Smit-McPhee. 

Campion juxtaposes beauty with brutality in this highly visual story about a domineering rancher (Cumberbatch) in 1925 Montana who responds with mocking cruelty when his brother (Plemmons) brings home a new wife (Dunst) and her "sensitive" son (Smit-McPhee).   Good performances and very nice cinematography.  B

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10293406/

===========

We also revisted Ingmar Bergman's epic fantasy/drama "The Seventh Seal" on HBO MAX about a knight (Max Von Sydow) returning home to Sweden during the black plague and playing chess with the angel of death.  Despite it's 65 year age, "The Seventh Seal" still holds up today!  A++

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050976/

[Nancy OShea]

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (aka the Academy Awards / Oscars) released their nominations today.  

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/08/movies/2022-oscars-nominees-list.html

Of the 10 nominated films, I've seen only 5 so far:

• Nightmare Alley ✓, Don't Look Up ✓, Dune ✓, The Power of the Dog ✓, King Richard ✓
• Drive My Car,  Belfast and CODA are on my watch list.  I can't get Licorice Pizza or West Side Story right now.

I think the toughest categories will be Best Performance by leading Actor and Actress. My personal favorites:

• Will Smith in King Richard.
• Jessica Chastain in The Eyes of Tammy Faye.
• Nicole Kidman & Javiar Bardeem in Being the Ricardos.
• Benedict Cumberbatch in The Power of the Dog.
• Denzel Washington in The Tragedy of Macbeth.

Spider-man: No Way Home received a nomination for Best Visual Effects along with Dune, Free Guy, No Time to Die and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

[Kuji Fox]

The question is, who's hosting the awards show?

[Nancy OShea]

The 94th Oscars Ceremony will be held Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, CA and televised live by ABC network and Oscars.org.  Check local listings for the time & channel.

EDIT:  No word yet on who the Master of Ceremonies (MC) will be.  But I'm guessing Whoopie won't be invited.  Maybe Jimmy Kimmel will do it if they invite him back.

[Kuji Fox]

Knives Out 2 is actually coming?

[Kuji Fox]

Uncharted was 50-50 quality for me. There were ups and downs, but I hope it really succeeds.

[Nancy OShea]

The Oscars are tonight! 

Last night I saw "Drive My Car" -- a beautiful and ambitious film by Ryûsuke Hamaguchi about a grieving widowed actor (Hidetoshi Nishijima) who takes a theater directing position in Hiroshima.  While there, he develops closeness with the young woman (Tôko Miura) assigned to drive his car.  The dialog is an eclectic mix of Japanese, English, Tagalog, Korean & Korean Sign.  In the absence of sub-titles, I highly recommend viewing it with closed captions on. 

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14039582/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_lk2  A++

After seeing this year's top contenders, I predict the Best Picture award will go to... CODA about a child of deaf adults who is the only hearing person in her family.  It may not be the best film of the year but it made me laugh & made me cry.  It's a "feel good movie" in a year when we could all use something to feel good about.  B+

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10366460/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

[Nancy OShea]

Well CODA won the Oscar for Best Picture.  And Will Smith won Best Smacktor! 

What a spectacle that was!!!  😦

Source: Google Images

[Kuji Fox]

"MoonKnight" just hit on disney+. Let me know how it was anyone who may have watched it. 

[Sil.C]

I watched the first episode last night. I enjoyed it 🙂 All Marvel shows on Disney+ feel very different from each other. Can't wait to see more of this one!

[rayek.elfin]

Watched Belle (Ryu to Sobakasu no Hime) the other day. What an amazing film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99FX0cQwTR4

My attempt to watch Spiderman No Way Home last week failed after suffering through the utterly boring and predictable first 35 minutes. When Osborn entered the scene I decided to call it a day and find more interesting activities to spend my time, such as playing with our cat and enjoy a walk in the sun. Those Marvel movies (and comics) have become cultural drivel of the highest order. Rinse and repeat. Reboot. Rinse and repeat. Not a single original thought. Yawn.

[John T Smith]

Not movies, but right now my wife is binging series on Netflix... currently watching Married at First Sight

She normally doesn't do romance reality shows, but she broke her kneecap that past Saturday (going in for surgery next Tuesday) and she is, as she says BORED OUT OF HER MIND so watching any series that is interesting in any way

She will be off her leg (except wearing an immobilizer brace and using a walker to get to the bathroom and back to bed) for at least 2 months, so Netflix is going to be running a lot

[Nancy OShea]

@John T Smith,

Oh ouch!  So sorry your wife has to have surgery.  I wish her all the best for a complete & a speedy recovery.  Do you have anyone to help you while she's off her feet?

I'm caught up in real court TV right now  -- all accessible from YouTube  -- if your wife likes that sort of thing.

Depp vs Heard Defamation Trial.  Lots of drama from both sides.  But the makeup snafu could be the single biggest wrinkle so far (no pun intended).  Amber alleges she was abused by former husband Johnny between 2014-2016.   Amber's lead attorney claims nobody saw bruises because Amber skillfully applied herbal Arnica cream plus a makeup concealer from a kit made by Milani Cosmetics.  There's just one problem, the concealer kit didn't exist until late 2017.  Oooops!  The trial is live streamed daily on Law&Crime Network.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=depp+vs+heard+live+trial

Chad & Lori Daybell.  This possible death-penalty case is morbidly twisted & bizarre.  It has everything:  lies, deception, mental competency, adultery, religious fringe cult, "end of days" prophecies, demons, zombies, conspiracy, missing children & multiple murders.  Stranger than fiction.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=chad+daybell+preliminary+hearing

[John T Smith]

>have anyone to help you

Nope... I am day AND evening nurse

It took about 10 minutes to get her from house to truck this morning to go for a REQUIRED Covid test before she can be admitted to the hospital... so I am the only person she can be near right now

At least our front access is a ramp, since she is not able to do stairs while wearing a 'soft cast' to immobilize her knee... bending it hurts A LOT... she can move "some" using a walker, but very slowly

I had one screw on grab bar that wasn't used on a previous outdoot project that is now screwed to the doorjamb in the bathroom... and two more one order... one for shower and one for the 2 steps from house to garage for the day when she can bend her knee to use steps

She has taken over my bed (we both snore) and I am on an air bed that we bought when her nephew visited... she won't be able to go back up a full flight of stairs for 2--3--??? months... I can't sleep upstairs, since that would be too far away if she needs help

[Nancy OShea]

Oh geez.  That's a lot of work for one person.  You might want to order an intercom/pager so you can be in another part of the house without worry.

My friend broke her leg a week before retirement from teaching.  She couldn't do anything for several weeks post-surgery without assistance. So her husband brought in a daytime nurses aid  -- which my friend hated but it kept her husband sane. 

[Nancy OShea]

We just saw the Banshees of Inisherin, written and directed by Irish playwright Martin McDonagh.

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_banshees_of_inisherin

A slightly gruesome story that takes place on a remote island off the coast of 1920's Ireland.  One day without warning, Pádraic (Colin Farrell) learns his best buddy Colm (Brendan Gleeson) has put an end to their lifelong friendship.  With help from his sister (Kerry Condon) and a troubled young islander (Barry Keoghan), Pádraic sets out to repair the damaged relationship by any means necessary.  Part humor & part horror tale that draws you in with gorgeous scenery and top notch performances. A+

I expect The Banshees of Inisherin to receive a few Golden Globe awards this Tues night (5:pm PST).

[John T Smith]

Just watched Top Gun Maverick... somewhat cliched but good... my wife even enjoyed

I now see that the original is on Netflix so I will ask if she wants to watch

[Nancy OShea]

Just saw Everything Everywhere All At Once, written & directed by Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert.  Available now on Showtime.  Comedy/Adventure, Sci-Fi, Fantasy.

A highly imaginative trip through the multi-verse by a Chinese American woman and laundromat owner (Michelle Yeoh) being audited by IRS tax agent (Jamie Lee Curtis).  Great visuals.  You'll never think about googly eyes, fingers and bagels quite the same way again.  Sadly, the 2nd third of the film lost my interest but the final third is really amazing!  B+

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/everything_everywhere_all_at_once