I could have sworn there was a movie/tv thread on Brawl that was about as old as the temp site but for whatever reason I can't find it so if I overlooked it, fuck it, fuck you, and I'm starting the new one.
I don't think that many people will necessarily agree with me here, but Hardcore Henry is one of the most fun and awesome movies I've seen in years. It's a complete celebration of everything that is and ever was great about big dumb action movies, cartoons, and video games of the late 80's and early 90's brought to life by a group of people who have undeniably spent the last 10-15 years or so playing consoles FPS games. Hardcore Henry is a movie based on video games that were based on the best action movies of the last 30 years so its a weird full circle jerk in that regard but it is a love letter to a very specific demographic that has to at least appreciate the intent if nothing else. Its not a "good" movie in the traditional sense of the medium; ie an hour and a half to two and half hours of passive entertainment versus the 3 to 20 hours you get from a typical FPS game, but because of the unnatural, wild west approach to story telling and cinematography that comes with the first person perspective, alongside my love of FPS games, I found it to be super fascinating and compelling in a way that almost all movies aren't to me these days.
I'll admit that I was a bit "buzzed" when I watched this movie but I did view it fully twice in a row and started it a third time before finally falling asleep which is noteworthy if only because I rarely watch movies these days much less watch one back to back to back if I do even view a film a second time at all. I assume there will be some people that can't watch it due to the perspective or FOV making them sick, but to me HH combined with the short films I've seen in VR, make me think there is a whole other level of cinematic story telling available that's untapped an possible. Sure, this particular type of story telling is probably done better in video games, just like some story telling is better done through film or television, but I totally appreciate people making a movie as video game lovers first and foremost instead of the other way around.
However, all the stupid ludo-narrative dissonance and baggage that one must often overlook in video games is almost exemplified to a heightened degree here. But if you are like me and don't mind media occasionally being lesser than or backseating loose narrative threads in favor of agency or entertainment taking the reins then its easy to overlook the short comings of Hardcore Henry as a traditional film and instead appreciate it as an "experience". The most jarring aspect of the movie, for me, was the need to cut and splice footage together. If you are a seasoned FPS gamer you are probably used to a consistent uninterrupted "flow" in camera movement where there are never any leaps in time or placement, but with a movie the need to have constant narrative momentum meant that most scenes felt like they were being rushed and or cut short or oddly edited together because it would be almost impossible to film a movie of this sort where huge swaths of it require the pin point execution of actors and stunt men and women to fucking be on point.
It's easy to get caught up in analyzing this film and its pros and cons when comparing it to almost a century of cinema, but the bottom line is that this movie kicks ass and it doesn't take itself too seriously in all the best possible ways. It embraces everything that is big, dumb and great about over the top action movies and video games. I won't spoil anything, but one of the last scenes in the movie is an undeniable fucking love letter to anyone who ever held out on the hospital roof top in Left 4 Dead waiting for the chopper. And while this might not be the best movie to analyze someone's acting chops, Sharlto Copley--whose performance in District 9 is still amazing, to me, to this day--may have topped himself in Hardcore Henry as he plays multiple "respawned" characters throughout the film and it's honestly THE BEST part of this movie outside of the action.
If you liked DOOM this year, you'll love Hardcore Henry. It's my favorite movie this year by far.
Also saw Batman vs Superman. Honestly, wasn't as bad as everyone made it out to be. There are some problems with it, sure, but I liked it overall. Gotta say that Batfleck was perhaps the best on screen Bruce/Batman to date....? I appreciate the traditional "no killing" Batman as a character, but part of me fucking loved the older "NO FUCKS GIVEN" Batman on display here.
----TV----
I've only seen the first two episodes, but Stranger Things on Netflix is such an unexpected surprise love letter to the 80's in every conceivable way. I knew nothing about this show until seeing it pop up this week, but even the brief preview they show when you scroll by it was enough to tell me exactly what type of feel this show was going for and so far it nails it.
http://www.gamesradar.com/stranger-things-review/Also Game of Thrones is the greatest tv show of all time and perhaps the greatest thing that's ever happened to the human race and if you aren't watching GoT then you are a lesser human being. Season 6 raped face.