plsletitrain
Member: Rank 5
Wasn't she wearing bootleg pants all the time?
Recently Seen, part 23 (December 2018)
- Thread starter plsletitrain
- Start date
plsletitrain
Member: Rank 5
Chimney pants? Ah, you mean they look like fit on the knees and then starts to get wide on the hips? The screenshot isn't too clear and I've got no plans of studying her lower extremities again by going back to the film. Or you mean there's no shape at all? Like a straight-cut? Yes sneakers because what else to wear? Not heels of course.
plsletitrain
Member: Rank 5
Buggy pants!!!! Haha! I learned something new today. Chimney pants=Buggy pants. Not only are you an expert on women who are into cosmology, but you're also into women's pants as well. Hehehe I'll behave now, I feel guilty teasing you to no end.
clayton-12
Member: Rank 4
Dying to Survive (Wen Muye, 2018) has been largely reported as a “surprise” box office hit in China; a small scale indie that snuck up and unexpectedly cemented itself into the three top-grossing films of the year. However, with Xu Zheng in the lead, I’m not sure that the success is all that surprising. Loosely based on a true (and apparently well known) story, Xu plays a down-on-his-luck importer of Indian herbal remedies, a kind of snake-oil salesman for the impotent. His luck changes when he is approached by a guy with a form of leukaemia, who convinces Xu to start illegally importing a life-saving drug that is manufactured cheaply in India, in direct contravention of the patents held by the Chinese supplier.
For all the talk in Western media about how subversive the film is, it’s actually a very conventional, Hollywood-style feel-good socially-conscious comedy-drama message film. Big pharma, protecting its intellectual property and maximising the profits to its shareholders, are the obvious villains of the piece. Xu starts out morally ambivalent, only out to make a buck by undercutting the big guys, but has an epiphany when he realises the human tragedy of unaffordable healthcare for those who desperately need it. The government protects the rich at the expense of the poor. The ordinary people rise up and say “we’re not gonna take it”. There’s an obvious formula here, and there’s no real surprises along the way, but particularly in the second half (which drops the comedy for drama and possibly becomes more manipulative) it is executed very well and was perfectly placed to be embraced by a mainstream audience.
For all the talk in Western media about how subversive the film is, it’s actually a very conventional, Hollywood-style feel-good socially-conscious comedy-drama message film. Big pharma, protecting its intellectual property and maximising the profits to its shareholders, are the obvious villains of the piece. Xu starts out morally ambivalent, only out to make a buck by undercutting the big guys, but has an epiphany when he realises the human tragedy of unaffordable healthcare for those who desperately need it. The government protects the rich at the expense of the poor. The ordinary people rise up and say “we’re not gonna take it”. There’s an obvious formula here, and there’s no real surprises along the way, but particularly in the second half (which drops the comedy for drama and possibly becomes more manipulative) it is executed very well and was perfectly placed to be embraced by a mainstream audience.
plsletitrain
Member: Rank 5
Tsk where can I possibly watch this..........................................
ebossert
Member: Rank 3
Highly Recommended
Die Hard (1988) (American Action) (repeat viewing) – A New York cop rebels against a group of European terrorists after they take over a high end office building. Considered an action classic and it deserves to be recognized as such given it’s appealing pace and exciting confrontations. The portrayal of the hero as a normal cop who is in way over his head really works well. Much of this is a credit to John McTiernan’s energetic direction and Alan Rickman’s antagonist performance that allows for an engaging film even when the protagonists are off screen. There are even some genuinely funny moments to be had. Heck, even the abundant product placement is expressed in entertaining ways. The last shot of Rickman has to be one of the greatest of all time.
Christmas Vacation (1989) (American Comedy) (repeat viewing) – The Griswold family’s plans for a big family Christmas predictably turn into a big disaster. This is a classic holiday film that stands the test of time. Chevy Chase is perfectly cast for the role, and some of the supporting cast are memorable as well. Lots of funny moments to enjoy. Some of my favorite scenes include the squirrel and the next door neighbors.
Recommended
Rampant (2018) (Korean Horror/Action) – Set hundreds of years in the past, a zombie outbreak occurs in Korea. The genre elements (horror and action) are well done and entertaining. It’s fun watching protagonists take down zombies with swords and bows. The fighting does use some variety, especially near the end when Hyun Bin breaks out some cool moves. The finale is lengthy and totally satisfying. There is also a human conflict involving the head of the military. This feels like the zombie threat is intermingled with a human threat that could be worse, which makes things interesting. Good production values.
On Your Wedding Day (2018) (Korean Romantic Comedy) – A young man falls for his classmate in high school, but they break up due to events beyond their control. Later on, he attempts to find her and strike up another relationship. This movie does a good job of showing the difficulties of maintaining a relationship. When compared to other films of this kind, it is fairly realistic and the character interaction is natural. Humor is mostly laid-back.
Kaiba (2008) (Japanese Anime Drama Television Series) – In a futuristic dystopian world where memories are literally stored, bought and sold and rich have all the privileges, a young amnesiac is trying to find out who he is. This is another good one by Masaaki Yuasa. Like many of this director’s works, the animation is creative and fun. Here it has an old school vibe, with some interesting character designs and environments. Some of the worlds are very creative and fun to look at. This is on the weird side for sure, and it does get confusing at times, but it’s certainly interesting. This is 12 episodes, 24 minutes each.
Home Alone (1990) (American Comedy) (repeat viewing) – An eight-year-old troublemaker must protect his house from a pair of burglars when he is accidentally left home alone by his family during Christmas vacation. The plot drags a bit during the middle, with the kid putzing around the house. The runtime of 103 minutes actually feels a bit too long. The burglar stuff doesn’t really ramp up until after the 70-minute mark. The finale is definitely fun to watch and has some painful-looking beatings, but it should have been a longer sequence.
The Visitor (1979) (Italian/American Horror) – The soul of a young girl with telekinetic powers becomes the prize in a fight between forces of good and evil. The script is very weak. The story meanders around and is very vague; the lack of details and explanations for many events will annoy a lot of viewers because the film is stilted and somewhat disconnected. At times, it makes no sense. Still, there are some memorable scenes here, like the opening, the hawk-inflicted attack in a car on a highway, the ice-skating assault, and the room of mirrors. Score and sound effects are creepy. Weird flick, but I kinda liked it.
Not Recommended
Basquiat (1996) (American Drama) – The life of Jean Michel Basquiat, a world renowned New York street artist struggling with fame, drugs and his identity. This has one of the most loaded casts of any film in existence, so I had to check it out. Unfortunately, this is a mostly shallow film that is almost saved by a small handful of interesting moments here and there, as well as some good performances (even though most of the cast are wasted in bit roles).
Haunted Honeymoon (1986) (American Comedy) – A man (Gene Wilder) takes his fiancee home to the castle where he grew up, among his eccentric relatives. The scenes in the radio studio at the beginning are funny, but this quickly loses steam with its constantly awkward humor that is mostly lame. This is more difficult to sit thru than I had expected.
The Tatami Galaxy (2010) (Japanese Anime Comedy Television Series) – A student is visited by a demi-god and attempts to woo a love interest. This was directed by Masaaki Yuasa, so it’s surprising how bad it turn out. This show pissed me off within the opening 5 minutes. The monologues are so complex, so numerous and fly at such incredibly fast speed that the viewer will likely get a headache from reading the neverending mass of rapid-fire subtitles. Even worse, the “protagonist” is an obnoxious twit who belts out these excruciatingly monotonous and stupid ramblings all the time. I felt like punching him in the face during every single episode. This is not funny . . . at all, which is quite surprising given the director. Most every joke falls flat on its face. Yeah, it’s nicely animated, but I need more than that.
Bottom of the Barrel
Dokumushi: Toxic Insects (2016) (Japanese Horror) – Seven strangers are locked up in building and are coerced to murder one another in a restricted period of time. This premise has been done to death, and this flick represents one of the worst attempts. It’s glacially paced and lacking in anything interesting, fun or memorable. It’s ridiculous how much of the runtime is spent with characters sitting around, doing nothing. There’s no sense of urgency at all! The death scenes range between lame and pretty good, with only a few corpse shots and moments that are sufficiently gory. Rina Takeda is the only actor who does a decent job; everyone else basically sucks. The acting talent is abysmal. It almost feels like Rina is degrading herself by being in this flick. The school environment is boring, with nothing in terms of cool lighting or atmosphere. (Viewed without subtitles.)
Die Hard (1988) (American Action) (repeat viewing) – A New York cop rebels against a group of European terrorists after they take over a high end office building. Considered an action classic and it deserves to be recognized as such given it’s appealing pace and exciting confrontations. The portrayal of the hero as a normal cop who is in way over his head really works well. Much of this is a credit to John McTiernan’s energetic direction and Alan Rickman’s antagonist performance that allows for an engaging film even when the protagonists are off screen. There are even some genuinely funny moments to be had. Heck, even the abundant product placement is expressed in entertaining ways. The last shot of Rickman has to be one of the greatest of all time.
Christmas Vacation (1989) (American Comedy) (repeat viewing) – The Griswold family’s plans for a big family Christmas predictably turn into a big disaster. This is a classic holiday film that stands the test of time. Chevy Chase is perfectly cast for the role, and some of the supporting cast are memorable as well. Lots of funny moments to enjoy. Some of my favorite scenes include the squirrel and the next door neighbors.
Recommended
Rampant (2018) (Korean Horror/Action) – Set hundreds of years in the past, a zombie outbreak occurs in Korea. The genre elements (horror and action) are well done and entertaining. It’s fun watching protagonists take down zombies with swords and bows. The fighting does use some variety, especially near the end when Hyun Bin breaks out some cool moves. The finale is lengthy and totally satisfying. There is also a human conflict involving the head of the military. This feels like the zombie threat is intermingled with a human threat that could be worse, which makes things interesting. Good production values.
On Your Wedding Day (2018) (Korean Romantic Comedy) – A young man falls for his classmate in high school, but they break up due to events beyond their control. Later on, he attempts to find her and strike up another relationship. This movie does a good job of showing the difficulties of maintaining a relationship. When compared to other films of this kind, it is fairly realistic and the character interaction is natural. Humor is mostly laid-back.
Kaiba (2008) (Japanese Anime Drama Television Series) – In a futuristic dystopian world where memories are literally stored, bought and sold and rich have all the privileges, a young amnesiac is trying to find out who he is. This is another good one by Masaaki Yuasa. Like many of this director’s works, the animation is creative and fun. Here it has an old school vibe, with some interesting character designs and environments. Some of the worlds are very creative and fun to look at. This is on the weird side for sure, and it does get confusing at times, but it’s certainly interesting. This is 12 episodes, 24 minutes each.
Home Alone (1990) (American Comedy) (repeat viewing) – An eight-year-old troublemaker must protect his house from a pair of burglars when he is accidentally left home alone by his family during Christmas vacation. The plot drags a bit during the middle, with the kid putzing around the house. The runtime of 103 minutes actually feels a bit too long. The burglar stuff doesn’t really ramp up until after the 70-minute mark. The finale is definitely fun to watch and has some painful-looking beatings, but it should have been a longer sequence.
The Visitor (1979) (Italian/American Horror) – The soul of a young girl with telekinetic powers becomes the prize in a fight between forces of good and evil. The script is very weak. The story meanders around and is very vague; the lack of details and explanations for many events will annoy a lot of viewers because the film is stilted and somewhat disconnected. At times, it makes no sense. Still, there are some memorable scenes here, like the opening, the hawk-inflicted attack in a car on a highway, the ice-skating assault, and the room of mirrors. Score and sound effects are creepy. Weird flick, but I kinda liked it.
Not Recommended
Basquiat (1996) (American Drama) – The life of Jean Michel Basquiat, a world renowned New York street artist struggling with fame, drugs and his identity. This has one of the most loaded casts of any film in existence, so I had to check it out. Unfortunately, this is a mostly shallow film that is almost saved by a small handful of interesting moments here and there, as well as some good performances (even though most of the cast are wasted in bit roles).
Haunted Honeymoon (1986) (American Comedy) – A man (Gene Wilder) takes his fiancee home to the castle where he grew up, among his eccentric relatives. The scenes in the radio studio at the beginning are funny, but this quickly loses steam with its constantly awkward humor that is mostly lame. This is more difficult to sit thru than I had expected.
The Tatami Galaxy (2010) (Japanese Anime Comedy Television Series) – A student is visited by a demi-god and attempts to woo a love interest. This was directed by Masaaki Yuasa, so it’s surprising how bad it turn out. This show pissed me off within the opening 5 minutes. The monologues are so complex, so numerous and fly at such incredibly fast speed that the viewer will likely get a headache from reading the neverending mass of rapid-fire subtitles. Even worse, the “protagonist” is an obnoxious twit who belts out these excruciatingly monotonous and stupid ramblings all the time. I felt like punching him in the face during every single episode. This is not funny . . . at all, which is quite surprising given the director. Most every joke falls flat on its face. Yeah, it’s nicely animated, but I need more than that.
Bottom of the Barrel
Dokumushi: Toxic Insects (2016) (Japanese Horror) – Seven strangers are locked up in building and are coerced to murder one another in a restricted period of time. This premise has been done to death, and this flick represents one of the worst attempts. It’s glacially paced and lacking in anything interesting, fun or memorable. It’s ridiculous how much of the runtime is spent with characters sitting around, doing nothing. There’s no sense of urgency at all! The death scenes range between lame and pretty good, with only a few corpse shots and moments that are sufficiently gory. Rina Takeda is the only actor who does a decent job; everyone else basically sucks. The acting talent is abysmal. It almost feels like Rina is degrading herself by being in this flick. The school environment is boring, with nothing in terms of cool lighting or atmosphere. (Viewed without subtitles.)
sitenoise
Member: Rank 5
Speaking of posters ....
This is a film I would not seek out:
If this was the poster, I might:
clayton-12
Member: Rank 4
I can't disagree with that sentiment, though the international trailer was a hell of a lot less inviting. The still that you put up is actually taken from the low point of the film.
sitenoise
Member: Rank 5
There's a Chinese version/remake Hide and Seek
Helmet included
Helmet included
plsletitrain
Member: Rank 5
I agree with this. Were it not for your positive review, I will not add it to my watchlist.
In fairness, its poster looks decent. Ugh, look what you did to me. Haha! The trailer was bad though and I think I've had enough helmet exposure with the Korean version already so I'm skipping this one (even if its available in my convenience store).
The Dakota Fanning-Robert De Niro 2005 Hide and Seek is my absolute favorite film with the same title but sadly its got a low IMDb rating so blah whatever. Hehe.
divemaster13
Member: Rank 4
I totally agree. One of the best Hollywood action films ever. One of my all-time 5 star films. A GREAT villain, and a believable protagonist who feels every bruise, cut, and gunshot wound, without just magically shaking it off. Who has to figure things out as he goes, rather than magically solving every obstacle. Who can forget those bloody feet and him picking glass shards out of his soles? Ouch! Sure, there are some fanciful moments, but I loved every one of them. I watched this again today, although I'm sure I know it by heart.
But to those who say this is a Christmas movie...it is not a Christmas movie.
It's THE Christmas movie. 
Daniel Larusso
Member: Rank 3
One Cut of the Dead
Movies about making movies are just the best!
8/10
The Third Murder
Koreeda's worst. Very boring to watch.
4/10
Blade Runner 2049
So beautiful, I like it even more than the original. Watched it twice this year.
9/10
May the Devil Take You
An indonesian Evil Dead. Fun stuff.
7/10
Mid90s
8/10
Double Indemnity
Witness for the Prosecution
Both 8/10.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
The title of this movie should be much longer if the intention was to put all the subplots in it.
2/10
Assassination Nation
Repulsive. Probably the worst movie I've seen this year.
1/10
Movies about making movies are just the best!
8/10
The Third Murder
Koreeda's worst. Very boring to watch.
4/10
Blade Runner 2049
So beautiful, I like it even more than the original. Watched it twice this year.
9/10
May the Devil Take You
An indonesian Evil Dead. Fun stuff.
7/10
Mid90s
8/10
Double Indemnity
Witness for the Prosecution
Both 8/10.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
The title of this movie should be much longer if the intention was to put all the subplots in it.
2/10
Assassination Nation
Repulsive. Probably the worst movie I've seen this year.
1/10