# Movies you've seen recently (Part 2)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288>\
**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:** 299

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**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:** [July 15, 2026, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5964 "2026-07-15T03:19:14Z")

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**Man on Fire** 2004 Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Christopher Walken, Radha Mitchell

I see many similarities with Denzel’s Equalizer character. Same style of speech and attitude. Creasy, in the beginning, is more broken and embittered by his violent past.

Many of Creasy’s interrogations of the people responsible for kidnapping the child are very similar to what the Equalizer would do.

Good movie. I really, really liked Creasy’s sacrifice and spiritual redemption at the end.

8 out of 10 stars

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**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:** [July 15, 2026, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5965 "2026-07-15T08:05:40Z")

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> [@Alessan](#):
>
> something up a bad guy’s butt

A bomb, if I remember correctly (it’s been 20+ years)

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**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:** [July 15, 2026, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5966 "2026-07-15T14:46:11Z")

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> [@Jack\_Batty](#):
>
> but holy shit does it get savaged by history purists.

The people that rag on this film have a bug the size of an enigma machine up their butts.

I mean, no one ever claimed U-51 was a historical docudrama. It’s not “the THRILLING TRUE STORY!” It’s just a movie!

Are these same folk complaining about _The Dirty Dozen_? Do they picket _The Great Escape_? _A Bridge Too Far_? _The Battle of the_ Freaking _Bulge_, where the battle of the Ardennes forest was filmed in a Spanish desert? Or _Memphis Belle_, which about the only thing it got right of the actual facts was a B17 was involved.

Leave U-571 alone. Like it or hate it, fine, but hate it on its own merits, not some whiny ass “it’s not _accurate_” BS.

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**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:** [July 15, 2026, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5967 "2026-07-15T15:11:48Z")

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Last night’s film was 1951’s _Showboat_. Every year we watch _That’s Entertainment_ and they feature a lot from the film, so when it was on TCM we decided we should see what all the fuss was about. Boy, there’s not a lot there if you remove the singing and dancing. I think Joe Friday could describe the whole plot in just one monologue!

Fascinating film. The biggest and best MGM production values. And a racial subplot I did not expect from a happy musical.

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**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:** [July 15, 2026, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5968 "2026-07-15T16:16:29Z")

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> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#):
>
> Leave U-571 alone. Like it or hate it, fine, but hate it on its own merits, not some whiny ass “it’s not _accurate_” BS.

I agree. I liked it. For realism, there is a biopic called **Jim Thorpe** on NFLX that is factual all the way through. I read a biography about Thorpe a couple of years ago and this film follows that to the letter. Good historical footage of the greatest athlete the world has ever seen.

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**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:** [July 15, 2026, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5969 "2026-07-15T18:40:31Z")

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The Punisher 2004 Thomas Jane, John Travolta

Watch about 3/4 and turned it off. Guys entire extended family is murdered. He turns vigilante.

I felt like it was like a snuff film from the very beginning. I finally lost intrrest and went to bed.

Man on Fire is violent but it has many good scenes with Creasy and the child.

The Punisher is just one killing after another.

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**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:** [July 15, 2026, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5970 "2026-07-15T18:47:24Z")

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> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> The Punisher is just one killing after another.

Definitely don’t watch Punisher: War Zone, then. It’s much more violent.

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**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2026, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5971 "2026-07-15T19:04:59Z")

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> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> **Man on Fire** 2004

First came the [novel in 1980](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_on_Fire_(Quinnell_novel)). Then came [the original movie in 1987 with Scott Glenn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_on_Fire_(1987_film)). It’s both somewhat more atmospheric, a lot more subdued and rather less coherent than the 2004 version.

Then came the [TV mini-series on Netflix](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_on_Fire_(TV_series)), released just a couple of months ago.

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**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2026, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5972 "2026-07-15T19:40:59Z")

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> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> The Punisher 2004 Thomas Jane, John Travolta
> 
> Watch about 3/4 and turned it off. Guys entire extended family is murdered. He turns vigilante.
> 
> I felt like it was like a snuff film from the very beginning. I finally lost intrrest and went to bed.
> 
> Man on Fire is violent but it has many good scenes with Creasy and the child.
> 
> The Punisher is just one killing after another.

Such a goofy film. Punisher’s whole family was murdered (in an overextended action scene that just goes too long) and his main way of getting revenge is to out one of the villain’s lieutenants, get them parking tickets with a fake fire hydrant, and then start a skull-shaped fire in the parking lot.

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**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2026, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5973 "2026-07-15T19:45:27Z")

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> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#):
>
> Leave U-571 alone. Like it or hate it, fine, but hate it on its own merits, not some whiny ass “it’s not _accurate_” BS.

I think a lot of people are tired of American propaganda rewriting history.

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**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:** [July 15, 2026, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5974 "2026-07-15T19:46:45Z")

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> [@JohnnyEcks](#):
>
> You know, it’s kind of funny that (as far as I I know) that in thirty years of churning out low budget films, Asylum hasn’t managed to produce a single hidden gem, cult classic, or surprise hit.

You mean, except for Sharknado.

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**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2026, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5975 "2026-07-15T20:01:14Z")

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Yep. Worst type of revisionism. If they wanted American heroes they could have done the capture of U-505, which would have been much more interesting, especially the fallout from same.

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**Author:** ![JohnnyEcks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnnyecks/32/18197_2.png) [@JohnnyEcks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnnyEcks)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2026, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5976 "2026-07-15T20:06:22Z")

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Sharknado was from Asylum? I stand corrected. Check “surprise hit” and “cult classic” off the list.

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**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:** [July 15, 2026, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5977 "2026-07-15T20:10:05Z")

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> [@madmonk28](#):
>
> I think a lot of people are tired of American propaganda rewriting history.

Except 1) it’s not rewriting history, and 2) it’s not propaganda. It’s just a war movie. Like hundreds of other war movies, with inaccuracies or simply completely fictional. other than that, well…

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**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2026, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5978 "2026-07-15T20:31:45Z")

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Oh come on. It took a critical part of WWII – capturing the Enigma machine – and pretended it was Americans who did it, not British.

David Ayer, who wrote the movie, expressed regret for writing it and suggesting it was Americans who captured the Enigma.

> “It was a distortion… a mercenary decision to create this parallel history in order to drive the movie for an American audience.”

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**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:** [July 15, 2026, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5979 "2026-07-15T20:33:21Z")

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> [@madmonk28](#):
>
> I think a lot of people are tired of American propaganda rewriting history.

_Argo_ is a prime example of that. It depicts the CIA as superheroes in the rescue of American hostages from Iran, completely obfuscating the crucial role of Canadian officials in the rescue. There was even an extraordinary special directive from Cabinet to the passport office to make Canadian passports for the American hostages.

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**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:** [July 15, 2026, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5980 "2026-07-15T20:39:52Z")

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> [@TroutMan](#):
>
> Oh come on. It took a critical part of WWII – capturing the Enigma machine – and pretended it was Americans who did it, not British.

If you watched the entire film, there is a roll at the end that says exactly who did what and when. A disclaimer of sorts.

Today’s movie was **Fallen** , a 1998 Denzel movie that I mercifully missed the first time around. Spirits and devils, etc.

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**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2026, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5981 "2026-07-15T20:44:04Z")

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> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#):
>
> I want a can of DRINK!

Put it in a glass, son. You’ll enjoy it more.

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**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2026, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5982 "2026-07-15T20:46:43Z")

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> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#):
>
> Except 1) it’s not rewriting history, and 2) it’s not propaganda. It’s just a war movie. Like hundreds of other war movies, with inaccuracies or simply completely fictional. other than that, well…

What a coincidence that this not propaganda advanced the lie that America were the heroes.

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**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:** [July 15, 2026, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/5983 "2026-07-15T20:47:40Z")

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Only to those simple-mided folk that think they’re watching a documentary.

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