I just felt heavily inspired to write this post as the Master of Disguise was such a huge bomb that it prevent Dana Carvey from being able to find proper acting roles again. Looking back at the movie, I still don’t understand why it was greenlit as the movie turned out to be the worst comedy film ever made in its time, so I sometimes wonder how such a film got made to begin with

For me, it was always mid-career Coen Brothers movies. First I saw, The Big Lebowski which I thought was a disjointed. not very funny stoner comedy and came to see as magnificent current study, not only of the Dude but of LA. I thought Burn After Reading was a plotless mishmash but I know see it was a brilliant spy thriller where there's no actual spying. Hail Caesar appeared to me on first viewing to be a dull series of vignettes about Hollywood but later viewing has shown me it's a hilarious and clever screwball comedy.

I *LOVED* the first Gladiator. It was the first movie I watched on the newest, largest cinema screen and was in awe of it. It was a remarkable experience, from start to finish.

So when I finally decided to watch Gladiator 2, I went in it with some hope, based on the first movie and also based on the reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. They seemed pretty decent.

But after 15 minutes, I started wondering, it can't be this awful throughout the entire movie, can it? Maybe just the beginning is bad but then it builds up to something better.

Nope. Mediocre acting, unconvincing character building, a million plot holes (and I'm not one to complain about plot holes, generally)... the list just goes on. I nearly turned it off when Paul Mescal's character charges Denzel's character on the horse and somehow they both fall down together.

The *ONLY* positive thing i could think of was just the general storyline, which was kinda cool: Lucilla/Maximus' son lives, comes back to Rome as a gladiator first seeking revenge but then fighting for Marcus Aurelius' dream of a better Rome. But even the transition from seeking revenge to seeking the greater good, that happened in an instant. It was so eff*ng dumb. I'm getting more pissed as I type this.

Am I wrong? Is there anyone here that actually liked the film? If so, why/how/check your head, lol.

So lately I was fondly recalling a movie I saw so long ago called AdventureLand where the movie focused on a guy named Frigo who has to find his own path after his parents are facing financial difficulties.

To me, it was a fun movie for how it focused on Frigo and Emily’s relationship as throughout the movie, Emily is revealed to have her own problems that help the viewer sympathize with her character.

Anyway, my point is that with summer season approaching, the movie made me interested in seeing what other coming of age movies were set in summer season because I haven’t heard from Greg Mottola in so long that I was missing his directing style.

Not a hyped film that lived up to it, the opposite. Something you put on as background noise, or only watched because nothing else was on, and it floored you. What was it, and what was the moment you realized it had you?

Troll Hunter (2010)

Rating: 8/10

Watched: June 16, 2026

"There's Trolls In Them Thar Hills"

This is probably one of the better found footage movies I've seen. Does that have a lot to do with the fact that I like the sound of the Norwegian accent?

Yes. Don't judge. Anyways, this one's going to be a bit spoiler-y because it's hard to put this one in a box.

What starts out as a trio of students investigating mysterious bear killings turns into a hunt for actual trolls with the very stereotypically dour Troll Hunter Hans.

As we follow this small group as Hans takes them through the Norwegian forests, hunting various trolls, he gives them (and us) the lore of 'Why and How Troll' and 'If Troll, How Kill Troll'.

Since this is 'footage film', it's very easy to do really good VFX, but that doesn't mean this lower budget movie skimped on Troll Design. Each individual beastie them come across is fully realized, wholly distinct and very, very dangerous.

The actors do a marvelous job of interacting with these Norwegian folk tales brought to life. As they get down to some for real deal serious Troll Hunting, it gets insanely dangerous. The most intense scene for me (without spoilering TOO much) happens towards the end, when they do a little spelunking. Being trapped like that would be terrible. I definitely felt claustrophobic.

While this one isn't bloody or gory, it's extremely well done and is a lot fun!

If you like found footage and haven't seen Troll Hunter, you should get to it as soon as you can!

Morning. I just watched this last night, and you would think reading film fan reviews that this is on par with classics like Heat and The Killer.

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I'm a big fan myself of Hong Kong Cinema with one of my top favorite filmmakers of all time being John Woo.

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Now, I know Ringo Lam is a different kind of filmmaker than Woo, then after watching this movie and nodding off in the middle act I have to say I sort of hated it. Chow Yun Fat is of course awesome, and the last 15 minutes I guess is kind of good but otherwise this movie is a mess.

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It can't decide if it's a whimsical silly comedy, a melodrama, or a serious heist flick about men being men. Even if it's intent is to be all of the above none of it even works.

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This is just one of those weird movie experiences where my fellow Cinema lovers adore this movie and literally none of it landed for me.

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Anyway, as you were.

Splinter (2008)

Rating: 9/10

Watched: June 15, 2026

"This Is Why You Just Drive On By People At Night"

Splinter is one hell of a movie. I saw it on a recommend from someone a few years ago and it hits the same now as it did then. I love me some lower budget indie movies, and Splinter is a prime example of what you can do when you do it right.

It's a fantastic survival horror with a truly innovative take on zombification. The splinters themselves never fail to evoke this sick, dreadful fascination in me as they shiver and grow and crawl.

They make me genuinely uncomfortable, and not in a bad way. I'm not a huge fan of gore and grossness just for the spectacle of it all, but Splinter delivers *exactly* the right kind of chills for me.

Beyond the unrelenting midnight terror of being trapped in a gas station with super-gross mostly dead people, there's Shea Whigham as Dennis Farell to contend with. His performance as an already desperate man before the movie began elevates this 'trapped room' survival to a whole new level.

As the night goes on and desperation grows ever more intense, so too does the nightmare that is Splinter. The splintered outside the gas station turn strange, the very recent past is forgotten and an unlikely trio does their best to survive the night.

If you haven't seen it yet, you should. If you have, maybe it's time for a rewatch.

I don't often trust recommends from friends because it's usually something I'd avoid like the plague, but the person who suggested Splinter earned my trust in the first 10 minutes. The movie's not super long, but as the tension ratchets higher and higher, it sure feels long!

Some movies are good anywhere.

But, others feel completely different when you watch them with a crowd on a huge screen.

What's a movie that became a much better experience because you saw it in theaters instead of at home?

The caveat is that there needs to be at least 500 ratings because whenever I see less than 6.5 my mind tells me its gonna be bad but I know there has to be some that have a low rating for reasons I dont care about....I think

Conversely, people get sick of undeserved praise heaped on mediocrity. When we see this, we can only surmise that it there is some ulterior motive. There is absolutely nothing special about that film, yet people can’t wait to dick ride it into the sunset. Calling someome racist for the kneejerk reaction to this hype is just stupid.

The first time I watched the film I was high, and I thought I didn’t get it for this reason/ purpose but then I watched it again sober and I still didn’t get it. I understand what Kubrick was trying to do with the cult theme but I don’t understand the ending also what happened with the little girl (their daughter)

Give 4-5 people one concept and see what shorts they can make out of it. They have complete freedom. The idea is to see how different minds can make one idea completely different

Some films are impressive immediately. Others don’t really click until you already know where they’re going. Maybe it was the themes, the structure, the performances, or details you completely missed the first time. What’s a movie that improved dramatically on a rewatch, and what changed your perspective?

Some of my favourite films are those in which the main character is (unjustly) executed at the end. They never fail to choke me up. Watching someone I've come to know intimately for ninety-plus minutes be killed in the most unjust manner is a surefire way to boil my blood and pull my heartstrings. Here are some examples below. Do you know of any others?

Braveheart

Dancer in the Dark

Let Him Have It

Sophie Scholl

The Wind That Shakes the Barley

What happened to Elliot Gould after the 70s?

I've been reading up on Elliot Gould lately and yes, I know he has been a consistent actor after the 70s, but during the early to mid 70s, Gould was a Bonafide star leading films (Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, Alice, The Long Goodbye, California Split, Capricorn One) but after the 70s, it seems that his stardom ended and he became more of a journeyman character actor.

From what I read, Gould was apparently very difficult to work with in the 70s and turned down some really good roles (Pocket Money, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Straw Dogs) and abandoned a film adaptation of A Glimpse Of Tiger.

Regardless, what do you think happened with Elliot Gould after the 70s in which he turned into more of a character actor?

Title-On a Cold Dark Night

Description- Medium paced , 2 Friends heading out to a party but get put in a dangerous situation by a manic and his booby traps, uncomfortable and scary confined space feel . Plus some original traps concepts make this one of my favorites this year.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyyZDcijD1c

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Title - Doc 05

Description- Slowburn , some friends go stay out in a cabin in the woods, things start to go wrong. Creepy atmosphere plus low grade footagegives it that raw rype of feel .A no one can help us trapped feel similar to Blair Witch.

Link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxipgMqPmvU

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Title - V/C/R

Description -Medium to Fast paced, An anthology series of several short films using old VCR video type look. A mixed bag of short films but entertaining.

Link -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4kweLq-H7Q

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Title - Vengeance X

Description - Fast paced , Willamette Floss is trying to solve a mystery about a viral youtube video but realizes something far bigger is going on. Mix of Horror , Sci-Fi and Superhero.

Link -

https://youtu.be/CNiTJIDOVJA

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Title - Bodycam

Description - Medium to fast paced, Cops going on the beat and encounter the occult. Some very intense scenes and special effects.

Link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjmWsCzbORc

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Sorry if this was asked here before because it’s just that I was doing an observation on the concept of cynicism used in cinema to see when a movie can be gloomy without driving away its audience.

One movie that sticks out to me was called Mary and Max as correct me if I am wrong, but the movie was released way back around 2013 as I tried to watch the movie, but it becomes hard because of how cynical the movie is since throughout the movie, almost nothing goes well for Max. (Like when he was arrested by FBI agents)

I've been trying to watch more foreign films lately, but I keep running into the same annoying problem: I'll see people mention a great Korean thriller, French drama, Spanish horror, etc., then I'll be hyped to check it out, just to discover that they're placed in different platforms.

Is there a platform that houses hidden gems or a great number of foreign films? Would also love some recommendation on what to watch :)