What are we watching now?

[mbenigni]

I think it may be the case that Walken is only truly great when he plays a tough guy, like in At Close Range, e.g., but when he plays a regular guy he sucks, like in Communion.

I've never seen Communion, but I've loved Walken in plenty of roles as a non-tough guy. Everything from Deer Hunter (where he's fragile to a fault) to Blast from the Past (where he's absurdly "nice".)

 

[MindCrime]

Tyrant
The Old Man

 

[mbenigni]

We've been watching the 2nd season of Rings of Power. It moves faster than the first season, but it does feel like you could cut the dialogue in half without making any difference in what is being said.

We fell off right in the middle of S2. I can treat with it no longer. I don't know how someone took a plot line featuring Gandalf and Sauron (with decent casting for both) and managed to come up with something this dull.

To be fair, probably no help that we were watching it as slowly as we were. And then The Penguin pulled us away. If nothing else pops up when we finish with that, we'll probably force our way through the rest of Rings of Power.

 

[mbenigni]

Almost embarrassed to admit, I've been putting myself to sleep with a docuseries called Ancient Apocalypse. It's actually a very interesting premise, but I feel like the narrator is pretending his theory is far more outlandish and controversial than it is. (In a nutshell: human civilization dates back further than previously believed.)

Plus the entire format is him having expert guests on so he can toss them obvious softball questions and have them agree with him. Plus one of those guests is Joe Rogan, which 9x out 10 is an indicator that whatever you're watching/ hearing is bullshit. Plus another guest is Keanu Reeves, who comes off like he just wandered onto the set with no warning as to what was about to transpire, and also he's tripping balls.

And also... of course... and as always... "We may never know."

 

[spawnofthesith]

Almost embarrassed to admit, I've been putting myself to sleep with a docuseries called Ancient Apocalypse. It's actually a very interesting premise, but I feel like the narrator is pretending his theory is far more outlandish and controversial than it is. (In a nutshell: human civilization dates back further than previously believed.)

Plus the entire format is him having expert guests on so he can toss them obvious softball questions and have them agree with him. Plus one of those guests is Joe Rogan, which 9x out 10 is an indicator that whatever you're watching/ hearing is bullshit. Plus another guest is Keanu Reeves, who comes off like he just wandered onto the set with no warning as to what was about to transpire, and also he's tripping balls.

And also... of course... and as always... "We may never know."

I enjoy that show and Graham Hancock for entertainment purposes while still acknowledging that its pseudoscience and a bit hacky. But its interesting stuff

 

[la szum]

 

[mbenigni]

I enjoy that show and Graham Hancock for entertainment purposes while still acknowledging that its pseudoscience and a bit hacky. But its interesting stuff

Same, and I don't mind that it's pseudo-science. There's a place for that, and it's probably Netflix. But...

I feel like he's a little too into portraying himself as this underdog beset by the establishment, when in fact... I mean, are there really that many scientists actively disputing the fact that we can't be certain of human history in absence of evidence?

Plus the extremely repetitive, "I talked to professor so and so and asked him if he believed exactly what I believed and he said yeah", followed by footage of Hancock driving to a different location just prior to getting to his point.

And again, celebrity non-expert guests like Reeves are totally laughable.

Hancock: "The timeline feels all wrong."
Reeves [swaying gently in the breeze]: "Yeah. I... feel that way, too." [Eyes darting around as if deciding whether to flee...]


(FWIW: I've always thought there was something to cultural myths vs. universal "monomyths" in shared human history. And I'm not half as high as Keanu LOL.)

 

[laxu]

We fell off right in the middle of S2. I can treat with it no longer. I don't know how someone took a plot line featuring Gandalf and Sauron (with decent casting for both) and managed to come up with something this dull.

To be fair, probably no help that we were watching it as slowly as we were. And then The Penguin pulled us away. If nothing else pops up when we finish with that, we'll probably force our way through the rest of Rings of Power.

I actually felt it wasn't quite as slow paced as the first season but I agree, it's not great other than visually.

Compared to the LotR movies, Rings of Power manages to lack heart almost completely. I'm not really invested in whether any of the characters make it or not, especially when we already know that they do unless they're characters that weren't in the films.

 

[mbenigni]

I actually felt it wasn't quite as slow paced as the first season but I agree, it's not great other than visually.

Compared to the LotR movies, Rings of Power manages to lack heart almost completely. I'm not really invested in whether any of the characters make it or not, especially when we already know that they do unless they're characters that weren't in the films.

Someone appears to have read Tolkien's work and come to the conclusion that the entire elven race were precisely, genetically-engineered dullards. (And with that aim in mind, subsequent casting decisions were spot on.)

I've never read the Silmarillion, and I don't actually know whether it spans this series' timeframe or precedes it. But another thing that grates is hearing recurring oddball idioms that I never once read in the LotR novels (nor in Season 1, come to think of it), e.g. "I won't treat with you."

 

[JiveTurkey]

Been watching the new season of Tulsa King and Elsbeth. UK thing called Sweetpea on Starz has been pretty solid too.

 

[EOengineer]

Almost embarrassed to admit, I've been putting myself to sleep with a docuseries called Ancient Apocalypse. It's actually a very interesting premise, but I feel like the narrator is pretending his theory is far more outlandish and controversial than it is. (In a nutshell: human civilization dates back further than previously believed.)

Plus the entire format is him having expert guests on so he can toss them obvious softball questions and have them agree with him. Plus one of those guests is Joe Rogan, which 9x out 10 is an indicator that whatever you're watching/ hearing is bullshit. Plus another guest is Keanu Reeves, who comes off like he just wandered onto the set with no warning as to what was about to transpire, and also he's tripping balls.

And also... of course... and as always... "We may never know."

Same, and I don't mind that it's pseudo-science. There's a place for that, and it's probably Netflix. But...

I feel like he's a little too into portraying himself as this underdog beset by the establishment, when in fact... I mean, are there really that many scientists actively disputing the fact that we can't be certain of human history in absence of evidence?

Plus the extremely repetitive, "I talked to professor so and so and asked him if he believed exactly what I believed and he said yeah", followed by footage of Hancock driving to a different location just prior to getting to his point.

And again, celebrity non-expert guests like Reeves are totally laughable.

Hancock: "The timeline feels all wrong."
Reeves [swaying gently in the breeze]: "Yeah. I... feel that way, too." [Eyes darting around as if deciding whether to flee...]


(FWIW: I've always thought there was something to cultural myths vs. universal "monomyths" in shared human history. And I'm not half as high as Keanu LOL.)

I enjoyed these while also finding Hancock excruciatingly insufferable. No, Graham…we don’t need another extreme close up of your fat fucking face. Get out of here.

 

[Aelred]

Fwiw, I find some of Hancock's ideas and questions intriguing, it's just his answers and speculations that seem very based on hallucinogens to me, as he discusses with Rogan.

But I don't think Flint Dibble was the right person/debunker to have on Rogan with Mr Hancock either.

I've only seen trailers for Rings of Power (I've read The Silmarillion) and would have to buy Amazon prime to watch it. Nothing I have seen or heard about it inspires me to to spend the $$$. Galadriel and Sauron romance?

 

[mbenigni]

I enjoyed these while also finding Hancock excruciatingly insufferable. No, Graham…we don’t need another extreme close up of your fat fucking face. Get out of here.

If he’s fat then I’m planetary, but otherwise, yes.

 

[State of Epicicity]

I've never seen Communion, but I've loved Walken in plenty of roles as a non-tough guy. Everything from Deer Hunter (where he's fragile to a fault) to Blast from the Past (where he's absurdly "nice".)

I disregard The Deer Hunter because it's before he was known at all. I love his performance in that film, and from what I understand, he earned that Oscar. I haven't seen Blast From The Past, but I automatically think of The Dead Zone, which is the first time I saw one of his movies and thought, "Man, he can be a terrible actor when he stops caring." Another one is McBain, or his boring performance in Brainstorm, where Louise Fletcher absolutely streals the show and makes the film incredible.

I have the whole Naked City tv series on DVD, and he shows up there at the age of 19 or 20, and he's pretty forgettable. I think he's just capable of the world, but also hasn't cared for chunks of his career.

 

[mbenigni]

I disregard The Deer Hunter because it's before he was known at all. I love his performance in that film, and from what I understand, he earned that Oscar. I haven't seen Blast From The Past, but I automatically think of The Dead Zone, which is the first time I saw one of his movies and thought, "Man, he can be a terrible actor when he stops caring." Another one is McBain, or his boring performance in Brainstorm, where Louise Fletcher absolutely streals the show and makes the film incredible.

I have the whole Naked City tv series on DVD, and he shows up there at the age of 19 or 20, and he's pretty forgettable. I think he's just capable of the world, but also hasn't cared for chunks of his career.

I haven’t seen any of these lesser performances you mention.

I strongly recommend Blast from the Past, FWIW. I don’t love very many light comedies, but this one’s got a lot of heart.

 

[TSJMajesty]

 

[Sidler72]

I thought Dr Johnny Fever and the Fonze were the coolest when I was a kid…. Maybe add in Evil Kneival.

 

[likitlikeyoulikeit]

Still watching Grotesquerie.....still confused

I'm still struggling with it, cannot figure out why I don't like it.....keep watching, more to figure out why it sucks so bad .... especially considering the level of actors in it.....

Sadly, one is Travis Kelce..... terrible actor...

 

[JiveTurkey]

It's by American Horror Story peeps, iirc? That should be your answer. Oof.

 

[likitlikeyoulikeit]

It's by American Horror Story peeps, iirc? That should be your answer. Oof.

Could have been better ....kind of a nolan-esque thing....but worse....momento, but dreams....but psydrama....but a few terrible actors.....and the story is lacking, for me.