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Post by Baph on Apr 7, 2017 10:49:19 GMT -5
Vader did missions like this several times in the prequals, as did his counterpart Maul. Lone commando missions. Jedi temple, trade agreement, Qui Gon duel, etc. Conventionally it seems odd, but the sith apprentice has some history of being used in this uber aggressive manner. Vader at the height of his power is better, faster, smarter, more focused, and harder to kill than 1,000 storm troopers. I guess. i suppose it just doesn't fit with the Vader I knew from childhood Agree with this and that's largely because the prequals pretty dramatically evolved the Sith methodology and the timeline in these films is non-linear so it's weird. Originally, Vader was stoic, isolated, plotting some complex galactic scheme in some forbidden chamber with an Emperor who is never seen in public. At best you'd see him emerge to crack heads when something was behind schedule, and people would flip the fuck out at news of his arrival, seeming to imply this was a rare event. Seeing Vader on the front lines with grunts going to kick in doors is a pretty jarring departure. But, it fits. It's young Vader vs old Vader (chronologically). And it lines up with what we see from apprentice Vader as well as young Darth Maul. They're interplanetary commandos carrying out vital missions for the Sith Lord. The problem is, as you say, this is not how they were introduced and imprinted on us 30 years ago. Of all the shocking action scenes (Yoda saber fight with Palpatine) Vader's attempt to retrieve the Death Star plans was handled the best. Seeing Yoda do flips and karate just fucking killed a part of my soul. Seeing Vader force choke people and casually deflect blaster shots like some telekinetic death samurai was exciting. I will say you hit two critical bullseyes in your review, re: clutter and heavy-handed multiculturalism. Marvel sales are way down over the same thing in print comics. These companies seem to have a crazed compulsion to crowbar diversity into story lines even at the expense of believably and brand recognition. Thor is not a chick. Green Lantern is not a gay ginger. Iron Man is not a black chick. What the fuck are you doing?
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Post by Premier on Apr 14, 2017 22:34:38 GMT -5
Fast Furious 8
Im getting too old for these type of movies.
You all probably seen that preview when the Rock grabs a torpedo with his bare hands......well, lets just start with that and get ready for a lot more...
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Post by Deleted on Apr 16, 2017 18:21:00 GMT -5
Rogue One - 7.75 of 10.A little surprised the reviews are as good as they are. Not to say this isn't solid, because it is, but it's a full 30 min too long with the editor showing an inability to be precise and focused during action sequences that seem to go on forever without adding much to the story aside from some visual 'splosion porn that's lost it's effect by this point in the film. Also thought settings jumped around too much, too quickly, and the early part of the story was rushed instead of unfolding organically. Too fast up front; too slow in the end; punctuated by some truly magnificent scenes and an overall great story and, possibly, the best Star Wars visuals and CGI to date. Final critique would be that interesting characters were not developed (the mother, the extremist mentor, the blind monk) while less interesting characters were given free reign to sulk around and soak up screen time (the director). Now, with that out of the way, this is still superior to anything the old regime (Lucas and Co) put out since Return of the Jedi . . . hell, it's better than Jedi. it's better than any of the prequals, and it's got cinematography, atmosphere, and grittiness that shine through and give this a unique and effective feel. It's got easter eggs that are done RIGHT, meaning subtle, clever, and not ham-fisted in any way. Partial phrases where you finish the joke in your own mind because you know the history. Striking character similarities to VERY old films that put this thing in the "look and feel" of something that can bridge the "Revenge of the Sith-to-A New Hope gap" flawlessly. It's got a spectacular robot, in a franchise with famous robots, that rivals anything we've seen to date. And it's got brave storytelling. When I say this is a stand alone film in every sense of the word, I mean that, from rejecting Star Wars scrolling text intros and iconic score to how they handle their lead characters in the story telling. It's bold. Seemed like a less fun version of TFA with a lot of similar themes and vehicles, and overall a second step in the right direction. Disney has proven at this point that they're more than capable. Franchise in MY preference order: 1. A New Hope 2. Empire Strikes Back 3. The Force Awakens 4. Rogue One 5. Revenge of the Sith 6. Return of the Jedi 7. Attack of the Clones 8. Phantom Menace I pretty much agree with this but would switch Rogue One and The Force Awakens. While it has story issue as you pointed out, it was a good escape from the same formula. This story was pretty freaking sad though as far as these type of movies go.
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Post by ocmmafan on Apr 18, 2017 11:24:33 GMT -5
Colossal. 9/10
Funny, Indie, quasi-sci/fi flick. Anne Hathaway is somewhat down or her luck (recent job less, drunken benders) and ends up returning home. Upon returning home, she runs into Jason Sudeikis and they rekindle their childhood friendship. They get drunk and she wakes up to learn a giant monster has appeared in Seoul, Korea. She soon learns the monster is a manifestation of her and mimics her exact movements when she is at a playground at a certain time. The premise makes little sense but it works and is funny, has some entertaining twists and is mildly suspenseful. Entertaining and both Hathaway and Sudeikis are steller.
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Post by ocmmafan on Apr 18, 2017 11:36:30 GMT -5
Fate of the Furious. 8/10.
It's a beyond belief popcorn flick and the abilities of these street racers is getting a little out of hand. They are basically all a combination of James Bond and McGyver. That said, you know that going in. Car chases, fights, solid cast, lots of action. Entertaining to me and if you liked the other ones, you'll like this one.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2017 6:31:28 GMT -5
Man I love a good action flick, but didn't I see a clip of The Rock catching a torpedo or something? I think I'll pass.
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Post by PatSox on Apr 20, 2017 6:36:00 GMT -5
Man I love a good action flick, but didn't I see a clip of The Rock catching a torpedo or something? I think I'll pass. Me too, but some of these franchises I just can't do. No Tranformers; no Expendables and no Fast and Furious movies. They're just too flashy and vapid and shallow and cater to the exact sort of person I never want to be
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Post by slaytan on Apr 20, 2017 18:26:28 GMT -5
Man I love a good action flick, but didn't I see a clip of The Rock catching a torpedo or something? I think I'll pass. Me too, but some of these franchises I just can't do. No Tranformers; no Expendables and no Fast and Furious movies. They're just too flashy and vapid and shallow and cater to the exact sort of person I never want to be That's how o feel about the marvel/Star Wars/ Trek/ whatever movies. They're worse than vapid; they're overcontrived and written by committee edit: I guess I feel that way about most movies. From the forumulaic, subversive will Ferrell trash, to the formulaic, subversive Speilberg crap
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Post by Baph on Apr 21, 2017 0:01:14 GMT -5
Speilberg is the most formulaic director I've ever seen. The score, the angles, the way he zooms and pans, even the script and delivery of dialogue, it's just blatantly Speilberg. I feel like (might be confirmation bias) I can even smell his footprints on shit he produces (Transformers, Super 8). Terantino is a close second. I could pick his writing out of a stack of emails with the names blacked out. The fact that Speilberg directed Duel and Schindler's List just blows my mind.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2017 6:52:33 GMT -5
I think most directors are formulaic. It's just that Speilberg has so many movies that you have seen that you tend to pick up on it.
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Post by Baph on May 3, 2017 1:03:18 GMT -5
Been on this docu kick.
Oklahoma City - 7.25 of 10.
Documents the Oklahoma City bombing by Timothy McVeigh. Fairly good overall and some really powerful moments that take you inside the severity of the bombing, which was absolutely incredible. The chaotic investigation and bizarre circumstances of his capture. Some grasping at straws to try to establish a highly tenuous white supremacy angle, when we clearly know this was about Ruby Ridge and Waco, and some of the ATF agents that worked Waco had an office in that building, that was bombed on the anniversary of Waco.
Ruby Ridge - 7.75 of 10.
Probably the best of the trio. Even handed account. Good pace. Dramatic. And some new information on something I thought I knew everything about. Namely, this was basically a miniature Waco. Like, literally. A one family Waco. Hyper religious family wants to isolate themselves from a corrupt, secular world, moves to a literal mountain top in Idaho, 40mi south of Canada, as remote as it gets, builds a cabin by hand, no phone, no running water, no nothing, like some old testament shit here, and the government still manages to worm their way into their lives, entrap them, hunt them down, kill their dogs, children, and women, and then paint the guy as some sort of rambo nazi terrorist. P.S. Randy Weaver was acquitted of all charges and later awarded $3.1 million in damages for the wrongful deaths of his 14 yr old son and unarmed wife during the stand-off when 400 federal agents were trying to get one guy out of his cabin for sawing the barrel off of a shotgun and selling it to an undercover agent who proposed this idea to Weaver as a means of income in the first place.
Newtown - 6.75 of 10.
Documents the unbelievably tragic shooting at Sandy Hook. Unfortunately, there's not much here except self torment. If you want to feel physically sick, confused, depressed, and emotionally obliterated . . . give this thing a go. The film focuses almost entirely on the victims, the children, the community, and the shock, grief, and coping of those affected. The shooter and his mother are not seen, named, and barely mentioned. Their motives and history are not explored.
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Post by slaytan on May 3, 2017 19:55:03 GMT -5
La La Land
I do love a good old Hollywood musical. From Singin in the Rain to Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, to Grease. The world is due another good one, and with that in mind, I gave this one a chance. This, in spite of the fact that is has Emma Stone, who I have never seen in a movie that wasn't god awful and overpraised.
...surprise, surprise, La La Land sucks. Every element imaginable about this movie sucks, save set design in a few spots. The dancing was garbage, the story was garbage, the songs were garbage (one piano ditty which keeps re appearing in the movie is solid, but the song and dance numbers suck). Every week Dancing with the Stars produces better dance numbers
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Post by boboplata on May 3, 2017 20:43:28 GMT -5
Me too, but some of these franchises I just can't do. No Tranformers; no Expendables and no Fast and Furious movies. They're just too flashy and vapid and shallow and cater to the exact sort of person I never want to be That's how o feel about the marvel/Star Wars/ Trek/ whatever movies. They're worse than vapid; they're overcontrived and written by committee edit: I guess I feel that way about most movies. From the forumulaic, subversive will Ferrell trash, to the formulaic, subversive Speilberg crap Pretty ironic for a guy who went for a good part of decade as Lord Garth.
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Post by adamg01 on May 3, 2017 20:51:02 GMT -5
Been on this docu kick. Oklahoma City - 7.25 of 10. Documents the Oklahoma City bombing by Timothy McVeigh. Fairly good overall and some really powerful moments that take you inside the severity of the bombing, which was absolutely incredible. The chaotic investigation and bizarre circumstances of his capture. Some grasping at straws to try to establish a highly tenuous white supremacy angle, when we clearly know this was about Ruby Ridge and Waco, and some of the ATF agents that worked Waco had an office in that building, that was bombed on the anniversary of Waco. Ruby Ridge - 7.75 of 10. Probably the best of the trio. Even handed account. Good pace. Dramatic. And some new information on something I thought I knew everything about. Namely, this was basically a miniature Waco. Like, literally. A one family Waco. Hyper religious family wants to isolate themselves from a corrupt, secular world, moves to a literal mountain top in Idaho, 40mi south of Canada, as remote as it gets, builds a cabin by hand, no phone, no running water, no nothing, like some old testament shit here, and the government still manages to worm their way into their lives, entrap them, hunt them down, kill their dogs, children, and women, and then paint the guy as some sort of rambo nazi terrorist. P.S. Randy Weaver was acquitted of all charges and later awarded $3.1 million in damages for the wrongful deaths of his 14 yr old son and unarmed wife during the stand-off when 400 federal agents were trying to get one guy out of his cabin for sawing the barrel off of a shotgun and selling it to an undercover agent who proposed this idea to Weaver as a means of income in the first place. Newtown - 6.75 of 10. Documents the unbelievably tragic shooting at Sandy Hook. Unfortunately, there's not much here except self torment. If you want to feel physically sick, confused, depressed, and emotionally obliterated . . . give this thing a go. The film focuses almost entirely on the victims, the children, the community, and the shock, grief, and coping of those affected. The shooter and his mother are not seen, named, and barely mentioned. Their motives and history are not explored. I watched Ruby Ridge and I agree. The ATF/FBI fucked up badly. I remember watching it unfold on the news as a child. The media painted them as evil people of course. The documentary really hammers home how poorly the incident was handled. When you can break a federal firearm law (baited into doing so of course), kill a US Marshall, and not just be acquitted but get paid 3.4 million you have accomplished something. Granted, I'm sure he would rather have his wife and son back. The part about the mothers brains splattering on the daughters face was beyond horrific.
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Post by slaytan on May 4, 2017 5:56:45 GMT -5
That's how o feel about the marvel/Star Wars/ Trek/ whatever movies. They're worse than vapid; they're overcontrived and written by committee edit: I guess I feel that way about most movies. From the forumulaic, subversive will Ferrell trash, to the formulaic, subversive Speilberg crap Pretty ironic for a guy who went for a good part of decade as Lord Garth. Indeed. Original Star Trek sucked balls too. I grew up on it and loved it, but watching it as an adult is like trying to st through "Smokey and the Bandit" as an adult
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2017 8:30:37 GMT -5
Been on this docu kick. Oklahoma City - 7.25 of 10. Documents the Oklahoma City bombing by Timothy McVeigh. Fairly good overall and some really powerful moments that take you inside the severity of the bombing, which was absolutely incredible. The chaotic investigation and bizarre circumstances of his capture. Some grasping at straws to try to establish a highly tenuous white supremacy angle, when we clearly know this was about Ruby Ridge and Waco, and some of the ATF agents that worked Waco had an office in that building, that was bombed on the anniversary of Waco. Ruby Ridge - 7.75 of 10. Probably the best of the trio. Even handed account. Good pace. Dramatic. And some new information on something I thought I knew everything about. Namely, this was basically a miniature Waco. Like, literally. A one family Waco. Hyper religious family wants to isolate themselves from a corrupt, secular world, moves to a literal mountain top in Idaho, 40mi south of Canada, as remote as it gets, builds a cabin by hand, no phone, no running water, no nothing, like some old testament shit here, and the government still manages to worm their way into their lives, entrap them, hunt them down, kill their dogs, children, and women, and then paint the guy as some sort of rambo nazi terrorist. P.S. Randy Weaver was acquitted of all charges and later awarded $3.1 million in damages for the wrongful deaths of his 14 yr old son and unarmed wife during the stand-off when 400 federal agents were trying to get one guy out of his cabin for sawing the barrel off of a shotgun and selling it to an undercover agent who proposed this idea to Weaver as a means of income in the first place. Newtown - 6.75 of 10. Documents the unbelievably tragic shooting at Sandy Hook. Unfortunately, there's not much here except self torment. If you want to feel physically sick, confused, depressed, and emotionally obliterated . . . give this thing a go. The film focuses almost entirely on the victims, the children, the community, and the shock, grief, and coping of those affected. The shooter and his mother are not seen, named, and barely mentioned. Their motives and history are not explored. All these on Netflix? I want to check out Waco and Ruby Ridge. I don't know a lot about it but known the government went Jason Bourne on these people and the media did a pretty good job of convincing everyone that the people were Manson level psychos. Didn't the baby at Ruby Ridge get killed whilw in the mother's arms as well?
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2017 8:38:22 GMT -5
Nevermind. You didn't say Waco. Jesus. I want to see the one on Ruby Ridge.
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Post by Baph on May 4, 2017 10:50:41 GMT -5
Yes, all on Netflix, and yes, Ruby Ridge is the best of the lot. One note (again) both the Ruby Ridge (somewhat) and the Oklahoma City (much more so) go well out of their way to establish some incredibly tenuous connections between Randy Weaver (Ruby Ridge) and Tim McVeigh (OKC) and white supremacists groups that neither man ever joined, supported, or cooperated with. At best, there was some of this "hey, you hate the government too?" stuff going on, but the whole neo-nazi thing never resonated with either guy. Weaver thought he was Rambo, a retired Army Ranger who'd seen to much and wanted to live off the grid, read the Bible, and grow his own food. He got hard-up for money and one of these fucking ATF goons stuck a shotgun, a hacksaw, and a $100 bill in his face and the next thing you know you've got a full battalion of counter terrorism commandos in ghillie suits repelling down from choppers and shooting this dude's dog, his son, his wife, his friend, and himself because he skipped a fucking court date over a shotgun they tricked him into barrel trimming. You almost can't get more aggressively fascist than that. Regardless, where's your tactical sophistication? You can't wait 3 days until this guy goes to the store and pick him up without incident? You can't use 3rd party negotiators (they finally did, Bo Gritz, and it worked like a charm) to de-escalate the situation and find a satisfactory resolution? When the family finally walked out, it's an infant, two very young girls, and a scrawny, wounded, 50-yr old man limping through a base camp with 400 troops, armored vehicles, FBI, SWAT, ATF, snipers, and counter terrorism units. The fucking absurdity of that scene is overpowering.
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Post by ocmmafan on May 6, 2017 10:55:09 GMT -5
Guardians of the Galaxy 2. 9.5/10
If you liked the first one, you like this one. Follows the path of revealing Star Lords father and reuniting characters to embrace the "family" plot. Gamora and Nebula, Star Lord and his roots, Yandu and raccoon talking about their upbringing and we learn more about Yandu. More the the sarcastic put downs between Star Lord, Raccoon, and Drax, and a bunch of cool cameos. Very kid friendly and very entertaining, plus another great 70/80s soundtrack. I have to say Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer steals the show. Fake wrestler gone full Hollywood.
They have 3 after the scene credits so stay until the end. 2 are funny and unimportant and one is a prelude to the next Marvel character introduction. Also, I saw it in IMAX at the giant screen in Irvine which always makes for a better movie.
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Post by Baph on May 9, 2017 9:59:49 GMT -5
The Disappointments Room - 6.75 of 10.
Kind of a haunted house thing, Kate Beckensale, is she crazy, is this real, dig into the history of the house and find the wrong that must be made right, Skeleton Key, you know the drill. Had a rough start, a poorly cast husband, but showed a lot of promise during the 2nd act and a nice, jarring turning point toward the end, but then finished abruptly and wide open. And I like open endings, but this? I mean completely unresolved. Like the timer went off and they had to quit right then. Meh.
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Post by boboplata on May 10, 2017 20:34:46 GMT -5
Been reading forum reviews of Alien Covenant..."at least Prometheus was interesting." Which reminds me...
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Post by Baph on May 10, 2017 23:18:03 GMT -5
Been reading forum reviews of Alien Covenant..."at least Prometheus was interesting." Which reminds me... I'm hearing shit all over the place. IMDB has it as an 8.6 of 10. Rotten Tomatoes has it at 77% fresh. IGN says "Rating: 7.3/10 - Review by Daniel Krupa 4 days ago - Director Ridley Scott takes the Alien franchise back to its roots with a hard-R horror flick, while finally tackling some Prometheus' lingering questions." Some of the mega-nerd reviewers have called it better than Prometheus but not as good as the original Alien, and asked us to remember how sketchy some of the Alien sequels got. I've also seen it called a mindless action flick with an unmemorable female lead, which is how I feel about Aliens, which everyone else on planet Earth seems to adore.
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Post by boboplata on May 10, 2017 23:26:27 GMT -5
Been reading forum reviews of Alien Covenant..."at least Prometheus was interesting." Which reminds me... I'm hearing shit all over the place. IMDB has it as an 8.6 of 10. Rotten Tomatoes has it at 77% fresh. IGN says "Rating: 7.3/10 - Review by Daniel Krupa 4 days ago - Director Ridley Scott takes the Alien franchise back to its roots with a hard-R horror flick, while finally tackling some Prometheus' lingering questions." Some of the mega-nerd reviewers have called it better than Prometheus but not as good as the original Alien, and asked us to remember how sketchy some of the Alien sequels got. I've also seen it called a mindless action flick with an unmemorable female lead, which is how I feel about Aliens, which everyone else on planet Earth seems to adore. I think IMDB has it's forum shutdown & someone(group?) migrated everything to a separate website. Basically, all major review sites are shilling. In an age where 9's and 8.5's are being thrown around like job applications at Jackel's feet, IMDB & RT scores for this movie doesn't sound promising. Would still watch to make my rant valid doe.
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Post by Angelo on May 11, 2017 1:40:11 GMT -5
I'm hearing shit all over the place. IMDB has it as an 8.6 of 10. Rotten Tomatoes has it at 77% fresh. IGN says "Rating: 7.3/10 - Review by Daniel Krupa 4 days ago - Director Ridley Scott takes the Alien franchise back to its roots with a hard-R horror flick, while finally tackling some Prometheus' lingering questions." Some of the mega-nerd reviewers have called it better than Prometheus but not as good as the original Alien, and asked us to remember how sketchy some of the Alien sequels got. I've also seen it called a mindless action flick with an unmemorable female lead, which is how I feel about Aliens, which everyone else on planet Earth seems to adore. I think IMDB has it's forum shutdown & someone(group?) migrated everything to a separate website. Basically, all major review sites are shilling. In an age where 9's and 8.5's are being thrown around like job applications at Jackel's feet, IMDB & RT scores for this movie doesn't sound promising. Would still watch to make my rant valid doe. Yeah lots of pressure for IMDB to shut down their forums, I'm surprised Needham caved behind the scenes and not made an uproar about it, though I shouldn't be given the power of Bezos. That was a better source of legit reviews, criticisms, etc... of movies than anywhere else.
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Post by Baph on May 11, 2017 12:02:20 GMT -5
Read a bunch more reviews last night and I think I've discovered the essence of what's going on here:
It IS Prometheus 2, with a slightly weaker cast and slightly more action/gore/answers, probably a 7 of 10.
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Post by Spencer on May 11, 2017 16:29:24 GMT -5
From what I've ready, I'd be surprised if it's anything over a 6.
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Post by boboplata on May 11, 2017 18:40:26 GMT -5
Read a bunch more reviews last night and I think I've discovered the essence of what's going on here: It IS Prometheus 2, with a slightly weaker cast and slightly more action/gore/answers, probably a 7 of 10. Stop with the ratings for "prometheus"2. We need a breakdown of the 1st. Or, you could just make a separate thread for both reviews. You have 3 days or I give jackel admin privileges.
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Post by Baph on May 11, 2017 23:25:31 GMT -5
Read a bunch more reviews last night and I think I've discovered the essence of what's going on here: It IS Prometheus 2, with a slightly weaker cast and slightly more action/gore/answers, probably a 7 of 10. Stop with the ratings for "prometheus"2. We need a breakdown of the 1st. Or, you could just make a separate thread for both reviews. You have 3 days or I give jackel admin privileges.
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2017 6:50:55 GMT -5
Alien: Covenant Rated 7.5/10
No, it is NOT Prometheus 2. That movie has sucked my balls for five years and I've never even enjoyed it. I asked it to stop several times, in fact.
This new Alien film is indeed a mindless summer action flick with spectacular action sequences, superb special effects and a conclusion that combines suspense with despair.
Somehow, I felt it was still something a bit less than the sum of its parts, as I could not shake the feeling that I'd seen it all before: The quarantine protocols violated, the gory alien births, the facehuggers and so forth. It didn't seem redundant so much as simply too-familiar. The whole "search for the origin of creation" theme (if that is even an adequate description) seems to be no closer to conclusion than ever.
Definitely worth a look for ANY fan of this franchise; I wanted to give it an 8 but I just could not.
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2017 7:04:33 GMT -5
Stop with the ratings for "prometheus"2. We need a breakdown of the 1st. Or, you could just make a separate thread for both reviews. You have 3 days or I give jackel admin privileges. One of the best GIF responses ever. Lol. Where is that even from?
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