ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
elephant: Started watching "House of Cards" with the family on ATV and ..l.
Started watching "House of Cards" with the family on ATV and ..l.
With Kevin Spacey you can't go wrong. Almost finished season 1. Thanks for the tip!
DoubleU:With Kevin Spacey you can't go wrong. Almost finished season 1. Thanks for the tip!
BeoNut since '75
Lately I've been serially watching some older scifi on Netflix, Farscape, The Lexx, X Files. All good stuff. Or as they call it binge watching. I'd forgotten how creative Farscape was.
Last nite I couldn't sleep and got in on about the last two thirds of a strange movie called Blood Creek, made in 2009. I think it went direct to DVD, no theatrical release. Not a great film but good in that it set the vampire zombie kind of horror thriller in a different way. It revolves around an undead zombie vampire type of creature that was the result of Nazi occult experiments. On an isolated farm these people are keeping it alive, but feeding it just enough to keep it from dying but not enough for it to fully grow into the unstoppable monstrosity it was supposed to be. The upside for them is they stay alive, they've been ageless since the 40's when they started this. This all gets upset when one of the victims they used to get blood from comes back with his brother for revenge, letting the creature loose to complete the ritual and mature fully. Some creative things in it.
I've ordered the DVD from Netflix to see the beginning. I suspect I missed a lot.
Jeff
I'm afraid I'm recovering from the BeoVirus.
I know we were discussing Beowulf on the book thread...I just watched The 13th Warrior, which is based on a Michael Crichton book which is based on Beowulf. It was a commercial failure but I've always liked it. Yet another movie retelling of Beowulf.
Last night watched episodes 3&4 of The Bridge 2 on BBC4.
Great scandinavian drama with a detective with Aspergers who cannot tell a lie and feels no emotion. The BV11 is perfect for the dark and subtle tones of Malmö and Copenhagen.
Graham
Love this TV show. Saga is such a great character. Glad to see that the BBC is broadcasting the original version and not the US remake.
Beosound Stage, Beovision 8-40, Beolit 20, Beosound Explore.
One of my favorite movies. Actually I think the transfer on the old director's cut was superior, they exaggerated the contrast too much on the BluRay of the final cut, and some of the added scenes really don't add but detract from the flow, like the two dancers outside Taffy Lewis's. I've wondered about the 14, 2 inch drivers, although done better than Bose, have severe limitations.
The subject of added content in "directors" versions is interesting. In the original director's cut of BR, the dream sequence with the unicorn is essential and should always have been in, the other stuff on the BluRay, not so much. On Aliens, they have about 22 minutes of extra content, and it all fits and flows, it's obvious the reason it was chopped was only total film length. In the original Alien, the additional stuff mucks up the flow and doesn't add anything, especially her finding Dallas when she's running to reach the shuttle and abandon ship. It turns a frantic, balls out get the hell out hair puller into a start, stop, start thing that kills the feeling of panic.
Don't even get me started on the atrocity that George Lucas visited on THX 1138. He added a lot of stuff that totally blows up the stark bleakness of the underground existence and adds nothing to the movie at all, it almost destroys it. And worst of all the original is no longer available.
And Han shot first dammit!
I just watched a very strange film, Pawn Shop Stories. A series of very odd vignettes that center around a Southern US pawn shop called General Lee's Pawn Shop. Really a few bubbles off center, quirky dark humor, very creative.
I also watched the first installment of a new HBO series, True Detective. Amazing dialog and the main two characters are well fleshed out and totally opposite, the two detectives who are partnered. Woody Harrelson plays a more normal detective, Matthew McConaughey plays a very odd, darkly philosophical and very smart detective. The story is spread between a murder investigation in the 90s and another investigation today, dealing with a ritualistic pagan type murder. I have to say this got a real hook in me due to the intelligent dialog and character development.
vikinger: Last night watched episodes 3&4 of The Bridge 2 on BBC4. Great scandinavian drama with a detective with Aspergers who cannot tell a lie and feels no emotion. The BV11 is perfect for the dark and subtle tones of Malmö and Copenhagen. Graham
@ DoubleU
Really enjoyed Series 1 - can't wait for Series 2; finished "Borgen" Series 2 last night.
Some TV shows have become quite exceptional - and access to international gems is a great improvement.
Speaking of US remakes I see they are bringing the Australian series "Rake" to the American screen -- if you get access to the original Australian Series 1 it is worth checking it out
Chris Townsend:Blade Runner BluRay Directors edition. The last time I watched this was on a 7-40 Mk3 with a Beolab 7-2, 8000's at the front, 6000's at the rear and a Beolab 2. I'm now watching it on an 11-46 which is all over the place with dynamic contrast, speakers are 14-4, the sub gives up and the satellites just can't cope with the aerial cars flying by. Beosystem 4 seems very agricultural in the way it turns things on and off as well. Nothing is blended in. The opening scene was the acid test, and it didn't come off well at all.
I'm now watching it on an 11-46 which is all over the place with dynamic contrast, speakers are 14-4, the sub gives up and the satellites just can't cope with the aerial cars flying by. Beosystem 4 seems very agricultural in the way it turns things on and off as well. Nothing is blended in.
The opening scene was the acid test, and it didn't come off well at all.
That is seriously not good
Jeff:The subject of added content in "directors" versions is interesting. In the original director's cut of BR, the dream sequence with the unicorn is essential and should always have been in, the other stuff on the BluRay, not so much. On Aliens, they have about 22 minutes of extra content, and it all fits and flows, it's obvious the reason it was chopped was only total film length. In the original Alien, the additional stuff mucks up the flow and doesn't add anything, especially her finding Dallas when she's running to reach the shuttle and abandon ship. It turns a frantic, balls out get the hell out hair puller into a start, stop, start thing that kills the feeling of panic.
I was watching the start of Avatar with the extended cut and found the start was really enriched (or my memory had faded!)
Jeff:Don't even get me started on the atrocity that George Lucas visited on (everything) Han shot first dammit!
Han shot first dammit!
Jeff:I also watched the first installment of a new HBO series, True Detective. Amazing dialog and the main two characters are well fleshed out and totally opposite, the two detectives who are partnered. Woody Harrelson plays a more normal detective, Matthew McConaughey plays a very odd, darkly philosophical and very smart detective. The story is spread between a murder investigation in the 90s and another investigation today, dealing with a ritualistic pagan type murder. I have to say this got a real hook in me due to the intelligent dialog and character development.
Saw the first episode this week and fully agree with you. I wonder (dread?) whether the narrative device will spawn a whole generation of bad look-a-likes.
And although we have access to lots of things via Apple TV and catch up Apps I am totally frustrated by the lack of access to "The Newsroom" - I really like the show and had looked forward to Series 2, but missed an episode ... and can't catch up .... nor go forward since I will have gaps in the story line !
elephant: I was watching the start of Avatar with the extended cut and found the start was really enriched (or my memory had faded!)
Well, both Aliens and Avatar are James Cameron flicks, maybe he's better than most at putting in extras that make sense. I remember the directors cut of The Abyss as being worth it too.
Chris Townsend:Prometheus on the other hand :-/
No kidding, there's two hours of my life I'll never get back. I had such high hopes, as it was done by the original director and I generally am very impressed by Scott. But man, what a bummer of a let down.
Speaking of remakes, two of Verhoven's best are or have been remade. Total Recall was remade, and it was another triumph of special effects and action over any semblance of plot or story. The original was hands down better.
Now Robocop has been remade and starts this weekend. I will probably wait until it hits HBO or something as I fully expect it to be god awful compared to the original with Peter Weller's outstanding performance and dark cyberpunk story line.
Just saw the trailer of the new Robocop and I think you are so right, Jeff. I will probably not wait, at all, until it hits HBO.
Saw Gravity last week, not in 3D though. Mixed feelings about this one. The story is rather thin, but the special effects and the shots of the outer space and the Earth are so cool. I'm not a fan of 3D, but for this one I can make an exception.
Falcon is only 4 episodes. I have it on my NAS. I can wetransfer you E3 and E4, after Handbraking the dvd.
No trouble, let me know!
DoubleU:Falcon is only 4 episodes. I have it on my NAS. I can wetransfer you E3 and E4, after Handbraking the dvd. No trouble, let me know!
The only thing which was weird for me about Falcon, is the English language in the small streets in Seville. So unnatural..
But keep them coming, E. Love those tips!
DoubleU: The only thing which was weird for me about Falcon, is the English language in the small streets in Seville. So unnatural.. But keep them coming, E. Love those tips!
Well I think I need a tip from you !
( is this a spoiler alert ?)
I just watched episode 4 ... when Falcon goes to her house with a dog ... and she asks him to open a bottle of wine
what the *expletive* happened ?
( feel free to PM me so that others remain in ignorant bliss )
I think I shall have to watch it over the weekend in "catch up" .... perhaps beer is incompatible with complex story lines !
PS also tonight I finished this season of BORGEN .... luckily the network is warming up for "house of cards" season 2 by doing a marathon back to back of all the episodes of all the series of the UK original ... or should those be all night
rather enjoyed BBC's recent "Treasures of Ancient Egypt" re-looking at Egyptian art through the eyes of an art lover and "Italy Unpacked In the Footsteps of Poets", showing the BBC at its finest and proving that majority of UK Freeview channels are utter rubbish.
we tend to forget there is more to design than designing.
Finale of The Bridge just starting now on BBC4.
vikinger: Finale of The Bridge just starting now on BBC4. Graham
Apart from a couple of continuity/ editing issues i would say that The Bridge 2 is just about the best thing we have had on UK TV for a long time. And with the usual twist in the final minutes.
Last night I was up late, couldn't sleep, so I watched "After Earth" with Will Smith and his son acting in it. Dreadful, illogical, poorly acted, etc. Made me long for Prometheus.
Just watched Captain Phillips with Tom Hanks, WOW! Stating the obvious Hanks has got to be one of the greatest actors of his generation. I remember watching him in early movies like Volunteers from 1985 and thinking he was a pretty good at comedy but had no idea what a great dramatic actor he would turn out to be. But the same goes for Robin Williams and Steve Martin who were comedians who turned to serious roles and really excelled. It doesn't seem to happen too often in reverse that people who start out as serious dramatic actors can do comedy really well. I am sure there are exceptions but I can't think of any at the moment.
John
jfrancis: Just watched Captain Phillips with Tom Hanks, WOW! Stating the obvious Hanks has got to be one of the greatest actors of his generation. I remember watching him in early movies like Volunteers from 1985 and thinking he was a pretty good at comedy but had no idea what a great dramatic actor he would turn out to be. But the same goes for Robin Williams and Steve Martin who were comedians who turned to serious roles and really excelled. It doesn't seem to happen too often in reverse that people who start out as serious dramatic actors can do comedy really well. I am sure there are exceptions but I can't think of any at the moment. John
I agree with you, these actors transitioned from comedy to drama very well. Robin Williams in some films, can play a truly frightening character. One Hour Photo where he plays an obsessed and psychotic photo booth tech was amazing.
One who went the other way were Leslie Nielsen, big difference between his dramatic roles, such as Forbidden Planet and such, and Airplane and Police Squad.
Most recently Kelsey Grammar, who was known for his comedy in Cheers and Frasier, was just stunningly good at the dramatic role of the mayor of Chicago in Boss. Cruel, ruthless, iron fisted, an amazing performance.
Jeff: Most recently Kelsey Grammar, who was known for his comedy in Cheers and Frasier, was just stunningly good at the dramatic role of the mayor of Chicago in Boss. Cruel, ruthless, iron fisted, an amazing performance.
Showing here in the UK on Channel 4 starting 10th Feb at 2.20am!
Don't know whether I missed any earlier showings, but this looks like one for the hard disk!
I think you'll enjoy it Graham! It was such a change, the smiling, bumbling Frasier, suddenly showing up as this unethical, vicious, ruthless person. But that also pretty much accurately defines Chicago politics, it's continually rated as the most corrupt city in the US. Deservedly so. Boss has no shortage of great performances either, they cast it well.
It's interesting, IMO standard broadcast network television shows here get consistently worse, shallower, silly, etc. while the pay movie channels, HBO, Showtime, etc. have shows that get better and better. With some exceptions of course, not all network ones are terrible, not all pay ones are great.
I just started watching Black Sails, a pirate show on Showtime I think. Still not sure about it, it didn't come out of the gate as strong as some but it seems to have potential, certainly the production values are impressive. True Detective on HBO however came out of the gate and just bowled me over, I was hooked 15 min into it.
Moon. Excellent scifi about a man living and working on the dark side of the moon managing a helium 3 mining operation. Things are not what they seem, and since much more info would give it away I'll stop there. Neat thing though is the robot that assists him. It moves around by means of overhead tracks it hangs from, it has one arm, but the neat thing is that it has a front mounted screen that shows a variety of smiley faces that halp the man interact with it buy showing its moods. Concern, happy, etc.
Not your usual scifi fare, no aliens, no laser guns, slower and more thought provoking.
Jeff: I had never seen a 3D movie so thought I should start out with the current state of the art. Good movie, wasn't that impressed by the 3D, it was cool, but ultimately was a distraction that gave me a slight headache by the end. I was kind of surprised at all the additional content that stretches it out to three more than full length movies, but I guess the director wanted a sextet of films with the three Lord of the Rings ones.
I had never seen a 3D movie so thought I should start out with the current state of the art. Good movie, wasn't that impressed by the 3D, it was cool, but ultimately was a distraction that gave me a slight headache by the end. I was kind of surprised at all the additional content that stretches it out to three more than full length movies, but I guess the director wanted a sextet of films with the three Lord of the Rings ones.
I see at "CES" this year that most TV manufactures seemed to be extra quiet about 3D
Mark:I see at "CES" this year that most TV manufactures seemed to be extra quiet about 3D
A week or two ago, I watched on the telly a "making of" feature of the BBC's new nature documentary series on Galapagos Islands that they are shooting in 3D. David Attenborough (age 87) was raving about it and saying he had wanted to do that for a long time. Apparently sceneries don't look like much in regular 3D, so they shot time lapse scenes with the two cameras as far as 100 meters apart.
I never thought 3D would fly for regular movies and shows, but this one I would like to see.
--mika
I could actually see the point of 3D in a nature show if done well, to give you a sense of the proportions and feel of the location. Most 3D is over exaggerated in the same way stereo records were when they first came out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDbSpQI-6VE&feature=youtube_gdata_player
MM
There is a tv - and there is a BV
Saw The Wolf of Wall Street this week. DiCaprio deserves an oscar for his role. Brilliant!
This week starting with Banshee S2. House of cards S2 releases this weekend. Can't wait!!
DoubleU:House of cards S2 releases this weekend. Can't wait!!
Same here - but we are having to wait a day or three to have a viewing quorum
The transition from "True Detective" s1e3 to s1e4 has thrown me - I thought I might have lost track of the plot .... now I think the makers might have
We have discovered a piece of nostalgia - a detective series called "Vera" set in Northumbria - "eeh pet - not a great story but we love the accents and the street scenes and countryside
And we have started watch a French mystery series - "The Returned" -
elephant: We have discovered a piece of nostalgia - a detective series called "Vera" set in Northumbria - "eeh pet - not a great story but we love the accents and the street scenes and countryside And we have started watch a French mystery series - "The Returned" -
Couldn't take to Vera. Also, here in UK 'New Tricks' is being endlessly repeated by the BBC, and repetition does not improve it!
Having withdrawal symptoms now that The Bridge 2 has finished. I need another fix of scandinavian detective drama, but I am warming to the saturday evening replacement series: Salamander, which I think is Belgian with Dutch as the main language.
vikinger: I need another fix of scandinavian detective drama
I need another fix of scandinavian detective drama
I can recommend Wallander.
The Killing is my favourite though, but you probably saw it already??
DoubleU: vikinger: I need another fix of scandinavian detective drama I can recommend Wallander. The Killing is my favourite though, but you probably saw it already??
Yes, seen The Killing and most versions of Wallander. The Swedish Wallander programmes are better than the British. Kenneth Branagh is very good in the role, but the scripts seem more sanitized.
vikinger: DoubleU: vikinger: I need another fix of scandinavian detective drama I can recommend Wallander. The Killing is my favourite though, but you probably saw it already?? Yes, seen The Killing and most versions of Wallander. The Swedish Wallander programmes are better than the British. Kenneth Branagh is very good in the role, but the scripts seem more sanitized. Graham
Have you seen the movie called "Headhunter" from the novel by Jo Nesbo ?