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Film and TV chat in general

When "Saving Private Ryan" came out I went to see it at the big-screen cinema. It was OK, but coming out afterwards I met an old friend, we looked at each other and both said "'But 'The Longest Day' was better." I sometimes have the feeling that Spielberg makes films for children, with all their moral messages and right-and-wrong atmosphere.
 
I watched The Dark Knight Rises earlier and so completed the trilogy of films starring Christian Bale as batman. I briefly fell asleep during the film, although I was pretty tired from work so I'm guessing that's why. As with the other two films, it had a big presence about it... but it really was a dark film that didn't get me all that excited. I mean, the mood of the film is just too dark; I'm guessing that's how it's supposed to be but watching it wasn't fun at all.

I was minded to think of the video essay below by the Nerdwriter and he notes that DC pretty much always go for the intense option when it comes to 'pause moments' during action sequences whereas Marvel superhero characters often break the intensity of an action sequence by making their pause moments amusing or generally light-hearted in nature. Having just watched the dark knight trilogy, I can't help but agree!

 
I just watched Wall-E on blu ray; one of the cheap ones I got at my local charity shop last week. As you can probably imagine - or know if you've seen it - the visuals are first class and the story is great as well as it plays on the great human standards of hope and love as well as the aspiration and joy of overcoming fear and adversity. I'd seen it before and so I already knew it was one of Disney Pixar's finer films (I dunno if they make duff ones, but Wall-E is a cracker for sure).

The part of the film I hadn't appreciated before, I don't think, was the soundtrack. It chugged along with excellent music from start to finish that always seemed to match and enhance the emotion and action of what was happening on screen. And the sound effects were superb as well. Swishing and swooshing, exploding and banging and clattering, everything was just totally excellent. And there was also a proper 'the pen is mightier than the sword' moment towards the end when, at a critical moment, an exploding sound was followed by an almighty silence that carried an insane amount of weight due to the sudden contrast against the thunderous explosion. Simply breathtaking, and it left me feeling as though I'd just witnessed a moment of sheer marvel and utter magnificence.

Sadly, the end credits song by Peter Gabrial is pure naff so there's that. But apart from that, Wall-E has got to be up there as one of the very best animated films of all time, like top ten easily.

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Apparently, Sony has the (1998) rights to the Spiderman film franchise and it's in perpetuity as long as they continue to release a new Spiderman film every five and a half years or so. That's why Spiderman has been so busy ever since Toby Maguire got bitten on the back of his neck by a super spider in 2002.
 
Wall-E is simply peerless for me in its genre.

Band of Brothers on Blu-ray is another sound test. My Blu-ray has the DTS mix on it. Carentan is amazing sound-wise. If anyone wants to listen to my 5.0 system to see what all the fuss is about, I put that on.

My ring for AV - Panasonic Blu-Ray, Sky Q, Apple TV+ HD, Onkyo Av receiver, Naim N-Cent, Monitor Audio rears. The pre outs from the AV go to the Mini DSPSHD and then to the D&D 8c’s. No need for a sub in my room at this time, although it would be nice.
 
I watched the extended version of Gladiator earlier tonight - a long film anyway so it took a bit of doing to sit through the extended version in one go. But I digress. Just as with The Dark Knight trilogy, it had a real cinematic scale about it, and it had quite a convincing plot and characters; Joaquin Pheonix was excellent as the detestable Commodus. Interestingly, I noticed the score borrowed from Holst as I could hear strong hints of Mars being played during some battle scenes. It wasn't Mars as scored by Holst but, just like Darth Vader's March, it definitely leaned on it for inspiration if not for actual phrases. It's been so long since I've seen the film I couldn't tell you what scenes belonged to the extended version so I've no idea how it compares to the theatrical release. Either way, excellent film!
 
`The Witcher` has just recently expanded to season 2, Cool sword and sorcery type stuff with hour long episodes, top notch visuals and awesome Dolby Atmos soundtrack.
 
Earlier this week I watched a charming little foreign language film about stray dogs in Istanbul imaginatively called “Stray”. Very enjoyable. The strays are protected under law and it’s illegal to take or hold a stray captive.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was very good as was the Hawkeye series that has just finished on Disney. Good Marvel fun.

I also watched Dune and enjoyed it a lot, I was a big fan of the original film and it doesn’t disappoint.

A film I caught entirely by chance called “Captive State” with John Goodman who I think is a very under-rated actor, it’s a very marmite film if you look at the reviews but I enjoyed it very much. Aliens invade Earth but it’s a more cerebral take, no flash effects or corny dialogue.
 
Recorded Empire of the Sun on the Humax and watched on the new LG 65”. With hindsight you could see that Christian Bale was already a special talent.
The allied air attack on the airfield as the kamikaze aircraft are taking off is breathtaking - I’d forgotten how impactive.
Lots to like in the film which, at 140+ minutes didn’t seem over-long. Also a fine book I recall.
 
Is the new Dune better - or much better, rather - than the mini series starring James McAvoy and Susan Sarandon? I bought the mini series for 10 pence on Amazon and not only do I want a refund because it's so bad, but I also reckon I'm due compensation for having endured my way through the first episode! I can't remember having seen the David Lynch film, although I know I've seen bits of it here and there, so I don't know whether it's just that the mini series was just terrible or the Dune-verse didn't give it much to play with in the first place.
 

If nothing else the special effects looks astounding. I am actually tempted to get a cheap blue ray player and the disk just because I know I will be disappointed with Amazons compression. They want 12.99 to rent, which actually I dont find too bad. But sound from these streaming services is never as good.
 
PaulMB said:
When "Saving Private Ryan" came out I went to see it at the big-screen cinema. It was OK, but coming out afterwards I met an old friend, we looked at each other and both said "'But 'The Longest Day' was better." I sometimes have the feeling that Spielberg makes films for children, with all their moral messages and right-and-wrong atmosphere.
Click to expand...

I never really have been able to tell what it is I don't like with Spielberg, but I think you defined it. Not that all of them are bad, but as you say.
 
One of the best Blu Ray transfers I've seen is Network video's transfer of the original Prisoner TV series. Amazing. It was all shot in 35mm and I think this was taken from the negative.

There's a company in the states called 'Twilight Time' which specialise in very high quality transfers to Blu Ray of less well known films. A particular favourite of mine is Robert Aldrich's 'Emporer of the North' with James Coburn and Ernest Borgnine. Luminous cinematography by Joseph Biroc.
 
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