Topic: Movie thread.

@PeterTomlan86
I have ever watched old Disney animated movies such as Snow White, Cinderella Sleeping Beauty, etc.
I also grew up by 80's and 90's Western cartoon series and anime series such as Jem and the Holograms, Tiny Toons Adventures, Biker Mice from Mars, Captain Planet, Sailor Moon, Minky Momo, Mr Ajikko, etc.

@ShieldHero It is, my mom watched a documentary on it and wanted to watch the movie, so I watched with her awhile back.

The Wizard of Oz reminds me, I was reminded of it recently because of that weird version done by AI that's showing at the Las Vegas Sphere. I think the last time I watched it was back in November, mostly because Wicked was everywhere I went online, lol.

@Sunsy Mary Poppins is a fantastic movie for sure. The special effects were impressive for its time, and I love the songs as well. I sometimes have A Spoonful of Sugar stuck in my head as well, haha! I'd actually like to see It's a Wonderful Life sometime, too. Last Christmas season had me see The Polar Express and Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas.

Honestly, I love a good family-friendly movie. They really help me feel good.

@D-Star92 ooh, It's a Wonderful Life is so good! My family went to see it as a play last year, and we still watched the movie because it's such a great story!

What I watched this past weekend.

City Hunter: Angel Dust (Blu-Ray) - Newest entry in this franchise that follows flirty sweeper (a gunman who takes on jobs people can't go to the police for) Ryo Saeba & his partner/romantic interest Kaori Makimura. It's been a few decades since the series was in the zeitgeist (though it got another film a few years earlier called "Shinjuku Private Eyes"), but they're finally after all these years animating the final arc(s) of the manga as movies, of which this is the first. This time they're after an experimental super soldier drug called Angel Dust (hence the title), which has links to the crime syndicate that murdered Ryo's first partner (whom was also Kaori's brother), as well as a man tied to Ryo's past. It certainly doesn't have the budget of one of today's big hits like Demon Slayer or whatever, but it gets the job done & is a fun watch for fans of the series.

Devotion (UHD Blu-Ray) - Another Hollywood tale of an unlikely Black & white friendship during a more prejudiced era, this time following Jessie Brown & Tom Hundley, fighter pilots during the onset of the Korean War. Narratively it doesn't really do anything all that new for the theme, but it's well made & pulls at the heart strings nonetheless. Definitely worth the watch for all the absolutely gorgeous flight footage too (there's just something about 30's - 50's propeller based fighters, amazingly beautiful machines). Reminded me a lot of Dunkirk in that specific regard.

Full Metal Jacket (UHD Blu-Ray) - Now for a much more cynical war film. Follows a batch of Marines (largely "Joker", who takes on a war correspondent position for the military paper) from boot camp to the jungles of Vietnam, where you'll see the mental toll the meat grinder of a war they're starting to lose (& where our the locals don't even seem to want them there) is starting to have on them, as well as the ways they cope (or fail to). It's hard stuff, but an absolute banger of a film.

Godzilla: Final Wars (Blu-Ray) - Made for the 50th anniversary of the franchise & the final entry in it's "Millennium Era" (after which it'd take a decade long break before the 2014 Hollywood film), it sees Big G & humanity facing off against alien invaders in control of a who's who of Godzilla's famous foes, whom have unleashed them upon the world's greatest cities (including the monster from the '98 Hollywood effort, here redubbed Zilla). Really feels like a celebration of the entire series as it indulges in a plethora of thematic call backs (aliens, psychics, mutants, magic, & more), but it really succeeds it making this seem like a true world ending event. It may feel a bit excessive at times, but it's a ton of fun for fans of the franchise.

Kingsman: the Secret Service (UHD Blu-Ray) - Looking back on it now the plot to this has some suspect elements (probably satire, but the villain is a wealthy environmentalist who's evil plan involves free phones/Internet for everyone, and even Obama is on board, lol), but even so this has to be one of my favorite spy flicks, & even action films in general. The action is visceral, and at a time when Bond (& other films of the genre) were trying to downplay fancy gadgets, this really doubled down on them & made them cool as heck.

@RR529 Godzilla Final Wars? It's been awhile since I've seen it. Had it on DVD previously. Toho recent released a 4K Remaster on both Blu-ray and 4KUHD back in June.

It was alright movie. But I felt the monster fight scenes, bar the final part, too fast and too short imo.

@D-Star92 It is, it's really cool seeing an early version of animation and live action being together too. It's A Wonderful Life is great, just be careful with the "free" streaming versions. Those tend to have a weird soundtrack (the incorrect music), or the "abridged" version which cuts out the most important scene in the movie. Also, the "free" version incorrectly credits Charles Dickens as the original story writer (obvious credit mishap, the font doesn't even match the other font on the credits).

It's weird, the best way to experience it is either the DVD release (my mom has this), or watching on NBC (I believe they air it Christmas Eve IIRC, I don't have regular TV anymore, I use a few streaming services and YouTube).

@CaleBoi25 That's awesome, I'll definitely have to see the movie then! I'll be sure to post my thoughts here.

@Sunsy Definitely. I love that whole cartoon scene in the movie as well. Thank you for the heads up... that's really weird they would give it different music and remove such an important scene. I think we have it on DVD actually, I'll have to check. Reminds me of how the original Star Wars movies would get changed around, especially A New Hope.

@D-Star92 I tried researching it online, and it's some weird public domain loophole where changing the music in It's A Wonderful Life or removing scenes somehow puts it into public domain. It's really unsettling if you've seen the original (not in a scary way, just in a weird way). This version is on some of the free streaming services around Christmastime.

The official release is put out by Paramount, sold as a DVD or digitally and obviously has a price tag on it.

@Sunsy Aha, OK. That whole public domain situation sounds strange for sure. I'd definitely want to see the official version, thanks for filling me in. I'll share my thoughts on the movie when I see it.

My all-time favourites up to '69:

• 1933 King Kong
• 1937 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
• 1939 The Wizard of Oz
• 1942 Casablanca
• 1944 Double Indemnity
• 1946 It's a Wonderful Life
• 1950 Cinderella
• 1952 Singin' in the Rain
• 1954 Rear Window
• 1957 12 Angry Men
• 1960 Psycho
• 1960 Spartacus
• 1960 The Apartment
• 1962 What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
• 1962 Cape Fear
• 1963 From Russia with Love
• 1964 Mary Poppins
• 1966 A Man for All Seasons
• 1967 The Graduate
• 1968 Planet of the Apes

I watch a lot of movies, so I try to limit my contributions for this thread to new ones I watch in theatre. And even then, I limit it to movies I enjoyed.

Does anyone really want to know why I didn't like Anatomy of a Murder, Our Man in Havana, Fubar, Peeping Tom or Weathering with You? Probably not.

I also re-watched 8 Mile. I still like it, but now, minus the massive hype and excitement I had for it on release, I find the story lacking. It's all about the rap battle scenes and the soundtrack. Also helps that I've been to see concerts at that Detroit venue.

@Sunsy Just checked, we do have the movie on blu-ray! I checked its running time and it's 130 minutes (2 hours, 10 minutes), if that means anything. It also has the original black and white version, and a color version. I'm pretty excited to see it now that you've mentioned it.

@MontyCircus Nice, someone else who also likes Cinderella! I've mentioned this before, but I do love that movie as well. One of Disney's best in my eyes. I mentioned earlier that I'd like to see It's a Wonderful Life as well, glad to see it's another one of your favorites.

Great songs, great humour, it's a classic through-and-through.

I mentioned earlier that I'd like to see It's a Wonderful Life as well, glad to see it's another one of your favorites.

We watch it every Christmas Eve. Crack some nuts, drink some nog.

Controversial opinion, but there is a colourized version which looks phenomenal. It's cool seeing eye-popping dresses, etc. in colours you never imagined, after decades of seeing them all in grey.

Robert Redford, dead at 89.

He won 1 Oscar, interestingly not for acting, but for directing 1980's Ordinary People (not sure I've seen that yet).

He was also nominated for acting in 1973's The Sting (my favourite of his)

And also nominated for Quiz Show (everyone liked that one) for directing and producing as a Best Picture nominee.

I also recently saw The Natural for the first time.

"I wish Dad could've..........God, I love baseball"

Every father and son feels that line.

@Sunsy @D-Star92 @Anti-Matter @CaleBoi25 @MontyCircus 101 Dalmatians is a really fun movie. I could watch it numerous times for enjoyment.

Pinnocchio! Maybe I have watched this movie back as a kid, but I don’t remember or know if I have watched it.

Let me tell you something though, that movie back in the day when it came out had people in silence and sadness after watching it.

I also heard the movie didn’t sell well at the box office. I’m not sure why. I’m guessing it had bad marketing behind it for whatever reason that may be.

Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty are two films that have stood the test of time and are still both magnificent in art and storytelling (the latter because it’s something we can relate to as human beings and never will not be relatable to us). No new fancy 3D art evolution or agenda movement will ever replace these kinds of movies.

But I think the reason why the stories in the films are still timeless classics is because of what Walt Disney believed back then. There was one famous actress who used to act in movies for Walt Disney, who was a little girl, and she would ask, “What is the message of your movie?” and he would reply, “I want people to see the good in themselves.”

I watched Lady and the Tramp a few months ago with my family! My first time ever watching the movie as far as I’m aware. I should read what you thought of it some pages back in this thread.

@D-Star92 Have you truly never watched It’s a Wonderful Life? No way. I don’t believe it. (Not criticizing you there too.)

And you plan on writing a short review of it after you’re done watching it? This I gotta see.

It’s a Wonderful Life would have to be one of my favorite pre-70s movies. I’m not gonna spoil the film, but the movie, the story, has a message that is so dear and eternally embraced once after watching it. It’s no wonder to me why the film is universally and largely regarded as a masterpiece.

Judy Garland makes the Wizard of Oz for me. She plays a precious girl, despite times of distress, you want to see smile radiantly, root for, and want nothing but the best to be blessed upon her. That’s what I call really looking at the good in people and wanting them to be what they can potentially become.

There are other things I like about the film too, but I’ll stop there for now. I will also say this and other films I mentioned I have not read their original adaptations. In case anyone is wondering.

I wrote about one of my favorite old movies here, (It’s a Wonderful Life,) as well as films I hold in high regard above, but I’m gonna put down my favorite list of oldies actually. There are other movies I want to talk about! (Old and beyond 70s.) I also don’t mind continuing conversations with the films I mentioned above too.

@MontyCircus Sorry to hear that. I’m not very familiar with the actor, but I hope his family hangs in there.

@MontyCircus I love It's a Wonderful Life in BnW, but color is good too! It definitely took some getting used to after having seen it in Black and White for years, but it really is well done! The movie is amazing!!

@PeterTomlan86 some of my favorites are
"I am a fugitive from a chain gang" 1939 Paul Muny
"The Caine Mutiny" 1954 Humphrey Bogart
"Mister Roberts" 1955 James Cagney & Robert Fonda
"Oliver!" 1968 Jack Wilde & Oliver Reed
"Houdini" 1953 Tony Curtis & Janet Leigh
"High Noon" 1952 Gary Cooper
"The African Queen" 1951 Katherine Hepburn & Humphrey Bogart

@Mikeg1965 The African Queen was a fun one for sure! And The Caine Mutiny was amazing!

Last night, I saw Kiki's Delivery Service for the first time, and I enjoyed it. It's a charming coming-of-age story about a young girl who becomes a witch and ends up making deliveries to people. The story and animation are all nicely done, and I'd definitely recommend seeing it if you haven't already. I watched it on my blu-ray copy.

@MontyCircus Absolutely. That's nice you see it every Christmas Eve... I wanna see it next Christmas season at the very latest.