Where’d you find General Magic? I was really interested when i first heard about it a few years ago, but couldn't find it anywhere at the time.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Spoilers What Movie Are You Watching?
- Thread starter Huntn
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Where’d you find General Magic? I was really interested when i first heard about it a few years ago, but couldn't find it anywhere at the time.
I’ve never heard of this company or the documentary https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6849786/. They spun off from Apple and created the first or basis for the first smart communicator, Apple makes the iPhone, they go bankrupt and Paul Allen (Microsoft) buys most of their patents and there is a website.?
I really liked his performance in The Illusionist (2006). I remember seeing a blurb about why he’ll never work in Hollywood again, and noted that I’ve not seen him in anything since 2006 except Alita: Battle Angel (2019) in an uncredited role as Nova for like 1 min of screen time. I also read that he is hard to work with and consequently has been relegated to limited support roles of which the premise seems to be supported by his filmography list at IMDB. That’s a shame as he is talented.
https://www.quora.com/What-happened-to-Edward-Nortons-acting-career
Regarding the bolded part, yeah, I've heard similar things. Regarding American History X he apparently had a vision for the film that was so different from Tony Kaye's vision that Kaye nearly disowned the film and, in my understanding, to this day thinks the film as it currently is is unfinished.
Like you said, a shame since he's very talented.
On another note, it just occured to me I've never seen The Illusionist. I think it got a bit overshadowed by Nolan's The Prestige (which is a great film) since they both came out in 2006. Need to rectify this at some point.
We rewatched it this morning. It’s a creatively brilliant film on multiple levels, including as a human relationships story. It takes real talent to skirt the line between humor and drama.
He's really great in the two Anderson films, Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel, and incredible in Birdman (all those are 2012-2014 films).
Wiki to General Magic. This says they were defunct by 2002, years before the iPhone.
Motherless Brooklyn was recently released, and did pretty poorly at the BO, and was critically very mediocre (the book is supposed to be fantastic).
He's got a smaller-ish role in a new Anderson film, The French Dispatch, which has an amazing cast (kind of like a who's who of W.A. collaborators).
Nightcrawler [2014]
Decent movie with Jake Gyllenhaal. [I’ve watched this one about five times.] Jakes character essentially is someone who is a free-lance reporter who takes/follow leads on ‘breaking news’ stories and documents his footage to make money, but finds himself documenting a crime that leads to a very unpredictable, yet dark ending.
Bill Paxton also has a side role as well, and he did a great job on a serious and comedic level.
But anyways, what really stunned me about Jake Gyllenhaal in this movie, is not his superb acting that he always delivers, but how emaciated he physically appeared. He lost a lot of weight for this film, which almost gives him the ‘creeper’ look to him where his eyes are sunken in and his cheekbones are really prominent. I just think it’s incredible that these actors have such control over their body where they attribute so much muscle for certain films and yet bring their body fat percentage down probably less than 8% for others.
(Christian Bale is another good example of someone that has really transformed his body into certain films with how muscular he has been with the Batman series/Reign of Fire, and yet can bring his body fat down to 6% for ‘The Machinist’.)
Decent movie with Jake Gyllenhaal. [I’ve watched this one about five times.] Jakes character essentially is someone who is a free-lance reporter who takes/follow leads on ‘breaking news’ stories and documents his footage to make money, but finds himself documenting a crime that leads to a very unpredictable, yet dark ending.
Bill Paxton also has a side role as well, and he did a great job on a serious and comedic level.
But anyways, what really stunned me about Jake Gyllenhaal in this movie, is not his superb acting that he always delivers, but how emaciated he physically appeared. He lost a lot of weight for this film, which almost gives him the ‘creeper’ look to him where his eyes are sunken in and his cheekbones are really prominent. I just think it’s incredible that these actors have such control over their body where they attribute so much muscle for certain films and yet bring their body fat percentage down probably less than 8% for others.
(Christian Bale is another good example of someone that has really transformed his body into certain films with how muscular he has been with the Batman series/Reign of Fire, and yet can bring his body fat down to 6% for ‘The Machinist’.)
That movie struck me as creepy and unsettling, so it gets credit for that, but not something I’d expose myself to again.
Succinct and well said. On creeper level from 1-10 with this movie, I’d give it a stout 8. 😁
If I find myself watching a movie multiple times, it’s usually because I really enjoyed it and/or identifying different plot cues the next time I watch it. This was one of those films.
Started watching a Netflix offering last night, their 2019 release The King.
And it was rather late by then... so I hit pause and killed my modem-router and went upstairs and as far as that Netflix film is concerned, it's possible I never came downstairs again. Haven't quite decided. It's certainly not that the adventures of Henry V and what was later called the Hundred Years War were not of historical import. And among other things "Prince Harry", later "King Hal" was essentially the epic hero in what we now call the Henriad plays of Shakespeare. So maybe it was just past my bedtime.
Hal (Timothée Chalamet), wayward prince and reluctant heir to the English throne, has turned his back on royal life and is living among the people. But when his tyrannical father dies, Hal is crowned King Henry V and is forced to embrace the life he had previously tried to escape. Now the young king must navigate the palace politics, chaos and war his father left behind, and the emotional strings of his past life — including his relationship with his closest friend and mentor, the ageing alcoholic knight, John Falstaff played by Joel Edgerton. Directed by David Michôd and co-written by Michôd and Edgerton. Cast includes Sean Harris (William), Ben Mendelsohn (Henry IV) Robert Pattinson (the Dauphin of France) and Lily-Rose Depp (Catherine).
"A new chapter of my life has begun," Chalamet's character says. "Already I can feel the weight of this crown I wear."
I tell you what. I gave it a shot. But already I felt the weight of the oncoming war that ol' Hal was being urged by his holdover counselors to pick up where it had left off versus France. And it was rather late by then... so I hit pause and killed my modem-router and went upstairs and as far as that Netflix film is concerned, it's possible I never came downstairs again. Haven't quite decided. It's certainly not that the adventures of Henry V and what was later called the Hundred Years War were not of historical import. And among other things "Prince Harry", later "King Hal" was essentially the epic hero in what we now call the Henriad plays of Shakespeare. So maybe it was just past my bedtime.
Chalamet is going to be playing Paul Atreides, in Denis Villeneuve's 2020 Dune film, and that seems like genius casting (from my "head canon" of how Paul should look, and he seems like an outstanding actor). Pretty stoked, Villeneuve has been knocking it out of the park: Prisoners, Enemy, Sicario, Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 - that's a heck of a resume.
Dune, as written, is almost unfilmable, I think Villeneuve has the eye for epic, sci-fi grandeur, but it will be successful or not based on the script (I mean, all elements are important, but the source requires a significant rewrite).
Chalamet does seem versatile and I hope he will pick scripts carefully as he gains prominence. He's already gathered a following and he's done a lot of noticed work recently... I mean I think we can call a nomination for an Oscar getting some notice. It can go to a person's head in the hands of the wrong agents (and "friends"). Time will tell.
If he's going to play in Dune, I hope Chalemet does well and as you say it would seem to depend mostly on the script and whether Villeneuve can maintain his own track record with it. Not sure whether people will be comparing his take versus book or v previous film/TV efforts.
Somewhere I read that the music for Villeneuve's Dune will have been scored by Hans Zimmer, who worked w/ Benjamin Wallfisch on music for Blade Runner 2024 (talk about rewrites or let's say flattering expansion in the case of building on the original music for Blade Runner). Zimmer had apparently elected to do the honors for Dune instead of some other movie he was offered to work on at the time just because he loved Dune the book. Sounds promising...
---
EDIT: now this I would find interesting.
Last edited:
I found the Dune Novel to be smooth flowing and easy to follow. Why do you describe it as written as unfilmable? Just curious.
The African Queen (1951)- Enjoyable human relations/action story with a WWI Africa back drop. Great back and forths between Bogart and Hepburn as he is being pestered to do her bidding. 
Best Picture nominee, Humphrey Bogart won an Oscar for Best Actor.
Filming locations for The African Queen was Uganda and Congo; Murchison Falls National Park; the African Queen herself at Key Largo, Florida; Los Angeles County Arboretum. I figure when it came to getting into the water, they might have thought State-side was a better bet.
I heard some trivia that Katharine Hepburn was so disgusted with all the alcohol Bogart and Ford (Director) drank during filming, she drank only water and ended coming down with dysentery. So much for being good.
Best Picture nominee, Humphrey Bogart won an Oscar for Best Actor.Filming locations for The African Queen was Uganda and Congo; Murchison Falls National Park; the African Queen herself at Key Largo, Florida; Los Angeles County Arboretum. I figure when it came to getting into the water, they might have thought State-side was a better bet.
I heard some trivia that Katharine Hepburn was so disgusted with all the alcohol Bogart and Ford (Director) drank during filming, she drank only water and ended coming down with dysentery. So much for being good.
Last edited:
Elysium [2013]
For anyone that watched the movie ‘District 9’ directed by Neil Blomkamp, Will absolutely enjoy ‘Elysium’ with Matt Damon. [Same director for both films.]
Quick Plot take:
Essentially, Matt Damon‘s character is infected with radiation, and he needs to reach a cure for himself, but make sacrifices for other people around him for the better of good.
********************
So, this is by far my favorite movie with Matt Damon. It’s a different role for him, he plays kind of a ‘tough guy’ role that we don’t usually see from him, but I love these futuristic movies where artificial intelligence/robotics are used frequently, which seems very believable in the ‘not too distant future’ in our world.
Anyways, this movie just has a great plot, it’s the perfect length for a film that tells a great story and overall, was Directed with some awesome CGI/robotic sequences. This is an amazing sci-fi movie for anyone that enjoys these types of films, I highly recommend it in your library at some point.
Oh, an amazing musical score in this movie that sets the mood for different scenes. (Ryan Amon was the core composer). I own/purchased One of the musical pieces on Apple Music from this film named after the movie.
(@mikzn, check this piece out, being you enjoyed ‘Oblivion’s M.S as well.)
For anyone that watched the movie ‘District 9’ directed by Neil Blomkamp, Will absolutely enjoy ‘Elysium’ with Matt Damon. [Same director for both films.]
Quick Plot take:
Essentially, Matt Damon‘s character is infected with radiation, and he needs to reach a cure for himself, but make sacrifices for other people around him for the better of good.
********************
So, this is by far my favorite movie with Matt Damon. It’s a different role for him, he plays kind of a ‘tough guy’ role that we don’t usually see from him, but I love these futuristic movies where artificial intelligence/robotics are used frequently, which seems very believable in the ‘not too distant future’ in our world.
Anyways, this movie just has a great plot, it’s the perfect length for a film that tells a great story and overall, was Directed with some awesome CGI/robotic sequences. This is an amazing sci-fi movie for anyone that enjoys these types of films, I highly recommend it in your library at some point.
Oh, an amazing musical score in this movie that sets the mood for different scenes. (Ryan Amon was the core composer). I own/purchased One of the musical pieces on Apple Music from this film named after the movie.
(@mikzn, check this piece out, being you enjoyed ‘Oblivion’s M.S as well.)
Drew Goddard: Bad Times at the El Royale (2018)
Been meaning to watch this for a while now, and since it's a 0.99€ rental on iTunes I finally got around to it.
Not really sure what to make of it. The cast did a good job, but the whole time it felt like it was building towards something that was never really fully realized. Or maybe I just had different ideas in my mind as to where things should go. Also, at almost two and a half hours the film definitely felt a bit long.
Might watch it again later today, it kind of feels like I didn't maybe "get it" on the first go, so a rewatch might help.
Been meaning to watch this for a while now, and since it's a 0.99€ rental on iTunes I finally got around to it.
Not really sure what to make of it. The cast did a good job, but the whole time it felt like it was building towards something that was never really fully realized. Or maybe I just had different ideas in my mind as to where things should go. Also, at almost two and a half hours the film definitely felt a bit long.
Might watch it again later today, it kind of feels like I didn't maybe "get it" on the first go, so a rewatch might help.
Wow, it wouldn't even make my top 10 Matt Damon movies:
Good Will Hunting
The Talented Mr. Ripley
The Departed
The Martian
Bourne films (x3, the 1st three)
Ocean Films (x3)
True Grit
The Informant
Ford vs. Ferrari
Er, so I guess counting the two trilogies as separate films, my top 13
That doesn't include fantastic films like Saving Private Ryan where he's such a small role (even if it's the title )
Another one I’ve not seen in decades. How time flies.The African Queen (1951)- Enjoyable human relations/action story with a WWI Africa back drop. Great back and forths between Bogart and Hepburn as he is being pestered to do her bidding.
Filming locations for The African Queen was Uganda and Congo; Murchison Falls National Park; the African Queen herself at Key Largo, Florida; Los Angeles County Arboretum. I figure when it came to getting into the water, they might have thought State-side was a better bet.
I heard some trivia that Katharine Hepburn was so disgusted with all the alcohol Bogart and Ford (Director) drank during filming, she drank only water and ended coming down with dysentery. So much for being good.