Midweek Movie Free Talk

I watched Naked Gun (2025) yesterday and I really enjoyed it! I haven't watched the classic Police Squad films but I have watched clips of them so I sort of had an idea of what to expect going in. Still, I enjoyed the dumb humor of the movie and it was just what I needed. Definitely recommend giving it a watch!

ok! I watched this fanedit of Tenet and it was pretty great. The guy cut nine minutes from it, but I couldn't tell you where without reading it. The score was pushed back a bit too, which made everything better. The pace is great and it has more of that heist feel.

I didn't like the movie when I first saw it, but this edit makes it really enjoyable. It doesn't have that tight flow like Inception, but it isn't far off.

edit: last night and tonight I started my PTA filmography watch with Sydney / Hard Eight -- excellent film. I watched it normal once and then with one of the commentary tracks. I'm so glad that PTA picked up Philip Baker Hall for four of his films (one being the original short for Sydney. I call it Sydney because that's what it was supposed to be called, but the studio pressed for Hard Eight -- which is a better title on the marketing side, but I do think Sydney is better for the film itself. I wonder how many other films had this...

Next up is Boogie Nights

Interstellar (2014): ★★★ (rewatch)

Rewatched this while visiting my parents, who had not seen it before. Awesome movie.

Caddyshack (1980): ★⯪☆

I was looking for a relatively short and funny movie, and I'd never watched it before. I was kinda disappointed compared to the movie's reputation; it's funny, but not that funny. Bill Murray vs. the gopher is the most interesting part.

Ponyo (2008): ★★⯪

Very solid from Studio Ghibli. This was in my local theater, so I decided to see it on the big screen. It combines visual spectacle and an interesting story well enough that this isn't just a movie for kids.

Ne Zha 2 (2025): ★⯪☆

I had heard that this movie was insanely popular in China and my local theater decided to show it, so I checked it out. While it is very visually impressive, some of the plot points broke my suspension of disbelief a little bit. At points, I just assumed that either the good or bad guys would use some new unexplained magical power to BS their way out of their current situation.

Jaws (1975): ★★☆ (rewatch)

It was in theaters for its 50th anniversary. The big screen helps sell the menace of the shark and allows your eye to wander across the beach more than when you watch on a TV. I also didn't remember one particular detail about the ending, but I won't talk in specifics to avoid spoilers. Since it was a rewatch, I felt like the first act dragged on a bit before they actually go after the shark.

I rewatched Superman and Thunderbolts. You can read my initial thoughts on them here and here.

This is actually my fourth re-watch of Superman (I watched it three times in cinemas) and my third of Thunderbolts (only once in cinemas).

My opinion on Superman just keeps growing. It is an endlessly re-watchable film. Wildly entertaining and just so well written. It's got me excited for what Gunn has lined up next for the universe. And it's starting to top Superman: The Movie to be the best Superman film of all time for me.

I had a weird experience with Thunderbolts. The second viewing made me enjoy it more and then the third less. I think I did a similar thing with The Whale. Whenever a movie speaks to my personal emotion I think I tend to overrate them on initial watch, and then when that dissipates and I'm left with the actual craft of the film I'm left underwhelmed. I do remember sitting in the theater watching this, at some point in the middle it was losing me, but the ending and specifically Florence Pugh's monologue is what made me like it more. I found it a bit boring on this re-watch. I thought the action sequences were lackluster. And I don't think it's as good of a team dynamic as say Avengers or Guardians of the Galaxy. Actually one thing I kept thinking of was "is this as good as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3" and the answer was just always clearly no.

So for now I demoted it and I don't really consider it one of my favorites of the year anymore, Superman still is and I'll just leave that one as the lone comic book film I truly loved this year.

Caught Stealing

There was a lot of hubbub about Aaranofksy doing this film, which seems out of character when you watch the trailers, since it's being sold as an action-comedy. It's really not that light-hearted. It's more of a drama with some comedic moments (Matt Smith serves as comedic relief for most of his screen-time for instance). It's still in line with Aarnofksy's work of addiction and self-destruction, and the way that he depicts brutality on the human body.

What I will say about this film, and perhaps why he wanted to make it and why it appears to be more of a fun romp, is the energy. The Whale, which I liked, was contained in one room. Even the aspect ratio of that film gave it a claustrophobic feeling. Essentially letting us know how the main character's morbid obesity has limited his world and how he can't escape. This is the complete opposite, the world is huge. The camera moves. It's reminiscent of his craft with Requiem for a Dream, but slicker since he's now a more experienced director.

There's something so magnetic about Austin Butler as a performer. You imagine if he had been around 30+ years ago that he would be on the level of a Brad Pitt or a Leonardo DiCaprio, especially with how good his taste is in projects. But the industry doesn't really allow room for that type of movie star to flourish. This and last year's The Bikeriders really show off that this is a movie star.

The Roses

I only recently watched The War of the Roses. I liked it. I think it's an entertaining dark comedy. This is slightly different. It switches the roles of the man and the woman. A sight gag in the original (a moment where Douglas's character makes a comment about the children eating too much sugar and the children later becoming fat) is turned on it's head and becomes a major plot point here. Basically instead of the children becoming fat, they become ultra athletic.

I think in the original there was more focus on the divorce proceedings, and this one focuses more on the relationship falling apart. There's also more attempts from the characters here to save the marriage, and they actually communicate very well. Something that the characters in the original never really did. It gives the break-up a more somber tone, with both parties still having feelings for each other.

Tony McNamara (The Favourite, Poor Things) wrote this. You kind of get the feeling like this is a play. Like something that, on the stage, would be given shows year after year with different actors in the roles. It's a writer focused film as opposed to a director one. And good too since the director here, Jay Roach (Bombshell, Trumbo) doesn't really bring anything to the table.

I watched the animated r rated film memoir of a snail. It gets dark but the animation and story telling are first rate.