Saw Honest Thief on Sky over the weekend. 

Quite enjoyed it.

Saw Black Adam on Sky and what a waste of a movie, like the marvel movies i had no idea who anyone was or what there story was and why they were fighting, maybe i wasnt paying attention but i lost interest pretty quickly.  5/10

The one thing that annoyed me the most was Black Adam floating every where. Why did he have feet if he never uses them. sorry , again it shows how invested i was in the movie.

My son saw Barbie and Oppenheimer in a Barbenheimer marathon viewing in the weekend. 

His text message to me immediately following Oppenheimer: That was the greatest movie I have ever seen. 

He said it MUST be seen at iMax. 

Handsomedan:

 

His text message to me immediately following Oppenheimer: That was the greatest movie I have ever seen. 

 

He said it MUST be seen at iMax. 

 

I'm pleased then that I will be down in Wellington the next few days and will have a chance to see it at the IMAX in Queensgate

Lizard1977:

 

Handsomedan:

 

His text message to me immediately following Oppenheimer: That was the greatest movie I have ever seen. 

 

He said it MUST be seen at iMax. 

 

 

I'm pleased then that I will be down in Wellington the next few days and will have a chance to see it at the IMAX in Queensgate

 

Chatting to him further, it appears the comment about IMAX is that it's so immersive. It was shot with IMAX film and cameras and therefore fits the format as intended. 
Apparently the sound is all a part of it and IMAX sound is also supposed to be quite the experience. 

It's been a long time since I have been to an IMAX theatre. 

Oppenheimer 8/10

Saw this at a ‘normal’ cinema (ie not iMax). I disagree that it needs to be seen at an iMax or even a cinema. A home setup with a half decent surround system would do. That’s because it’s all about the story, there is very little ‘action’.

The movie has Cristopher Nolan’s fingerprints all over it. The story telling over multiple time threads is seamless and the score is integrated so well into it that it conveys the mood without you even realising it. If you have seen Nolan’s Dunkirk, you will instantly recognise the style. And little touches from real life, like audio lag of explosions when seen at a distance. Something standard Hollywood action movies never seem to bother with.
The runtime of 3 hours seems long, and I often come away from lengthy movies thinking about what they could have cut out. Not with this one. There is very little of Oppenheimer’s life that could have been left out without affecting the story. Having a knowledge of the Manhattan Project and Oppenheimer’s life added to the enjoyment, but isn’t essential.

Outstanding performances from the main actors, particularly Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr.

Barbie - 9/10

A few of my friends and I were discussing films we were keen to see. I mentioned Fast X, Flash, Mission Impossible, and Oppenheimer.  Of those, Fast X was disappointing (apart from Jason Momoa), I never got around to seeing Flash (and not too bothered about that based on other reviews), and I'm still eagerly anticipating the last two.

A friend mentioned Barbie, and her partner rolled his eyes.  My girlfriend was keen to see it, and we joked that the girls can go off to see Barbie, and the blokes can go see Mission Impossible. They say it takes a big man to admit when he's wrong, and boy was I wrong.  Barbie might well be the best movie I've seen all year (though I am planning to see Oppenheimer tonight, so that record may be short-lived).

My initial skepticism was based on the suspicion that it was going to be a flat, two-dimensional story featuring the adventures of a doll brought to life.  But I read a little bit about the movie (trying to avoid spoilers) and realised how wrong I was.  It is a very insightful story, sharply written, and incredibly well-acted and directed.  It's an examination of big issues like the patriarchy, the obstacles that women face in society, misogyny and misandry - but it's delivered in a style which makes it accessible rather than hectoring.

I saw it with my girlfriend who was watching it for the second time, and honestly I would happily go back and watch it multiple times, it really is that good.  I would liken it to Deadpool - the writing is witty and self-aware, there are moments of fourth-wall breaking which feel spot on, and I was laughing from the first minute (proper, laugh out loud belly laughs, not just wry titters).

The acting is fantastic - Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling are pitch-perfect as Barbie and Ken.  Even actors that can sometimes turn me off like Kate Mackinnon and Will Ferrell do a great job.

I really can't think of anything to fault the film on.  The length is perfect - I never felt like I needed to check my watch. The direction is great.  The little touches that show the writers understood about the way that Barbie dolls have been used are on point.  My kids are a bit young to appreciate the story, but in a couple of years I'll be excited to show this film to them.

TOP GUN: Maverick - 4K Ultra HD Disc 10/10.

I recently got back into collecting and watching physical media, My latest purchase is the SteelBook version of TOP GUN: Maverick, which this review is based on. It was my second viewing  following a watch of the iTunes stream last year. This version is on another level.

For anyone with a decent Home Cinema set up, this disc is a MUST buy, even if its just to show friends the best that the format is capable of... reference Audio/Video. Its a long time since I was so drawn into a film. Maverick and his team of young recruits had my total attention throughout; With the superb visuals and ear blasting sound, its easy to see why the film pulled in almost $US1.5 Billion at the worldwide Box-Office. It was also pleasing to see that it won the Academy Award for Sound (its awesome).

I know that Tom Cruise has a lot of detractors, but I have seen probably every film that he has starred in, and there was maybe just two or three that I didn't enjoy. I'll be purchasing Mission Impossible 7, day one on 4K disc.

Its not often a sequel improves on the original, but "Maverick" IMO is a step up in every way. The switching aspect ratio's when the action is at its peak, is a master stroke. The IMAX aspect of 1.90:1 is used for many of the intense action scenes, then drops back to a "normal" 2.39:1 aspect for the rest of it.

What more can I say?. Excellent!

FINDING NEMO (2003) Blu-ray Disc 9/10

I can't believe that Finding Nemo is 20 years old. I bought this particular version from Canada because I was into 3D at the time, plus the discs came in a really nice 4-Disc Viva Metal Box set. I don't have a 3D setup anymore, but I was thinking of maybe replacing the 3D disc with a 4K Ultra HD one. Reviewers said that the UHD disc was only a slight uptick from the Blu-ray. I decided to spin the Blu-ray today, and there is absolutely no reason to upgrade. The Blu-ray looks and sounds stunning.

I love the various undersea characters that Marlin and Dory encounter on their search for little Nemo. They had me chuckling away to myself throughout the film. It was such a nice change from the Superhero and Action films that I have been watching lately.

Pixar were on top form when they released this animated classic, and I have all of the Pixar films to date on various physical media or Digital providers. I find that over the last few years many of Pixar's releases just haven't reached the dizzying heights that their earlier work provided, but they are always watchable. Elemental is the latest Pixar offering, and is the only one that I haven't seen yet.

Finding Nemo is an animated classic in every sense of the word, and will keep kids of all ages entertained for years to come.

COCO (2017) Blu-ray Disc 10/10

Another day, another movie 🎥

To get in the mood for this film; I sat down in my Man Cave, with a packet of tortilla chips and a stubby of Corona close by.

Let me say right from the get-go; This disc is a 💯% reference 1080p presentation. I found it hard to comprehend that the pictures that I was watching were not  HDR graded images.

The film won two Oscars at the 90th Academy Awards (2018); Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Song (Remember Me).

Another wonderful Pixar film based around Miguel, a Mexican boy with a love of music, which, unfortunately, wasn't shared by his family of shoe makers. He decides to steal the guitar of his deceased idol Ernesto de la Cruz, but when he first strums it, he becomes invisible to living people. However, he finds that he can interact with his dead relatives, and so, the story unfolds in the Land of the Dead. Its an entertaining story, with a lovely twist. One of Pixar's best. 

SPIDER-MAN: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) Apple TV 4K - iTunes Stream 9/10

I bought this movie some time ago when it was on sale in the iTunes store. With the sequel due in the iTunes store on the 8th August, I thought that it was time for me to finally watch it.

The film is presented in a new animation style from Sony. Its a clever mix of 2D and 3D animation, and it looks stunning.

I don't admit to being able to completely understand these sort of films that jump from one universe to another (they are probably aimed at younger film goers), but it sure is fun to watch. Miles Morales makes his film debut, and we are led through his trials and tribulations before he becomes a fully working Spider-Man.

From the moment that Miles is bitten by a radioactive spider, to the final showdown, we are taken on an action packed adrenaline ride, where we meet several Spider-Men from other universe's; Including a pig named Peter Porker 😁

The voice acting is excellent, and the whole film is a visual masterpiece (though some people may not agree). There are some seriously low frequencies for subwoofer fans.

Looking forward to the sequel.

Dingbatt:

 

Oppenheimer 8/10

 

Saw this at a ‘normal’ cinema (ie not iMax). I disagree that it needs to be seen at an iMax or even a cinema. A home setup with a half decent surround system would do. That’s because it’s all about the story, there is very little ‘action’.

 

..

 

These are the formats the movie is being screened in.

https://www.oppenheimermovie.com/tickets/formats/

The best experience (and the one Nolan recommends) is IMAX 70mm. Alas for us, the only theatre showing it in this format in this neck of the woods is in Melbourne.

Seeing it in another format is going to have some compromises.

There is IMAX digital which is what the Event is showing but based I don't know if it's 1.9:1 AR which I hope to find out tomorrow.

lchiu7:

Dingbatt:

Oppenheimer 8/10

Saw this at a ‘normal’ cinema (ie not iMax). I disagree that it needs to be seen at an iMax or even a cinema. A home setup with a half decent surround system would do. That’s because it’s all about the story, there is very little ‘action’.

..

These are the formats the movie is being screened in.

https://www.oppenheimermovie.com/tickets/formats/

The best experience (and the one Nolan recommends) is IMAX 70mm. Alas for us, the only theatre showing it in this format in this neck of the woods is in Melbourne.

Seeing it in another format is going to have some compromises.

There is IMAX digital which is what the Event is showing but based I don't know if it's 1.9:1 AR which I hope to find out tomorrow.

Blade Runner 2049 9.9/10 - 4k UHD

Wow, JUST WOW.

I have always thought this was a great movie when watching from a DVD but UHD takes it to a whole new level.

Sell the wife and kids, buy a top of the range UHD TV, player, amp and speakers and sit back and enjoy. You won't need the wife and kids anymore anyway.