What Are You Watching?, Films and TV Options

[zivane]

Been watching random films like mad due to boredness. But mostly Cirque du Soliel performances on DVD and all of His and Her Circumstances (super girly soap opera-esque anime). Watched Hitchhiker's in the cinema last night...... <3<3<3<3<3!!!!!!!

[Snugglebum the D...]

If you like cheesy, comedy horror Monster Man is made for you.

I've just watched it and laughed my tits off. Quite tongue in cheek, gratuitous blood fest and an 18 certificate. Highly recommended.

[Fallen Element]

I've been on the sofa for most of the day so I've been a watching quite a bit.

Watched (T.V. Shows): The new epsiode of "Charmed", a taped episode of "Joan of Arcadia" and lots of "Extreme Makeover" (Home and Body editions).

Watched (Films): "10 Things I Hate About You" - based loosely on Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice" so I convinced myself it was almost educational and then I watched "Tomb Raider" the first one... It was ok - not as good as I expected but good none the less. I was impressed that Lara/Angelina went into deepest Russia, barely dressed and her nipple behaved perfectly! How believable!

I've decided after reading this back I need to get out more - or at least move between rooms in my house!


Fal xXx

[ShadowWolfenNinj...]

...................................................................................................I HAVE NO TV! Its gone, it got packed, Noiw what am I to do to advoid going outside, in the suuun *shivers*

[Mata]

"Joan of Arcadia"

That sounded like an interesting premise for a show, but it's always been shown at silly times during the early evening so I've never seen any of it. What actually happens? God speaks to her in various forms... And then what?

[Fallen Element]

That sounded like an interesting premise for a show, but it's always been shown at silly times during the early evening so I've never seen any of it. What actually happens? God speaks to her in various forms... And then what?

Basically - God sends her on obscure missions. There was an episode where Joan is asked to build a boat - not for any Noahesque purpose, but it eventually brings her family closer together when they all get involved. It is full of little quirky things - like "Do this [seemingly] silly 'lil thing and then you'll understand what the message is" Quite inspirational

Sorry if this is vague - I tend to squeal "Joan of Arcadia! Joan of Arcadia!" everytime the theme music starts up...

Well worth the watching!

Fal xXx

[Ashbless]

Tend to only see TV when I'm watching at work. I don't get to pick so it's been news, Dr. Phil, Maury (avoid, avoid) and sometimes Lawrence Welk reruns.

On my own I tend to see what's on the scifi channel. Don't currently own a TV but my roomate drags me into her room to watch American Idol and some show about Nannys nightmare jobs.

Movie wise I've most recently seen Star Wars 3, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and Constantine. I tend to wait for them to exit the main theaters and show up (a month or so later) at the $2.50 theater.

I heard a rumour that Firefly, a science fiction western tv show by the same bunch that brought us Angel and Buffy, is being made into a movie for release this fall. Anyone else heard said rumour?

[Mata]

Yes, the Firefly movie is happening, although goodness knows why. I can't remember what it's called. The series was absolutely panned by the critics, has already been cancelled, and annoyed lots of people because it was funded by cancelling other, better, established series' such as Dark Angel. I don't hold out a lot of hope for the film!

[ShadowWolfenNinj...]

Anybody seen Samuri Champloo or that new show with the kid with the pretty shiny golden bat on adult swim? The bat thing seems....interresting....and shiny tooooo O.O.

[Jonman]

Finally got around to watching 'Equilibrium'. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Action bits were proper good. The plot is hokey and ludicrous, but I'd expect nothing less.

All a bit 1984.

[Feyliya]

Right now I'm watching The People's Court. Gotta love watching these people who have done such stupid, insensitive stuff to each other battle it out.

[Mata]

Finally got around to watching 'Equilibrium'. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Action bits were proper good. The plot is hokey and ludicrous, but I'd expect nothing less.

All a bit 1984.

Hurrah! I thought you'd like it.

There's a new film coming out by the same director, Kurt Wimmer, sometime later this year. It's about vampires and called 'Ultraviolet' (sadly it's nothing to do with the brilliant Channel 4 series of the same name). The test-audience reviews are mixed, they are saying that the plot makes no sense but the action scenes are the best to ever be put on film. I'm used to putting up with terrible plots for my action films, so I'm looking forward to it a lot!

[Jonman]

Finally got around to watching 'Equilibrium'. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Action bits were proper good. The plot is hokey and ludicrous, but I'd expect nothing less.

All a bit 1984.

Hurrah! I thought you'd like it.

There's a new film coming out by the same director, Kurt Wimmer, sometime later this year. It's about vampires and called 'Ultraviolet' (sadly it's nothing to do with the brilliant Channel 4 series of the same name). The test-audience reviews are mixed, they are saying that the plot makes no sense but the action scenes are the best to ever be put on film. I'm used to putting up with terrible plots for my action films, so I'm looking forward to it a lot!

So, are there any films that have kick-ass action and a plot that isn't crap? I can't think of any off the top of my head. And don't anyone dare say 'The Matrix'.

[Mata]

I'm going to mention The Matrix

To echo the debating technique of Bill Clinton, that very much depends on your definition of 'crap'. All I tend to ask for from a film is enjoyable hokum, such as seen in the first Matrix film, The Bourne Identity/Supremacy, Collateral, and suchlike. Then you have action films that actually have decent characters as well as hokum, giving you things like Die Hard and Equilibrium.

I think that, almost by definition, action films will have slightly ropey plots because without them the extreme sequences cannot be justified. No-one hijacks an entire building then detonates the roof as a distraction, so does that make the movie that does that 'crap' or just effectively working in the field of the genre? I think it's the latter.

In many ways the only thing that's ever been any good about the Star Wars films is that they stick to the classic structure established for narratives throughout history and summarised in the work of Joseph Campbell. Campbell's 'Hero with a thousand faces' creates a tick-list for the mythic hero's journey, which Star Wars follows pretty precisely. The films are actually rubbish, but the plot that they are hanging on is as old as stories and that pulls them through.

So, it's down to your definition of 'crap'. You could consider it crap to be following such an ancient narrative construction technique that millions of story-tellers before you have used before (which all of the films mentioned above do), or you could say that they should challenge this structure. People do challenge it, and usually their efforts go straight to video. There's a reason that hokey plots reccur, and it's because they work when establishing a hero. A film's plot is usually defined by how well they use the established elements of narrative history, the first Matrix did this well, the second and third ones took too long over each step of the journey and consequently became far less effective pieces of cinema. That doesn't necessarily mean that their plot was crap, it just means that the makers used the plot ineffectively to create their movie.

[ShadowWolfenNinj...]

.....All I heard mostly in that was 'Crap' said 5 times at least. And I'm gunna mention the Matrix too! Yay! (\^.^/)

Basicly the Matrix (inculding the anime thing they had for it) was a big action/sci-fi movie deal that after you watched a couple times started making sense (Course I had no troble with it, Saw all of them at least once and understood 'em. They reminded me slightly of the .hack//sign seris *shuge*) But after you saw the first one you'd be all like "Wow! That was a great movie!" Because it had loads of action and sci-fi stuck into it. But once you see the second and third one you don't get much of a thrill because all you see them do is talk about how the robots and how it's basicly their fault for starting the war. The only entertaining parts to everyone would be the big fighting parts and that sex scene from the second one. But after seeing this seris of movies you find yourself thinking more about the real world mixed with the fantasy world and find yourself looking out for guys in trenchcoats wearing sunglasses and fighting a bunch of other guys in suits and sunglasses who all look the same.

As for Star wars, Its not really my thing (But my Dad just loves 'em!) But I watch them anyways outta boredness. One thing I always seemed to notice is at least one person (mostly the skywalker family) Loses a limb. The third movie was basicly the first, I mean its how the whole thing began and how darth vader and the dark and jedi war begun. And ironicly I find it funny who both Anakin and Luke lose the same arm. Otherwise the movies are big hits but I don't find them very good myself.

But I don't really think my opinion matters much, If it did I'd probably now be having my mouth sewn shut for *ahem* some of the stuff I've said about people and the world and junk. >_> I love a good action filled movie as much as the next person, But thats all the people want from them, No plot just lots of fighting.

[CommieBastard]

In many ways the only thing that's ever been any good about the Star Wars films is that they stick to the classic structure established for narratives throughout history and summarised in the work of Joseph Campbell. Campbell's 'Hero with a thousand faces' creates a tick-list for the mythic hero's journey, which Star Wars follows pretty precisely. The films are actually rubbish, but the plot that they are hanging on is as old as stories and that pulls them through.

Ooh, too far

Those films are most certainly not rubbish. Alright, maybe A New Hope is a bit crap, but The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi are both excellent films. Good dialogue (principally through Lucas not writing them), great pacing, excellent performances from Harrison Ford, James Earl Jones and Carrie Fisher (my enduring hatred for Mark Hamil prevents me from mentioning him in the same breath) and most importantly some of the most dramatic scenes ever filmed (Luke and Vader in Cloud City? Brilliant).

I doubt this is something we'll ever agree on, but I do love those films

[Mata]

Personally I find the whole Cloud City thing rather dull. At least the new versions have some nice stuff outside the windows to look at.

I've always enjoyed the Star Wars films, but I can't say I've ever found myself thinking about them when they're not on. They're alright to have on in the background, or watch in the company of others, but I doubt I'm ever going to sit down and watch them. They're just not interesting! The pacing is terrible most of the time, which is something they have in common with the latter Matrix films. I'm not even bothering to include Ep.s I and II, because that would be unfair, but I do find Ep. IV rather dull. They get better, but there still isn't much brain food in there. I stand by my assertion that they're basically rubbish balancing precariously on a classic plot. When Lucas stepped away from that plot for Ep. I and II it fell apart completely, but Ep. III goes back to it, and is clearly the strongest of them all.

ShadowWolfenNinja, Joseph Campbell was a guy who studied global mythology and came up with a basic structure for all narratives that they all adhere to. In some ways I feel mean for telling you this because it shows how shallow most narratives really are in their structure, but when you see a really good film it will demonstrate how much flexibility it really has. So, here's the short form of the hero story from http://www.skepticfiles.org/atheist2/hero.htm

The hero is introduced in his ordinary world, where he receives the
call to adventure. He is reluctant at first but is encouraged by
the wise old man or woman to cross the first threshold, where he
encounters tests and helpers. He reaches the innermost cave, where
he endures the supreme ordeal. He seizes the sword or the treasure
and is pursued on the road back to his world. He is resurrected and
transformed by his experience. He returns to his ordinary world with
a treasure, boon, or elixir to benefit his world.

Each stage is explained on the website. It's a useful analytical tool. When film-makers stray from this pattern they really have to be in complete control otherwise things just meander aimlessly. Sometimes they do that intentionally, but usually it's through misguided ambition.

[Hobbes]

The last thing I watched was last night: Tori Amos at the Hammersmith Apollo, London. How we ever managed to make it there before she came on stage, I have no idea. But make it we did, with about 30 seconds to spare.

[Mata]

I didn't realise that she's still performing. It's been years since I heard anything new from her. I've never been a big fan, but I've liked a few things of hers that I've heard.

Last night I rewatched 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?', which is an utterly superb Coen brothers film. It's heavily laced with blue-grass country music, great performances by all of the cast (including John Goodman, who I think is a great actor), brilliant humour, and a deep sense of atmosphere of the 1930's deep south. All that, and it is very, very funny.

Damn! We're in a tight spot now!

Gopher?

[CommieBastard]

Don't touch my hair!

I don't want no Fop! I'm a Dapper Dan man!

[Mata]

... And it is immensely quotable.

She's R-U-N-N-O-F-T.

(While I'm here - don't forget the Amazon boxes at the bottom of the page if you're searching for things!)

[Hobbes]

I didn't realise that she's still performing. It's been years since I heard anything new from her. I've never been a big fan, but I've liked a few things of hers that I've heard.

Yep. She released a new album earlier this year (The Beekeeper). And I think the one before that (Scarlet's Walk) was only about two years previously. She's been pretty consistent - an album every couple of years. This must be her 8th. I've seen her three times in concert.

[ShadowWolfenNinj...]

K Mata, I'll check that out later...When I'm not sick from these damsplit allrgires! >.<

Anyways, Just moved to Dad's, Sok over here I guess. I've been re-watching all my old disney movies though, Call it sentimental. Yesterday feel asleep while watching "The fox and the hound" (My Dad still makes fun of me 'cause when I was little I use to ask to watch that one alllll the time. And I said it in some werid hic kinda voice, Must get it from Mum. ,,,>_>) Otherwise I've been watching the Happy tree friend animations...

[HoldenCaulfield]

I liked the first matrix considerably more than the 2nd and 3rd. i saw oceans 12 yesterday, thought it was quite good... as with the first one, it took quite alot of concentration to keep up with the plot. now i am going to get ready for big brother at 10.. wooo

[elphaba2]

Precisely half of The Ring, but the version they edited for TV, because I'm a stupid scaredy cat. I'll return to it in a few minutes.

All of (well, some bits were rewound and watched again) of The Wall. I liked it, to a surprising degree. I have had many a deep philosophical discussion of it ("So, I decided the hammer's significance was...") and thus far the only thing we haven't had an a-ha over was the singing vagina at the end. We're still a bit fuzzy on its meaning. BUT the music was fantastic and I have a newfound appreciation for the song "Mother". I'd definitely recommend it.