TR Forums

We have the MCU thread and multiple Star Wars threads. We even a TV Shows thread, but nothing for general film. Superheroes might dominate (especially among geeks), but that doesn't mean that we don't watch other movies, so here's a place for that.

To start of some recommendations, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. Fair to say that this one is better than it had any right to be. Kevin Hart is great, but still outshone by Karen Gillan, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and Jack Black (seriously, Jack Black). The film has a ton of fun with video game logic and tropes, the cast makes it all work, and if you pay attention, almost nothing is wasted or frivolous.

And for a bit of a surprise, check out Split. James McAvoy is great, and this is a solid return for M. Night Shyamalan. I might have a few nitpicks, but it's a suspenseful affair. If that isn't enough to interest you...

Split is a sequel/same universe as Unreakable. In fact, another sequel (Glass) is scheduled to release in January 2019.

I borrowed "Hidden Figures" recently from my local library. I liked it and thought it was done very well. It highlighted not only the significant advancement and achievements of women of color during the NASA space program but also showed the transition of relying on human computational skills over to machines i.e. the IBM history. It's not an action flick and not overly dramatic either. It would appeal more toward science/engineering members who appreciate that time in US history.

Bridge Over the River Kwai or The Great Escape have got to be my most two favorites. Although I am also keen on anything from Kurosawa. In more recent times Almost Famous is up there, not because its a campy love story or even a coming of age story it's mostly the music. But I have to say Patrick Fugit acted the pants off everyone in that film.

Re-watched The Caine Mutiny recently. A slightly underrated movie, imho - features Humphrey Bogart, Fred MacMurray, Van Johnson, Jose Ferrer...even has Lee Marvin. It's probably underrated now at least partially because it is sometimes corny (which I love). Has anybody here read the book by Herman Wouk?

A far cornier movie which I've also re-watched recently is The Final Countdown, featuring Kirk Douglas, Martin Sheen, Katherine Ross, and Charles Durning. The story is absurdly hypothetical, and the acting isn't very good despite some big names - but I love it. One of those guilty guy pleasures to watch.

G8torbyte wrote:

I borrowed "Hidden Figures" recently from my local library. I liked it and thought it was done very well. It highlighted not only the significant advancement and achievements of women of color during the NASA space program but also showed the transition of relying on human computational skills over to machines i.e. the IBM history. It's not an action flick and not overly dramatic either. It would appeal more toward science/engineering members who appreciate that time in US history.

I've watched it, twice. There is a conspicuous absence of cigarettes.

ludi wrote:

There is a conspicuous absence of cigarettes.

True, there would have been a lot of smoky offices and and ash trays spilling over in the 1960's. I did enjoy seeing all the vintage adding machines, IBM computer with the punch cards, classic cars etc. When I asked my wife where did they find the classic 50-60's cars she said they were probably all borrowed from Jay Leno's garage

G8torbyte wrote:

ludi wrote:

There is a conspicuous absence of cigarettes.

True, there would have been a lot of smoky offices and and ash trays spilling over in the 1960's. I did enjoy seeing all the vintage adding machines, IBM computer with the punch cards, classic cars etc. When I asked my wife where did they find the classic 50-60's cars she said they were probably all borrowed from Jay Leno's garage

Yeah, the rest of the movie seemed well done, it just grates a bit when a period piece is glaringly sanitized that way. There are ways to convey the setting accurately without glamorizing the things we now know to be harmful.

Well, I liked "Hidden Figures". Watched it with my wife and she didn't appreciate it though...

Incredibles 2 was damn good.