# 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:** 330
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/6597 "2023-05-17T16:37:45Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > With previous movies in this series the Big Bad has been pretty well-defined and a ‘real’ character. This time, despite being supposedly of great power, his role was mostly declaiming and shouting; just didn’t measure up to what I expected the character to be. My sense was that he was just a scientist gone rogue, not someone with any particular superpowers. The only special power that they maybe hinted at was longevity and having successfully built lots of minions who were innately cowed by him. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/6598 "2023-05-17T16:42:20Z")
He had pretty powerful telekinesis, though I’m not sure if that was an innate superpower or a device. ---
**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:** [May 17, 2023, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/6599 "2023-05-17T18:18:48Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Movie Night Monday. Saw **Primer** again. For those who don’t know, it is possibly the most complex time travel movie ever made and a huge amount of it is subtext/off screen, so you’re pretty much on your own to figure out what the hell is going on. I was hoping to understand it about 10% better. Nope. Still incomprehensible… “My advice in making sense of temporal paradoxes is simple: don’t even try.” - Capt. Kathryn Janeway, USS _Voyager_ ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2023, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/6600 "2023-05-18T00:02:39Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > My sense was that he was just a scientist gone rogue, not someone with any particular superpowers. In the comics, he starts out as a mad scientist from Oxford. He uses his evolution accelerator to evolve himself to the highest level of human evolution which gives him whatever powers the writers want to use in any given story. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2023, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/6601 "2023-05-19T06:55:58Z")
I had a chance to re-watch [_Shakes the Clown_ (1991)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102898/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_5_nm_3_q_shakes), the _Citizen Kane_ of alcoholic clown movies. What more needs to be said? ---
**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 19, 2023, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/6602 "2023-05-19T11:12:06Z")
Polite Society Not really recommended. Cute movie, not all that great. I smiled some, but honestly I found the comedy in this to be mostly misfire. It was just very cute, though I think a TV show like Derry Girls did some very similar things to this movie, but did them much better. This movie is Indian, or at least was made by people with Indian heritage, but I don’t think an Indian audience would find it all that much more enjoyable than I did. Cute movie, felt like something from the late 90’s to be honest. Derry Girls, Big Fat Greek Wedding. Those came to mind to be honest. Note: I have just read that the director is Pakistani, not Indian, though moved to England as a child. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2023, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/6603 "2023-05-19T11:37:03Z")
Pity - it looked promising from the trailers but I couldn’t tell if it was likely to deliver. I guess it didn’t. ---
**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 19, 2023, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/6604 "2023-05-19T12:10:06Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Pity - it looked promising from the trailers but I couldn’t tell if it was likely to deliver. I guess it didn’t Oh, it was cute. I didn’t see a trailer and its Rotten Tomatoes score is over 90% positive, I think. I just found it to be just OK. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2023, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/6605 "2023-05-19T13:44:22Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I had a chance to re-watch [_Shakes the Clown_ (1991)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102898/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_5_nm_3_q_shakes), the _Citizen Kane_ of alcoholic clown movies. What more needs to be said? Well, there is more to be said… Some of the other things he’s directed are excellent too. I regard [Worlds Greatest Dad](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1262981/) as Robin Williams best film, and I really enjoyed [God Bless America](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1912398). Willow Creek I remember not liking, and still to try [Sleeping dogs](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0492492/). ---
**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:** [May 19, 2023, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/6606 "2023-05-19T16:09:42Z")
God Bless America was great. ---
**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 19, 2023, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/6607 "2023-05-19T18:41:34Z")
**Sisu** Very much recommended. Do you like it when guys kill a bunch of Nazis? This movie has that in droves and it incredibly watchable. Not original, but our main character kills tons of Nazis and does so in very violent and unpleasant ways. It’s a work of art at times. Not a masterpiece of action like a Mad Max Fury Road, but a very fun and satisfying revenge against Nazis movie and I recommend it quite a bit. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/6608 "2023-05-20T09:57:06Z")
I watched **Ant Man & The Wasp: Quantumania** the other day when it came out on Disney+. Based on the reviews, I didn’t have high expectations, but I actually enjoyed it. I know a lot of people (including myself) have been getting a bit of MCU fatigue, but I think Johnathan Majors as Kang being the next Thanos-level threat to the universe(s) may just be what the franchise needs. > [@Mahaloth](#): > > > [@Tamerlane](#): > > > > I’ve been slowly but steadily turning into a low-key Nicholas Hoult fan. Most recently on The Great and The Menu. But looking him up recently I was surprised to realize that he was also a successful child actor, the title character in About a Boy playing against Hugh Grant. > > Thanks, I only saw About a Boy once when it was new and didn’t realize it was him. > > I am aware he is Beast in the new X-men movies. Nicholas Hoult has been consistently good in everything I’ve seen him in. He was also in Max Max: Fury Road. ---
**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 20, 2023, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/6609 "2023-05-20T11:59:09Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > …but I think Johnathan Majors as Kang being the next Thanos-level threat to the universe(s) may just be what the franchise needs. I do think he’s great in his appearances, but I wonder if accusations of abuse that have been made against him are going to cause a re-casting. ---
**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:** [May 20, 2023, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/6610 "2023-05-20T13:29:43Z")
_Eiger Sanction_ 1975 Clint Eastwood The rock climbing scenes are even more gorgeous and breath taking on Blu-ray. Clint did a lot of the climbing. The route can be found by googling _Clint Eastwood climbing_. If you want to recreate the climb yourself. 😁 It is rated as a beginner climb. I hadn’t seen the movie since high school. It was very impressive on the large theatre screen. It’s still entertaining and a impressive early directorial effort by Clint. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/6611 "2023-05-20T15:47:27Z")
Okay. So I watched Mulaney’s _Baby J_ special. My opinion of him has not improved. I found it to be a self-indulgent pile of bullshit about how cool he was when he was doing drugs. He mentions his divorce, fleetingly, once, as though that wasn’t a huge part of what he put himself through. By the end I pretty much thought, fuck this guy. Which hurts, because I really was a superfan at one point. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/6612 "2023-05-20T20:17:12Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > He mentions his divorce, fleetingly, once, as though that wasn’t a huge part of what he put himself through. I thought about that, but I’m going to let him off the hook. By talking about his divorce he would be publicly talking about his ex, which is maybe not the nicest thing to do. It’s possible she even asked him not to talk about it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2023, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/6613 "2023-05-21T13:14:33Z")
Saw _A man called Otto_ last night. Bittersweet movie, funny and tear-jerking in turns and sometimes at the same time. I was puzzled by one thing in the movie: Otto set up most of his attempts to be somewhat considerate (paper on the floor for the hanging, hanging plastic for the shooting) of those who’d find him or have to deal with the aftermath. But he also was going to throw himself in front of a train on a busy platform, thus making the engineer or motorman the instrument of his death, not to mention all the passengers who’d be affected. It just seemed out of place psychologically with the other attempts. Of course, for the plot (Doylist reasons) it was needed for him to rescue someone else and for the social media aspect that came in handy later to save the neighbors’ home. I feel that attempt needed a better in-story (Watsonian) explanation or setup. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2023, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/6614 "2023-05-21T19:50:20Z")
Ah, a really nice one this week. _[Moving On](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15488088/)_. Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. Two women attend a funeral, each with the intent of “setting things right” in different ways. Really nice cast, including Malcolm McDowell doing his thing. While it does have a nice amount of funny bits, it’s at heart a drama and the two sides work quite well together. It has decent reviews on [RT](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/moving_on_2022) but I consider those to be too ungenerous. And the current rating at IMDb is 5.9. What? This is a much better movie than that. Further notes: Jane Fonda changes up her look somewhat and doesn’t come off so Jane Fonda-ish. Who knew she could act? 😉 There’s a guy from Fonda’s character’s past that she reconnects with. The whole movie I was trying to figure out who the actor was. (I’m glad I hadn’t dove into the cast list beforehand.) Spoiler since I think others should have the chance to go “Ooooh, cool!” upon finding out who it is. So careful about clicking on that IMDb link above. Richard Roundtree. The closing credits lists music by Amanda Jones which puzzled me for a while. (Since that sort of credit usually is for “ambient” music.) There was an [Atlanta female band](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QPL_YRen04) by that name years ago. (And a lesser known CA band with the same name.) Plus there’s the Rolling Stones song with a “Miss”. Turns out there’s a young composer with that name. BTW, the soundtrack songs for the film are nice, too. Give it 4.5 flares. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/6615 "2023-05-22T04:36:27Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I found it to be a self-indulgent pile of bullshit about how cool he was when he was doing drugs. I watched it tonight and I didn’t get that at all. None of the stories seemed designed to make him look “cool.” If anything, he’s totally owning the fact that he was an asshole when he was on drugs. I think many of you are being too harsh; perhaps you’d already decided not to like the special based on what you think of him as a person. So be it. I found it very funny. Mulaney is still a highly skilled comedian. An hour and twenty minutes is a _lot_ of material, and he nailed it - all while using himself as a punchline, which takes balls. I really do hope he stays clean and has continued success. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906/6616 "2023-05-22T08:32:59Z")
Agree - nothing about his description of himself on drugs is designed to make him look cool. He totally portrays himself as an irrational out-of-control asshole. I get why people don’t find it funny but he is not glamorizing his substance abuse at all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906.md?page=329) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-1/699906.md?page=331)