# Movies you've seen recently (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [September 29, 2014, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906 "2014-09-29T21:53:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 203
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/4054 "2022-04-29T18:23:50Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > _Galaxy Quest_ on Sundance Channel > > …I still don’t understand the ending. The ship crashes at a Comic Con. The bad guy alien emerges with the crew. So, was this all a fan movie or an actual adventure?.. Clearly it was an actual adventure. The cast of the cheesy, long-cancelled sf TV show actually went into space and encountered real aliens, who eventually sent them back to Earth in a detached part of their starship. The bad-alien boss unexpectedly came along but was gloriously defeated in front of hundreds of cheering fans at the _GQ_ con. This thread may interest you: ["Never give up, never surrender!" - for Galaxy Quest fans](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-give-up-never-surrender-for-galaxy-quest-fans/946024) ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/4055 "2022-04-29T19:55:35Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Saw **Hatching** tonight, a Finnish horror movie about a young girl who finds a bird’s egg in the forest and brings it home to care for it as it hatches into a disturbing deformed creature. I just saw an ad for this today, looked interesting and the FX sounded pretty graphic. It may sound weird coming from a 50+ year old guy, but I don’t want to see a dog get killed in a movie. I skipped watching John Wick because I read of his dog being killed at the start of the movie. Strange place to draw a line to see/not see a movie, but there it is. So thanks for the heads up! ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/4056 "2022-04-29T20:27:05Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > This thread may interest you: [“Never give up, never surrender!” - for Galaxy Quest fans](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-give-up-never-surrender-for-galaxy-quest-fans/946024) I’ll check it out. I watched because Adam Savage talked about working on Galaxy Quest. He discussed the deliberately cheesy tv sets and thw realistic spaceship. (Adams youtube channel q&a’s) I enjoyed Galaxy Quest. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/4057 "2022-04-29T20:49:37Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > There was actually a 2014 horror film I liked quite a bit, except for that very scene. Just stop please. I know _exactly_ what movie you are referring to and I hated that scene as well. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/4058 "2022-04-29T21:15:54Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > I know _exactly_ what movie you are referring to and I hated that scene as well. OK, what movie? ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/4059 "2022-04-29T21:21:30Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > I also want to add that I am _sick and tired_ of horror movies introducing cute dogs into a film because then all I can focus on is “oh god they’re gonna kill that dog. When will they kill it? Just please don’t linger on the death.” It’s such a cheap emotional play. A. Men. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/4060 "2022-04-29T21:46:43Z")
I assume based on the year The Babadook ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/4061 "2022-04-29T22:10:28Z")
I just watched a Canadian film called _The Kid Detective_. A review said it takes a dark turn, and, boy, does it. But I really enjoyed it as it moved from this sunny depiction of a kind of Everytown, Canada to the darker underbelly. Nothing graphic (other than a rather different suicide near the end), but it lingers in the mind. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/4062 "2022-04-29T22:30:30Z")
“Bringing up Baby”, one of my wife’s favorite old screwball comedies, starring Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant. Not my cup o’ tea, I’m afraid. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/4063 "2022-04-29T23:37:45Z")
Yeah, that’s it. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2022, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/4064 "2022-04-30T01:25:42Z")
I watched the most recent Resident Evil movie. Decently entertaining, and I’m always happy to see Hannah John-Kamen. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2022, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/4065 "2022-05-01T15:00:21Z")
Tried watching the new Spiderman movie last night. Only made it about 20 minutes before shutting it off. How did this get RT ratings in the high 90s? Unlike the early Spidey films with Toby Maguire, this was a plotless, soulless mashup of CGI nonsense. I guess two hours of one-liners is where this genre has gone. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2022, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/4066 "2022-05-01T15:32:48Z")
The best scene doesn’t happen until the last half of the movie. Is it O.K. if I reveal what happens? I would think that anyone who cared already knows what goes on. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2022, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/4067 "2022-05-01T16:12:48Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Tried watching the new Spiderman movie last night. Only made it about 20 minutes before shutting it off. How did this get RT ratings in the high 90s? Unlike the early Spidey films with Toby Maguire, this was a plotless, soulless mashup of CGI nonsense. I guess two hours of one-liners is where this genre has gone. Really? It was actually really great, though I don’t think the opening 20 minutes are its best bit. It isn’t the best Marvel movie, but there is a lot of great stuff in that movie. I’m surprised you didn’t watch to at least the mid-point, though I will spoil box a major spoiler that might tease you back in. Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield return with about 45 minutes left. They both play their movies’ version of Spider-man and help fight off their versions of Goblin, Sandman, Dock Ock, Electro, and the lizard-guy from Amazing Spider-man. It’s not just a cheap cameo-fest; it’s really well done. There are redemption moments for both Tobey’s Peter and Andrew’s Peter. Tobey rescues and restores Green Goblin’s sanity, removes that chip from Doc Ock so he is a hero, and Andrew Garfield even saves the girl who falls this time instead of her dying. I was honestly moved to tears at a few moments, though I might have just been in a mood. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2022, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/4068 "2022-05-01T16:25:40Z")
Last night I watched Big Country with Gregory Peck and Burl Ives, who steals the show. I’ll ask a plot question because I’m sure this flick is a fave of many: Rifleman rides into town, and takes the schoolmarm back home with him. The idea is to draw the enemy into a trap when they come for her. I’m uncertain what ruse they used so she would accompany them. Man, what a great Western! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2022, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/4069 "2022-05-01T17:24:55Z")
It’s probably because I’m not invested in the Marvel franchise at all, and so not familiar with many of the characters. Also really tired with the whole house selling business. ---
**Author:** ![Limmin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Limmin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limmin)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2022, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/4070 "2022-05-01T17:42:19Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Gerard may eventually find a breakout role. I thought that was King Leonidas in _300_. So memorable…but then I couldn’t find him in anything else, practically ever. I heard he was in a romance comedy, but I never watch those. I remember I had to keep asking my colleague what his name was, “that guy in 300,” because I couldn’t remember it. Something tells me he’s not going to be a substitute for Arnold or Bruce or Sly. ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2022, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/4071 "2022-05-01T18:52:56Z")
Looking for something light and goofy for a Saturday evening, we came across **The Watch** , a 2012 sci-fi/comedy. The premise had potential and the cast was promising: Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill and British actor and TV personality Richard Ayoade. My God, did this ever stink! How did this gross, unfunny mess get a green light? The comedy was at the intellectual level of a 13 year-old boy (lots of dick jokes) except its R rating would prevent them from seeing it. We almost stopped watching it several times. The last 20 minutes or so were not bad, except you have to wade through the first hour and 15 to get to it. And why did Costco ever allow their company to be shown so prominently in such a bad, unfunny, tasteless movie? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2022, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/4072 "2022-05-02T14:02:07Z")
We watched “Treasure of the Sierra Madre” again. It’s still a great movie, even on the 3rd (or more) go around. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2022, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/4073 "2022-05-02T14:35:30Z")
I watched the Rohauer/Cohen restored version of the 1924 **The Thief of Bagdad** with appropriate tinting and a wonderful score by Carl Davis, who strip-mined the work of Rimsky-Korsakov for it (Mostly _Scheherazade_). I’d seen this long ago in the 1980s on PBS’ _Great Performances_, and still have a recording of it that I frequently watch. But I’ve become aware that, for reasons of their own (probably to get it to fit in a time slot), that version actually has at least four scenes cut from it, including one rather important scene. Also, my recording still has imperfections and artifacts from taping from broadcast, so I still hadn’t seen the complete, best-quality version. You can see the trailer here [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/NGp-bR6qt-8/maxresdefault.jpg "The Thief of Bagdad - Trailer") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGp-bR6qt-8) Or here. You can find the whole film online. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/msVH7dZkB8o/maxresdefault.jpg "THE THIEF OF BAGDAD Trailer (Masters of Cinema)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msVH7dZkB8o) A great silent film, especially when you can finally see the whole film. I saw an Italian remake from 1961 (starring Steve Reeves after his “Hercules” films) as a kid and didn’t realize that it was a remake. I’ve watched that recently, too. I knew of the 1940 “remake”, but never saw it until recently. I’m not a big fan of the 1940 Alex Korda version, even though it features great special effects and is a bright and flashy color film, because it’s NOT a remake, no matter what they say. They completely changed the plot, although they kept some iconic images (William Cameron Menzies was art director for both the 1924 and the 1940 version, and one of the scenes they redid was the “stealing the jewel from the eye of the idol” scene, which looks a helluva lot better in the 1940 version, I have to admit), but with a completely different story, I don’t much care for the result. (Disney, by the way, took a LOT from this version for their animated film **Aladdin** ). The 1961 version is more faithful to the 1924 version. (There was also a made-for-TV version circa 1978, which I have never seen). I long wondered where the story came from, since “Thief of Bagdad” is not one of the 1001 Nights stories, or a pre-existing work of fiction. It seems to have been a collaboration between Douglas Fairbanks himself (the star, producer, and quasi-director of the 1924 film) and Alexander Nicholayevitch Romanoff. Romanoff claimed to have been born in Yalta of Afghani parents and to be related to the czar of Russia, and wrote for the pulps under the name _Achmed Abdullah_. He also wrote many screenplays in the 1920s and 1930s (although the only one likely to be remembered – besides “Thief” is _Lives of a Bengal Lancer_. “Achmed Abdullah” also wrote the novelization of the film, and it’s well worth reading. I assume the style it was written in was “Abdullah’s” typical “oriental story” style, which has many flourishes and local “touches” Like many novelizations written by people who wrote the screenplay or were involved in the production (Arthur C. Clarke’s **2001: Space Odyssey** and Orson Scott Card’s **The Abyss** come to mind), it has much in it that adds to the film. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906.md?page=202) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906.md?page=204)