Spoilers What Movie Are You Watching?

[Queen6]

Dark of the Sun/The Mercenaries (1968)

Based on Wilbur Smith's novel, safe to say they don't make films like this these days. The very best and worst of us, mercenaries and all. Action is ferocious & brutal amid moments of humanity self realisation. Absolutely a watch if you can...

Fair chance more mercenary themed films coming 🎬

Q-6

 

[Queen6]

The Wild Geese (1978)

Cast alone sells this one. One of the better films revolving around mercenaries inspired by "Mad Mike Hoare's" exploit's with a couple of the actors actually serving as mercenaries in their past under Mad Mike. Action, adventure, drama & tracheary it's all here...

Q-6
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The Dogs of War (1980)

Christopher Walken is superb, as is the rest of the cast. Dark & brutal with an evolving plot that unwinds to an explosive end. Little more complex and convoluted than the average action film, although lacking a little polish. All the same recommended if your in to it...

Q-6

 

[pachyderm]

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I love this film but man is it cheesy looking these days...

 

[S.B.G]

I love this film but man is it cheesy looking these days...

Yeah it is cheesy, but I have a soft spot for older cheesy flicks!

 

[D.T.]

Hamilton. Second time. ****ing genius.

Today, July 12th, was when Hamilton died, unplanned, but made it more magical/tragic/epic.

 

[hawkeye_a]

Tobey Maguire is what made these movies (Kirsten Dunst was also a great supporting actress), it’s that simple. The new Spiderman‘s are train wrecks of poor directing, added juvenile flair with trying to appeal to a younger demographic with quip dialogue, bad acting, ect.

Tobey Maguire is what Chris Hemsworth would be for Thor, what Robert Downey Jr. is for Tony Stark, Christian Bale for Batman, all natural actors that were chosen being the ideal fit for both counterpart personalities.

Yup Tobey Maguire & Kirsten Dunst made the movie, both did a fantastic job. Willem Dafoe’s performance was good too, almost “theatrical”.

Don’t forget Chris Reeve as Superman! Speaking of which, i was not at all impressed with Superman(2006) nor Man of Steal(2013).... thankfully I cannot remember much of either now.

I havent seen any of the post-Tobey Spider-mans(the last one he did was pretty iffy), nor any of the post-Bale Batmans either. Those movies are excluded from “my universe”.
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Couldn’t agree more. But Hollywood loves a reboot more than quality stories, acting and directing right now. Hopefully this will pass soon.

Agreed. Total lack of “fundamentals”. I heard on a podcast, that the “process” these days, involves choreographing a bunch of “setpieces” and then “writing” a story to connect them somehow.

 

[44267547]

@hawkeye_a

Christopher reeve was actually my child hero hero growing up. Even today, his contributions are still lingering with his foundation through his family members. As much as I really like Henry Cavill as Superman (Not as much as ‘Clark’), they’re only really was one real Superman with Reeve.

 

[Huntn]

Interview With A Vampire (1994)- 86% RTAS. IMO the best, most complex and in-depth story about a reluctant vampire with an incredible performance by a 12 year old Kristen Dundst, arguably accompanied by Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt’s best performances of their careers. I acknowledge this opinion is debatable.

 

[mikzn]

Interview With A Vampire (1994)- 86% RTAS. IMO the best, most complex and in-depth story about the reluctant vampire with an incredible performance by a 12 year old Kristen Dundst, arguably accompanied by Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt’s best performances of their careers. I acknowledge this opinion is debatable.

Great movie 👍 thanks - gonna put on the list to rewatch

 

[Apple fanboy]

Interview With A Vampire (1994)- 86% RTAS. IMO the best, most complex and in-depth story about the reluctant vampire with an incredible performance by a 12 year old Kristen Dundst, arguably accompanied by Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt’s best performances of their careers. I acknowledge this opinion is debatable.

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I’ve never actually seen it. Perhaps I should.

 

[Huntn]

I’ve never actually seen it. Perhaps I should.

Tom Cruise has caught a lot of criticism over the years, but this is a sophisticated, polished portrayal. He lights this film up.

 

[mikzn]

Hidalgo - Great Movie - Great Story - Great Acting

 

[bobob]

I would recommend watching The Old Guard on Netflix, I like Charlize Theron acting ability; the movie could be a bit bloody for some people.

+1

Looking forward to the sequel!

 

[S.B.G]

I’ve never actually seen it. Perhaps I should.

Despite Tom in it, the movie is very good and one that I quite enjoyed.

 

[Huntn]

View attachment 933307

I like this movie based on another Philip K Dick short story (We Can Remember It for You Wholesale) that Hollywood has gotten so much inspiration from although in the book the reader never makes it to Mars. The only connection is a single but significant story element. I’ll also note that it was directed by Paul Verhoeven who tends to have a particular signature in his creations, Robo Cop, Starship Troopers, although Basic Instinct was a good break iMO from that particular signature.

 

[D.T.]

I like this movie based on another Philip K Dick short story (We Can Remember It for You Whokesale) that Hollywood has gotten so much inspiration from although in the book the reader never makes it to Mars.

So much genius from PKD adapted for film and TV: Blade Runner (DADoES), Man in the High Castle, Minority Report, A Scanner Darkly ...


(Psst ... in the movie, we never __really__ make it to Mars either )

 

[D.T.]

arguably accompanied by Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt’s best performances of their careers. I acknowledge this opinion is debatable.

Oh, it's VERY HIGHLY debatable

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the film, Cruise did a terrific job (I was a fan of the source material way before the movie), but not their best performances. I __might__ be convinced to slip it into Cruise's Top 5.

I also try consider an actor's performance separate from the film if that makes sense, i.e., I dig on Oblivion way more than Jerry MaGuire, but recognize Cruise's performance in the letter is much better (this is just an example, not an analysis of other of those films, i.e., "Didn't like / Haven't seen" ).

My point being: You might not like Fight Club, The Assassination Of Jesse James [...], or Once Upon a Time [...], but Pitt's performances in those movies are infinitely superior to his performance in Interview.

 

[hawkeye_a]

Interview With A Vampire (1994)- 86% RTAS. IMO the best, most complex and in-depth story about a reluctant vampire with an incredible performance by a 12 year old Kristen Dundst, arguably accompanied by Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt’s best performances of their careers. I acknowledge this opinion is debatable.

Good vampire movie.

Although i must disagree with your opinion about it being Pitt's and Cruise's best performances.

IMHO .....
Cruise's best performances by far, were in Magnolia(1999) and Jerry Maguire(1996).
Pitt's best performances were in Fight Club(1999), Snatch(2000) and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood(2019)

 

[Thomas Veil]

Don’t forget Chris Reeve as Superman! Speaking of which, i was not at all impressed with Superman(2006) nor Man of Steal(2013).... thankfully I cannot remember much of either now.

Nobody will ever be Superman the way Chris Reeve was Superman.

“Superman Returns” was just so-so, but I did appreciate the way they tried to adhere to the other movies, such as casting Brandon Routh, who even looks a bit like Reeve. And when they opened the movie with the same credits and the same music from the 1978 movie, the thrilled little boy in me jumped up and down and went yesss!!!!!

“Man of Steel” was okay. The CG in the fight scenes bothered me. I always think the physics of them look too cartoony, like a video game.

Best thing about the original “Superman” was that it was about Lex’s money-grab plot to blow up the west coast of California, resulting in Lois’s death. No cosmic-scale, end of the world stuff here—just a good, believable story. I’m tired of superhero movies (and comics) being about the end of the entire freaking universe.

Edit: one great thing about the original movies’ credits: they were the first to say in huge freaking type SUPERMAN CREATED BY JERRY SIEGEL AND JOE SHUSTER, after decades of those two poor guys getting screwed out of any real credit or compensation.

 

[Huntn]

So much genius from PKD adapted for film and TV: Blade Runner (DADoES), Man in the High Castle, Minority Report, A Scanner Darkly ...


(Psst ... in the movie, we never __really__ make it to Mars either )

We did make it to Mars in the movie unless I am misunderstanding your point.

 

[Huntn]

Oh, it's VERY HIGHLY debatable

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the film, Cruise did a terrific job (I was a fan of the source material way before the movie), but not their best performances. I __might__ be convinced to slip it into Cruise's Top 5.

I also try consider an actor's performance separate from the film if that makes sense, i.e., I dig on Oblivion way more than Jerry MaGuire, but recognize Cruise's performance in the letter is much better (this is just an example, not an analysis of other of those films, i.e., "Didn't like / Haven't seen" ).

My point being: You might not like Fight Club, The Assassination Of Jesse James [...], or Once Upon a Time [...], but Pitt's performances in those movies are infinitely superior to his performance in Interview.

Good vampire movie.

Although i must disagree with your opinion about it being Pitt's and Cruise's best performances.

IMHO .....
Cruise's best performances by far, were in Magnolia(1999) and Jerry Maguire(1996).
Pitt's best performances were in Fight Club(1999), Snatch(2000) and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood(2019)

Ok, this is all opinion, based on personal preference, but here goes...
Imo, Brad Pitt is usually playing Brad Pitt, even in OUATIH. This is a standard in Hollywood that is rare to see deviation from. Most actors/actresses tend to gravitate towards a consistent onscreen persona.

It’s one reason I can’t stand George Clooney. It’s as if he screams look at me, I’m GC playing someone. Sure, he’s handsome, polished, that deep voice, and a charismatic onscreen personality, but he’s always George Clooney. Although there are many A class performers, it’s rare for actors to be able to really transform themselves. Another actor who strikes me this way to a lesser degree? Robert Redford. It’s as if their true personality, which I might attribute to ego, overwhelms their ability to play someone else.

But in this movie, Pitt projects outside himself into a believable supernatural being. For Tom Cruise did you know the Anne Rice did not want him as Lestat? This was based on her impression of Tom Cruise’s abilities as she understood them. However he surprised her.

Lestat is a unique, one of a kind performance, although he gets high marks for A Few Good Men, Rain Man, Oblivion, and Knight and Day. For this role, he really seemed to apply and project himself into a new person much different than standard TC, so different that I would say this is his best. To clarify, it’s not so much the story as a factor, but the personal effort and transformation.

 

[D.T.]

We did make it to Mars in the movie unless I am misunderstanding your point.

*snort*

I was trying to inflect the "really" I used - it's because there's the idea (pretty widely embraced) that everything on Mars didn't __really__ happen

For Tom Cruise did you know the Anne Rice did not want him as Lestat? This was based on her impression of Tom Cruise’s abilities as she understood them. However he surprised her.

Oh, of course, like I said, I'm very familiar with the original source, well, I read (several times) the first two books, Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat. I was a bit of the same, but I knew Cruise was a terrific actor, so I wasn't convinced he was not the right choice. His performance is solid, and also like I said, I might be convinced top 5, but Magnolia, Jerry Maguire, Born on the Fourth of July, Collateral, Rain Man, A Few Good men ... that's some tough competition.

The Right Stuff, Rain Man, Oblivion, and Knight and Day.

One of these things is not like the others
One of these things just doesn't belong
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song?

 

[Huntn]

*snort*

I was trying to inflect the "really" I used - it's because there's the idea (pretty widely embraced) that everything on Mars didn't __really__ happen




Oh, of course, like I said, I'm very familiar with the original source, well, I read (several times) the first two books, Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat. I was a bit of the same, but I knew Cruise was a terrific actor, so I wasn't convinced he was not the right choice. His performance is solid, and also like I said, I might be convinced top 5, but Magnolia, Jerry Maguire, Born on the Fourth of July, Collateral, Rain Man, A Few Good men ... that's some tough competition.




One of these things is not like the others
One of these things just doesn't belong
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song?

Regarding Total Recall, it’s been a while but as I recall we see everything happen in realtime without any
inferences this is a dream or a memory. If I’ve forgotten, please refresh my memory. If there is speculation outside of the film I’m happy to hear about it.
Regarding the last part, I am content to wait for your answer.

 

[hawkeye_a]

Ok, this is all opinion, based on personal preference, but here goes...
Imo, Brad Pitt is usually playing Brad Pitt, even in OUATIH. This is a standard in Hollywood that is rare to see deviation from. Most actors/actresses tend to gravitate towards a consistent onscreen persona.

It’s one reason I can’t stand George Clooney. It’s as if he screams look at me, I’m GC playing someone. Sure, he’s handsome, polished, that deep voice, and a charismatic onscreen personality, but he’s always George Clooney. Although there are many A class performers, it’s rare for actors to be able to really transform themselves. Another actor who strikes me this way to a lesser degree? Robert Redford. It’s as if their true personality, which I might attribute to ego, overwhelms their ability to play someone else.

But in this movie, Pitt projects outside himself into a believable supernatural being. For Tom Cruise did you know the Anne Rice did not want him as Lestat? This was based on her impression of Tom Cruise’s abilities as she understood them. However he surprised her.

Lestat is a unique, one of a kind performance, although he gets high marks for The Right Stuff, Rain Man, Oblivion, and Knight and Day. For this roll, he really seemed to apply and project himself into a new person much different than standard TC, so different that I would say this is his best. To clarify, it’s not so much the story as a factor, but the personal effort and transformation.

I was going to say that, Cruise pretty much plays the same character is most of the movies hes been in(including Interview With a Vampire), and when it seems like he delivered a good performance, the role just suited his acting-style/personality. (Yes i did know that Rice didn't want him to play Lestat initially).

I'll fully admit that the movies i found both Cruise and Pitt most compelling in (listed above), where the ones in which the role suited the actor(synergy n all that). That's the result of "good casting"; nothing wrong with that. IMHO

When it comes to diverse roles and "breath as an actor".... Gary Oldman comes to mind.

 

[D.T.]

Cruise isn't in The Right Stuff, maybe you meant Top Gun[?]