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I'm about 2 1/2 episodes into Paper Girls, Amazon's new Prime series, based on the Image comic of the same name. 4 girls doing paper routes meet up in 1988, shit happens, and they end up in the future. The trailer tries to give you a Stranger Things vibe, but while it's been decent so far, it's no Stranger Things. I'm liking it so far, mostly because Ali Wong plays the adult version of one of the girls
 
Saw Nope in the theater, I enjoyed it...
My friend and I went to see it tonight (on recommendation of another friend).
Afterwards we argued about it for about an hour... before going on to argue even louder about 'Signs' (I fucking hated Signs).
We both liked 'Nope', just differently. She thought it was much more 'brilliant!' than I did.
My main disconnect is that I thought the side characters and their stories (the traumatized child actor and the obsessed cinematographer) were more interesting than the main protagonists and their 'gotta save the family farm' tale.
I've seen people comparing it to Jaws... but the first thing that came to my mind while watching it was Tremors.
I'm still a bit on the fence about Jordan Peele... mostly on the positive side... but while I've liked all of his movies, I haven't really loved any of them.
 
My friend and I went to see it tonight (on recommendation of another friend).
Afterwards we argued about it for about an hour... before going on to argue even louder about 'Signs' (I fucking hated Signs).
We both liked 'Nope', just differently. She thought it was much more 'brilliant!' than I did.
My main disconnect is that I thought the side characters and their stories (the traumatized child actor and the obsessed cinematographer) were more interesting than the main protagonists and their 'gotta save the family farm' tale.
I've seen people comparing it to Jaws... but the first thing that came to my mind while watching it was Tremors.
I'm still a bit on the fence about Jordan Peele... mostly on the positive side... but while I've liked all of his movies, I haven't really loved any of them.
I think Get Out was pretty strong through out the movie and ended well. Us was great up to the twist and while I appreciated it (much more than say The Village) I think the ending suffered from that reveal. The final action sequence of Nope felt a little long but overall I really liked it and there was some beautiful cinematography. I can see what you mean about the side story but it was mainly to
show he hadn’t learned the lesson about trying to work with animals
so I was ok with it. I can see where Peele has the risk of becoming another M. Night Shyamalan if he isn’t careful but he hasn’t lost me yet and I will see his next project in the theater regardless of what it is.
 
Finally watched Nausicaa: Valley Of The Wind (English version) last night with my youngest son.
Actually quite fast paced for an early Studio Ghibli flick, I could see a live-action version working well.
 
I can see what you mean about the side story but it was mainly to
Yeah, I got that... but it seemed to me there was a lot of work put into that for something that could have just been a short aside, without even needing to show the event (let alone start the movie with it). It didn't really bug me... but it felt like the sort of thing some might refer to as 'self-indulgent' (shyamalanesque?).
At least there wasn't 'clever' twist ending.
 
Yeah, I got that... but it seemed to me there was a lot of work put into that for something that could have just been a short aside, without even needing to show the event (let alone start the movie with it). It didn't really bug me... but it felt like the sort of thing some might refer to as 'self-indulgent' (shyamalanesque?).
At least there wasn't 'clever' twist ending.
I can see that, I believe I heard that
being attacked by a chimp is a fear Jordan had growing up which is why it got such a prominent place in the film.
 
Perun knocks another one out of the park with a fascinating deep dive into the defense economics and spending. I will be the first to say it's a really niche subject and not for everybody; whenever I watch one of his shows Bunny never fails to comment that she finds it incredibly boring.

 
Rewatched Wonderland, a energetic and sweaty take on the infamous LA mass murder that involved the coked-out former pornstar John Holmes and his underage 'girlfriend.'

Kilmer and Lisa Kudrow are really good and the whole thing moves like a freight train. Also has the good taste to feature not one but two Terry Reid tracks on the soundtrack.




I've read a lot on the case, which inspired the entire robbery gone wrong sequence in Boogie Nights and this sticks quite close to the facts.

On the bluray commentary the director notes that at the insistence of the studio they removed a scene where Holmes beats up Dawn, his 'gf' (they started 'dating' when she was 14 or 15). That is a shame and something I noticed as the written record makes it clear he was highly abusive and to downplay that aspect of their relationship feels irresponsible. Still, a good film that deserves more attention.
 
I doubt with all the strange and terrible behaviour of Miller that there will ever be a theatrical release, they are far more likely to quietly dump it to streaming and act like it never happened.
 
A couple of days ago, I saw another installment of Attenborough's Green Planet--this one focusing on desert environments and plants. Gorgeous nature photography, as always, and I found it especially interesting because I like deserts--and it spent a fair amount of time on the Sonoran Desert, which I'm familiar with.

One part of the documentary dealt briefly with the 'teddy-bear' cholla cactus, which is a real hazard, and how packrats harvest its buds and spines to use as a defense for their nests. I was amazed with their skill in handling these plants, which are very difficult to deal with. It made me think about rat-folk in RPGs. IME, they are always based on sewer rats, or something similar, and depicted as disgusting and disease-ridden. It would be fun to make a version based on packrats, no more dirty or noxious than any species, with their penchant for collecting stuff and burrows defended by cacti-spines.

packrat.jpg
 

Some of the many projects cancelled by Warner Bros. since the merger with Discovery:
  • CNN+ and all of its programming just a matter of days after its launch.
  • Raised by Wolves (HBO Max)
  • Close Enough (HBO Max)
  • Gordita Chronicles (HBO Max)
  • Made for Love (HBO Max)
  • Chad (TBS, hours before its season premiere was set to air.)
  • Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS)
  • Three Busy Debras (Adult Swim)
  • Joe Pera Talks with You (Adult Swim …Sigh.)
  • Naomi (The CW)
  • Legends of Tomorrow (The CW)
  • Snowpiercer (TNT, during production on their fourth season.)
  • The Wonder Twins film, shortly after the leads were announced.
  • Scoob!: Holiday Haunt, which was reportedly all but finished.
  • And now Batgirl, after the movie was already made.
Discovery is making scorched earth of Warner's entire portfolio. With a handful of exceptions - such as Rick and Morty, Euphoria, the sequels to Joker and The Batman, Teen Titans Go!, and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - no Warner Bros. project should be considered safe.
 

Some of the many projects cancelled by Warner Bros. since the merger with Discovery:
  • CNN+ and all of its programming just a matter of days after its launch.
  • Raised by Wolves (HBO Max)
  • Close Enough (HBO Max)
  • Gordita Chronicles (HBO Max)
  • Made for Love (HBO Max)
  • Chad (TBS, hours before its season premiere was set to air.)
  • Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS)
  • Three Busy Debras (Adult Swim)
  • Joe Pera Talks with You (Adult Swim …Sigh.)
  • Naomi (The CW)
  • Legends of Tomorrow (The CW)
  • Snowpiercer (TNT, during production on their fourth season.)
  • The Wonder Twins film, shortly after the leads were announced.
  • Scoob!: Holiday Haunt, which was reportedly all but finished.
  • And now Batgirl, after the movie was already made.
Discovery is making scorched earth of Warner's entire portfolio. With a handful of exceptions - such as Rick and Morty, Euphoria, the sequels to Joker and The Batman, Teen Titans Go!, and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - no Warner Bros. project should be considered safe.
That sucks, I was looking forward to it, especially to seeing Michael Keaton return as Batman. I’d be surprised if Flash gets released either considering the shenanigans of Miller these days.
 
That sucks, I was looking forward to it, especially to seeing Michael Keaton return as Batman. I’d be surprised if Flash gets released either considering the shenanigans of Miller these days.
Well they said it was because they didn't want to concentrate on the small screen with DC, but make everything in the theater, so other than Ezra, the Flash seems to fit their plan.
 
Well they said it was because they didn't want to concentrate on the small screen with DC, but make everything in the theater, so other than Ezra, the Flash seems to fit their plan.
I am still disappointed, even if they released it pay for view for a while in the US and released it theatrically overseas it would probably make its money back.
 

Some of the many projects cancelled by Warner Bros. since the merger with Discovery:
  • CNN+ and all of its programming just a matter of days after its launch.
  • Raised by Wolves (HBO Max)
  • Close Enough (HBO Max)
  • Gordita Chronicles (HBO Max)
  • Made for Love (HBO Max)
  • Chad (TBS, hours before its season premiere was set to air.)
  • Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS)
  • Three Busy Debras (Adult Swim)
  • Joe Pera Talks with You (Adult Swim …Sigh.)
  • Naomi (The CW)
  • Legends of Tomorrow (The CW)
  • Snowpiercer (TNT, during production on their fourth season.)
  • The Wonder Twins film, shortly after the leads were announced.
  • Scoob!: Holiday Haunt, which was reportedly all but finished.
  • And now Batgirl, after the movie was already made.
Discovery is making scorched earth of Warner's entire portfolio. With a handful of exceptions - such as Rick and Morty, Euphoria, the sequels to Joker and The Batman, Teen Titans Go!, and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - no Warner Bros. project should be considered safe.

Joe Pera? What bullshit, that show was great and couldn't have cost much.
 

Some of the many projects cancelled by Warner Bros. since the merger with Discovery:
  • CNN+ and all of its programming just a matter of days after its launch.
  • Raised by Wolves (HBO Max)
  • Close Enough (HBO Max)
  • Gordita Chronicles (HBO Max)
  • Made for Love (HBO Max)
  • Chad (TBS, hours before its season premiere was set to air.)
  • Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS)
  • Three Busy Debras (Adult Swim)
  • Joe Pera Talks with You (Adult Swim …Sigh.)
  • Naomi (The CW)
  • Legends of Tomorrow (The CW)
  • Snowpiercer (TNT, during production on their fourth season.)
  • The Wonder Twins film, shortly after the leads were announced.
  • Scoob!: Holiday Haunt, which was reportedly all but finished.
  • And now Batgirl, after the movie was already made.
Discovery is making scorched earth of Warner's entire portfolio. With a handful of exceptions - such as Rick and Morty, Euphoria, the sequels to Joker and The Batman, Teen Titans Go!, and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - no Warner Bros. project should be considered safe.
Seriously are they insane? Cancelling ready to release shows? Where's the logic in that? Or to speak in hollywood executive terms "Where's the Money in that?"
 

Some of the many projects cancelled by Warner Bros. since the merger with Discovery:
  • CNN+ and all of its programming just a matter of days after its launch.
  • Raised by Wolves (HBO Max)
  • Close Enough (HBO Max)
  • Gordita Chronicles (HBO Max)
  • Made for Love (HBO Max)
  • Chad (TBS, hours before its season premiere was set to air.)
  • Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS)
  • Three Busy Debras (Adult Swim)
  • Joe Pera Talks with You (Adult Swim …Sigh.)
  • Naomi (The CW)
  • Legends of Tomorrow (The CW)
  • Snowpiercer (TNT, during production on their fourth season.)
  • The Wonder Twins film, shortly after the leads were announced.
  • Scoob!: Holiday Haunt, which was reportedly all but finished.
  • And now Batgirl, after the movie was already made.
Discovery is making scorched earth of Warner's entire portfolio. With a handful of exceptions - such as Rick and Morty, Euphoria, the sequels to Joker and The Batman, Teen Titans Go!, and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - no Warner Bros. project should be considered safe.
Sheezuz I was considering watching both Raised By Wolves and Snowpiercer
No point in starting something that doesn't get the story continued...
 
Raised by Wolves still has a lot happen in 2 seasons and might be worth a look. With the reveal at the end of the 2nd season, you can see how the 3rd season probably would have went.
 
Raised by Wolves still has a lot happen in 2 seasons and might be worth a look. With the reveal at the end of the 2nd season, you can see how the 3rd season probably would have went.
yeah but I hate it when too many things are left unresolved
still, it does look quite good...
 
To b
Not that I give too many rats assess, but if Batgirl stays shelved and The Flash goes ahead, then there's no logic in the world.
Who wants to see Ezra when there is is Keaton returning as an older Bruce Wayne?
To be fair Keaton is older Bruce Wayne in the Flash movie as well but to shelf a project like Batgirl when it is basically ready to go boggles my mind.
 
Not that I give too many rats assess, but if Batgirl stays shelved and The Flash goes ahead, then there's no logic in the world.
Who wants to see Ezra when there is is Keaton returning as an older Bruce Wayne?
Batgirl was a made for HBO Max movie and The Flash is for theaters. They are even pulling already made, already showing Made for HBO Max movies.

 
To b

To be fair Keaton is older Bruce Wayne in the Flash movie as well but to shelf a project like Batgirl when it is basically ready to go boggles my mind.
ah yeah thats right, I forgot he was in that. I suppose the Flashpoint plot plus Keaton will offset some of the trainwreck caused by Ezra
I
 
And the hits keep coming:


HBO Max is expected to layoff around 70% of their development staff. “Sounds like they’re not doing HBO Max scripted shows anymore with HBO taking over, so less scripted shows overall,” says one company insider.
 
And the hits keep coming:

If those nitwits turn HBOMax into the reality tv mill that discovery is I’ll be canceling my subscription and just buying boxed sets of the shows I like. Nothing is worse than reality tv.
 
And more info:



Apparently they will save $20m by not releasing it, so a net of $70m instead of $90m.
 
Well, I finished Alba, which was a very enjoyable, compelling drama.

Then I watched Heirs to our Land, a sequel, of sorts, to the Cathedral of the Sea. It wasn't as good. I liked it but it was OK in places.

Currently watching Alice in Borderland, a Japanese series about people forced to play in games. It isn't as good as the Squid Games, and I am two episodes in and thinking it's a bit dull.
 
Last night my wife and finished the third and final series of Broadchurch. Like most other people, I guess, we found it better than the second series. I'd even say the mystery element was better done than in the initial season--more suspects remain 'in play' and the police actually solve the case rather than having the perpetrator confess. The show did a good job of incorporating Beth (Jodie Whittaker) into the plot, by making her the counselor/advocate for the woman who had been raped. Some of the other plot-lines from previous seasons seemed a bit tacked-on, however. Though I like Andrew Buchan and his portrayal of Mark, father of the murdered boy from season 1, his story was rather peripheral and could have been cut, really. And the same goes for the vicar Paul and journalist Maggie--neither of whom really had much to do.

I found myself wondering if, in part, this final season was an act of penance for elements of the first. That flirted with child abuse, but stopped just short of it, and included a character whose backstory was in a sense an apologia for relationships with underaged girls. This series in contrast is very clear in its stand against sexual violence. In fact, it's subtitle could have been "no good men among the living," since the new male characters are almost all scumbags or unpleasant in one way or another. And the legacy male characters (except of course for Tennant's Alec Hardy) don't come off all that well either.
 
I started watching The Lost City, an adventure/comedy starring Channing Tatum and Sandra Bullock (with a fun, lengthy appearance by Brad Pitt), along with Daniel Radcliffe as the villain. It's been a fun movie so far (better than I expected it to be)
 
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