[Vyse]

You mean the blue rim light?

Well, rim lighting is a different thing from gradients. I mean like how there's a purple overlay gradient applied onto Frank Grillo and so he pops out a little more than the two actresses, and overall it looks cohesive except for Mel, whose black level (or shadows) aren't subdued by blue or purple.

It kinda feels like a choice to make him stand out more, as if to say, "This is a totally real movie with a real movie star! We promise!"

I think he looks better in this movie poster, although the contrast is a little overdone:

 

[Dacon]

Well, rim lighting is a different thing from gradients. I mean like how there's a purple overlay gradient applied onto Frank Grillo and so he pops out a little more than the two actresses, and overall it looks cohesive except for Mel, whose black level (or shadows) aren't subdued by blue or purple.


I think he looks better in this movie poster, although the contrast is a little overdone:

I know what a gradient is, I'm just not seeing blue anywhere in that poster other than the rim lighting.

 

[Pyrate]

@Kadayi I saw episode 4, and The Boys are back! After the decent-to-bad (not slow, slow can be good) start of the season, episode 4 is more than a return to form, it makes all characters who felt boring initially interesting again, well, except for Frenchie, I'm afraid he's beyond saving. But even characters like Hughie's mum suddenly became VERY interesting at the end if you saw the episode, and zombie Simon Pegg??! Sign me the fuck up. Hoping the remaining half is just as good if not better than this. The Boys is so good when it's not shit, lol.

 

[zero]

Anyone here see season 4 of Castlevania? I mean the first show, I haven't watched Nocturne yet. I thought season 3 went off the rails a bit and it left me a bit disappointed. However, season 4 was a strong comeback and I think the show finished strong. This season had lots of great action. These videos are some of the most epic action I have ever seen and it all happened in one episode.

Spoiler: Spoilers

 

[zero]

 

[Kadayi]

Is it out? I thought it was August?

 

[zero]

Is it out? I thought it was August?

I'm not sure. It just came up on my youtube for the first time so I posted it here. The trailer was uploaded today.

 

[Frito_Pendejo]

So far, not feeling the boys season 4. The first three seasons were fantastic. This just seems like The Boys Sweet Baby Edition.

 

[Frito_Pendejo]

Episode 3 now of season 4 and for fucks sake did they pour it on. "Critical Sup Theory" Jesus fucking Christ. This season isn't about the boys. This is about Eric Kripke making sure you know how amazing liberals are and just how stupid and racist conservatives are.

The whole thing isn't fish rot. I actually like Sister Sage. Karl Urban is awesome as always and Homelander is a great villain. It just feels like something is missing this season. The humor or whatever just isn't there. This is Kripke's ode to liberalism and he sacrificed his hit show to do it. It's just frustrating we can't just enjoy a show without this shit showing up.

 

[Grinchy]

Episode 3 now of season 4 and for fucks sake did they pour it on. "Critical Sup Theory" Jesus fucking Christ. This season isn't about the boys. This is about Eric Kripke making sure you know how amazing liberals are and just how stupid and racist conservatives are.

The whole thing isn't fish rot. I actually like Sister Sage. Karl Urban is awesome as always and Homelander is a great villain. It just feels like something is missing this season. The humor or whatever just isn't there. This is Kripke's ode to liberalism and he sacrificed his hit show to do it. It's just frustrating we can't just enjoy a show without this shit showing up.

There are big sections of episode 4 that are pretty damn good. Keep going!

It really has become a pathetic liberal wankery, but there are nuggets of a good show sprinkled in.

 

[O-N-E]

There are big sections of episode 4 that are pretty damn good. Keep going!

It really has become a pathetic liberal wankery, but there are nuggets of a good show sprinkled in.

Dude I think we watched a different ep 4.

At this point I'm skipping everything with Kimiko or Frenchy's gay shit and most of Hughie. Also trying to figure out why did they send a guy that can barely stand up to go rescue Frenchy. Make it make sense.

The whole abortion thing was just so in your face too lol.

"I agonized over that decision"

"It's only your business. No-one else's" - The father

It's just so incredibly bad all across the board.

 

[Pyrate]

I must be the only person on the internet who doesn't think this season is preaching its views with its usage of politics, any more than they ever did in the previous seasons.

Sure, it might be because I'm neither left or right (or center or whatever) so I don't give a shit at the end of the day, but I just believe all the politics used so far is to serve the story (so far a weaker one, admittedly), the characters and their motivations, not showing this side good and that side bad to the viewer or any of that crap. Frenchie could be an outlier for this, because if you consider his current plot line criticially, you will in fact come out with nothing other than that he's French and gay.

The abortion thing is a great example in what I'm getting at, I actually don't know how you come out of that scene with a "political " stance, I don't believe they made the case of abortion neither good nor bad, it was just used as a plot device to expose Starlight as a hyporcrit and get a scandalous reaction out of her. Also I'm pretty sure you're misquoting Hughie here, I think I remember he said "it's our decision" or whatever, again, never making it out to be a good or bad thing to do.

It's just like how they incorporated Black Lives Matter as a topical concept at the time into a plot device for A-Train to demonstrate the price of his exploitation and zero sense of real heroism in season 3

Episode 4 was basically a classic The Boys episode from the previous seasons, cut the Frenchie crap out and it's one of the best episodes of the show.

 

[Hinedorf]

The Bear S3 E8
This episode is literally my father in my life. My perpetual coach even if I'm begging him to STFU. The parallels I saw here...I dunno who's writing for this show but I would guess based on my experience with this personality they're probably a Taurus. I've never believed in astrology until I've ran into so many perpetual-Taurus-Control freaks. I am one, my dad is one (birthdays 1 day apart from each other), my girlfriend is one too and I literally get control freak dad-vibes from my girl and we argue like crazy about needing to 'coach'

Amazing writing in this episode fuck!

 

[Grinchy]

Dude I think we watched a different ep 4.

At this point I'm skipping everything with Kimiko or Frenchy's gay shit and most of Hughie. Also trying to figure out why did they send a guy that can barely stand up to go rescue Frenchy. Make it make sense.

The whole abortion thing was just so in your face too lol.

"I agonized over that decision"

"It's only your business. No-one else's" - The father

It's just so incredibly bad all across the board.

I think we skip all the same shit, but the Homelander stuff was great.

 

[Grinchy]

I must be the only person on the internet who doesn't think this season is preaching its views with its usage of politics, any more than they ever did in the previous seasons.

I think if you do a re-watch, you'll find what most of us found - that the first season was a real show and seasons 2 and 3 were political statements masquerading as a show. And season 4 just dropped any facade about it and went full bore into leftist wankery.

 

[zero]

When is Squid Game coming back for its new season?

I remember someone here had watched Blue Eye Samurai. Where do you think season 2 is going?

Also, has anyone seen All of Us Are Dead? Is it worth a watch?

 

[Kadayi]

I think if you do a re-watch, you'll find what most of us found - that the first season was a real show and seasons 2 and 3 were political statements masquerading as a show. And season 4 just dropped any facade about it and went full bore into leftist wankery.

Just watched Episode 5. It got a bit more into mocking corporate virtue-signalling, as well as the MCU, however otherwise it was the usual shlockiness, with a bunch of people covered in blood and entrails. I'm getting increasingly bored with that tbh.

 

[Grinchy]

Just watched Episode 5. It got a bit more into mocking corporate virtue-signalling, as well as the MCU, however otherwise it was the usual shlockiness, with a bunch of people covered in blood and entrails. I'm getting increasingly bored with that tbh.

They use it well sometimes, but the dad accidentally killing people was not using it well. They're diluting the importance of it. We don't give a shit about the innocent people being ripped apart bc we've seen it too many times. And that storyline suffered bc of it. Just felt like a way to waste airtime.

 

[Kadayi]

When is Squid Game coming back for its new season?

Probably next year at the earliest. The original took a long time to develop

I remember someone here had watched Blue Eye Samurai. Where do you think season 2 is going?

Well it had her sailing on a ship so presumably England at a guess, though hard to see how that would translate in terms of action.

They use it well sometimes, but the dad accidentally killing people was not using it well. They're diluting the importance of it. We don't give a shit about the innocent people being ripped apart bc we've seen it too many times. And that storyline suffered bc of it. Just felt like a way to waste airtime.

Agreed. I think they just overplay it a lot.

 

[O-N-E]

House of the Dragon S2 ep 2.

They should've had Rhaenyra's Aegon drop the dragon toy she gave him (book spoiler).

Also, if they make Aegon the Conqueror Black or half Black in the future, it would now be a retcon:

 

[Dacon]

Just watched Episode 5. It got a bit more into mocking corporate virtue-signalling, as well as the MCU, however otherwise it was the usual shlockiness, with a bunch of people covered in blood and entrails. I'm getting increasingly bored with that tbh.

It's just starting to feel like a goofy shock cartoon isn't it.

 

[Arkam]

Yakuza Graveyard (1976) on Blu Ray

Yet another exceptional Yakuza cinema directed by Kinji Fukasaku. This was very much like Cops and Thugs. Is more a story of dirty cop with the Yakuza being his vice. Shows the spiral into the illegitimacy. Good story, solid cast and decent pacing. Overall enjoyed it and glad someone put it on Blu Ray.

 

[GreyHorace]

So this popped up on Youtube much to my surprise.

I found this a pretty fun and at times a hilarious watch. The titular Suicide Squad are all good characters who play well off each other and have great banter. Though each of them are interesting by themselves, my faves are definitely Harley Quinn and Peacemaker. The action is solid and often quite gruesome, but it's played off as a type of black comedy so it never gets heavy. Really, the premise of a bunch of supervillains causing havoc in a fantasy world should have been a clue to anyone as to what type of show this was going to be. It's delightfully irreverent and doesn't take itself too seriously.

As someone who's never really followed the Suicide Squad in the comics, movies (though I heard the sequel by James Gunn was pretty good) or even that disaster of a videogame, I really enjoyed how they were utilized here. Add to that I've never really taken to the isekai genre in anime, mainly because I feel it overshadows legit fantasy anime like Frieren or Dungeon Meshi. Here though, I love how the typical elements of the genre are mocked and made fun of just by the Squad's presence.

This was a surprisingly good watch, I'll be following more of it.

 

[O-N-E]

 

[Kadayi]

Season 3 of The Bear



Beautifully shot and well acted, however as a season of TV, it disappoints failing to deliver on key storylines, instead opting to stretch them out into another season, versus addressing and setting up new challenges.

The finale in particular falls foul of a certain level of indulgence where it cultivates a shared camaraderie between the series regulars and a guest star that doesn't make a lot of sense contextually, given the only notable relationship they have with any of them is with someone who isn't there.

If you are a fan of the show. I'd honestly recommend holding off on watching it until season 4 drops. They filmed the seasons back to back and in all likelihood you'll enjoy the watch more because presumably stuff will get resolved in that season.

Also, they need way less Matty Matheson in the series. He might be a chief in real life, but his presence drags at immersion because he is a clown of a human being.

 

[Arkam]

Watched two filsm yesterday

First, I took the wife to See Inside Out 2 (2024)

It was ok. Been a while since I saw the first one, but this felt like what I remembered. Lots of fairly funny 'Dad' jokes paired with a lot of drama/anxiety. Never been a little girl, but if thats what they are thinking... ouch. The new feelings were ok and most had a moment or too of humor, though Anxiety really bogarted the screen time. Of speaking of the screen, DAMN did the animation and materials look good. Like real good! All the colors with such rich materials was real treat on the eyes. Overall a decent kids movie.

HOWEVER, I was reminded that going to the theater these days is a ripoff. 2 matinee tickets - $33, two fountain drinks and a popcorn - Another $30. I could buy the film on Blu Ray, get a 6-pack of beer and order a pizza for less. The paradigm is simply broken.




Then at home I watched my Blue Ray copy of Doberman Cop (1977)

So I got this one simply because it was a Fukasaku film and Arrow was running a sale. Its a 70s detective action movie based on a manga. While it has its moments, on the whole the odd tone and overly complicated story didnt really draw me in. At times it felt like a gritty Fukasaku, but then it would start to become more bombastic and artsy...like something from Seijun Suzuki. Overall it was meh and wouldn't really recommend unless someone is a fan of the manga or REALLY loved (late) 70's detective movies.

 

[J-Roderton]

Knightfall. Stumbled on it due to watching and reading a lot about the Templars. Seems cool so far.

Anyone know of any films about that subject that are worth checking out?

 

[Hostile_18]

Just finished Russian Doll season 1. Really good actually. Looking forward to watching the next season. The characters are very well done and the concept intriguing.

 

[Grinchy]

Just finished Russian Doll season 1. Really good actually. Looking forward to watching the next season. The characters are very well done and the concept intriguing.

I remember watching it and kinda liking it, but I don't know if I ever went back for season 2?

 

[Hostile_18]

I remember watching it and kinda liking it, but I don't know if I ever went back for season 2?

I've watched the first episode. If something about a train/subway rings a bell then you have!

 

[Arkam]

Big Time Gambling Boss (1968)

This was a good one I got on Blue Ray from Radiance. It follows a gambling gang in 1934 Japan. It starts with the head of the clan being asked to join a 'national front' to fund the actions 'on the content' (hint hint, wink wink). The boss says no....then falls over and dies (more or less). So now the clan needs a new boss and they say Kanai. But Kanai refuses since he use to be in another clan and doesn't feel its right. He also makes the case that Matsuda is the real heir apparent (though he is 3 years into a 5 year prison term).

So the same guy who was soliciting for the national front sees and opportunity to put a puppet in place temporarily while figuring out how to get the clan's money. Well like all good plans, it was torpedoed... by Matsuda's early parole. Matsuda calls the clan leaders out for picking a numb nut as boss. And violence and subterfuge ensues.

Overall a great example of how Yakuza clans operate, the code, the ceremonies and their 'loyalties'. Great cast too! Lots of familiar faces and having Nobou Kaneko as the snake was great. He is always an entertaining antagonist with his swinging emotions.

Recommended if you are looking for a solid Yakuza film, and even more recommended if you want one based in Pre-WW2 but not in feudal times.

 

[vyse1800]

Out for justice (1991)

This movie starts with a pimp beating down one of his ho's in the street and just gets better from there. Watching this it occurred to me, it's been quite some time since I've seen a movie that has zero regard for offending it's viewers sensibilities. It is R rated and back in the day you were taking a chance of being offended by language and subject matter. There is some stuff that hasn't aged well and a few cringe moments, but likely they were cringe back in '91.. this is Steven Seagal after all. That said, there's loads of arm snapping, bone crunching goodness and the appropriate offensive language to go with it.

 

[SirKicksalot]

Knightfall. Stumbled on it due to watching and reading a lot about the Templars. Seems cool so far.

Anyone know of any films about that subject that are worth checking out?

I can think of more games than movies... Kingdom of Heaven DC and Ironclad are worth watching, and the Arn the Knight Templar movies are alright I guess.

However there is some great crusade (or related) material out there, like the classic El Cid movie or the script of the cancelled Verhoeven & Schwarzenegger Crusade movie. PDF here: https://stephenbatchelorblog.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/crusade.pdf

 

[Grinchy]

The newest episode of The Boys is the worst one yet. The attempts at humor just scream "the left can't meme."

I don't know how they drag this shit out the rest of this season plus a final season.

 

[Dacon]

The newest episode of The Boys is the worst one yet. The attempts at humor just scream "the left can't meme."

I don't know how they drag this shit out the rest of this season plus a final season.

It was pure cringe, from the comically racist supe, to the abortion cringe, to the girl power cringe, and all of the long meaningless POINTLESS fetish cringe played off as humor.

 

[Arkam]

Finally decided to re-rip Daria for my Plex server.

At 720p all five seasons of the show are great looking. Every time I watch this show I am astounded how smart most of the jokes are. Sometimes the deep divers are surface level and sometimes the snorkelers need pressurized suits. So much satire wrapped in so much sarcasm. Absolutely love this show and can binge any time. It also makes me kinda miss the 1990's. Vapid puff pieces and gut punches to the soul.

Also after so many viewings, I have decided that Stacy is the perfect woman. Drop dead gorgeous, popular, but also SUPER self conscious and obsessively people pleasing. This girl wants just an ounce to attention and affection. Seriously, Upchuck is the smarted guy on this show.

 

[Kadayi]

The newest episode of The Boys is the worst one yet. The attempts at humor just scream "The left can't meme."

I don't know how they drag this shit out the rest of this season plus a final season.

I do get the impression that Kripke wacks off to mirror tbh. That's how good he thinks he is. He doesn't seem to quite get that his real-life shout-out references are dull and dated by the time the show airs. Southpark pulls that shit off, because they do a very fast turnaround and are wholly topical in nature. The Boys though, not so much.

It was pure cringe, from the comically racist supe, to the abortion cringe, to the girl power cringe, and all of the long meaningless POINTLESS fetish cringe played off as humor.

100%. I like Derek Wilson as a comedic actor (he was the MVP of Future Man), so it was good to see him reprise the Role of Tek Knight having made an appearance in Gen V, however not only did they eschew him being the Iron Man/Bat Man hybrid he was supposed to be, but they also killed him off in the most trite way possible.

The Kessler reveal was a real 'No shit Sherlock' moment, with Butcher finally catching up with the audience from about 4 episodes back.

The only saving grace of the episode was Homelanders face when he realised he was getting his Daily Vitamin A from the source. Anthony Starr continues to essentially carry the show.

 

[Yer Da]

Saw Kinds of Kindness the other night and really liked it.

 

[Pyrate]

The newest episode of The Boys has some gold in there but is covered in shit and cum and whatever other fetishes that were on display. It's really a shame because like I said, some parts are really really cool to me
like A-Train's first ever real hero moment, he's fucking dead btw. The whole sequence of Homelander gathering the politicians but Sage is braindead so he had to do it himelsf, to him obviously fucking up which prompted Neumann to step up and get the job done; probaly been Sage's plan all along. The obvious reveal of Negan being a hallucination, whatever, not the point, but the revelation for the virus to be strong enough to kill homelander is only possible if it's engineered to be a no-exceptions anti-V, with great acting as always from Karl Urban.


I just wish they didn't have to do Hughie dirty like that, it's just sad because there is a lot of good stuff in there, so I wouldn't just say it's all bad, but they've been pushing my patience lately, this with the overall much much weaker writing of this season is bringing the whole show down for me. Generally speaking, the writing has been top notch and was the show's biggest strength in the last 3 seasons, here, it feels so inconsistent and held together with duct tape, at this point, only Homelander and Butcher's scenes still feel like the way the previous seasons felt with the great writing, probably the season's saving grace for now.

Slightly related, this is probably the hardest thing I've seen today, such a cool imagery.

 

[Kadayi]