# Movies you've seen recently (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [August 27, 2024, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288 "2024-08-27T05:10:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 208
**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:** [December 27, 2025, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/4142 "2025-12-27T04:57:34Z")
Anyone planning to Watch _Song Sung Blue_? I’m a Neil Diamond fan. The soundtrack should be a great tribute to Neil’s music. Post a review if you go see it at the theater. Link [Song Sung Blue review – Neil Diamond tribute act gets sweet treat of movie thanks to Jackman and Hudson | Movies | The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/dec/24/song-sung-blue-review-neil-diamond-tribute-act-gets-sweet-treat-of-movie-thanks-to-jackman-and-hudson) > [@](#): > > Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Jackman and Hudson, were a Milwaukee married couple with kids from previous relationships who in the 90s formed a cheesy [Neil Diamond](https://www.theguardian.com/music/neil-diamond) tribute act called Lightning and Thunder; they became a cult hit in their home state and even opened for Pearl Jam whose guitarist Eddie Vedder good-naturedly joined them on stage for an encore. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2025, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/4143 "2025-12-27T06:33:36Z")
Over the past week: **The Housemaid** A twisty thriller along the lines of _Gone Girl_. A woman with secrets is hired into a rich tech bro’s household as a maid, only to discover the woman of the house is apparently focused on destroying her. I have to admit it sucked me in and I didn’t see the twist coming until just before it corkscrewed into the narrative. Ignore the plot-holes and it’s a fun ride. **Resurrection** An episodic sci-fi/fantasy set in a dystopian world in which dreams are outlawed and only outlaws have dreams. The episodes don’t really hang together in a coherent theme, but in the skilled hands of the director (Bi Gan), each episode is a mini-masterpiece. It requires some investment from the viewer, so not recommended for the casual watch. **Anaconda** A group of middle aged friends reunite to fulfill their youthful dream to remake the 90’s film _Anaconda_ (yeah, the one with the horrible overacting Jon Voight, among others). The movie is sort of a _The Hangover_ meets _Anaconda_, but the purity of the group’s ambitions and the gameness of the actors in the raunch bits redeems it (a bit). I had fun and laughed out loud a few times, but can’t recommend it, especially if you can’t stand Jack Black. **Song Sung Blue** Apparently based on the true story of a couple who started a successful Neil Diamond tribute band, it has as more melodrama stuffed into it than I thought was humanly possible. Lot’s of well produced versions of Neil Diamond’s songbook (we all know Hugh Jackman can sing, but who knew Kate Hudson had pipes?). If you want an evening of Neil Diamond songs embedded in the most cliche ridden tale of the ups and downs (a lot of downs) of a blue collar family (with the means to afford tons of expensive costumes and audio equipment), this is tailor made for you. For myself, the early introduction of Chekov’s heart condition had me spending the last half hour of the movie waiting for it to go off. Not recommended for anyone but dedicated Neil Diamond fans or those who have never seen a movie. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2025, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/4144 "2025-12-27T07:12:36Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > _The Holdovers …_ I’ve seen _The Holdovers_ described as “_Scent of a Woman_, but much more realistic.” Which it is, when you think about it: both are about a high school student and an older man. They don’t get along at first, but they bond over an adventure in the city. Fine so far, but fine dining, a suite at a fancy hotel, a hired limo and driver, custom-made suits, an afternoon tea dance, and test-driving a Ferrari are out of most adults’ and teens’ reach. A beer and burger joint, bowling, and a beater car, as in _The Holdovers_, are however. I like both, but I think I prefer _The Holdovers_ because it is much more relatable. As for _Home Alone_, the first time was fun, the second time was “Meh,” the third time was “_Again?_” and the fourth time was “No, just no.” I watched the 1973 _Walking Tall_ tonight. It was on TCM, so why not? I had seen it before, sometime in the 1970s, when it was on TV. After tonight’s viewing, I’m on the fence as to whether or not I liked it. On the one hand, I do tend to like movies with some sort of basis in actual history; on the other hand, this one was a little too over the top in spots. How much fake blood did they use, anyway? ---
**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:** [December 27, 2025, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/4145 "2025-12-27T13:53:14Z")
Thank you @peccavi I’ll wait until Song Sung Blue is offered on Prime. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2025, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/4146 "2025-12-27T14:17:26Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Anyone planning to Watch _Song Sung Blue_? Now, until like two days ago, I thought _SSB_ was a docudrama about Neil Diamond, ala _Bohemian Rhapsody_ or _Rocket Man_. The trailer doesn’t make it obvious. Now I find out it’s about a cover act? Geeze. Next you’ll be telling me _Michael_ is about a Jackson impersonator! ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2025, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/4147 "2025-12-27T15:00:09Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > I watched the 1973 _Walking Tall_ tonight. It was on TCM, so why not? That’s an old movie where multiple viewings may not be necessary, but it’s unfortunate that the Rock remake was done to ramp up the action; not to set the historical record straight. The stories from the old Dixie mafia are underrepresented in popular culture, whereas for me at least I could live happily without yet another version of the Lucky/Meyer/Bugsy story. ---
**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:** [December 27, 2025, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/4148 "2025-12-27T15:46:43Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Now, until like two days ago, I thought _SSB_ was a docudrama about Neil Diamond, ala _Bohemian Rhapsody_ or _Rocket Man_. The trailer doesn’t make it obvious. > > Now I find out it’s about a cover act? Geeze. > > Next you’ll be telling me _Michael_ is about a Jackson impersonator! The tv ads are misleading. I also expected a movie about Neil Diamond. I’ve eagerly been waiting for the theatrical release. Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2025, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/4149 "2025-12-27T16:10:57Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Anyone planning to Watch _Song Sung Blue_? Actually, I saw it at a sneak preview two weeks ago. Our theater does previews on Mondays _without telling you what it is_, so I went in without knowing anything, and with no expectations. No, it’s not Citizen Kane, but it was an enjoyable couple of hours. It’s based on a documentary from 2008. I’m sure some things were a bit of artistic license, but the main parts of the story are true. And that’s a lot to cram into about 2 years. You see Hugh Jackman’s character fighting with sobriety, and Kate Hudson falling into addiction. Yeah, a bit corny at times, but well acted. I liked some of the directorial decisions like not prettying-up the main characters and showing working poor living without over emphasizing it. I was surprised at how well I knew a lot of Neil Diamond songs. Might be doing karioki tonight, and I’m thinking of doing Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show. ---
**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:** [December 28, 2025, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/4150 "2025-12-28T02:14:16Z")
**Marty Supreme** Boy, I disliked almost everything about this movie. I’m usually okay with unlikable characters but there are only two sympathetic characters in this film (one of them is a dog and the other doesn’t speak English.) I especially hate the cinematography with the non-stop closeups (a dermatologist’s wet dream) and the totally undeserved redemption arc. It’ll probably win ten Oscar’s. ---
**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:** [December 28, 2025, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/4151 "2025-12-28T03:12:26Z")
Miller’s Crossing (1990). I hadn’t seen it since it arrived in the theater and had no interest because it’s pretty intense and I wasn’t sure I wanted to dive into it. But my son wanted to watch it, so we watched it, and man is that a fantastic movie. Definite Coen Bros stylistic vibes, and great acting. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2025, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/4152 "2025-12-28T03:38:28Z")
I read this thread often but simply don’t see or watch that many movies anymore, but a couple days at my brother’s house (where they have 3-4 movie services and apparently that is all they watch) plus seeing one tonight on a whim, I decided I would make my contribution to this entertaining thread. First the Holiday Movies (I don’t count _Die Hard_, since everyone watches it at Christmas and it is a very good movie–or at least everyone has an opinion of it). So… **The Black Phone** (2021), standard horror/thriller with child kidnapped by mass murderer-psycho and held in a basement with a…black phone…calls occur and sister is slightly psysic and…sorry, not scary, not bloody, and rather bored me. Not recommended. **The Beekeeper** (2024). Basically Jason Strahan goes John Wick on Telemarketers ripping off old people after a friends’ suicide, taking out assorted bad guys, phone marketers, mercenaries and FBI/Police agents in quantities that even Arnold Schwarzenegger would say “Man, that’s unrealistic”. Fairly mindless fare but not something I’d watch again. **The Accountant 2** (2025). Sequel to “The Accountant”, which I thought was a better movie in terms of plot and direction, but this one features the relationship between the two brothers and does have it’s interesting moments. Again, a fairly large body count and you get Ben Affleck line-dancing whether you want it or not, but I might watch the Accountant 3, which is in development. **The Martian** (2015). Bored my family, but i still think it is the best Science Fiction movie ever and is in my top 5 all-time. YMMV, but it’s well-plotted, well-written and the actors all fit their roles perfectly. And Rich Purcell is still a steely-eyed missile man. **The Incredibles 2**. I loved the first one but never got around to watching the second one until tonight when I was bouncing from the NFL game and…while I think the original is better and I figured out the plot twist early on, it was still enjoyable and if you have to kill a couple hours you can do worse. And that is my 2025 report, probably will not see that many movies in the next six months, but I done my duty. ---
**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:** [December 28, 2025, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/4153 "2025-12-28T04:23:42Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > **The Martian** (2015). Bored my family I have questions… ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2025, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/4154 "2025-12-28T07:45:29Z")
Yeh that is an eyebrow-raiser. How the hell does that film bore someone?! ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2025, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/4155 "2025-12-28T07:46:26Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > **The Black Phone** (2021), Agree with you about this one - I watched it again a while back due to the decent reviews and was left baffled as to how it got them. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2025, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/4156 "2025-12-28T07:54:03Z")
**Wake up Dead Man (AKA Knives Out 3)** Hmmm… Lots to like about this (great cast, engaging dialogue, a dying artform in the ‘Whodunnit’ film) and yet I came away underwhelmed, mostly due to the ending which I and my viewing companions found came a little out of nowhere. By that, I don’t mean it was illogical, more that there weren’t really the standard clues sprinkled throughout other red herrings that you’d want to receive (even if only picked up on in retrospect). We really had no clue once the solution was revealed that that was what it was going to be. Maybe we’re just slow! I don’t feel overly inclined to rewatch to see what we may have missed, which says it all really. Worth watching but no more than that. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2025, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/4157 "2025-12-28T14:03:30Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > I have questions… > [@iamatractorboy](#): > > Yeh that is an eyebrow-raiser. How the hell does that film bore someone?! No idea, but they do watch mostly action/horror type films along with dramas like “Yellowstone” so this may not be their taste. But I enjoyed it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2025, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/4158 "2025-12-28T16:11:00Z")
Yeah, Stainless Steel Rat needs a new family. ---
**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:** [December 28, 2025, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/4159 "2025-12-28T21:05:22Z")
**Farkham Hall** Absolutely not recommended. One of the worst films of the year. An unfunny comedy. Almost zero laughs at all and honestly a huge misfire by everyone. This is a movie that tries to be a bit like Naked Gun…but nearly all the gags miss and miss terribly. Boring. Unfunny. Thumbs down, way down. I like Jimmy Carr, who wrote this. Let’s just pretend this didn’t happen and get back to his hosting panel shows and telling mildly amusing jokes. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2025, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/4160 "2025-12-28T22:01:12Z")
> [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](#): > > > [@peccavi](#): > > > > **Fackham Hall** A mildly amusing parody of Downton Abbey and British cosy mysteries. There are some laughs, but not enough to justify seeking it out. > > Just saw this last night. Downtown Abbey meets Airplane meets Python. Really liked it. Need to watch it again when it streams to get all the sign gags (I did catch a fairly obscure track and field joke that I would have missed if I blinked at the wrong time). Finally got to see this, but only about the first half – will watch the rest tonight. As I mentioned, as a fan of PG Wodehouse writings and series like _You Rang, M’Lord?_ (not to mention _The Windsors_!) I’m a fan of parodies of English aristocracy. I have to agree that a lot of the humour (so far, at least) is fairly mild, although there are a few laugh-out-loud moments. But the settings are certainly impressive – it’s done on the same grandiose scale as _Downton Abbey_. The residence is absolutely palatial. By contrast, _You Rang, M’Lord?_ presents an aristocratic family living on a much more modest scale, with only a few servants. ---
**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:** [December 28, 2025, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/4161 "2025-12-28T22:26:15Z")
I sort of watched [_Dead Poets Society_ (1989)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097165/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_6_nm_2_in_0_q_dead%2520poet). It was actually a reaction video on YouTube, so it wasn’t the whole movie - just selected clips - but I think you get enough to move the story along and keep up. I wasn’t completely unfamiliar with the film, so through context clues, the aforementioned clips and the reactors’ analysis I’m pretty sure I’ve got the big picture. I’d like to watch it proper but it’s not streaming on anything I subscribe to at the moment. Anyway … … I don’t get it. Maybe I am missing a big piece of the picture but as far as I can tell these kids are being threatened with expulsion for socializing in a cave. Why would anyone care? Why is that such a bugaboo? Yeah, yeah, tradition, honor, duty, all that shit, but really? You boys have been cultivating friendships while studying classic literature … in a cave … so you have to go. Is it the cave? I don’t get it. As for the kid who offs himself, I knew it was coming - that much was pre-spoilered for me - but I just didn’t buy Kurtwood Smith’s father character. Way too over the top. I will try to watch it proper as soon as I can, but I can’t promise I’ll get it then either. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288.md?page=207) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288.md?page=209)