Currently doing my annual viewing of the film Sleepy Hollow starring Christina Ricci and Johnny Depp. I watch it every year on Halloween as for me, this film is the epitome of what the holiday is about: spooky fun!

I just finished watching a very fun B movie called Survivor. Since there are a lot of movies called that, it is the one made in 2014, with Kevin Sorbo in a supporting role. It also has the main character from the Mythica movies in a supporting role as well, which delighted me to no end. As I said, it is a fun, low-budget sci-fi movie about the crew of a space ship that crash lands on a planet, and runs afoul of the Raiders and Goblins that live there. There is lots of action and adventure, and a really fun ride.

The main character is your basic hot chick, and a lesbian to boot. Of course they killed off her girlfriend. Because you got to Bury Your Gays. Then again, pretty much everyone else dies too, so that might be too harsh.

It felt a lot like a video game, a Tomb Raider game in particular. There is a lot of running, and climbing up cliffs, even some semi-parkour when the Raider gang is chasing the protagonist through a warren of rocky outcroppings. When she gets her hands on a bow, well... But none of that detracts from the fun of the movie. It is just an observation.

UFC 244: Masvidal vs Diaz.

As much as I love the Diaz Brothers, I’m gonna side with the Miami Druglord on this one. While the pressure boxing / BJJ of the Diaz’ holds a special place in my heart, Masvidal’s slick boxing and punishing Muay Thai kicks’ll just rip Nate apart, particularly if Masvidal aims his kicks on Nate’s notoriously skinny legs, which is made further vulnerable due to his bladed boxer’s stance.

All in all, this is gonna be a violent 5-round war. I don’t see Nate KOing Masvidal with his attrition-style punches and it’ll take a substantial amount of fight IQ for Masvidal to knock Nate out, the Diaz Brothers’ infamous granite chin and endurance notwithstanding.

Ah, combat sports. We don’t deserve you.

Watched El Camino tonight. It was a bit of a let down; I loved the flashbacks for the nostalgic value; but the continuous flipping back and forth from present to past and back was not worthy of Vince Gilliam's writing abilities. He could have done better with this sequel. The western showdown was trite and immersion breaking. The ending was a complete dud.

Jesse's dialogue and role was good; but lacked the Jesse personality we all know and love. I read that the script didn't have a single "Bitch!" in it; and that Jesse ad-libbed the only one place he said it in the entire movie. When asked about it, Vince admitted he'd forgotten Jesse was famous for saying that and hadn't written it. WHAT? How could he write a sequal for Jesse without remembering that? Aaron Paul's acting was superb as usual; though. He even helped the script he was given by trying to inject Jesse into it despite Vince's failure to bring him to life again.

Even Walter White's part was bland; but as usual Bryan Cranston acted the living hell out of what he had to work with. The writing for his scenes felt a bit flat; as if they just stuck him in there as a novelty but had no real purpose for his role there.

Come on, Vince! We love you, and know you can do better than this!

I think Vince fell into the fatal flaw of all sequels = you can never go back; it just never works as well as it did the first time (when all the magic was there).

If he makes another sequel; I hope he remembers the character's personalities when writing their roles.


Also: big time spoiler below:

Spent much of today watching videos from the YouTube channel of a professional painting 'restorer.' Very entertaining and informative. I'll link one. The painting in this video is actually in pretty good shape, compared to many of the paintings he deals with. About all it needs is very minor repair of damaged/missing paint, cleaning, and varnish replacement. The frame, on the other hand, receives a more heavy-duty treatment, in good part to undo changes made during a previous restoration.

The Conservation of George Inness' "The Roman Campagna"


In this video, on the other hand, the painting itself needs a hella lot of restoration.

Ex Multis Ad Unum - Restoring A Split Painting

This post has been edited by Decrepit: Nov 15 2019, 09:51 PM

Rogue One and Solo.

Just finished Rogue One and about to start Solo.

I’m in love with Jyn.

Launched Brave Browser while ago to contribute to a forum that Firefox, for some reason, doesn't show its comment-composition window. That done, I decided to visit YouTube. I'm not signed to YouTube on Brave. Nor have I a 'view history.' Its recommendations page seems alien and saddening. Nothing but Mainstream Media thumbnails, and thumbs to indie vids that mimic MSM. The very sort of programming I watch YouTube to avoid...like the plague. Shows where YouTube's head is at.

History Buffs' evaluation of historical accuracy in the movie Elizabeth.

I'm watching the Spartacus show that was on Starz. My boyfriend is super into historical type stuff and he suggested it. It's usually not my thing, but it was so messy! It's like a Roman novela! I'm on season 2 now

I enjoyed Season 1 (Blood and Sand) and Season 2 (Gods of the Arena), but it lost me in Season 3 (Vengeance). I don’t know if it was Andy Whitfield (the actor who played Spartacus in Season 1) dying and the guy who replaced him not being as likable, if it was because the show really suffered from the departure of the Batiatus household, or if it was because the actual war just wasn’t as interesting to me as the Gladiator stuff. Maybe it was a combination of all of those things *shrugs*. In any case, I hope you enjoy it!

You-Season 2.

The creepy stalker is back! Anyone watched the first season?

I have never heard of it until now. I looked at it on Netflix, and it looks disturbing.

In very non-creepy movies, I watched the Power Rangers movie from 2017. It was a ton of fun. I enjoyed it immensely. I never watched the Power Rangers tv shows. They looked too cheesy for me even when I was younger. This was definitely not cheaply done. They spent a fortune on the cgi, and it does look good, even on 4k. But that aside, the characters were fun, the story simple, and the whole thing a blast. A great popcorn movie.

It is. The main character looks like an average guy and he has some good qualities: he looks out for those in need, especially children and those younger than him such as a fourteen year old girl who’s hanging out with creeps and a young boy who’s being verbally abused by his stepfather. Having grown up a certain way he can sympathize.

On the downside.... he’s a sociopath. A very analytical stalker, a kidnapper, and a serial killer who has severe obsession issues. It’s an interesting take, since we usually see others trying to bring down the killer in mysteries but in this we get deep inside his head as he orchestrated himself into the life of the woman he’s stalking. It’s very psychological. But it does get VERY disturbing.

My wife hated the ending. She couldn’t rest well, it kinda threw her off a bit.

I have never watched any Power Rangers growing up and I really regret it!

This post has been edited by Darkness Eternal: Dec 27 2019, 02:40 AM

All this talk of sociopaths and serial killers has led me back to one of, if not the, best realistic portrayals of those type of cats in movie history. Brian Cox as Hannibal Lecktor in the ‘86 film Manhunter. He’s what you would expect of a monster wearing human skin; calculated, cold, hollow, empty, but *so filled with synthetic human warmth* as to disarm you the way an old, congenial University professor would.

He’s not too tryhard as Sir Hopkins’ interpretation nor is he an aristocratic snob like Mads’. Brian Cox’s Hannibal is just the sort of guy who would, as ghoulish as it is, probably thrive in our own real world.

I preferred Brian Cox as well. He was a guy who could blend into normal society. Yet was utterly monstrous.

Wow, Khajiit did not even know someone besides Sir Anthony Hopkins had played Hannibal in a movie.

This post has been edited by TheCheshireKhajiit: Dec 28 2019, 12:12 AM

Started watching The Expanse on Amazon Prime. Only about eight episodes in, but it's really good sci-fi.

I watched the first season. I love stalker movies and I got super into it. I was gonna buy the book and everything.

Then the ending happened. I didn't see that ending the way it did and I was mad. Super mad.

I'm not watching the second season. 😒

Dawwww! Who's a good kitty!