While watching local football matches with my brother...
I've become seriously obsessed with watching movies the last year. Growing up I used to watch lots of movies, mostly in me teens and the first few years of university. I had a movie theater across the street from uni, so every time I had a test of something, I went there afterwars. Then... I just stopped. I gave more priority to tv shows and books and fics, I guess. Those were alwars relevant, but going to the movies became expensive and the rest didn't (well, books have always been expensive, but when I was younger I didn't have to buy the books, I got them as presents).
Anyway. Last year I came across a movie podcast on youtube. The Shmoes Know Movie show. I got there though the Screen Junkies show, the people behind Honest Trailers. So, because all of those people were really excited about movies, while being funny and informative about them, I got really excited about movies as well. I'm watching three to five movies per week now, either at home, my parent's home (Netflix) and at movie theaters once again. It's been a lot of fun. Not only I'm watching more blockbusters, but a bit more low budget films I usually don't give enough of a chance.
Because I'm watching more movies, I've been watching less tv, I guess. Grey's was hilariously bad this year, I haven't managed to get that into NCIS the last few seasons, nothing new really got my attention...
Book-wise I've only just added more half-read books to my long list of unfinished. The last one I finished was The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fford, that was a pleasant surprise discovered on my trip to Europe last year (that I didn't read until this one). A mix of literature geekyness mixed with sci fi comedy. I totally recommend it!
The last movie I watched? not a good one. Fantastic Four. It's actually worse than the reviews described! I mean, I've seen a lot worse movies, but I've been pretty lucky this last year, because I usually follow the recomendations of the Schmoes, Alicia Malone and Chris Stuckmann, serious movie critics, on my book. But I wanted to watch just how bad this one was. I'm not a FF fan, not really, but I respect their long Marvel history and the impact of their participation in crossover storylines. I really like Johnny Storm and his underachieving playboy personality, I value what Susan has become over the years (from a damisel in distress to a complete badass), and is hard not to be fond of Ben Grimm. Reed is an asshole, but he comes with the package. I don't understand why it is considered so hard to tell their story and not be able to make it compelling. Yes, their origin story is old school and way too "sixties", but screenwriters and directors have managed to "modernize" other comics before, why not this one? I don't agree that Josh Trank had a good movie until Fox turn it into crap. The editing and pacing is bad all the way through, I don't think I would have enjoyed all that much his version of the movie, because there are flaws that come from the script and the concept. They were way too young to be in charge of building dimension-travelling machines with no involement from grownups except for daddy Storm (who really is useless in taking care of things, really). It bugged me that every character was SO underdeveloped. I didn't mind that Johnny was black, even though I do think being a blond white privileged kid is part of what makes Johnny, well, Johnny, but his relationship with "big sis" Sue is one of the things I most enjoy about the FF universe and it was nonexistent here. Also nonexistent is Ben and Johnny annoying the crap out of each other (also relevant in the FF universe) and Ben and Sue being sweet to each other (and being way a better couple than Sue and Reed, one of the things the Ultimate universe did right). Seriously, Ben didn't interact with anyone except Reed and an annoying gum chewing guy, there was no gravitas to their situation during or after. And there's almost no action! I totally understand why Doom fans were so offended by this version of the character as well. He is so much more complicated and badass and ridiculous than what we got in this movie.
Both Antman and Avengers Age of Ultron had problems and were far from perfect movies, but they work in the sense that they had balance between gravitas and fun and development. FF tried being more edgy and it only ended up being more dull. That's my main worry with the upcoming DC universe, because while FF is way worse than Man of Steel, that movie also lacked the fun part of superheroe movies and was too serious and as such too tedious, for me. I don't think Batman V Superman is gonna be tedious, but trying to be "darker" can take away the enjoyment of the storyline if it's not done right.
As for other movies coming out the next few months... I want to watch Legend, The Revenant (I'm in a Tom Hardy kick), The Walk, Snowden, Man from UNCLE, American Ultra, Joy, Sicario, Crimson Peak, Goosebumps (the little girl in me is going crazy over this one), Trumbo, Spotlight, The Lady in the Van and The Hateful Eight. Though, really, I'm more excited about movies coming out next year: Deadpool, Captain America: Civil War, Dr Strange, Magnificent Seven, The Jungle Book, TMNT 2 (even though I didn't like the previous one), Passengers, Story of your Life and Hail Caesar!. Yes, I'm very aware about movie-making now.
Anyway. Last year I came across a movie podcast on youtube. The Shmoes Know Movie show. I got there though the Screen Junkies show, the people behind Honest Trailers. So, because all of those people were really excited about movies, while being funny and informative about them, I got really excited about movies as well. I'm watching three to five movies per week now, either at home, my parent's home (Netflix) and at movie theaters once again. It's been a lot of fun. Not only I'm watching more blockbusters, but a bit more low budget films I usually don't give enough of a chance.
Because I'm watching more movies, I've been watching less tv, I guess. Grey's was hilariously bad this year, I haven't managed to get that into NCIS the last few seasons, nothing new really got my attention...
Book-wise I've only just added more half-read books to my long list of unfinished. The last one I finished was The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fford, that was a pleasant surprise discovered on my trip to Europe last year (that I didn't read until this one). A mix of literature geekyness mixed with sci fi comedy. I totally recommend it!
The last movie I watched? not a good one. Fantastic Four. It's actually worse than the reviews described! I mean, I've seen a lot worse movies, but I've been pretty lucky this last year, because I usually follow the recomendations of the Schmoes, Alicia Malone and Chris Stuckmann, serious movie critics, on my book. But I wanted to watch just how bad this one was. I'm not a FF fan, not really, but I respect their long Marvel history and the impact of their participation in crossover storylines. I really like Johnny Storm and his underachieving playboy personality, I value what Susan has become over the years (from a damisel in distress to a complete badass), and is hard not to be fond of Ben Grimm. Reed is an asshole, but he comes with the package. I don't understand why it is considered so hard to tell their story and not be able to make it compelling. Yes, their origin story is old school and way too "sixties", but screenwriters and directors have managed to "modernize" other comics before, why not this one? I don't agree that Josh Trank had a good movie until Fox turn it into crap. The editing and pacing is bad all the way through, I don't think I would have enjoyed all that much his version of the movie, because there are flaws that come from the script and the concept. They were way too young to be in charge of building dimension-travelling machines with no involement from grownups except for daddy Storm (who really is useless in taking care of things, really). It bugged me that every character was SO underdeveloped. I didn't mind that Johnny was black, even though I do think being a blond white privileged kid is part of what makes Johnny, well, Johnny, but his relationship with "big sis" Sue is one of the things I most enjoy about the FF universe and it was nonexistent here. Also nonexistent is Ben and Johnny annoying the crap out of each other (also relevant in the FF universe) and Ben and Sue being sweet to each other (and being way a better couple than Sue and Reed, one of the things the Ultimate universe did right). Seriously, Ben didn't interact with anyone except Reed and an annoying gum chewing guy, there was no gravitas to their situation during or after. And there's almost no action! I totally understand why Doom fans were so offended by this version of the character as well. He is so much more complicated and badass and ridiculous than what we got in this movie.
Both Antman and Avengers Age of Ultron had problems and were far from perfect movies, but they work in the sense that they had balance between gravitas and fun and development. FF tried being more edgy and it only ended up being more dull. That's my main worry with the upcoming DC universe, because while FF is way worse than Man of Steel, that movie also lacked the fun part of superheroe movies and was too serious and as such too tedious, for me. I don't think Batman V Superman is gonna be tedious, but trying to be "darker" can take away the enjoyment of the storyline if it's not done right.
As for other movies coming out the next few months... I want to watch Legend, The Revenant (I'm in a Tom Hardy kick), The Walk, Snowden, Man from UNCLE, American Ultra, Joy, Sicario, Crimson Peak, Goosebumps (the little girl in me is going crazy over this one), Trumbo, Spotlight, The Lady in the Van and The Hateful Eight. Though, really, I'm more excited about movies coming out next year: Deadpool, Captain America: Civil War, Dr Strange, Magnificent Seven, The Jungle Book, TMNT 2 (even though I didn't like the previous one), Passengers, Story of your Life and Hail Caesar!. Yes, I'm very aware about movie-making now.