Films I turned off this week...

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phazed

Original Poster:

21,855 posts

205 months

Saturday 11th April 2020
quotequote all
Following on from the, Ffilms I watched this week ".

It never ceases to amaze me how bad a lot of films are. Many are just unwatchable or is it just my age, less patience or maybe what life we have is better spent doing other things.

Whatever it is, we, (Mrs phazed and I) must've switched off 20–30 films this year. We know Netflix and Amazon are awash with films good and bad but there really is an inordinate amount of poor ,less than average films.

I should've known better but last night I psyched myself up to watching, Midway.

What a crock! I lasted until the attack on Pearl Harbor which was approximately 20 minutes in. Why is it that the Americans can make really good films and then just make such poorly acted examples? I guess this film cost a small fortune to make but surely it could've been better.

I then tried, The Talented Mr Ripley.

I tried to stick with it, ( Matt Damon and Jude Law sounded promising) but after 50 minutes I realised I wasn't even halfway through and my attention was drifting to what cocktails I could make up with half finished bottles of strange liqueurs at the back of the booze cabinet. That went off and was filed in my mental bin.

Anyone else suffering from this malaise? If so, what isn't worth a watch?

Edited by phazed on Saturday 11th April 12:57

Teddy Lop

8,301 posts

68 months

Saturday 11th April 2020
quotequote all
The standard of mainstream films is absolutely terrible today, at least the offerings of hollywood. They take themselves too seriously or not seriously enough or both.

I forget how many I've turned off, and its not me, you can watch films from the 90s, anything from action to family and theres quality and unpretentious fun to them.

You get a better hit rate with foreign language stuff if subtitles doesn't scare you off, although they do seem like work when all you want is to zone out.


Mortgage_tom

1,310 posts

227 months

Saturday 11th April 2020
quotequote all

I think I know what you mean. Given the current situation, Im finding it has to be a good distraction to hold my attention.

The Talented Mr. Ripley is a good film, but perhgaps not enough escapism or intrigue.

The Platform on Netflix might be out there & intriguing enough to hold your attention.


So far Ive failed at watching The Wire, The Expanse, Tales from the Loop, Red Dragon, some super hero thing, the outsider, how to fix a drug scandal & many more.


PositronicRay

27,107 posts

184 months

Saturday 11th April 2020
quotequote all
Gromm said:
I can count films I actually liked on the fingers of my hand. Almost everything which is destined for Netflix, Amazon and HBO is shockingly bad.
I miss love film, whilst there were some stinkers, back catalogue and world cinema was great.

Johnnytheboy

24,498 posts

187 months

Saturday 11th April 2020
quotequote all
I just watched "A Quiet Place", recorded by my OH, and her turn to pick a film.

God it was bad. A post-apocalyptic film in which Earth is overrun by monsters who eat you if you make noise.

More plot holes than a plot colander, then it just abruptly ended. And yet the missus loved it.

Oddly, we are like a little sample of the imdb.com reviews, which are more polarised than those of any film I've read up on there before. Almost all seem to be either 1-3 or 8-10.


texaxile

3,305 posts

151 months

Sunday 12th April 2020
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My Mrs thought it would be a good idea to watch "Left Behind" with Nicholas Cage.

After 20 minutes we both thought it was a good idea to turn it off and go to bed.

Absolute stinker of a film, but still not as rubbish as "the village".

Jonesy23

4,650 posts

137 months

Sunday 12th April 2020
quotequote all
texaxile said:
My Mrs thought it would be a good idea to watch "Left Behind" with Nicholas Cage.

After 20 minutes we both thought it was a good idea to turn it off and go to bed.

Absolute stinker of a film, but still not as rubbish as "the village".
The cheap film of the book series about the Rapture? If you aren't a very specific sort of evangelical American Christian then you'll rightly think it's utter bks.


Pericoloso

44,044 posts

164 months

Sunday 12th April 2020
quotequote all
I didn't turn it off but last night I had Sexy Beast on in the background.

I've never heard the C word so often in one film ,mostly uttered by Ben Kingsley's psychotic character.

I won't be rushing back to watch it next time.

Is it actually a good film and I'm mistaken ?

darreni

3,819 posts

271 months

Sunday 12th April 2020
quotequote all
Pericoloso said:
I didn't turn it off but last night I had Sexy Beast on in the background.

I've never heard the C word so often in one film ,mostly uttered by Ben Kingsley's psychotic character.

I won't be rushing back to watch it next time.

Is it actually a good film and I'm mistaken ?
It's a great film, Ben Kingsley is superb.


colin_p

4,503 posts

213 months

Sunday 12th April 2020
quotequote all
darreni said:
Pericoloso said:
I didn't turn it off but last night I had Sexy Beast on in the background.

I've never heard the C word so often in one film ,mostly uttered by Ben Kingsley's psychotic character.

I won't be rushing back to watch it next time.

Is it actually a good film and I'm mistaken ?
It's a great film, Ben Kingsley is superb.
No no no no no no no no no no no, YES !

Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes

Gameface

16,565 posts

78 months

Sunday 12th April 2020
quotequote all
darreni said:
Pericoloso said:
I didn't turn it off but last night I had Sexy Beast on in the background.

I've never heard the C word so often in one film ,mostly uttered by Ben Kingsley's psychotic character.

I won't be rushing back to watch it next time.

Is it actually a good film and I'm mistaken ?
It's a great film, Ben Kingsley is superb.
Gandhi calling everyone a ?

What's not to like?

Pericoloso

44,044 posts

164 months

Sunday 12th April 2020
quotequote all
That's 3 to 1 ,will have to try it again next time.

DickyC

49,954 posts

199 months

Sunday 12th April 2020
quotequote all
Knives Out.

The film pausing twice courtesy of Amazon did nothing for it. When it stopped a third time and the screen went black I'd had enough.

phazed

Original Poster:

21,855 posts

205 months

Sunday 12th April 2020
quotequote all
Pericoloso said:
I didn't turn it off but last night I had Sexy Beast on in the background.

I've never heard the C word so often in one film ,mostly uttered by Ben Kingsley's psychotic character.

I won't be rushing back to watch it next time.

Is it actually a good film and I'm mistaken ?
One of my all-time favourites.

To be concentrated on and not to have on in the background. Absolutely excellent acting by Ben Kingsley and of course Ray Winston.

I keep this film in my mental file amongst Pulp Fiction, Snatch, Lock Stock, Leon, The Big Lebowski and a few others that I can't think of offhand as good solid entertainment.

Mr E

21,737 posts

260 months

Sunday 12th April 2020
quotequote all
PositronicRay said:
I miss love film, whilst there were some stinkers, back catalogue and world cinema was great.
Cinema Paradiso was a direct replacement in our house.

droopsnoot

12,041 posts

243 months

Sunday 12th April 2020
quotequote all
Pericoloso said:
I didn't turn it off but last night I had Sexy Beast on in the background.
I gave up on that, got a bit fed up of Ben Kingsley and the Spooks film was on the other side.

I also recorded "The Quiet Place" when it was on a week or two back, and it started out OK but I lost interest. But I find it generally difficult to sit through films, so it may not be a proper reflection on that film.

Flumpo

3,819 posts

74 months

Monday 13th April 2020
quotequote all
Just had to turn off ‘stripes’, seemed good on paper but it was awful.

Although it seems to be considered some sort of 80s classic according to Wikipedia.


PositronicRay

27,107 posts

184 months

Monday 13th April 2020
quotequote all
Johnnytheboy said:
I just watched "A Quiet Place", recorded by my OH, and her turn to pick a film.

God it was bad. A post-apocalyptic film in which Earth is overrun by monsters who eat you if you make noise.

More plot holes than a plot colander, then it just abruptly ended. And yet the missus loved it.

Oddly, we are like a little sample of the imdb.com reviews, which are more polarised than those of any film I've read up on there before. Almost all seem to be either 1-3 or 8-10.
We saw this too. No suspense, intrigue, back story, explanation or resolution.

It's like someone came up with an idea, and the writers just didn't know what to do with it.

2 GKC

1,918 posts

106 months

Monday 13th April 2020
quotequote all
Once Upon a Time In Hollywood. Got about 50 mins in and nothing had happened. Returned to it the next day for a further 10 minutes and then turned off again. Absolute dross

Johnnytheboy

24,498 posts

187 months

Monday 13th April 2020
quotequote all
That's Tarantino isn't it? I expect during that hour there was A LOT of dialogue, despite nothing happening.