Axiom Home Page
Posted By: CV So what are you watching tonight? - 09/14/08 02:54 AM
Sorry if there's an old thread of this. I couldn't find one after searching for 5 seconds, so have this one.

I watched both volumes of Kill Bill today on Blu-ray. They both looked very stunning, with the second having a slight edge, although the audio of both really stole the show. Tarantino really knows how to create a lively, varied soundtrack. Besides the music, the sound effects are a lot of fun, with different scenes giving focus to what's happening onscreen in different ways.

It had been a while since I'd seen either, and I'm glad. Seeing them both in the same day on Blu-ray, in my home theater, really made me appreciate them as well as my system. I would certainly use them to show off what I have. I look forward to the impending release of Death Proof and the inevitable release of Pulp Fiction.

Now I need to work on the final disc of Cowboy Bebop, and later I'll watch Michael Phelps host Saturday Night Live.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/14/08 03:04 AM
I'm watching the smoker holding steady at 240 degrees with a couple of Boston butts, the back ribs will go in late morning.

Typically neither my wife or I can't stand to watch a movie with Adam Sandler in it but we just finished watching Reign Over Me and I must say we really did like the movie.
Posted By: Wid Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/14/08 03:16 AM

That's good movie, I really enjoyed it. I watched Forest Gump a little earlier.

Nothing wrong with watching a couple of nice butts \:\)
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/14/08 03:21 AM
Yea butt ... it's better slow smokin' a couple of nice butts.

\:\)
Posted By: Wid Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/14/08 03:26 AM

No smoking this weekend, way to much rain.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/14/08 03:30 AM
Yea, and y'all fix'n to get more in the next few days from the looks of things ... welcome to sunny south Florida during the summer months. ;\)
Posted By: Wid Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/14/08 03:32 AM
\:\( \:\(
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/14/08 03:36 AM
So you are *really* watching 'Rain On Me'?


\:\)
Posted By: Wid Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/14/08 03:42 AM
No but I was standing in the rain at the concert while Heart sang the song last night.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/14/08 03:46 AM
I read that reply, Dude it sounds like you guys really had a great time regardless of the rain, good deal!


Did you stay for the whole concert?
Posted By: Wid Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/14/08 03:49 AM

Most of it. Left not long after Journey started, maybe after 3 or 4 songs.
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/14/08 04:01 AM
New Mexico State @ Nebraska. The Huskers actually looked good tonight for the first time in awhile... I get 3 weeks to enjoy them until they play Mizzou and my hopes will be crushed for another season. \:\)

Jason
Posted By: JohnK Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/14/08 04:37 AM
Watched Oklahoma-Washington and Ohio State-USC. About the only sort of TV that I watch, since football is a major enthusiasm, having been a volunteer coach for five years for inner-city high schools.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/14/08 04:51 AM
The few details you let out about yourself are always interesting, John.
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/14/08 12:54 PM
Yes it is, and speaking of that John, we're waiting for your glamour shot to show up in the separate thread here in the watercooler. hint hint.... ;\)

Jason
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/14/08 02:42 PM
Wouldn't count on that.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/15/08 04:55 AM
I watched the Peter Chan film, Perhaps Love today. It didn't win me over and make me love modern musicals any more than I already didn't, but I don't regret watching it. My sister loves one of the main stars, Takeshi Kaneshiro, who was in House of Flying Daggers.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/15/08 04:17 PM
JohnK, on behalf of Washingtonians everywhere, I'd like to apologize for the UW Huskies.

We are watching:
Mad Men
Psych
Burn Notice
Season 6, part 2 of The Sopranos

I endured the Seahawks-49ers game. The video fidelity was superb.
Posted By: spiffnme Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/16/08 12:50 AM
I've been sick since Friday...so I've watched the entire first season of Dexter. LOVE it.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/16/08 01:11 AM
Dexter is one of my favorites. Quality stuff. Awesome.

BTW, its third season begins within the week, IIRC.

Tonight I'll be watching my other favorite Showtime series, Weeds. Season finale!
Posted By: thefwam Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/16/08 03:35 AM
We watched fight club the other night. I haven't watched that movie in probably 7 years. Good flick.
We've been making our way through Arrested Development again as well. That is an excellent show.

I downloaded the first episode of season 3 of dexter, and I am excited for it to really get going.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/16/08 03:57 AM
I just watched all of Arrested Development a few months ago, but I'd watch them all again right now. It really is a great show.

Also, I was just thinking yesterday that they need to put Fight Club on Blu-ray already.

I will have to watch Dexter sometime.
Posted By: thefwam Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/16/08 04:00 AM
Agreed on fight club for blu ray. Even with my steady diet of netflix'd blu rays Fight club stood up well as a disc. Something I can surprisingly not say about Star Wars Episode 1, which I watched a bit of tonight. Correction, soundwise I'm still very impressed. But the visuals were pretty soft and washed-out-looking. Arrested is like many of the great comedies, infinitely rewatchable, and when you go back to the beginning you realize that they had a lot of the material planned out from the beginning, making it even more genius!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/16/08 06:29 AM
Tonight I watched the "Ballad of Fallen Angels" episode of Cowboy Bebop again. I finished the series, but I had to watch that episode again for the music, and I'll watch "Mushroom Samba" again for how funny and well-designed the events and action are.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/17/08 01:14 AM
Good choices. I get a kick out of any of the episodes that focus more on Fred like Mushroom Samba.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/17/08 07:39 AM
Got to see Cowboy Bebop: The Movie tonight. I enjoyed it.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/18/08 02:18 AM
I saw the movie first and also liked it which got me to watch the series which I liked even more. I think the main reason I prefer most series vs. movies is that I watch the series like it’s one long movie. So when I watched things like “Cowboy Bebop” “Ghost in the Shell” “Rome” I try to watch them straight through at one time or over one weekend if they’re to long. You can really get immersed something that way.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/18/08 05:55 AM
Definitely agree on the immersion factor, and I've been very impressed with the story arcs in a lot of anime. It's always much cooler to get to the end of a season or series where they obviously had a big plan from the start, rather than just an idea for a formula that could be serialized.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/21/08 03:38 AM
Tonight it was All the President's Men. It was my first time watching it. I'm thinking I should make it a double-feature and watch Dick again.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/23/08 07:54 AM
One Piece: Season One. First Voyage. I didn't know if I was going to like it when I started watching it, but it's growing on me. There's some funny stuff, and I keep wanting to watch the next episode, which I suppose is good.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/08 07:50 AM
Started watching the Masterpiece Theater version of Jane Eyre. My sister said she liked it more than the book. So far I'm not sure what I think of it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/27/08 10:17 AM
All right, so I liked Jane Eyre. Oh, and sorry for Americanising Masterpiece Theatre in my last post.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/27/08 10:27 AM
We need to rename this thread: What is CV watching tonight?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/27/08 10:59 AM
Yeah, you're all making me feel like a loser.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/27/08 02:12 PM
Let's see... last night it was Mythbusters: Water Stun Gun.

There you go, Charles.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/27/08 11:05 PM
X-Men: The Last Stand [Blu-ray]

You know, as much as I want to hate this movie because of Brett Ratner's involvement, as well as prevailing opinion, I still actually enjoy it. There are certainly some elements of crappiness, but overall, I still enjoy watching it, and it gives my EP600 a workout like no other movie I own.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/28/08 12:57 AM
Chocolate

I finally got around to seeing this Thai martial arts film. First off, the subtitles are a joke. They're almost total nonsense. Still, it's easy to gather that the movie falls into the typical bad martial arts film category. It's certainly what I was expecting. Of course, the reason I wanted to see it was for the action. While she doesn't have the onscreen authority of her fellow Thai contemporary, Tony Jaa, she has her share of insanity. It's amazing what these people can do. As in Jackie Chan movies, they show a reel of mishaps during the closing credits, and it really makes you wonder how they can will themselves through the shooting of ONE movie, let alone try to make a career of it. That's a lot of very real pain to go through for a little bit of cinema. Ouch!
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/28/08 01:53 AM
Just finished Alvin and the chipmunks with the family, next up is The Game Plan
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/28/08 01:55 AM
That episode was weak until Jamie entered the Tesla coil.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/28/08 02:35 AM
Oh, I thought it was pretty decent. I get kinda tired of the usual explosionfest. Not to say there weren't explosions...
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/28/08 03:48 AM
Real Time with Bill Maher (x2, last week's and this week's), the ND-Purdue game, and TiVoing the new HBO Chris Rock special.
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/28/08 03:52 AM
Monk
Tivo'ed all HD versions of Dirty Harry on AMC HD. Granted they're still grainy but heck, it's Clint.

Finishing up this week's House. Chris Rock is about to record and can't wait to see Tina Fey do Palin on SNL tonight.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/28/08 04:00 AM
Man, that sounds awful racy for network television.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/28/08 04:39 AM
Yeah, it'd be like ... twins!
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/28/08 05:46 AM
Don't get too excited there, Jabba.
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/28/08 12:42 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
X-Men: The Last Stand [Blu-ray]
...it gives my EP600 a workout like no other movie I own.


Ooh - I didn't realize this had come out on BR yet - birthday is just around the corner and my wife was looking for ideas... I'll have to drop this suggestion to her today. I have enjoyed all of the X-Men movies and if on top of the movie itself, it is a good sound demo disc, one more reason to own it.

Thanks for the suggestion, again (I'm going to have consider putting - "as recommended by CV" on several of my CDs/movies as the list is growing quickly)

Jason
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/28/08 06:51 PM
I swear I'm only trying to bankrupt myself!
Posted By: Wid Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/28/08 11:57 PM

Drag racing.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/29/08 02:18 AM
Pride & Prejudice (2005) on HD DVD

It's my third or fourth time watching it, and I still really like it. It's a very well-shot movie (despite the grain in the picture), and it sounds very good, too. As far as Jane Austen screen adaptations go, I still have a soft spot for the Emma Thompson Sense and Sensibility, but this movie does a lot of things really well, and I wouldn't really be able to put it in a lower tier. I know this puts my testosterone levels in doubt, but what can I say, I'm a sucker for a good love story.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/29/08 02:45 AM
OK, so maybe I wasn't too far off in thinking you were watching Chocolat the other night, not Chocolate. Love that movie. Always makes me hungry though. Can't figure out why...
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/29/08 02:57 AM
I still haven't seen Chocolat. One of these days I'll have to remember to.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/29/08 04:00 AM
It really is excellent. Even if you don't like Johnny Depp.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/29/08 04:11 AM
I'M TRUSTING YOU ON THIS.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/29/08 04:31 AM
Ehhxcellent. *taps fingertips together*
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/29/08 05:24 AM
I watched "Croupier." Clive Owen before he was famous. Good movie.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/29/08 05:47 AM
Sounds interesting.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/29/08 05:56 AM
Netflix has been very good to me.
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/02/08 04:16 AM
Watched Iron Man on Blu-ray tonight, first time seeing it and I totally enjoyed it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/02/08 04:18 AM
Tell Sean to buy it, then.

I have that to watch, too, but I'll wait until the weekend, when I can have some people over. We'll see if anyone actually comes over. Tonight I'll watch Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which I'd better go start now.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/02/08 04:29 AM
 Originally Posted By: HomeDad
Watched Iron Man on Blu-ray tonight, first time seeing it and I totally enjoyed it.


Duly noted. If I don't like it, you owe me twenty five dollars. ;\)
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/02/08 04:45 AM
Received my blu-ray copy today via UPS but the girls wanted to watch "Pushing Daisies" (my daughter was totally ecstatic that I'd programmed the dvr to catch the season premiere), drat, and double drat, I'm definitely not a fan of that show (my wife says it's in fairy tale narrative format or something, the style does not work for me, listening to that guy drone on in that droll monologue), will have to wait until the weekend.
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/02/08 12:38 PM
I saw Iron Man in the theater and thought it had amazing sound even there. I'm really looking forward to testing it out at home soon.

Jason
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/03/08 05:58 AM
Bend It Like Beckham

I hadn't seen it before. I actually liked it quite a bit.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/03/08 01:01 PM
Yeah, it was a cute little movie.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/04/08 02:47 AM
Iron Man. It made my windows rattle.
We just got done watching Star Wars the Clone Wars on the Cartoon Network in HD, I was amazed at how well it was done, in fact it was identical to what me and the kids paid to see at the theatre.

I would bet if they had this on a major network during prime time it would have done really well, my kids loved it and I don't think it will be getting deleted of our DVR for a long time. If you or your kids are star Wars fans, it's well worth the time watching.
I was bach'ing it tonight, so I put in Mel Brooks' History of the World Part I.

"Alms for Oedipus, alms for Oedipus... hey, Josephus!"
'Hey mother*******'

Brilliant.

Bren R.
We watched POTC: Dead Man's Chest in HD.
The part where Sparrow 'paprika-ed' himself was quite humorous. Very neat sword play scenes on the rolling wheel.
Not fond of the cutting throat parts though. I think they could have left that out.
A bunch of buddies are getting togethor to watch Saturday night fights. Hopefully Shamrock will make Kimbo tap out. \:\)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? Star Wars! - 10/05/08 02:53 AM
Leatherheads

It was okay.
Did it make you take down all your George Clooney posters?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? Star Wars! - 10/05/08 03:44 AM
Nah, it just made me tape up the holes I put in them.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? Star Wars! - 10/05/08 08:03 AM
Saturday Night Live with Anne Hathaway and The Killers

I liked the SNL Digital Short and Mark Wahlberg Talks to Animals, among others. And Peter, The Killers were pretty cool.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? Star Wars! - 10/05/08 08:35 AM
Chocolat

Ken, I watched it, and I liked it.

Also watched some Azumanga Daioh earlier.

I know. I need a life.
Went to Texas Stadium and watched the Cowboys beat the Bengals in typically humorous haphazard fly by the seat of the pants fashion. Bonded with coworkers at the same time (annual outing) and my daughter (and almost everyone else) experienced their first tail gate party.

I thought it was going to boring and cursed myself when the alarm rang at 8:30 am on a Sunday but it was awesome! I love when good things happen out of the blue.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? Star Wars! - 10/08/08 06:38 AM
The Sixth Sense on Blu-ray

Looks and sounds very good. It had been a long time since I'd seen the movie. It holds up. I still like it a lot. You have to wonder if M. Night Shyamalan will ever be able to top it, though.
How about the new M Night? The Happening? Saw it at the checkout counter tonight and could not remember the reviews. He blew my mind with the Village or the Clearing or whatever it was called, it was such a metaphor for boundaries between states of consciousness.

Watched half of Bluray Hellboy (Wow!) with wife and daughter, how come they love that movie so much? Could he remind them of you know who? Oh dear me!!
I'm getting this strange feeling that a) your brain is not fully connected to your fingers, or b) the connection is perfect and scary.
Peter, that just means he's gonna fit right in here.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? Star Wars! - 10/09/08 03:58 AM
 Originally Posted By: SatKartr
How about the new M Night? The Happening?


I haven't seen it yet. I'll watch it at some point. I've actually enjoyed something in each of his movies, but I can see why people get sick of him. \:\)
Strangely I wasn't a fan until The Village when I recognized his genius, however one could not argue that he is not patchy as a creator/director, I agree.

.
You talking to me? Or was that a PM?
umm. ?
Sat, some of your posts display a disturbing aura of anger, which has no place on an audio discussion board. The latest example is your post directed at Peter, which you just edited out.
That post still exists. I removed my response to the post that JohnK just quoted, in an attempt to mend fences.
?
This post needs some serious derailing.

Thus I present to you this important news.

Have You Heard????
.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? Star Wars! - 10/10/08 03:43 AM
I think I want to give you the double-word.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/10/08 01:22 PM
My wife and I watched August Rush last night and absolutely loved it. I just gave it 5 stars in Netflix, which I hardly ever do.

Definitely check it out. CAVEAT: There are no explosions.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/10/08 04:02 PM
That movie had some nice audio, but the story made me want to vomit. At least it gets strong reactions, right?
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/10/08 04:31 PM
I really enjoyed the movie, I would give it more of a warm fuzzy feeling rather than an urge to vomit, I loved the music.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/10/08 04:52 PM
One of my online friends recommended it, no doubt partially because of Kaki King's involvement. She liked it a lot, one of my coworkers liked it a lot, and my parents liked it a lot. My opinion is overruled. Man, I really hated it, though. Ha ha.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/10/08 08:21 PM
It does require a rather large suspension of disbelief early on, but I was in the right mood, so it was easy for me. Also, I'm a parent. Might help. \:\)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/12/08 06:18 AM
Sleeping Beauty [Blu-ray]

It's been a long time since I've watched one of the classic animated Disney movies. It's nice to see it looking so pretty on the new format. The detail in the backgrounds is quite nice. While the story doesn't affect me like I'm sure it did when I was young, I still get a sense of its place in cinema, and it was good to be reminded.

As far as Disney on Blu-ray, I think the one I'd really like is The Lion King. I imagine the audio for that one would be a lot of fun. I guess I still don't really think of them as Disney, but Pixar should hurry up with The Incredibles. It's been a nice demo DVD, so let's get the Blu-ray already.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/12/08 07:15 AM
Yes, I'm definitely looking forward to the rest of the Pixar films on Blu-ray.


Is "Sleeping Beauty" the only classic Disney film on Blu-ray yet? I guess I could look it up. . .
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/12/08 07:18 AM
Yeah, I think it's the first. I guess some people were disappointed that this was their choice for the first one.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/12/08 07:21 AM
Yeah, it should've been "Snow White" seeing as how that was their first feature length animated film. I'd buy it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/12/08 07:23 AM
Yeah, in the brief reading I did in a forum, one person thought Snow White made sense, and someone else was making a case for Beauty and the Beast, since I guess copies of that go for a lot on eBay.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/12/08 07:25 AM
I wish they would get rid of the retarded "vault" thingy. I mean, come on, just release the darn movies so we can get them whenever we want. Stop creating a false demand!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/12/08 07:26 AM
Yeah, it's a bunch of BS. Pixar's conditions for a merger should have stipulated vaultlessness.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/12/08 07:29 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Yeah, it's a bunch of BS. Pixar's conditions for a merger should have stipulated vaultlessness.


To steal a line from Peter:

"Nods head in agreement."
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/13/08 02:54 AM
I started watching Arrested Development again today, and you just KNOW I'll have to watch through all three seasons.
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/13/08 03:00 AM
Just finished watching Jumper

Not the best movie, but Not nearly as bad as the ratings say.

I thought it was worth the rent through Netlfix for sure.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/13/08 04:33 AM
Double header for me tonight. I started with Stargate Atlantis, really bad space cowboys (or space pirates as my son pointed out. The had a sub.)

Then Memoirs of a Geisha. Wow, thats quite a movie!
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/13/08 01:10 PM
 Originally Posted By: fredk
Memoirs of a Geisha. Wow, thats quite a movie!


In what respect? My wife saw it, loved it, and has been trying to get me to see it. She's even reading the book now...
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/13/08 02:09 PM
The Golden Compass

Now i know why it got horrible reviews.
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/13/08 02:13 PM
 Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
 Originally Posted By: fredk
Memoirs of a Geisha. Wow, thats quite a movie!


In what respect? My wife saw it, loved it, and has been trying to get me to see it. She's even reading the book now...


My wife read the book, then got the movie for us on Netflix... she really disliked the movie (so did I)... her opinion was that there was far too much cut out of the movie to make the plot completely understandable.

I will admit I wasn't really tuned in for the whole movie as I had low expectations going in... maybe if I would have paid attention I would have liked it more.

Jason
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/13/08 02:14 PM
 Originally Posted By: terzaghi
Just finished watching Jumper

Not the best movie, but Not nearly as bad as the ratings say.

I thought it was worth the rent through Netlfix for sure.


I agree. This was another one where my expectations were pretty low given the reviews I'd seen. I was pleasantly surprised. Good action and a decent plot to boot. Worth the rent.
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/13/08 05:03 PM
At the recommendation from someone many posts earlier, I picked up the X-Men 3 BluRay for my birthday and am now watching the first few chapters...

The bass is incredible, and I'm watching at very medium volumes to avoid waking the baby. I can't wait to try it maxed out.

Jason
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/13/08 05:19 PM
Very medium volumes?

That reminds me of the guy who says his shirt size is "extra medium" \:\)
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/13/08 05:35 PM
That is a funny way to say it. I think originally I was going to say 'very mediocre' and shifted it to very medium. \:\)

Jason
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/13/08 11:57 PM
I just got Sleeping Beauty in Blu-ray from Amazon today, so tonight will be family movie night. Wednesday I'll be getting the new Indiana Jones movie in Blu-ray, I saw it at our crappy theatre so I'm looking forward to see how it looks and sounds at home.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/14/08 12:38 AM
anyone see the new South Park?
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/14/08 12:50 AM
I heard all about it from a guy at work. . .
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/14/08 02:06 AM
Actually yesterday and part of today I watched all 7 disks of “My-Hime.” The first half is an excellent magic girl high school anime with lots of hints of more sinister things to come. The second half completely changes direction becoming thoughtful and dark. Almost like watching two different series. Good but not great background music (lots of acoustic guitar) which I like. Worth checking out if you like anime and series like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/14/08 03:53 AM
Hmm... The cinematography is great, its a very compelling story and its an interesting look into a unique bit of Japanese culture.

I also found it very well written. The story with all its detail and the cinematography just pulls you in.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/14/08 03:56 AM
Jason, I am glad I did not read the book. It is very, very hard to capture a compelling book on screen.
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/14/08 11:54 PM
We watched Sleeping Beauty last night on Blu-ray, I was very impressed on how well they restored this film, the colors and images to say the least are dazzling. This has now got to be one of my favorite Blu-ray films in terms of picture quality.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/15/08 02:28 AM
It really does look nice. High-definition gives you that much more appreciation for the artistry involved.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/15/08 02:56 AM
Unless the artistry is that of the evening news team's makeup artist.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/15/08 03:23 AM
I just watched the first episode of Fullmetal Alchemist, and I'm going to watch more. The first episode was promising. My sister is jealous that I'm watching them for the first time.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/15/08 03:31 AM
Couldn't get into that one TV. I should give it another shot. After all, I couldn't stand "Cowboy Bebop" at first, and now I love it.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/15/08 04:51 PM
I thought last night's episode of Boston Legal was exceptional.
Posted By: Zarak Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/16/08 01:00 AM
Phillies baby! One more win and it's on to the World Series!!!
Posted By: duckman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/17/08 01:25 AM
Started on the second season of Adam-12 last night. A few of the episodes have commentary tracks by a couple LAPD veterans, one of which joined the force in '68- the year of the first season. I'm gonna go watch some more now.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/17/08 06:34 AM
Re: Fullmetal Alchemist

 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
Couldn't get into that one TV. I should give it another shot. After all, I couldn't stand "Cowboy Bebop" at first, and now I love it.


Yeah, you may want to try it on disc. I don't know how you watched it on TV (if you saw episodes in order, starting at the beginning or not), but I'm liking the way the story is developing. It keeps me wanting to watch the next one. One thing you may try is watching it in Japanese with subtitles, if the English voice work leaves something to be desired. I'm watching more anime this way now, though I used to think it was pointless. I figured that since it was animated, the dubbing doesn't throw you off like when live action is dubbed. Plus, I simply hadn't developed a taste for Japanese voice acting. After a lot more exposure, I'm enjoying the original Japanese a lot more. While maybe it's that the original performances are very cool, I bet a lot of the time it is the fact that it's not a language I understand, so I don't know when the performances are bad. Still, it works. I've rewatched several anime shows and movies in Japanese after having seen them in English, and I find a new appreciation for them.

But yeah, I think there's a lot to enjoy in Fullmetal Alchemist. I'm just hoping that the story keeps expanding in a fulfilling way. My sister says I need to read the manga, too. Apparently, the anime got ahead of the manga at some point, so they kind of went their own way. I suppose it would be interesting to see how they diverge.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/17/08 06:56 AM
I'll add it to my Netflix queue.

You know, one of the things I liked about Cowboy Bebop was the English voice work. It's weird because I only watch foreign movies in their original language because the emotion of the actors comes through regardless of my comprehension of the actual words.

I don't know, with animation, I find it such a visually rich experience I don't want my eyes drawn down to the subtitles. I should work on that some more.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/17/08 07:12 AM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
You know, one of the things I liked about Cowboy Bebop was the English voice work.


I have to admit I've only watched it in Japanese so far, but my sister says it has one of the best English dubs she's heard in anime.

I first got into anime with Ranma 1/2, which has a great cast for the English dub. However, once they changed the voice of male Ranma, I found it very hard to watch the series. Actually, impossible. Switching to the Japanese definitely helped me out on that one.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/17/08 07:30 AM
Letterman was pretty entertaining tonight.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/17/08 11:52 AM
 Originally Posted By: duckman
Started on the second season of Adam-12 last night.


One Adam 12, One Adam 12.... See the man.... corner of Lexington and Valley..... Man reports lost puppy....

REED: Can I drive this time, Malloy?




I used to like Adam 12, but I LOVED Emergency!
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/18/08 05:53 AM
"Sword of Doom" by Kihachi Okamoto. A rather intense dark and brooding samurai film from the 1960s. Brutal and poetic.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/18/08 06:28 AM
Sounds like a cool movie.

I watched South Park, The Sarah Silverman Program, and more Fullmetal Alchemist. As for the last, I'm only getting to the last episodes of the first box set, with three to go. It's kind of annoying that the seasons are split into two box sets apiece, but there seems to be plenty of episodes.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/18/08 06:45 AM
Okay, I just added "Fullmetal Alchemist" to my Netlfix queue. Hmm, I just noticed I have a boatload of movies to watch.

Without a proper segue, I'll just jump right in:

Cartoon Network is evil. Take, for example, "Cowboy Bebop"--hated it at first, then grew to love it. "Home Movies"--didn't pay much attention to it, but then grew to really like it. "Venture Bros."--thought it was silly at first, but then grew to appreciate its sense of humor.

I want to go on record now and state, "I refuse to like Aqua Teen Hunger Force. It's stupid and inane, and I pray I don't start liking it."

"Dr. Katz" is another show I didn't care for much, but then it clicked for me one day.

I don't understand this phenomenon of where I go from hate to like.

Smashing Pumpkins--couldn't stand "Siamese Dream." My sister had it and played it incessantly. Now? It's one of my all-time favorite albums.


I better watch out if I ever meet a girl I absolutely hate at first. . .
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/18/08 07:19 AM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
"Venture Bros."--thought it was silly at first, but then grew to appreciate its sense of humor.


Yeah, I can still sort of take it or leave it, but I enjoyed it enough after watching enough episodes.

 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
I want to go on record now and state, "I refuse to like Aqua Teen Hunger Force. It's stupid and inane, and I pray I don't start liking it."


It's definitely stupid and inane, but I've liked it from the beginning. Join us.

 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
I better watch out if I ever meet a girl I absolutely hate at first. . .


You'd better not hate my mother. That's all I've gotta say.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/18/08 07:31 AM
No, I will resist "Aqua Teen"!! No swaying to be had here.
Posted By: Rock_Head Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/19/08 04:10 AM
Tonight I watched the Buddy Rich Memorial Concert from New York on the Drum Channel (Internet). Neil Peart headlined the show. They did a smokin big band version of YYZ (Rush). Fabulous selection of guest drummers: Chad Smith, Terry Bozzio, Tommy Igoe, John Blackwell & Nick Rich (Buddy's grandson). Can't wait for the DVD!
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/19/08 06:32 AM
Gengis Kahn, to the ends of earth and Asia. Who knew the mongols talked so much. Cool movie, but very Japanese.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/19/08 07:00 AM
I'd watch it.
Posted By: Shane White Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/20/08 02:00 AM
My son has a boxed Cowboy Bebop set and I've watched a few. I agree that the English voice work is good, and I enjoyed the look and feel of it. A lot of people compare it to Firefly, which definitely got me interested. We're big Firefly fans here - we even play the game.

Shane
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/20/08 02:41 AM
 Originally Posted By: Shane White
My son has a boxed Cowboy Bebop set and I've watched a few. I agree that the English voice work is good, and I enjoyed the look and feel of it. A lot of people compare it to Firefly, which definitely got me interested. We're big Firefly fans here - we even play the game.

Shane


Yeah, "Firefly" is a show I wish lasted longer than one season.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/20/08 05:39 AM
Well, heck, if it's like Firefly, I may have to check it out.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/20/08 05:56 AM
Tonight I watched "The Virgin Suicides" by Sofia Coppola. There is a general sense of unease and creepiness permeating through this movie. Doesn't hit you over the head, but it sneaks up on you well after you're done watching it.

Like "Lost in Translation" her movies seem to communicate on an overt level. I really enjoy movies like this--they don't hit you over the head with a message or moral, but rely on what's not said to tell the underlying story.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/20/08 05:56 AM
 Originally Posted By: kcarlile
Well, heck, if it's like Firefly, I may have to check it out.


Do you have Netlix, Ken? It'd be a good way to check the series out.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/20/08 06:41 AM
I like Sofia Coppola's stuff, too. I have The Virgin Suicides, but it's been a long time since I've watched it. I should put it in again, even though it'll just depress me.

In the meantime, I'm really enjoying Fullmetal Alchemist. It's very cool how deep the story goes. I'd say it's one of the most involving series I've ever watched. It's maintaining its tension, and I'm on the second disc of the second season, so I'm optimistic about it resolving well.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/20/08 01:19 PM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
Like "Lost in Translation" her movies seem to communicate on an overt level.


So much for proofreading. I meant the exact opposite.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/20/08 02:42 PM
a covert level?
Posted By: BrenR Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/20/08 04:38 PM
No, be INcommunicative on an overt level.

Bren R.
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/20/08 11:45 PM
I watched the Happening last night, for me there is nothing positive I can say about this film, as one critic said, "You feel like you're not watching the end of the world but the end of a career."
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/21/08 02:10 AM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
a covert level?


Apparently my brain has given up on trying to make sense of my post. \:\(
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/21/08 03:48 AM
Oh, I finally watched Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull yesterday. I guess ruining Star Wars wasn't enough for George Lucas? I mean, it wasn't just his project, but I'm sure he was the weakest link among those with creative input. It's just hard to believe that after all of the false starts that that was the screenplay everyone decided they were happy with.
Posted By: sonicfox Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/21/08 04:05 AM
 Originally Posted By: HomeDad
I watched the Happening last night, for me there is nothing positive I can say about this film, as one critic said, "You feel like you're not watching the end of the world but the end of a career."


Oh my gosh, I was JUST going to mention this movie as well! It was so bad, it was hard to take seriously. I couldn't decide if it was *meant* to be funny (in the stupid sense) or if they actually wanted to scare us. Either way, it failed. But afterwards, my friend & I entertained ourselves by making fun of all the bad parts which resulted in hysterical laughter. I guess for that reason alone, it was worth suffering through.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/21/08 04:21 AM
Uh oh. I did want to see "The Happening," but now I think I'll skip over it. I really enjoyed "The Sixth Sense," "Unbreakable," and "Signs," but I haven't seen his last three movies.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/21/08 04:23 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Oh, I finally watched Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull yesterday. I guess ruining Star Wars wasn't enough for George Lucas? I mean, it wasn't just his project, but I'm sure he was the weakest link among those with creative input. It's just hard to believe that after all of the false starts that that was the screenplay everyone decided they were happy with.


I still have mixed emotions about this movie. I want to see it just because it's Indiana Jones, but then I don't because I really don't want to be disappointed.
Posted By: richeydog Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/21/08 05:16 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Oh, I finally watched Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull yesterday. I guess ruining Star Wars wasn't enough for George Lucas? I mean, it wasn't just his project, but I'm sure he was the weakest link among those with creative input. It's just hard to believe that after all of the false starts that that was the screenplay everyone decided they were happy with.


 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
I still have mixed emotions about this movie. I want to see it just because it's Indiana Jones, but then I don't because I really don't want to be disappointed.

I left the theater underwhelmed at what I had seen. I really wanted to love Indy 4 but couldn't. Perhaps I was distracted by all the popcorn/candy crunching, soda slurping, cellphone ringing, kids groaning type of stuff...which made it harder to concentrate instead of just having a good time and losing myself in the movie. Maybe a second viewing(dvd) in a quiet home will change my perspective. Or, maybe not... ;\)
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/21/08 11:27 AM
The Happening was a great idea for a story that 'might', I say again, "MIGHT" have impressed us had it come out 25 years ago. Back then it took a lot less to shock us at the theaters. By todays standards, it was a total yawn fest. Although it had a lot of other problems dragging it down as well.

I see this as the problem with a lot of action or intense drama movies these days. To be fresh or even have a chance of holding our interest, everything has to be super over the top and it's just really getting tough to get there. Some who strive for it, end up creating something very cheesy because they spent to much time on being bigger and more spectacular, that they paid no attention to the screenplay itself. Case in point, Indiana Jones or just about anything new by George Lucas.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/21/08 01:18 PM
I had doubts about "The Happening" when its tag line was M. Night's first "R" rated movie. I mean, really, is that the only selling point?
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/21/08 02:51 PM
The Happening was not happening for me. I gave it a grade of Zzzzzz.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/21/08 05:01 PM
But it's got Mark Wahlberg!
Posted By: JaimeG Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/21/08 05:34 PM
 Quote:
The Happening was not happening for me. I gave it a grade of Zzzzzz.


jajaja , you sounded like 'Aunt Linda' (K.Wigg) from SNL doing a movie review. -- Whaaaat?! "Come on," "Aw, geez!"
I love Kristen Wigg! :-)

And yeah, I saw The Happening last week, "Oh, brother!"
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/21/08 06:07 PM
 Originally Posted By: JaimeG
I love Kristen Wigg! :-)


Yeah, I like Kristen Wiig.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/22/08 08:29 AM
So yeah, Fullmetal Alchemist is one of the best shows I've seen. A lot of imagination, and written very well. Now I just need to watch the movie and start in on the manga.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/30/08 06:19 AM
Okay, so I watched Baraka tonight. It really is an incredible collection of sights and sounds. It seems like it would work as a video postcard we would beam out into space. You have to wonder how much footage they shot to be able to distill it into that.
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/30/08 03:38 PM
In Blu-ray the movie was visually stunning, I just wish they would have identified the locations filmed, I recognized many, but many locations I had no idea where they were filmed.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/30/08 03:42 PM
Yeah, I was curious about where they were, too. I guess Wikipedia has a list of the locations, but it doesn't tell you which is which, and I'm too lazy to keep looking for another site that specifies. Ha ha.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/30/08 03:43 PM
Ahh, a sequel to Baraka is planned for release next year, according to Wikipedia. Cool.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/30/08 04:33 PM
 Originally Posted By: HomeDad
I watched the Happening last night, for me there is nothing positive I can say about this film, as one critic said, "You feel like you're not watching the end of the world but the end of a career."

Wow, I didn't catch your comment until just now.

That critic got it just right.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/30/08 04:49 PM
You know, I actually didn't hate The Happening like I thought I would, given the nearly unanimous blasting. It just seemed like another M. Night Shyamalan movie to me. Not the strongest story, kind of preachy, but with some entertaining dialogue. I wouldn't rank it below Lady in the Water. I'd say they're his two weakest movies, but I liked The Happening more than the much-less-maligned I Am Legend.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/30/08 05:09 PM
You are insane.
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/30/08 07:24 PM
I would agree with that medical assessment \:\)
Posted By: JaimeG Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/02/08 05:32 PM
Saw 'August Rush' last night. I think it is more a fable a la Pan’s Labyrinth minus the cool SpEf; if you watch it from that perspective it is quite good.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/02/08 05:37 PM
I think I may be the most disagreed-with person on the board.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/02/08 05:46 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I think I may be the most disagreed-with person on the board.


Charles, I disagree.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/02/08 05:49 PM
\:D
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/02/08 07:35 PM
Last night I was browsing in the video rental store when I found Baraka in the... drama section?? After watching it I really don't know how you would categorize this movie. Perhaps the 'recommended' section?

Anyway, WOW! I was a little worried at first that I would be dissapointed after the rave reviews here, but it is one impressive movie.

I thought the audio track was every bit as good as the imagery. In some ways this soundtrack would be a good showcase for the M80s in that they use a lot of different instruments.

My favourite scene was the time-lapse of the traffic set to percussion.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/02/08 07:36 PM
Yeah, the time-lapse stuff was pretty cool. The camera does some pretty smooth panning considering how much time is going by.
My local Blockbuster now carries BluRay. Woo hoo! Fortunately, my neighbors don't have a lot of blu ray players...yet. Wait until Black Friday.

Watched Superbad. Eh, wasn't as funny as the hype.

Iron Man was incredible. I've been getting into my graphic novels recently and Tony Stark is bada... Downey was great casting. And the walk in at the end for the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D was even better casting. I can't imagine a better fit for theat new character. The sound was great, my VTF2 was shaking the house that my wife kept coming back to yell at me... Granted I have to put it loud to mask the PS3 fan. ;\)

Can't wait to go back and get Hulk and Indiana Jones.
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/03/08 03:05 AM
 Originally Posted By: JaimeG
Saw 'August Rush' last night. I think it is more a fable a la Pan’s Labyrinth minus the cool SpEf; if you watch it from that perspective it is quite good.


I was pleasantly surprised with that movie too Jamie. If I remember right, the soundtrack was very good as well.

Jason
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/03/08 03:08 AM
Oh, and by the way, I watched XXX on DVD tonight (Vin Diesel - not Peter North) ;\) . I've always really enjoyed that movie and rewatching it today I confirmed my recollection.

It's a pure action flick with all of the associated pluses and minuses, but on the whole, I like Vin Diesel's character and find the action scenes and soundtrack to be very well done. A good 'show off the subs' movie.

Jason
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/03/08 03:09 AM
 Quote:
And the walk in at the end for the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D was even better casting. I can't imagine a better fit for theat new character.


I'm totally drawing a blank on who that was?


Oh, and I agree. Robert Downey Jr did a great job. Seemed a weird choice at first, but he really enhanced the movie with his performance.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/03/08 03:12 AM
Woo hoo! NetFlix Watch Instantly now works on (intel) Macs. \:\)
Yeah, great Netflix news last week. However, I did read that in order for you to have HD downloads on Xbox, you need 8 Mbps. So much for that, I'm on DSL...
Think Pulp Fiction...
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/03/08 08:32 PM
I enjoyed Vin Diesal's XXX as well. A lot of over the top entertaining action for when you are in the mood for that sort of thing. I especially enjoyed digging out the CD again after getting the new speakers. Love the underground club scene with the music cranked.

I watch little TV aside from movies but I tried a few of this falls new shows/seasons based on recommendations from work folks. Here are a few comments.

Fringe - Interesting concept. The new X-Files but I'm still undecided. It interested me enough to add it to the PVR list.

New season of Heroes - I keep watching this one, but I'm really not sure why. Every week I say 'OK that's enough' but the PVR keeps recording it and I keep on watching it.

Dexter - I like this one. Got hooked on it last year. A serial killer who works for the police dept. as a blood splatter expert. A refreshing twist on the norm. My wife really enjoys reading criminal psychology books so, as they are lying around everywhere, I have read a few too and I find that this has given me more of an interest in watching how he displays all the classic symptoms. Such as being totally apathetic to anything outside of his 'hobby'. For instance his having a mental discussion with himself on learning how to mimic movie actors in order to convince his girlfriend he actually has an emotion or two for his unborn child .

True Blood - Can't go wrong with vampires right? WRONG! IMHO, this new show sucks more than vampires suck blood. Anna Paquin, who plays the lead, (Rogue of X-Men fame) looks damn cute in those tight white t-shirts that she always wears but I have to resort to that low level of comment just to say anything kind about the show at all.

Waiting eagerly for Battlestar Galactica to start up again in January. Yes, being a nerd, is one of my many many hobbies. Lucklily I have some very anti-nerd hobbies to balance it out.

------
OK I have posted way too much today. A sure sign that I have had tooo many freaking conference calls that are wasting my time as much as I am.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/03/08 08:55 PM
Pity True Blood stinks--the books are actually pretty good.

Wait, there's a new X-Files show?
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/03/08 10:02 PM
Fringe, is being compared to X-Files, very similar in its ideas of humans being able to do things beyond the normal scope of science, but FRINGE Science is where it has its basis.
Agree w/ Murph's assessments.

Heroes: Seems to be on the outs. The writing isn't clear from week to week, too many twists and turns to see where they are trying to go. It's starting to lose me.

True Blood: My wife reads the books and I tried to watch it. Forgive me, but vampire love story? Uh uh, doesn't work for me. I gave up after 2 shows.

Also waiting for BSG. I think it's the best written show (at least sci fi related). I think 30 Rock takes it for comedy.

Dexter: I like the show but I wonder how much I'm missing watching CBS vs Showtime. Granted, it's probably better that way, sometimes it gets a little too disturbing for me.

For nerds, I still like Chuck. Babes and gadgets, it's like Maxim on TV.

I also like Reaper but I don't know if it's coming back.

Crusoe has peaked my interest for now. Curious to see how he does McGyver in the 18th century (or is it 19th?) Though I'd like the creators explain to me how he can make a tree house floor w/ perfect floorboards considering he doesn't have a band saw... Yeah, maybe it's from the ship...
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/03/08 10:32 PM
+1 on Chuck and Reaper. \:\)
Posted By: thefwam Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/03/08 10:45 PM
I just learned this week that one of the main writers on Heroes Season 1 left to do Pushing Daisies. It explains why the show has never been that good since then and why Pushing Daisies has come apparently from nowhere. I enjoy it.
I also read today that 2 more Heroes writers left. Sad sad... OR, my open space on the Tivo. Half full, half empty.
Posted By: thefwam Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/03/08 11:30 PM
Yeah i had read that just a bit ago as well. I don't think it's going to last.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/04/08 12:01 AM
Perhaps it's time I switched shows, then... <grumble>. And just when that one evil guy was getting less evil.
Posted By: thefwam Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/04/08 12:28 AM
I'm glad I haven't watched that happen! I heard Sylar was going soft. He was so cool!
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/04/08 02:13 AM
I'm still watching Heroes, although the plot line is really getting convoluted. I'm still a fan of The Office, although my TV viewing has gone down, I really haven't found anything I'm that crazy about.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/04/08 02:42 AM
I'm just waiting for Battlestar Galactica to start up again in January. After that's over in March, there will be nothing left for me.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/04/08 02:48 AM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
After that's over in March, there will be nothing left for me.


You can always TiVo "The View."


Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/04/08 02:51 AM
I'm watching these empty Tootsie Roll wrappers pile up in front of me at the moment ... thank God Halloween only comes around once a year. \:\)
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/04/08 02:55 AM
Rick, I'm sure the Tootsie Rolls are glad, too.
Posted By: Wid Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/04/08 02:59 AM

Dr. G the medical examiner.
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/04/08 03:35 AM
 Originally Posted By: oldskoolboarder

True Blood: My wife reads the books and I tried to watch it.


I wish my wife read vampire novels.
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/06/08 11:27 PM
The boys and I are watching the newest HULK movie on DVD and the PorterPlex 130+" 2.35 screen......
Posted By: merchman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/06/08 11:37 PM
Randy, turn it up a bit so I can hear it here in Cheeseland. Enjoy your time with the boys.
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/08 01:51 AM
Wow, that was pretty intense.... \:\)
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/08/08 01:40 AM
Ok, I'm sure some of you know this already. Don't ever watch/rent Journey to the Center of the Earth, oh my, this has got to be the worst movie I've ever watched, even worse than Cabin Boy.

Got through about 10 minutes and had to turn it off....
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/08/08 03:59 AM
Thanks for the heads up Randy, but please tell me you are talking about the newest one. Cause even though it’s campy I like the 1959 one with James Mason and Pat Boone
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/08/08 04:40 AM
yup, the latest one I picked up at redbox. It was so lame in the first 10 minutes we took it out and put in "The Invincible Iron Man" cartoon DVD which was not great, but much better.
Posted By: EFalardeau Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/08/08 04:43 AM
That Iron Man cartoon was pretty lame, but on Blu-ray, it has a tremendous soundtrack. I still wished I hadn't picked it up thinking it was the other movie! \:\( But the 7.1 is dazzling at times.
300. Wow, that's violent. Not sure if I like the dark, artistic coloring...
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/08/08 04:48 AM
I thought 300 was great, despite bordering on gay porno.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/08/08 05:08 AM
 Originally Posted By: oldskoolboarder
300. Wow, that's violent. Not sure if I like the dark, artistic coloring...


I agree I didn’t like the cinematography either. Also after awhile the fight scenes just sorted of reminded me of “cut scenes” from a computer game just way to stylized for me. By the end I just thought it was more boring than anything else.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/08/08 06:49 AM
Just got done watching Futurama: Bender's Game on Blu-ray. Pretty funny, but like the other Futurama movies, they can't quite pull off feature-length. Here's hoping the new season measures up to the past seasons.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/08/08 07:29 AM
They're bringing it back again?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/08/08 07:34 AM
Yeah, though I'm not sure exactly when it starts airing. Here's a lengthy Wired article about its resurrection:

Futurama Is Back! Grab a Can of Slurm and Settle In
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/08/08 07:39 AM
It seems like Fox doesn't understand the concept of adult oriented cartoons what with Futurama and Family Guy being cancelled then picked up again.
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
I thought 300 was great, despite bordering on gay porno.


HA! That's actually kinda true.

Good call, it does seem like a bunch of video game cut scenes strung together.
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/10/08 03:46 AM
Tonight, "First Knight." One of my favorite movies. I want it to come out on Blu-Ray.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/10/08 06:00 AM
I watched "Hotel Rwanda." A very sobering movie.
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/10/08 06:03 AM
Saw Dexter, haven't seen that show since the first episode or so when it seemed over the top gory, this was more interesting, reminded me why I like cable over network tv, more intriguing characterizations even if still within a relatively narrow genre, dvr is now set to record.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/10/08 07:48 AM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
I watched "Hotel Rwanda." A very sobering movie.

I've been waiting to be in the right mood for that one.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/10/08 04:33 PM
I saw that a while ago and was moved by it. I wasn't drunk when I started it, so I can't say it was sobering.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/10/08 08:20 PM
Time is the best sobering agent, AFAIK.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/10/08 11:24 PM
Looks like it's going to be 'Little Chenier a Cajun Story' for us tonight, looked like interesting movie so I rented it on Blu-Ray.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/10/08 11:28 PM
 Originally Posted By: fredk
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
I watched "Hotel Rwanda." A very sobering movie.

I've been waiting to be in the right mood for that one.


Great movie, as is "Blood Diamond" and another one of my favorites is "Amistad" ... all of these are movies I can watch repeatedly and never tire of them.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/11/08 03:07 AM
What about The Last King of Scotland? It's right along these lines and I thought it was pretty well done.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/11/08 03:19 AM
Ooh, I forgot about that one. I'll add it to my Netflix queue.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/11/08 03:20 AM
Curious. How long is your Netflix queue? Mine's at 52 now.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/11/08 03:22 AM
 Originally Posted By: RickF

Great movie, as is "Blood Diamond" and another one of my favorites is "Amistad" ... all of these are movies I can watch repeatedly and never tire of them.


I forgot about Amistad: great movie. I'll have to watch that one again.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/11/08 03:26 AM
Yep, "The Last King of Scotland" is another excellent movie worthy of viewing, I thought Forest Whitaker played an exceptional role portraying Idi Amin. We have all four of these movies in our DVD collection.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/11/08 03:29 AM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
Curious. How long is your Netflix queue? Mine's at 52 now.


*ahem* About this big. *holds out hands*



Uh oh, I'm at 161. I've got some serious movie watching to get to.


Make that 162. I just added "Last King of Scotland."
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/11/08 03:31 AM
Mine's probably at least that big, but we do netflix all wrong.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/11/08 03:45 AM
 Originally Posted By: kcarlile
Mine's probably at least that big, but we do netflix all wrong.


Ken, 'splain?
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/11/08 03:50 AM
You want him to explain how big it is?
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/11/08 04:02 AM
Um. . . .uh. . .he he. . .err. . .boy, it's getting hot in here. . .
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/11/08 04:30 AM
On a lighter note, we watched Kung Fu Panda on Blu-ray tonight, great sound and picture, another enjoyable movie from DreamWorks.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/11/08 05:09 AM
I kind of want to watch Kung Fu Panda after seeing the good reviews popping up. I'm always hesitant to watch Dreamworks Animation movies because of an article I read at one point where they said they knew they couldn't compete with Pixar on a quality level, so they make up for it in quantity. Shrek pretty much put me off their movies, but I'll have to give Kung Fu Panda a chance.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/11/08 05:11 AM
Is that like Avis--"We Try Harder."?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/12/08 07:06 AM
Tonight I'm just killing time watching Arrested Development, but tomorrow I should have Band of Brothers on Blu-ray to watch. I'm looking forward to it, not having seen it yet.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/12/08 07:09 AM
Ooh. That's on my Christmas List. I've watched my SD version numerous times. One of my all time favorites. I hope you enjoy it.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/12/08 11:13 AM
When I started that thread to let others know it was on the History Channel over that weekend, I was pretty excited.

Unfortunately, it was not Hi-Def do I deleted them all... but not before watching 15 minutes of the first episode to ensure that I'd like it on BD some day! \:\)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/08 06:05 AM
I started the first part of Band of Brothers, but after 46 minutes my sister called to remind me about Law & Order, so I'm watching that now.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/08 06:17 AM
*shakes head unapprovingly*
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/08 06:28 AM
I just watched 3 minutes of Das Boot, just to test the Netflix streaming player. It's not bad, not great. I need a faster connection. Boo, AT&T!
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/08 02:13 PM
No, Ken, "Das Boot" is great great. You'll be hard-pressed to find a better submarine movie. Give it some time. It's not just a great submarine movie, it's a great war movie, or miniseries, I should say.

I read the book too!
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/08 03:15 PM
Oh, no, I simply meant the Netflix player, not the movie. I plan to watch the movie, don't worry...
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/08 04:06 PM
I liked Das Boot, but I liked Das Booty better.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/08 04:17 PM
 Originally Posted By: medic8r
I liked Das Boot, but I liked Das Booty better.


Warning, Spoiler:
Tag line: "What's long, hard, and full of sea men?

Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/08 04:26 PM
What's long, brown, and sticky? That's right. A stick.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/08 04:42 PM
\:D
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/08 04:46 PM
I like Peter's joke better.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/08 04:48 PM
 Originally Posted By: kcarlile
I like Peter's joke better.


Is that what you're calling it?
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/08 04:49 PM
So I had a subscription to Highlights as a child. Wanna make something of it?
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/08 05:01 PM
What? Did you live in a dentists office. \:\)
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/08 05:15 PM
\:D
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/08 05:25 PM
Whenever we get a Highlights in the office, we make sure to photocopy the picture-finder page (whatever it's called) so that when someone inevitably ruins the magazine, we have fresh photocopies to pass around.

Plus, we get a chance to see who can do it the fastest amongst the staff.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/08 07:11 PM
How do you have time for that in between dinners with Drug Reps?
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/08 08:31 PM
not to mention this forum.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/15/08 08:57 PM
I am enjoying the Band of Brothers Blu-rays. The audio is very nice. It feels like the tanks are driving through my living room. I'm just finishing up Part 4.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/15/08 09:41 PM
Any masculine tears yet?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/15/08 10:47 PM
No, not yet. I feel strangely unmoved so far. Just not to that extreme, I mean, which is odd for me, since I usually get really involved in stuff I watch. Maybe it has to be cornier.
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 01:42 AM
If I remember right, the tears come in a big way when it comes to a close. (a few parts along the way as well, but the end is quite moving)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 01:52 AM
I look forward to dousing the blanket I'll have held up to my face.
Posted By: Wid Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 03:10 AM

Just got done watching Hellboy 2. I liked it.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 03:15 AM
Looking forward to that one, Rick. I really enjoyed the first one. Can't wait to check out the sequel.
Posted By: Wid Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 03:23 AM

If you liked the first one you will really enjoy this one Sean.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 03:37 AM
I had it in my hand at the store today, but didn't want to spend thirty bucks. I'll try to catch a sale on it.

Thanks!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 03:55 AM
I'd like to watch it even though I didn't get too into the first one. I found the pacing for a lot of it to be too slow, and I kept wishing the dialogue was better. Still, I liked some of the ideas in it, and parts of it were fun to see and to hear. Another reason to get Netflix, I suppose.
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 04:08 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I found the pacing for a lot of it to be too slow, and I kept wishing the dialogue was better. Still, I liked some of the ideas in it, and parts of it were fun to see and to hear.

It was the same for me with both I and II, I fell asleep after short periods in both episodes. Wife and daughter loved both though so to this day I feel as if I missed something, perhaps the joke was on me. ;\)
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 05:43 AM
Jim Jones retrospectives are everywhere, is it the anniversary of Jonestown? My wife loves these gnarly shows, hello! Give me L@O anyday--at least it's only "ripped" from the headlines. ;\)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 05:44 AM
Nooooooo! I was just about to insert the fifth disc of Band of Brothers, to watch the final two episodes, and it turns out I have two of Disc Six and no Disc Five. Now I have to wait for a replacement disc before I can finish watching. Grrrr.
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 05:47 AM
Have you actually viewed content to make sure one of the two was not mislabeled?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 05:50 AM
I didn't actually play the discs, but when inserted into the PS3, they both came up as "Band of Brothers Disc 6."
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 06:34 AM
1st episode of The Office, Series 1 (British). Hasn't grabbed me yet; a tad too painful for my tastes.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 06:35 AM
I had to watch several episodes in a row before I really got into it.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 10:50 AM
Transformers, with my son, first time with the PB13 and the M22 v1's, way too much fun. It does seem to loose a little, ooomph, with the M22s instead of the M80s, but not too much.
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 02:30 PM
 Originally Posted By: kcarlile
1st episode of The Office, Series 1 (British). Hasn't grabbed me yet; a tad too painful for my tastes.


I gave up on that one after 1.5 episodes... just couldn't get into it.

If you're looking for an instantly hilarious British comedy, try Coupling. Great laughs every episode.
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 02:32 PM
 Originally Posted By: jakewash
Transformers, with my son, first time with the PB13 and the M22 v1's, way too much fun. It does seem to loose a little, ooomph, with the M22s instead of the M80s, but not too much.

Jay, Transformers is such a great bass movie (and sound in general). I bet the PB13 shines. Had to be fun with your son. I'm hoping my daughter develops an appreciation for good sound as well (hopefully by the time she's two). Now, are there any little girl movies with good sound? \:o

Jason
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 04:44 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Nooooooo! I was just about to insert the fifth disc of Band of Brothers, to watch the final two episodes, and it turns out I have two of Disc Six and no Disc Five. Now I have to wait for a replacement disc before I can finish watching. Grrrr.


OK, guys.... We can't let our buddy Charles down.

Tomorrow morning, we re-enact the final two discs of episodes and put it on You Tube for him!
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 04:46 PM
I smell an Emmy!!!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 05:11 PM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
I smell an Emmy!!!


Is that short for emesis?
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 05:17 PM
Funny, Charles, very funny. . .
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 05:21 PM
A gackolade from your peers is the highest compliment, right?
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 05:28 PM
Depends on what we've had to eat that night.
Posted By: EFalardeau Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 05:28 PM
Don't worry Charles, I'll probably be the one ending with the package with two disk 5! So we can swap then! ;\)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 05:36 PM
\:D I already arranged a replacement. It's being shipped out via One-Day tomorrow, and I have a return label to ship this one back. Not too bad, but still kind of annoying.
Posted By: alan Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 05:43 PM
Hi Ken and CV,

Yeah, "The Office" is definitely what they call "cringe humor" and it does take a few episodes to get into it. I never missed an episode once I got into it. The US version, which Ricky Gervais, the creator writer supervises, while not quite as good, is still addictive.

I just watched Ricky Gervais in his HBO special this weekend. It's very funny but even more awkward than the stuff on The Office.

Alan
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 05:50 PM
 Originally Posted By: alan
The US version, which Ricky Gervais, the creator writer supervises, while not quite as good, is still addictive.


All right, guys, you heard it from Alan. The US version is not quite as good! I told you!
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 06:07 PM
Maybe it needs "Louisiana Hot Sauce" ?
Posted By: alan Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 06:25 PM
Ha, ha. Or maybe the US version has run too many seasons and the writers are having trouble coming up with ideas. It's been quite inconsistent this season. The Brit version ran only a couple of seasons.

Alan
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/08 11:39 PM
I just watched The Winslow Boy for either my third or fourth time. The picture quality of the DVD is abysmal and the audio is nothing to form a choir over, but I really like the movie.

I remember not liking Jeremy Northam at all after my first exposure to him in The Net. Thankfully, Emma came out, and I got to see how cool he can be. While not my favorite Jane Austen adaptation, my appreciation for him changed completely. I should go out of my way to see more of his stuff.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/17/08 12:29 AM
I also just wanted to reiterate how much I enjoyed the audio on Band of Brothers. The gunfire and explosions throughout are a ton of fun, and there's some really good use of the surround channels. The sounds of the vehicles are nice and overpowering, too. Very well-done, and I would certainly recommend it as a showcase.
Posted By: EFalardeau Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/17/08 12:54 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I also just wanted to reiterate how much I enjoyed the audio on Band of Brothers. The gunfire and explosions throughout are a ton of fun, and there's some really good use of the surround channels. The sounds of the vehicles are nice and overpowering, too. Very well-done, and I would certainly recommend it as a showcase.

Can't wait to get mine! It's in the mail according to Amazon! It would have been great to have this weekend as the neighbors are not there (I'm almost musiked-out... almost!).
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/19/08 06:00 AM
Well, I can confirm that WALL•E really does look as amazing as it was definitely going to. I just watched the shorts and the very beginning of the movie, but now I have to switch to Band of Brothers.
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/19/08 06:06 AM
Cool, we have a copy but may have to save it for Xmas, since my daughter is already way too spoiled, just like me (no Christmas presents for me).
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/19/08 09:59 AM
You are just getting yours very early this year.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/20/08 07:15 AM
I finally finished Band of Brothers today. I'm glad I got it. It's a cool miniseries.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/20/08 11:10 AM
The review was supposed to include info on Man-Tears.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/20/08 01:30 PM
No Man-Tears. Maybe some Little Boy-Heart Splutter, though that seems to refer to the actions in the Pacific Theater. I did get a little choked up, but not as much as I usually get. Either I'm turning into a robot, or... I don't know, what else would I be?
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/20/08 01:49 PM
No, I'm pretty sure it's the robot thing.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/20/08 02:07 PM
Good thing I just got my robot insurance. I'm protected.
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/20/08 02:23 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
No Man-Tears. Maybe some Little Boy-Heart Splutter, though that seems to refer to the actions in the Pacific Theater. I did get a little choked up, but not as much as I usually get. Either I'm turning into a robot, or... I don't know, what else would I be?

I dunno. When the real Dick Winters, at the end of the series, tells about answering his grandson's question "Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?" by saying "No... but I served in a company of heroes" I tend to break down a little (OK! OK! I turn into a blubbering mess ). Of course, I'm a student of World War II (and a Vietnam vet) so I think I understand, a bit better than the average joe, the incredible sacrifice those men made. I am awed by what they endured and by what they accomplished.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/20/08 04:30 PM
Here's to old people!
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/20/08 05:19 PM
Resistance is futile!
Posted By: merchman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/21/08 03:13 AM
Watching my home town high school team win the state championship. \:\)
Posted By: Shane White Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/21/08 03:43 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV

I dunno. When the real Dick Winters, at the end of the series, tells about answering his grandson's question "Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?" by saying "No... but I served in a company of heroes" I tend to break down a little (OK! OK! I turn into a blubbering mess ). Of course, I'm a student of World War II (and a Vietnam vet) so I think I understand, a bit better than the average joe, the incredible sacrifice those men made. I am awed by what they endured and by what they accomplished.


Even Aussies like us are big fans of that series. My Dad was in the RAF flying Lancasters during the last stages of the WWII in Europe. He then emmigrated to Australia became an instructor at the RAAF parchute school in the 1950s. He was in Vietnam in 67 (in a desk job), and was "volunteered" by his CO to do a training jump with the US 101st Airborne. He was a bit rusty, and the US equipment was different, but he survived \:\)

We're also fans of Damien Lewis, the British actor who played Winters. He is currently playing an American cop in a series called "Life". I can recommend it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/21/08 04:18 AM
 Originally Posted By: Shane White
We're also fans of Damien Lewis, the British actor who played Winters. He is currently playing an American cop in a series called "Life". I can recommend it.


My sister's watching that show because of Damien Lewis's Band of Brothers role. I have to admit he was pretty badass. I may have to check Life out, but after it's on disc so I can watch from the beginning.
Posted By: Shane White Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/21/08 05:13 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
SuperGrand UltraDeluxe (Plus Extra More)


CV, I gather from your blog that you are participating in the (Inter)national Novel Writing Month - so is my son. He's writing a draft of his second fantasy novel.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/21/08 05:16 AM
My hat is off to him. I actually gave up really early. I wonder how far Sean got.

I have ideas for a fantasy (or fairy tale) novel, but I can't seem to write anything good when I sit down to write it. How'd your son's first novel go? I admire anyone who can force themselves to write a novel.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/21/08 05:30 AM
Hey, that's cool, Shane. How is your son doing on the novel?

CV, I gave up shortly after you. Work has been killing me and I've had no energy to plug away at the writing. Very sad.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/21/08 07:35 AM
I'm still going to write a novel, I swear! Ha ha.

I just got done watching Tropic Thunder. I enjoyed it a lot.
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/21/08 04:00 PM
Watching Baraka this morning... just started. Pretty pictures. \:\)
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/21/08 06:55 PM
Definitely want to know what you think of it!!
going to check out twilight
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/08 02:43 AM
Babel
Posted By: Wid Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/08 03:41 AM
38 Special in concert on an old 27" tv \:\(
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/08 03:48 AM
I liked Babel. I should watch it again sometime.
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/08 05:26 AM
I only tuned in for the second half, but now I must see the entire film. I missed it first time around being a dad. I was impressed with the themes although they are gutwrenching at times and really liked the soundtrack, they bring the background music into the foreground, which is so reflective/introspective and reminded me once again why I love the Axiom equipment. Beautiful acoustic guitar music!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/08 06:47 AM
Yeah, the soundtrack was really good.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/08 06:48 AM
Oh, I just finished watching Kung Fu Panda, and I did enjoy it a lot. I'm sure I'll continue to be skeptical of Dreamworks Animation motion pictures, but they got this one right. Ha ha.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/08 07:03 AM
Dang it, you guys are making me want to watch this movie now. . .
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/08 07:03 AM
Hmmm, sounds like a winner, Christmas list for my daughter!
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/08 03:31 PM
We watched Wall-E on Blu-ray last night, I enjoyed it better the second time around at home, great picture and sound.
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/08 04:23 PM
Baraka was fun. Can't say it's the best I've ever seen, but it was very interesting to watch. Perfect to have on in the background while doing something else. I think I would've been a little bored just watching it for the whole time (but I have a short attention span) ;\)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/08 04:29 PM
I've watched it twice, and I'm in no rush to watch it again. I think it's one of those films that's cool to have seen, but its entertainment value is hard to recycle.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/08 07:13 PM
I finally got around to watching all of WALL•E on Blu-ray, along with the documentary, "The Pixar Story" by Leslie Iwerks. Their finished productions make it look easy, but seeing how the company has struggled in the past and how it has to push itself with each new release really makes you see why they're at the top of their field.

Like Michael, I enjoyed WALL•E more the second time, but that's not to say I didn't like it the first time. I think I appreciated the story a little more and some of the finer touches, and of course the audio is more impressive on my home system than at the local theater. Very fun.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/08 11:54 PM
Cloverfield on Blu-ray. I hadn't seen it before, and I wasn't expecting much, going by the less-than-stellar word-of-mouth I'd encountered, but I thought it was decent for what it was, and the sound was a lot of fun.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/08 01:08 AM
The little feature on sound design in the WALL•E special features is really cool, too. Ben Burtt is insane.
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/08 11:29 AM
Watched WALL-E Friday night (first time). Enjoyed it very much but it didn't knock me out. I'm encouraged to read that a couple of you enjoyed it more the second time. Come to think of it, I enjoyed Ratatouille more the second time. Maybe with first-time-viewing we are struggling with unrealistically high expectations.

Haven't gotten into the second disc of special features yet, but I did watch the extras on the first disc. Absolutely LOVED the Presto cartoon. It was reminiscent of the WB cartoons I grew up with. Just LOVED it. \:\)
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/08 12:22 PM
I watched the Blu-Ray version of Patton last night, great warrior, excellent movie. I hope the other great war movies start coming out in BR, it sure does make for a much improved viewing difference.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/08 04:03 PM
Rick, have you also watched an upscaled SD version of Patton to compare it with? I don’t have BR yet and am still on the fence but if any hot deals come along the season I might take the plunge. I’ve compared “The Great Escape” updcaled SD and a HD version on HDNET. About the only real improvement I noticed was I liked the way the HD version was scaled to fit the 16x9 screen but then I can do that locally but not quite as well. Any improvements in the audio?
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/08 04:19 PM
I can't recall the exact details, but my grandfather (mom's dad) served under Patton for a short while. I think in the capacity of an aide. Shoot, now I'm gonna have to call my mom and ask her if she remembers more.

Unfortunately, my grandfather died when I was really young and I never got a chance to ask him about his experiences.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/08 04:52 PM
That’s cool. I have an uncle in law who was in the 3rd Army at the end of the war but AFAIK he never actually saw Patton though he really admires him.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/08 06:20 PM
Watched Jeff Dunham - A Very Special Christmas last night. <Achmed> Merry Christmas, I'll Kill You!</Ahcmed>
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/08 08:22 PM
My mom's dad had ammonia poured down his nostrils by Nazis to try to get him to give up information about the whereabouts of a group of Polish resistance fighters they knew he was a part of. He didn't break, so they put him on a cattle car to Auschwitz. Fortunately for my existence, he escaped before the train reached its destination.

He died before I was born, thanks in no small part to his damaged respiratory system. \:\(
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/08 08:38 PM
Watching "A Beautiful Mind" today... good movie.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/08 08:49 PM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
My mom's dad had ammonia poured down his nostrils by Nazis to try to get him to give up information about the whereabouts of a group of Polish resistance fighters they knew he was a part of. He didn't break, so they put him on a cattle car to Auschwitz. Fortunately for my existence, he escaped before the train reached its destination.

He died before I was born, thanks in no small part to his damaged respiratory system. \:\(


Stories like that, albeit horrible, are a fascinating glimpse into the past. I wish I had a chance to ask about my grandfather's stories.
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/08 09:06 PM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
My mom's dad had ammonia poured down his nostrils by Nazis to try to get him to give up information about the whereabouts of a group of Polish resistance fighters they knew he was a part of. He didn't break, so they put him on a cattle car to Auschwitz. Fortunately for my existence, he escaped before the train reached its destination.

He died before I was born, thanks in no small part to his damaged respiratory system. \:\(

Incredible story, Peter! Bless him for his strength and courage. He was a better man than I.
Posted By: SRoode Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/08 09:18 PM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
My mom's dad had ammonia poured down his nostrils by Nazis to try to get him to give up information about the whereabouts of a group of Polish resistance fighters they knew he was a part of. He didn't break, so they put him on a cattle car to Auschwitz. Fortunately for my existence, he escaped before the train reached its destination.

He died before I was born, thanks in no small part to his damaged respiratory system. \:\(


OMG, how horrible! What a brave man to not break under that type of torture. Bless his soul.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/08 09:30 PM
Yeah. He's at #1 on the list of people (dead or alive) that I'd most like to meet. Sometimes I wish I believed more strongly in the whole life after death thing....
 Originally Posted By: CV
Oh, I just finished watching Kung Fu Panda, and I did enjoy it a lot. I'm sure I'll continue to be skeptical of Dreamworks Animation motion pictures, but they got this one right. Ha ha.


We took the kids to see that a few months ago. The wife and I were pleasantly surprised. Jack Black was pretty funny.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/24/08 01:42 AM
 Originally Posted By: grunt
Rick, have you also watched an upscaled SD version of Patton to compare it with? I don’t have BR yet and am still on the fence but if any hot deals come along the season I might take the plunge. I’ve compared “The Great Escape” upscaled SD and a HD version on HDNET. About the only real improvement I noticed was I liked the way the HD version was scaled to fit the 16x9 screen but then I can do that locally but not quite as well. Any improvements in the audio?


I haven't watched an upscaled version of Patton, this was the first time I've seen the movie in what seems like ages although I will say that I was extremely pleased with the 'natural' look, if you will, of the BR Patton. Seems to me like most of the modern movies do a lot of digital artistic imaging touch up that I am not too terribly fond of, whereas this movie had a crisp, detailed and realistic picture ... I'd love to see more of the war movies in high def, Tora, Tora, Tora would be amazing I bet.
The audio on the BR Patton is DTS and is pretty darn good although a lot of it seemed to come from the front soundstage ... without nary the first complaint from me.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/24/08 01:47 AM
Does anybody have any recommendations for Gods and Generals? I don't know why I haven't seen this movie yet, looks like a good Civil War movie.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/24/08 02:02 AM
 Originally Posted By: RickF
Does anybody have any recommendations for Gods and Generals? I don't know why I haven't seen this movie yet, looks like a good Civil War movie.


Here’s what Rotten Tomatoes has to say.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gods_and_generals/

 Quote:

Consensus: Filled with two-dimensional characters and pompous self-righteousness, Gods and Generals is a long, tedious sit. Some may also take offense at the pro-Confederate slant.


I bought it as part of a package deal and mentioned it to a friend who said that he liked it which usually means I won’t so I haven’t got around to watching it. If you do watch it please post your thoughts as I like Civil War movies.

@ Rick - thanks for the feedback. I agree with you about many of the new movies. Call me sick but some of my favorite looking movies are the old Technicolor ones. They also looked overproduced but I just loved the vivid colours.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/24/08 02:10 AM
Whoa, 3 hours 39 minutes?? I don't think I'll be watching this one anytime soon Grunt, especially after reading most of the viewer's comments. I saw it on BR whenever I rented Patton and thought it looked interesting, maybe not.
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/25/08 05:14 AM
24 Redemption, that was cool, can't wait to see it in 5.1
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/08 02:20 AM
Watched The Mentalist on the DVR tonight. This show has very well-mixed sound (and it's also one of the better new shows in awhile).
Posted By: EFalardeau Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/08 02:29 AM
I received today the "buffy" 40-disk series at 69$ that I was going to give as a gift. I watched the first FOUR episode this PM and... well... I'll watch a few more, but I might just keep it! It is not as bad I as I remember it.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/30/08 04:49 AM
Batman Begins, to refresh the 'new' Batman image and getting ready for The Dark Knight release.
Posted By: merchman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/08 01:51 AM
How the Grinch stole Christmas. A classic. \:\)
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/08 01:53 AM
yeah, just saw that it was on TV here too.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/08 02:03 AM
Damn. Missed it. I just put Rudolph in the TiVo for Wednesday night though. Along with the Victoria's Secret special....
Posted By: merchman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/08 02:05 AM
\:D Good call
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/08 06:18 AM
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

I'm on the second disc, and it's getting interesting. I think it's a pretty safe bet I'll like the whole series.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/08 06:44 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

I'm on the second disc, and it's getting interesting. I think it's a pretty safe bet I'll like the whole series.


If you like SAC then I hope you also got SAC 2ndgig because you will want to see that too.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/08 06:45 AM
Yes, I did. I decided I should get it while it was also discounted.
Posted By: merchman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/04/08 01:06 AM
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Another classic. \:\)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/04/08 07:00 AM
Oh, man, tonight's Law & Order was pretty entertaining.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/05/08 08:02 AM
Just finished up Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. Pretty awesome. Now to start 2nd Gig....
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/07/08 08:51 AM
Before SNL I was watching more 2nd Gig. So far it hasn't stood up to the first season, but I'm hoping the bigger storyline develops nicely. I'm enjoying the audio a lot.

The Dark Knight will be nice to watch again this week. EP800s, where are you?
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/07/08 09:05 AM
Jason says they may begin shipping week after next, or longer if you ordered a custom finish.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/07/08 09:42 AM
Hmm, that's pretty sick.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/08/08 01:17 AM
I really liked the "Affection" episode of 2nd Gig, though I feel stupid when I get weepy over stuff like that.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/08/08 01:20 AM
Did you get the deluxe girly edition that came with the flowery tissue box?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/08/08 01:24 AM
Yeah, but it didn't do any good. The outpouring was in my pants.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/08/08 02:10 AM
Yucky.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/08/08 02:18 AM
A Charlie Brown Christmas & It's Christmas time again Charlie Brown.

2 favorites for this time of year.
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/10/08 02:52 AM
Two movies tonight... (1.1 really)

1) Tropic Thunder - watched it for 10 minutes and turned it off. HOLY STUPID HUMOR BATMAN! Ugh... just not my style.

2) The Matrix on Blu-Ray - much better! I really enjoyed watching the movie again in HD. It's definitely worth adding to your Netflix queue.

Jason
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/12/08 04:56 PM
ZZ Top BluRay, Live from Texas.

This disc has proved for me that just because it's on BluRay doesn't make you like the music any more than you did before. I rented it from Netflix just to give it a try. There are 1-2 decent songs, but otherwise, I didn't like it much (the ideal Netflix rental I suppose)

Jason
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/13/08 08:30 AM
Jeff Altman is never funny on Letterman, but Letterman always ends up cracking up. It freaks me out.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/14/08 05:47 AM
Tonight I went to see the Mid-Columbia Ballet's production of The Nutcracker, as a friend's daughter was in it and they were generous enough to invite me along AND buy me a ticket. I'll have to buy them dinner sometime. I was impressed with the quality of the sets and the costumes. I figured I wasn't cultured enough to really appreciate what was going on, but my friend's wife was commenting that she liked the choreography of last year's a lot better, that this year's was a bit boring. I hadn't seen The Nutrcracker before, so it was nice to have the experience. I'm sure it would have been even cooler with an orchestra playing instead of just having it played over the sound system.
Posted By: richeydog Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/14/08 06:11 AM
Did you see any nuts crack?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/14/08 06:27 AM
Nah, just bulge.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/14/08 07:53 AM
Ahh, I love Maya Rudolph.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/14/08 08:48 PM
Oh, yeah, I did watch my copy of The Dark Knight yesterday, and yes, it looks great. The IMAX footage looked very clear indeed. The audio is a great showcase, too. I'm supposed to have people over next weekend to watch it, and maybe another group during the week, even. *prays for EP800s*
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/14/08 08:57 PM
Probably watch Zeitgeist or Zeitgeist Addendum on my computer. Strongly recommended if you haven't seen them. Oh yeah, they're free to download also.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/14/08 09:18 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I'm supposed to have people over next weekend to watch it, and maybe another group during the week, even. *prays for EP800s*


Charles, if the subs don't make it, I can always come the following week instead...
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/14/08 09:22 PM
\:\) You're always welcome. Or almost never not, anyway.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/14/08 11:38 PM
I finished watching Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig. The show did get more awesome. I still prefer the first season, but this one did impress me. I'm glad to have both.
Bourne Ultimatum on HBO HD (Tivo). Pretty good, I really like the cinematography. Makes you stay on the edge of your seat.
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/15/08 03:10 AM
Just watched the Skeleton Key on HD DVD. Pretty good movie I thought... Metacritic only gave it a 47 though. I find that I must have completely different taste than most movie reviewers... either that or they are all idiots.

Anyway, Kate Hudson actually was pretty good looking in the movie too...
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/15/08 03:13 AM
I like all of the Bourne movies a lot. I like their style of filming the martial arts action (and how they make Bourne into an ueber bad-a$$)
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/15/08 03:26 AM
yah.. very good series of movies.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/15/08 03:35 AM
Yeah, I was dumb and gave my Bourne HD DVDs to my sister. Now I have to wait until the Blu-rays come out to watch them again.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/15/08 04:34 AM
Last night it was Kung Fu Panda on Blu-ray. Visually stunning - could definitely be a demo disc. Good workout for the sub, too, with all the impacts. I was more pleased with this than I expected. A nice surprise.

Tonight it was the season finale of Dexter on Showtime HD. I love that show.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/15/08 05:02 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I finished watching Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig. The show did get more awesome. I still prefer the first season, but this one did impress me. I'm glad to have both.


Overall I also preferred the 1st season but would have been let down if I hadn’t seen the second.

I can’t remember if you said whether you’ve seen “Death Note.” According to Netflix disk 8 is due out on 30 December.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/15/08 05:06 AM
I haven't seen it. Another one to check out? I think I'll go ahead and join Netflix soon. \:D
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/15/08 05:29 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I haven't seen it. Another one to check out? I think I'll go ahead and join Netflix soon. \:D


I thinks it’s one of the most intelligent and suspenseful series I’ve seen anime or otherwise. I think it’s suppose to be a total to 10 disks with the last two coming out by Spring. Like many series I think it is starting to lose a step toward the end but so far it’s been stellar.

This is not your typical action or fanservice anime it’s both cerebral and suspenseful with much of what’s happening being narrated by the internal dialogue of the main characters and their interaction. Didn’t really sound appealing to me but when I was in Guam last year the first disk was one of the only interesting series I could find. It started off a little slow building the story but I was intrigued enough to order the rest when I got back. I don’t remember at what point it happened but suddenly I realized it’s 3:00 am and I’m popping in the next disk because I’ve got to know what happens next.

WARNING: If you plan to watch it whatever you do don’t read any spoilers.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/15/08 05:54 AM
Thanks. I'll be careful not to read too much about it. It sounds like one I'll enjoy.
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/15/08 06:00 AM
Yeah, I watched kung fu panda last week and thought it was pretty good.
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/15/08 12:55 PM
Ditto on the Panda. Better than expected movie and MUCH better than expected sound.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/15/08 02:43 PM
Howsabout Happy Feet?

I've heard nothing but good regarding the story and animation, but haven't heard much regarding whether or not it's a great Blu-Ray...
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/15/08 02:47 PM
I had the HD DVD and liked it okay. Not enough to keep it. I gave it to my nephew. The picture and sound were very nice.
 Originally Posted By: myrison
I like all of the Bourne movies a lot. I like their style of filming the martial arts action (and how they make Bourne into an ueber bad-a$$)


Agreed. I liked the fighting scene in Morocco. Makes me want to learn krav maga.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/15/08 10:26 PM
 Quote:
Makes me want to learn krav maga
...and go looking for trouble... \:\)
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/15/08 10:30 PM
I'd flying solo until I get back to California Thursday, so I may watch Return to Oz tonight. Netflix sent it. It's probably too scary for my kids, anyway, with those Wheelers and the head-changing witch.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/16/08 12:02 AM
I have enjoyed the first couple episodes of the new TNT Series Leverage. It's kind of like Ocean's Eleven. Good production values, interesting characters, decent writing.

I've noticed that many, modern HD TV series (including this one) have quite good sound now.
My in laws suggested Leverage. I may have to take a look.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/16/08 01:12 PM
Went to See Quantum of Solace last night. Was anyone else disappointed in this new Bond movie or was it just me?

Maybe it was because I waited too long and they had moved it into one of the smaller cinema sections where they have not yet upgraded the sound system. Maybe I'm spoiled from my HT at home but I was let down right from the start because the initial car chase scene sounded like I was watching from TV speakers. No noticeable surround and no LFE at all.

In general though, the movie just didn't do it for me.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/16/08 03:07 PM
Yeah, QoS was only fair, as Bond movies go.

I saw it the week it came out, i.e. in one of the nice screens at the local multiplex, and the audio was only so-so.

I'll bet the Blu-ray would be much better, sound-wise.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/16/08 03:21 PM
Of course, the best scene in Quantum of Solace is the one where the FBI is keeping an eye on Mr. Bond:



Then, 007, using his mad skillz, knows that something is afoot:


Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/08 04:47 AM
I had a coworker and her family over to watch The Dark Knight tonight. Her son is a big Batman fan, so he was excited to see it on my system. He of course had seen it in the theater. He was telling his girlfriend how it's always fun to watch movies on my system. My coworker's husband was pretty impressed. It had been a while since they had been over for a movie. I didn't have my QS8s or EP600 back then, I don't think, and they had never seen a high-definition movie on my system, so they weren't really aware of its full potential. My coworker said they would definitely have to come back again for another movie. Now what can I make them watch?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/08 04:57 AM
Oh, yeah, and we ordered Chinese food. The fortunes were all lame. Mine said, "The future will bring romance." Stupid fortune cookies always mock me.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/08 05:42 AM
That's because Nelson Muntz wrote them. He just didn't print the "HA ha!"

We watched a Bug's Life on DVD, played in the HD-DVD player, and then after Nolan went to bed, watched Hancock on Blu-ray. NoChinese food, but now you've given me a hankerin'...
Watched Horton Hears a Who on BR yesterday. The opening scenes in the water were fantastic. I have admit that the first part of the movie was pretty funny, I was laughing pretty loud w/ the kids. Worth a Netflix rental.
i will have to see if any friends are getting me the dark knight in blu ray, that will definitely be worth a watch, if not then I hope to watch Iron Man on blu ray tonight
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/23/08 03:59 PM
Watched Black Book (or Zwartboek in it's native Dutch) last night. Pretty good WWII flick, but with English subtitles as most of the dialog is in Dutch. Visually attractive, decent sound, and some excellent performances. Rated R for some strong violence, graphic nudity (full frontal male, surprisingly), sexuality and language.

Interestingly, the star, Carice van Houten (who I thought was terrific), and a supporting actress Halina Reijn (equally good) are both in Tom Cruise's latest, Valkyrie.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/23/08 04:01 PM
Jack, I'll have to add that to my Netflix queue. My stupid work internet is blocking the IMDB link. Grr.

Speaking of work, I should probably get back to it. . .
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/23/08 04:06 PM
See if Yahoo Movies is blocked. As always, beware of spoilers.
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/23/08 04:16 PM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
Jack, I'll have to add that to my Netflix queue.


For the "full frontal male nudity"?? \:D \:D \:D

Sorry, couldn't resist \:\) . Oh yeah, you might also like Any Given Sunday \:D \:D \:D

Sorry, couldn't resist \:\)
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/23/08 04:34 PM
 Originally Posted By: Ajax
See if Yahoo Movies is blocked. As always, beware of spoilers.


Yeah, that link worked. I remember watching a program on TV about that story. Definitely have to check out the movie. Thanks!
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/23/08 04:35 PM
 Originally Posted By: wheelz999
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
Jack, I'll have to add that to my Netflix queue.


For the "full frontal male nudity"?? \:D \:D \:D

Sorry, couldn't resist \:\) . Oh yeah, you might also like Any Given Sunday \:D \:D \:D

Sorry, couldn't resist \:\)



Kinda stepped right into that one, didn't I. Good job, Cam, I woulda done the same to someone else. \:D
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/23/08 04:46 PM
Every time I hear the term "frontal nudity," I think of Kevin Bacon in an interview talking about the "backal nudity" he did in Wild Things.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/24/08 08:35 AM
 Originally Posted By: grunt
I can’t remember if you said whether you’ve seen “Death Note.”


I watched the first disc of this tonight. I'm definitely hooked. Very cool idea and main characters. Thanks for the suggestion. My sister has read the manga and likes it a lot, I found out.
Posted By: Graeme L Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/24/08 09:59 AM
I watched Earth 2007 on BR and I must say it is by far the Best documentary I have seen.
The Photography is absolutely stunning, the music is superb and the narration is excellent.

If you haven't seen it yet grab it.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/08 04:41 AM
“Galaxy Fraulein Yuna.” Picture “Sailor Moon” meets “The Power Puff Girls” with a touch of mobile suit tossed in. Somewhat hyper and very kawaii.

“The Twelve Kingdoms” Well the first 18 (4 disks) of 45 (10 disks) episodes. This thing is epic, very Tolkienesque (complete with it’s own vocabulary) in it’s scope but not it’s plot so far as there’s no one “Big Bad” to take on.

There is so much depth that about 1/3 of the story so far is partly narrated flashbacks of historical events. This is needed as the story has you dumped with the main character into a parallel world as part of an existing story.

While at first you might thing this is going to be just another girl-get-sent-to-fix-a-magical-world anime you wouldn’t even be close.

Great music if you like classical Japanese music played on modern instruments. Good animation especially considering the scope of the world created.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/08 04:45 AM
Just finished Ironman, amazing LFE.
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/08 07:30 AM
What do I know, waiting for my sub ;\)
Posted By: Klugger Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/08 04:35 PM
Santa brought Blue Man group on blu-ray,very good sound.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/27/08 04:09 AM
I just watched Burn After Reading. There were some entertaining moments, but I was hoping for more from it.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/27/08 04:21 AM
I still add that to my Netflix queue.

Right now, I'm waiting to see "Michael Clayton." As soon as my PS3 upgrade is done. Zzzzz.. . .
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/27/08 04:24 AM
George Clooney, Tilda Swinton, and someone else from Michael Clayton were in Burn After Reading. I liked Michael Clayton. I can see why some people would think it was slow and boring, but I liked it.

I'm about to start watching The Wire on my sister's recommendation.
Posted By: duckman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/27/08 06:04 AM
Watched "legends of country music" and "American Expierience: the Carter Family" with the parents tonite. The SQ was as good as could be expected from 40-plus year old material.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/27/08 06:53 AM
Wow, I really enjoyed "Michael Clayton." I thought the writing and acting was top notch. Definitely a film that seems nuanced at first, but there are quite big things happening if you pay attention. It's a rewarding film if you allow it to be.

But, yes, I can see how some might see it as boring. Far from it for me, though.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/29/08 07:10 AM

Started watching “Space Above and Beyond.” I had never seen the whole thing nor the pilot which gave me some flashbacks. So far I like it though there seem to be a lot of story arcs right from the start. To bad this one was killed by FOX just like they killed “Firefly”.

Well here’s hoping that Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles survives another season though I doubt it. I’ve put off watching season 2 so I can see the whole thing at once on DVD the same way I watched the first season. Gotta have my Summer Glau fix.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/30/08 08:18 AM
Before the Rains. A very Somerset Maugham-ish story about the ways a man might fall at the end of an empire. I strongly suspect it is based on one of his plays or books. Maugham had a way of painfully grinding a story toward an inevitable tragic conclusion.

Unfortunately it has a holywood gloss to it that takes away from the utterly depressing nature of some of Maughams tragedies that punctuated the futility of some parts of English society at the end of colonialism.

Very good, almost great.

The soundtrack is very well done. The background noises make exellent but sublte use of the surrounds and there is lots of percussion in the musical scores along with some deep rumbling bass to punctuate some dramatic moments. The soundtrack made good use of indian instruments and voice that I really liked.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/09 02:41 AM
Last night I watched the live-action Death Note movie. It doesn't hold a candle to the anime, unfortunately. The story in the anime is very well-written, developing at the perfect pace, milking the introduction of each new detail for maximum effect. The movie fumbles every opportunity. It was hard to watch. Uninspired direction, poor acting, and sub-par special effects didn't help.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/05/09 12:21 AM
More of The Wire. I'm liking the show a lot more as I watch it. The attention to detail makes it feel very real. I can see why my sister recommended it.
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/05/09 01:24 AM
"The L Word" Have watched about half of the pilot now. Interesting...

Jason
Whole lotta nuthin. W/ the holiday break, I was able to clear out my HD Tivo of this season's CSI's and a few other shows backed up.

Now I can't wait for the next 2 weeks with 24, Damages and the final season of BSG. Plus my local comcast just turned on FX HD so I can watch Damages in HD. Hopefully Rescue Me returns soon as well.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/05/09 02:07 AM
 Quote:
More of The Wire. I'm liking the show a lot more as I watch it.

I'm going to start that series soon. I heard an interview with a cop who commented that this series was much closer to reality than anything else ever produced: many shades of grey.
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/07/09 04:40 AM
Just got done watching August Rush on bluray. My Girlfriend picked it out... I thought it was going to be awful (typically don't like her selection of movies), but it turned out to be a really good movie. The Dolby TrueHD Soundtrack was nothing short of amazing.

Metacritic gave it horrible reviews, but I suspect that is because the critics have no imagination. So what if the movie's plot is completely implausible? It is a MOVIE- not a true story- GEEZE!

I highly reccomend it to anyone who needs a break from action flicks and could use something with a meaningful plot (even if it is a little fairy-tale-ish). Also, it has a great musical soundtrack and killer natural surround effects at times (wind, cars, ect.) Good movie for kids and chicks too.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/07/09 04:41 AM
My wife and I enjoyed the movie, as well. It was easy for me to turn off my eye-rolling reflex and just enjoy the experience.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/07/09 04:43 AM
The vomit's coming back!
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/07/09 04:50 AM
Quick, swallow before anyone notices!
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/07/09 05:27 AM
 Originally Posted By: terzaghi
Quick, swallow before anyone notices!


This wins the gold for our ever present "out of context" game!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/07/09 06:50 AM
Ghost Town

Not great, but decent. It's the first disc from Netflix I've watched. Now to watch an episode of One Piece before Letterman...
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/07/09 07:44 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV

I watched the first disc of this tonight. I'm definitely hooked. Very cool idea and main characters. Thanks for the suggestion. My sister has read the manga and likes it a lot, I found out.

Missed this post earlier. Glad you liked it. I keep telling myself I should start reading the manga of these but I already have such a huge backlog to watch I may not catch up until I’m retired.

 Originally Posted By: CV

Last night I watched the live-action Death Note movie. It doesn't hold a candle to the anime, unfortunately. The story in the anime is very well-written, developing at the perfect pace, milking the introduction of each new detail for maximum effect. The movie fumbles every opportunity. It was hard to watch. Uninspired direction, poor acting, and sub-par special effects didn't help.

Thanks for the heads up on the live-action movie. I’ve been meaning to order it but already have 100 things queued up that I want right now so I don’t think I’ll be bumping anything for it.

I agree with you that the anime is very well written and planned out. Not your typical anime and like you I found it easy to get hooked on. I’m glad I revisited anime, cause I never liked it as a kid but now much of it is better than the garbage coming out of Hollywood or what’s on TV.

I got disk 8 delivered on Saturday but haven’t had time to watch it yet. I may hold off until they complete the series so I can watch the rest back-to-back for better continuity and involvement.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/07/09 08:03 AM
Finished watching the “Scrapped Princes.” This is an excellent fantasy anime. 6 disks so not to long but enough to lay out the world and tell the whole story w/o rushing. Nice animation, great characters and English voice acting. Enough plot twists to keep you guessing and wanting to know what’s going to happen next.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/07/09 08:06 AM
I know I tried watching that once a long time ago, but I couldn't get into it then. It's one of my best friend's favorites, though, so I'll have to give it another shot.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/07/09 08:58 AM
It does take a few episodes to get the story flowing but I wouldn’t say that the overall tempo or character interaction to change so if you didn’t like the beginning don’t expect it to change to much. Many people I’ve seen rate it usually rate the first couple disks a star lower than #3 on.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/08/09 05:56 AM
The Band's Visit.

Its a quirky Israeli film about, well, quirkyness. The story line is of a fading Egiptian band ending up in the wrong place, in the middle of nowhere in Israel.

I guess its a short study of various aspects of human nature.

Some parts are really really funny without much of anything 'happening'. Call it an understated comedy.

Great Movie!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/08/09 06:28 AM
Sounds interesting. I'll have to see about that one.
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/08/09 04:53 PM
Watched The Illusionist the other night and it was fantastic; highly recommended.
Posted By: spiffnme Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/10/09 07:47 AM
wow...just got back from the theater. I REALLY wanted to see Gran Torino and I went in with very high expectations. I was totally surprised by the film, and it still exceeded my expectations. Simply outstanding. Clint is simply a master filmmaker.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/10/09 07:48 AM
I'm looking forward to that one too. I've really enjoyed his films.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/10/09 08:16 AM
Man, I want to see that. I hope my sister can visit before it's out of theaters so I can watch it with her.
Posted By: myrison Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/11/09 05:19 AM
 Originally Posted By: terzaghi
I thought it was going to be awful (typically don't like her selection of movies), but it turned out to be a really good movie. The Dolby TrueHD Soundtrack was nothing short of amazing.


I had the same exact experience. Far better than expected.

Jason
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/11/09 08:18 AM
Ghost In The Shell - Solid State Society

It wasn't as good as either of the Stand Alone Complex series, but it had a lot less time to tell its story, and there was still some fun stuff. As always, there was some nice audio.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/12/09 03:25 AM
I went to see Gran Torino. Yeah, Clint Eastwood rocks. I'm going to be very, very sad when he stops making movies. At least I have a support group here. Now let's all get ponchos and watch more Clint Eastwood movies.
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/12/09 03:41 AM
watched tropic thunder last night. I thought it was a pretty funny movie.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/12/09 04:32 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I went to see Gran Torino. Yeah, Clint Eastwood rocks. I'm going to be very, very sad when he stops making movies. At least I have a support group here. Now let's all get ponchos and watch more Clint Eastwood movies.


Everything was cool until I got to the price. I guess I will have to remain a lot unlike Clint Eastwood for the time being. \:\(
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/12/09 04:35 AM
Ha ha, yeah, it makes me sad. I won't actually be buying one. I bet the sheet of metal he was wearing would be cheaper to replicate, so maybe I'll just get one of those.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/12/09 04:47 AM
I guess I'll have to cancel my order for the orangutan, as well.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/12/09 04:49 AM
Trying to be like Clint Eastwood will make you broke in every which way but loose change.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/12/09 05:08 AM
Yeah, right now I'll just stick to squinting. That doesn't cost anything. . . except a headache.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/15/09 07:02 AM
Law & Order was entertaining tonight.

Last night I watched The Duchess. It wasn't really my kind of story, and it didn't do anything to win me over.

The other night I watched Kitaro. It was pretty crappy.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/15/09 08:23 AM
Clint Eastwood on Letterman. I love when old guys get together.
Posted By: Screefer Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/15/09 04:59 PM
Last Night I watched "The Blue Man Group - How to be a Mega Star"in blu-ray. My plasma did a fantastic job displaying the colors in their hi-tech light show and my EP-350 got to stretch its legs. Its a great family show, very different, with the unique variety of instruments and a fantastic light show. Well worth adding to the collection.
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/16/09 09:54 PM
I watched Wall E last night and it is the worst Pixar movie I have ever seen. Great visuals and sound, but a horrible movie IMO.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/16/09 10:09 PM
I'm sorry. I can't abide people who hate that cute widdow wobot.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/16/09 10:45 PM
Oh, man, I loved Wall-E.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/16/09 11:02 PM
My first viewing of Wall-E left me unimpressed, but I think that that was due largely to the fact that it was in a movie theater instead of my Axiom HT.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/16/09 11:04 PM
Oh yeah, and the fact that it was Nolan's first movie theater experience, meaning he fussed and needed constant attention, may have had something to do with it.

Repeated viewings will tell the true tale.
Posted By: JaimeG Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/16/09 11:11 PM
 Quote:
... the worst Pixar movie I have ever seen.

Pixar's film catalog is stellar, though I do agree w/ you that Wall-e 's screenplay was the weakest of all of them, IMHO. I can't really tell why; I found it cheeze, predictable and somewhat preachy.
Was it a horrible movie? ... no way! Howard the Duck is the worst movie ever ('Disaster Movie' is close behind) \:D
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/16/09 11:13 PM
WALL E wasn't my favorite either, Cam. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but it just wasn't doing much for me...
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/16/09 11:30 PM
 Quote:
I found it cheeze, predictable and somewhat preachy.

I would say that is a good assesment.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/09 04:01 AM
I liked it more on the second viewing. It's not my favorite Pixar movie, but I'd say it's on par with Finding Nemo and Monsters, Inc. I'm still waiting for the Pixar movie that I love without reservation, though.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/09 06:01 AM
You're making that Up.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/09 01:05 PM
CV, the Incredibles is the one you can love unconditionally. Also, Toy Story and Toy Story 2. And Cars.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/09 03:39 PM
Wife and I couldn't get into Wall-E either, although it was a little better the second time around.

I watched a couple of segments from Band of Brothers last night again, that is such a good series. I couldn't help but to think of some of you fellas and the frigid cold weather you're having while watching Easy Co. in their foxholes in Bastogne and the interview with the one vet during the opening, 'I've gone to bed some nights and said man it's cold, but it ain't nothing like Bastogne though' even after 60 years. Wow.
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/09 03:41 PM
I liked WallE, but then again I also like Jennifer Aniston chick flicks. \:\)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/09 04:50 PM
 Originally Posted By: medic8r
CV, the Incredibles is the one you can love unconditionally.


That one came closest. \:D
Posted By: PeterChenoweth Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/09 05:42 PM
We watched The Fall last night. We had seen the trailer somewhere and decided to rent it while browsing for a movie.

The movie was excellent. Basically, it's about a little girl in a hospital who befriends an injured actor, and as they become friends he proceeds to tell her a story. The movie is both the 'real life' of being in the hospital, and of 'the story' that he tells her.

The visuals of 'the story' are mind-blowing. Absolutely stunning. I don't have enough adjectives to describe it. It won several awards for cinematography, and I can totally see why. There are many parts where you could advance frame-by-frame and each frame would work as a photograph hanging in an art gallery. Seriously, it's that good.

I'm very tempted to buy the BluRay of it just for the demo material. Anyone with a HDTV ought to at least rent it, just to really show off what kind of colors & texture your HDTV is capable of.

Watch the trailer on the movie's website, it provides a good glimpse of what you will see...

The Fall

It's most definitely going on my highly recommended list.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/09 05:53 PM
I have it on my Netflix queue, but not at the top. I may have to bump it up.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/09 06:13 PM
Just added it. I've come across it before, but never paid much attention to it. Thanks for the recommendation and brief description, Peter.
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/09 06:23 PM
The Fall is dazzling in Blu-ray, The story is pretty wild and definitely different than most mainstream Hollywood flicks.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/09 06:55 PM
The Fall most definitely looks like a movie the little missus and myself can get into watching, thanks for the heads up Peter and Michael!
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/09 08:20 PM
Sounds like an interesting movie. Nice to see some people trying to think outside the box in the movie industry now and then.
Posted By: AdamP88 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/09 09:49 PM
Battlestar Galactica is back on. \:D Watching last night's episode now.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/09 10:01 PM
Hellz yeah!!!!!!
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/09 11:48 PM
I watched The Fall a few weeks ago and I agree, its a good movie. The girl who played the leading role was very captivating.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/09 11:49 PM
I am eagerly anticipating the realease of season 4 of Battle star Galactica, but I probably still have quite a wait.
Posted By: Wid Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/18/09 01:26 AM

Barrett car auction.
Posted By: FireGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/18/09 02:28 AM
Just finished another round of Sharon Den Adel of Within Temptation and their new DVD "Black Symphony". First saw these guys on Head Bangers Ball and have listened to them since. Love this show with all its different components (orchestra, professional choir and oh... the band. Terrific audio with exceptional LFE. If you like Gothic WT is great. Also check out Nightwish.
Posted By: PeterChenoweth Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/18/09 02:45 AM
 Originally Posted By: AdamP88
Battlestar Galactica is back on. \:D Watching last night's episode now.


Heh. No kidding. We love Battlestar Galactica, but geez, that episode... Battlestar Depressica.
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/18/09 03:02 AM
watched the sex and the city movie last night with the GF... and by watch it I mean that I watched about 30 minutes of it and then went back into our bedroom and hooked up my original xbox to our tv and stereo by our bed.
Posted By: BoB/335 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/18/09 05:38 AM
Watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail late this afternoon and watched I Am Legend this evening. Can't wait to get my speakers. No, they're still not here.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/18/09 05:56 AM
I watched Get Smart. It was all right. I like the cast. A lot of the jokes and pieces of the story were too easy, but I still enjoyed it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/19/09 08:19 AM
Volume 6 of Death Note

Hopefully Netflix sends me 7 right away. They've been at the top of my queue since joining, but they keep sending other stuff first.

Also watched Invincible earlier. My dad had me get it through Netflix. It was decent.
Posted By: StuntGibbon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/19/09 09:02 AM
Watched both Burn After Reading and Eagle Eye. The first was better than the second, but good fun. Also been pecking away at season one of Mad Men, watched about the first 5 episodes. Really liking that so far.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/19/09 09:06 AM
Volume 8 is also out and Volume 9 showed up recently as a “save” option at Netflix. AFAIK there are to be 10 volumes so I’m holding off on watching 8 (ripped) until 9 and 10 are available. I don’t want to have to wait after each disk for the next to get published.

I’ve noticed that the sooner you put a “save” disk into your queue the less time you have to wait when it releases to get it.

 Originally Posted By: CV

Hopefully Netflix sends me 7 right away.


You need to upgrade to 8 at a time unlimited. ;\) I usually can get through between16 to 24 disks a week depending on the mail.

 Originally Posted By: CV

They've been at the top of my queue since joining, but they keep sending other stuff first.


I’ve noticed the same thing recently. Before, as long as a disk was listed as “available” they shipped in the order in the queue. Recently they’ve been skipping over as many as 5 series to Inu-Yasha at number 25.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/19/09 04:28 PM
Finally got around to watching The Hulk.
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/19/09 05:19 PM
We watched Ghost Town last night and really enjoyed it, It's like a comedy version of Sixth Sense.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/19/09 05:51 PM
 Originally Posted By: StuntGibbon
Also been pecking away at season one of Mad Men, watched about the first 5 episodes. Really liking that so far.


I watched the first season, too. It's well-done, and a little different storyline, but I don't think it's really my kind of show. Certain parts did make me smile, though. How about that Christina Hendricks, though?
Posted By: StuntGibbon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/19/09 06:32 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
How about that Christina Hendricks, though?


Yeah! She's got HUUUUUUUUUGE tracts of land!
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/19/09 07:25 PM
Hey, Full Monty Python. Wow, it's like I'm 18 again.

I thought you were joking, then I went to Chickipedia and saw this: Assets: Amazing natural breasts, perfect curves, beautiful red hair
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/19/09 08:17 PM
Chicki---pedia. Um kay...
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/19/09 08:23 PM
Curious George
Posted By: PeterChenoweth Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/19/09 08:58 PM
 Originally Posted By: medic8r
then I went to Chickipedia and saw this: Assets: Amazing natural breasts, perfect curves, beautiful red hair


Say what?

I've just learned about a new website.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/19/09 10:29 PM
An intro "ad" for Chickipedia, in a style that some of you may find familiar. Safe for work, just slightly suggestive.

Wiki, are you hitting on me?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/20/09 04:31 AM
Justin Long could have been the spokesperson just fine.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/20/09 07:27 AM
deleted wrong thread
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/21/09 06:30 AM
I'm half-way through Louis C.K.: Chewed Up. Is there anyone funnier? I sure hope not, because I'm on the verge of harps.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/21/09 06:42 AM
I'm a big fan of Louis C.K. He makes me cringe and laugh all at once.
 Originally Posted By: CV
I'm half-way through Louis C.K.: Chewed Up. Is there anyone funnier? I sure hope not, because I'm on the verge of harps.


Yes. Jim Gaffigan, Mitch Fatel Doug Stanhope, Dave Attell and Mike Birbiglia. And my all time fav, Brian Regan, who happens to be one of the cleanest comics around. They're all on youtube. YMMV.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/21/09 07:09 AM
I like them. My mileage did vary, though.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/21/09 02:59 PM
Verge of harps?


Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/21/09 03:06 PM
You know, because they're playing harps in Heaven.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/21/09 03:14 PM
I thought that might have been it.

So you're saying that Louis C.K. KEEEEEELs you.

I get that from Triumph the Insult Comic Dog when he takes on the nerds.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/21/09 05:14 PM
Which of these buttons calls your parents to pick you up?
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/21/09 06:09 PM
That is the last time he will ever see female genitalia.
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/21/09 06:22 PM
Your assuming he's seen them before \:\)
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/21/09 09:36 PM
unless he was born via Cesarean... he has.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/22/09 09:06 AM
The Wire

Again. I'm on season 3. I need to hurry up, but I keep getting distracted by Netflixed stuff.
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/22/09 04:49 PM
Hope to be watching The Last Samurai if it comes in the mail from Zip today.
Watched Lost last night. I'm still confused...
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/22/09 06:38 PM
 Originally Posted By: oldskoolboarder
Watched Lost last night. I'm still confused...


I've tried watching this show, never really watched it before, but heard other people rave about it. Maybe it's like '24', if you don't watch from the start, you're a little...umm....'Lost'?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/23/09 08:17 AM
Vol. 7 of Death Note. This show keeps pushing the envelope. I have Vol. 8 from Netflix to go through, too, but after that I'll probably have to read the manga box set that my mom and sister bought me so I don't have to wait for further volumes of the anime to know how it all wraps up.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/23/09 08:58 AM
I’ve been sitting on volume 8 for a few weeks already and don’t plan to watch it until the last two volumes are out. Luckily I’ve got such a huge backlog of other shows to watch but I do want to see how they wrap it all up.

I was going to post a link for people who might be curious about “Death Note” as with “Cowboy Bebop” however, most of the articles have spoilers so a plot synopsis will have to do.

 Quote:

Plot Summary: Yagami Light is an ace student with great prospects, who's bored out of his mind. One day he finds the "Death Note": a notebook from the realm of the Death Gods, with the power to kill people in any way he desires. With the Death Note in hand, Light decides to create his perfect world, without crime or criminals. However, when criminals start dropping dead one by one, the authorites send the legendary detective L to track down the killer, and a battle of wits, deception and logic ensues...



Also found this:

What Death Note Character Are You?

I’m Light Yagami
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/25/09 07:23 AM
Crap. I'm Light, too. It's getting bright in here.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/25/09 07:25 AM
Raise the Red Lantern

It's a well-done movie, but like most movies with endings that don't seem to fully resolve, I have trouble knowing what to take away from it. Gong Li has a cool face, so I'll take that away from it.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/25/09 07:35 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Crap. I'm Light, too. It's getting bright in here.



In a dark maniacal way. ;\)

Made me curious if it always answers that way so I did it with different selections and got a different result.
Posted By: BoB/335 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/25/09 11:17 AM
Toy Story with my nieces. Digitally remasterd audio and video. Great picture. Wish I had mt speakers. (Well, it's 6:15AM on Sunday and I rushed to the door when I awoke and still no speakers)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/25/09 08:09 PM
I guess I'll have to watch this when it comes out. It's about Bruce Lee's sifu, starring Donnie Yen.

Ip Man trailer (YouTube)
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/25/09 08:18 PM
I watched The Host, one of the movies that CV graciously mailed to me. It's a Korean-made film about a mutant water creature. The blu-ray case has all kinds of glowing comments about how great a monster movie it is, like Jaws.

I fell asleep after 30 or 40 minutes. My wife kind of watched it in between surfing the web on her MacBook.

CV, I can't imagine you didn't want to keep that cinematic treasure...
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/25/09 08:19 PM
I actually did like parts of it, but yeah, it seemed like it should belong to you.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/25/09 09:05 PM
I think we should pass it around the Axiom boards like a Hot Potato. If anyone wants it next (who wouldn't after our glowing reviews?!), then send me a PM. If not, maybe I'll just have to send it to one of you guys. I think I have about 7 or 8 mailing addresses from when I sent out those mix CDs.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/25/09 09:11 PM
 Originally Posted By: medic8r
If anyone wants it next


Maybe you should send it to my neighbour, he has bad insomnia and if you say it put you to sleep....
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/25/09 09:39 PM
 Originally Posted By: medic8r
I think I have about 7 or 8 mailing addresses from when I sent out those mix CDs.


Oh, yeah, I was going to get back to you on that.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/25/09 11:42 PM
 Originally Posted By: medic8r
from when I sent out those mix CDs.


::runs away snickering::
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/09 12:51 AM
It's Sean's favorite tonight.

Aqua Teen Hunger Force 6
I have to admit, some of the scariest/oddest horror movies are Korean ones that I caught on IFC. I don't recall the names but they were some of the few movies that I 'let' myself watch in SD. \:\)
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/09 04:32 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
It's Sean's favorite tonight.

Aqua Teen Hunger Force 6



AAAAAAAH! I had a mini-rant about ATHF a while back.

Yup, still don't like it.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/09 04:46 AM
Wife and I watched 'Trans Siberian' this evening, it was *OK*, we did finally watch 'The Fall' last night and that is very good, I wish it would have been available in Blu-Ray but the rental place just didn't have it.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/09 05:02 AM
My wife and I watched The Fall tonight. We both enjoyed it and want to add our names to the pile of people recommending it highly.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/09 05:16 AM
Peter The Fall is most definitely on our Blu-Ray to get list, we both really enjoyed it.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/09 05:29 AM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy

AAAAAAAH! I had a mini-rant about ATHF a while back.

Yup, still don't like it.


I watched a lot of the cartoon network when I was doing alerts because the hotels they put us up in didn’t have much of a channel selection but I could never cope with ATHF, the Anime series were all good to great but the rest of Adult Swim was so so. I actually got into some of their kids cartoons more.

I really got into Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (especially Goo and Cheese),
Scooby Doo, Teen Titains, Codename Kids Next Door and Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi. Ok and even “The Power Puff Girls.”

Has anyone been watching “Star Wars: The Clone Wars? Haven’t seen it yet and was wondering if it’s worth the time.
I've got the Clone Wars series on my Tivo. Watched a few and as big a Star Wars fan that I am, it's not that great. Those stupid droids are bumbling idiots and it annoys me. I also didn't like the animated Clone Wars movie.

However, I did watch the original animated Clone Wars which were made up of 5 minute shorts on Cartoon Network. Those are MUCH better than the current ones. The animation is more cell shaded than the CGI one now, I prefer the former.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/09 05:39 AM
Nothing wrong with the The Power Puff Girls.

As for Adult Swim, besides Aqua Teen Hunger Force, I've loved The Brak Show (with the first season being genius), Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law, and Sealab 2021. I can see why people wouldn't get into them.

They were showing Lupin III, weren't they? I liked Lupin from way back. What I've seen of the show is pretty cool. I still feel the need to put in the movie, Castle of Cagliostro, every once in a while.

But yeah, I have a lot of anime to watch. I'm way behind.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/09 05:41 AM
Thanks for the info. I hadn’t prioritized them I have soooo many other things to watch and they hadn’t given me a good vibe. I liked the animated Star Trek series so I had hopes for this one but I’ll probably push it back.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/09 05:43 AM
I just have to say that I hate the Hannah Barbara animation style that most of these cartoons have. Drives me up the wall how bad the art is.

Another thing to endear myself to others of my age and younger: I don't like the anime style either. What, are they too cheap to use more than 10 frames per second with half of them being repeats of the previous ones?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/09 05:53 AM
Yes, they are. The reason they're animating so much in the first place is to save money over live action.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/09 06:43 AM

 Originally Posted By: CV

Yes, they are. The reason they're animating so much in the first place is to save money over live action.


Good point! IMO the bulk of the effort goes into the stories and characters (something Hollywood misses on a lot) rather than just visual production “value.“

I hated the Anime style so much that I refused to watch any for about 35 years until someone insisted that I watch “Cowboy Bebop.” That’s when I thought duh, it’s the story and the character interaction that matter. Funny because I’ve always loved radio dramas and audio books.

Some directors/producers have been trying to upgrade to CGI graphics but many anime fans don’t like it. So you end up with hybrids like Appleseed and Vandread where much of the backgrounds are CGI but the characters are still anime style. Also in more recently produced anime frame rates are better.

One of the best things I like about anime being made or updated (English tracks) today is that they often put a lot of effort into the 5.1 soundtracks with the resulting surround sound often better than most movies. Also, even though anime has it’s motifs for me they are a refreshing change from Hollywood.
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/09 02:58 PM
Watched Burn After Reading last night. I'm not a huge Coen brothers fan but this one was not so far off the wall that I couldn't enjoy it. Absolutely FABULOUS performances by Clooney, Pitt, and McDormand. Malkovich was equally nutso but, with him, you can't tell if it's a performance or if he's just being himself.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/09 03:11 PM
Missed the season opener for Battlestar Galactica. Watched number two last night but still don't know who the 5th Cylon is cause they skipped around it in the 2nd.

Went to the official websight to watch the first episode but the 'not allowed to stream any content outside the US border' rule struck yet again.

I understand though, you don't us Canadian's copying any of that Cylon technology from the show or we might create an army of cyborg Celine Dions. Now that's a cold war weapon no one would dare invoke.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/09 03:30 PM
I guess I must have missed the ones with good characters. I keep seeing the ones with the stereotypes--the schoolgirls with extraordinarily short skirts and a severe lack of morals, the dirty old men which turn into chibi with disturbing regularity, and the fight scenes which consist entirely of colored backgrounds and people jumping past each other.

Yes, I saw Akira. But it was a very long time ago, with far too much Ranma 1/2 in the intervening years.
Posted By: PeterChenoweth Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/09 03:46 PM
 Originally Posted By: RickF
Peter The Fall is most definitely on our Blu-Ray to get list, we both really enjoyed it.


I'm happy to hear at least a couple of my Axiomite friends enjoyed The Fall! \:\)

Now you see what I meant about the visuals. ;\)
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/09 03:48 PM
 Originally Posted By: kcarlile
I guess I must have missed the ones with good characters. I keep seeing the ones with the stereotypes--the schoolgirls with extraordinarily short skirts and a severe lack of morals,

At first I was thinking, "What version of Battlestar Galactica" are you freaking watching?" Then I realized you were referring to an earlier post than mine.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/09 05:01 PM
Heh... yeah, you know the one where Starbuck's wearing the little blue skirt?

Just finished Season 2.5 Saturday night. Wow... they really stood things on their head with that one.
I watched the last 2 episodes of BSG last night. I'm still confused... But it's a GREAT show. One of the best written shows IMHO, but way too complicated for the normal viewer (including me). I can see why it's only a cult hit.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/09 07:18 PM
Spoiler alert. In case you can't get the final season opener:

Warning, Spoiler:
According to a memory that comes to him during an aborted suicide in the ocean, Saul discovers that his wife was a Cylon. But Starbuck discovers her own body in her crashed viper on Earth, so she's got to be one too....

Yes, I got both of those references. Hence my confusion... :0

Maybe I'm the last Cylon.

I remember watching the first season of 24. It started off great then started to falter. They got crazy w/ the writing, to the point where I thought I might be one of the bad guys.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/09 08:45 PM
Thanks. The spoiler is really all I needed. I can now resume watching the rest of the season without bitterness.

We all saw the second missing cylon coming but the first one??? Sort of a 'who cares' kind of surprise. Although maybe that was part of the lead in to the second.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/27/09 06:32 AM
I'm down to the last two episodes of season 3 of The Wire. Still very good.
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/31/09 12:21 AM
Watching Eagle Eye, pretty dumb but fun tech thriller ripoff, still it fits my mood, very spooky sound/visuals, spent 4 hours in the doctor's office today where it was determined that I am coming down with pneumonia, lots of nasty treatments that hopefully will head that off at the pass, for one I never used Albuterol before and I must say I don't like it, as I always expected I never would if ever had to take it.

My EP800 arrived at the local FEDEX facility at 3:20 pm but it looks like it won't be delivered until Monday, I always have that sense of disbelief about those type of delivery schedules, given that I will be home all day tomorrow but not available to receive on Monday unless they come after 6 pm.

Still it feels good, the surround sound is sounding great right now, and it feels like the end of a saga . . .
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/31/09 03:25 AM
I've been surprised before by FedEx Home Delivery delivering what I thought were FedEx Ground packages on Saturdays. I'm not trying to get your hopes up. I'm just saying... maybe watch the status to make sure it's not out for delivery tomorrow.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/31/09 10:07 AM
SatK, Be careful with Pneumonia, I had it about this time last year and never knew................I passed out at work and face planted into the concrete floor. I had been coughing severely for 6 weeks and only getting about 1 hour of sleep a night, it finally caught up to me. Luckily only 4 stitches and a concussion.
Warning, Spoiler:




Warning, Spoiler:



Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/31/09 10:29 AM
Watched the first season of “Vandread.”

http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/vandreadenemyengaged.php

This is a sci-fi, comedy, action anime that with the exception of one episode is fast paced. The animation is excellent blending CGI space battles with standard animation. The music and sound effects are also good even though it’s only 2.0. Each episode stands alone but there are several story arcs running through it to tie things together. Plenty of fanservice sexual innuendo but sorry no high-school girls in short blue skirts. ;\)
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/31/09 12:29 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I've been surprised before by FedEx Home Delivery delivering what I thought were FedEx Ground packages on Saturdays. I'm not trying to get your hopes up. I'm just saying... maybe watch the status to make sure it's not out for delivery tomorrow.


Yes, I believe "home" delivery can be Saturday....
Posted By: BrenR Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/01/09 06:18 AM
 Originally Posted By: jakewash
I passed out at work and face planted into the concrete floor.
Nasty stuff... glad you're okay.

Bren R.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/01/09 06:28 AM
Yeah, concrete is not a nice surface to meet with any significant velocity.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/01/09 07:16 AM
Unless you're meeting it with Kaboom on a ShamWow. Man, "Kaboom on a ShamWow" sounds like a (h)it song.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/01/09 07:58 AM
\:D

Thanks guys, I was still having headaches(very minor) and dizzy spells till about December. Funny thing was I couldn't figure out why I was getting dizzy when I went for a run or tried to work out through last summer, then I realized what it was after talking to a guy while looking for hockey eqipment for my son, the guy had been out of hockey for a couple of years waiting for symptoms to go away. I went for a cat scan and all was well, so far I have been symptom free for a couple of months.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/01/09 10:03 AM
Nasty fall indeed, hopefully the dizziness will stay gone. Good luck Jay. My wife started getting mean migraine headaches about two years and after several trips to the doctors, cat scans and medications we haven't been able to find the cause or cure yet.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/01/09 06:00 PM
Migraines are somewhat a normal occurance around these parts, the pressure changes associated with the chinooks as they blow in tends to set them off in a number of people.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/01/09 06:39 PM
Yikes. I had a bout of pnumonia a couple of years ago. It is only the second time in my life I have been sick for a week and the first time I spend a week where the only things I did were eat drink and sleep. A week of horse pills and what must have been 18 hours a day of sleep for 5 days strait did the trick.

Satkatr. Saturday delivery can be arranged with Fedex, but its a higher priced service. I don't know if the receiver can arrange it and pay the difference though.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/02/09 03:20 AM
Watching the Super Bowl. \:o

Yeah Pittsburg won! Now all those bird fans at work can eat………..crow?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/04/09 07:12 AM
My sister's here and leaving tomorrow, which is why I haven't been posting a ton. I had her watch Sunshine with me, since she hadn't seen it, likes some of the actors, and it's a good movie for the subwoofers. She doesn't like the volume very loud, though, so I didn't get to really shake the house. It was still apparent there was more to feel than before.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/06/09 08:00 AM
I just watched the final episode of The Wire. What a great series. I really need to learn to write.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/07/09 05:07 PM
I watched Afro Samurai: Resurrection last night. It's a pretty movie, and the audio is a lot of fun (plenty of material for the subs). It's too bad the writing is so bad. I forgot how annoying the guy is who follows Afro Samurai around everywhere. I think he's supposed to be funny, but they missed the mark by more than a johnson.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/07/09 05:21 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I think he's supposed to be funny, but they missed the mark by more than a johnson.


For some, that could be a wide margin, for others. . .meh.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/07/09 05:25 PM
The laughter increases as the margin shrinks.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/07/09 05:28 PM
Oh, what a cruel world!
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/09/09 04:39 AM
Princess Bride on YTV with my 8 yr. old son, they cut a bit out but still fun to watch.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/09/09 05:13 AM
City of Ember

Weak writing, poor production values, but at least there were some house-shaking moments.
I watched the latest episode of BSG last night. OMG. That was a shot from left field.

It's really too bad that show doesn't get the press it should. It's like the Arrested Development of sci fi, and drama for that matter.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/09/09 09:20 AM
Step Brothers

I liked it. Enough falls flat that it's not a gem, but enough succeeds that I found it worthwhile.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/09/09 01:32 PM
My wife choose "Death Race" from the list of PfV movies on the dish. She seemed convinced that her friends told her it was good. I started to explain to her what kind of movie it was but then thought it would be more fun to let her find out for herself.
Actually, it was entertaining enough for a snowy Sunday afternoon but I won't recommend it for anything but hangover days and snowed in viewing.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/09/09 02:01 PM
Cesar, I watched the latest BSG last night as well. The previous episode (that ended in a cliffhanger) was so intense that it got my adrenaline pumping and I was shaking a bit. This episode was no less intense.

I'd think Adama was a ruthless dictator if I didn't admire the character so much. (And, I think the writers are quite aware of that duality....)
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/09/09 02:17 PM
I think I'm gonna have to finally start checking BSG out. I watched the pilot show, or whatever it was called, and liked it. . .but I never seem to make time for regularly scheduled TV shows. That's why Netflix is the greatest!
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
Cesar, I watched the latest BSG last night as well. The previous episode (that ended in a cliffhanger) was so intense that it got my adrenaline pumping and I was shaking a bit. This episode was no less intense.

I'd think Adama was a ruthless dictator if I didn't admire the character so much. (And, I think the writers are quite aware of that duality....)


Yeah, I get anxious (in a good way) watching this season.

Gotta respect the Adama character despite the flaws. But I can't help thinking 2 things when I watch him:

1) It's Kimo, he's gotta whip out the Cal-coo-lus home work. (Stand and Deliver btw...)
2) HD is NOT good for Edward James Olmos... Even the crappy Sci Fi HD on Comcast. He's got the face for SD.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/09/09 05:22 PM
BSG=
Best Show Going
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/09/09 05:22 PM
I'm with you 100% on points 1 and 2.

Minus two plus two. Fill the hole…. Oralé
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/11/09 01:57 AM
I just watched this short movie (~15min) in YouTube called Validation.

It's kinda sickly sweet, but it cheered me up. \:\)
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/11/09 07:55 AM
 Originally Posted By: jakewash
Princess Bride on YTV with my 8 yr. old son, they cut a bit out but still fun to watch.


I’ve lost count how many times I’ve watched “Princess Bride.” I love that movie.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/12/09 08:20 AM
What in the heck was up with Joaquin Phoenix on Letterman tonight?

Weird star alert: Joaquin Phoenix mystifies David Letterman
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/12/09 01:52 PM
Wow, I hope he was staging that to promote himself in some weird kind of way, otherwise he needs to get to a meth clinic FAST.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/15/09 03:45 AM
Hellboy II: The Golden Army [Blu-ray]

I did like it more than the first, but it's not one I need to own. The soundtrack is very fun, though.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/15/09 05:23 AM
Hellboy is a fun flic. Not something I would watch a whole bunch of times though.

My son and I started LOTR again. Its been a while since I last watched this one.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/15/09 06:03 AM
Watched Read or Die (ROD) earlier. It’s sort of a cross between “Ghost in the Shell” and “The Librarian” Good characters, music, animation and interesting premise but way to rushed. This should have been at least a whole season of episodes and not just a 3 part OVA.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/read-or-die/dvd
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/15/09 06:15 AM
My Name Is Bruce

Not so great unless you're a fan of Bruce Campbell, but worth it if you are. He has some pretty good lines.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/16/09 12:58 AM
I finally got around to watching Zodiac. I liked it a lot. It was nice to see "Lyle the Intern" from Letterman in it.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/16/09 01:47 AM
Been watching a mildly entertaining bitch-slapping contest between Craigsub and a couple former “friends” on the AVS channel. I hope AV123 pulls things together, however, I must admit to some schadenfreude over this when I notice the ever increasing silence of some of the worst of the fanboys.

Uncharacteristically the Mods haven’t stepped in and put the smack-down on anyone yet

P.S. Spoke to soon. The ref stopped the fight. AFAIK no blood was drawn but I think there were a few broken nails.

Well off to TCA for the locker room report.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/16/09 02:22 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I finally got around to watching Zodiac. I liked it a lot. It was nice to see "Lyle the Intern" from Letterman in it.


Wife and I watched that one a week or so ago, good movie.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/16/09 02:58 AM
Yeah, I thought it was a well-told story. I don't know how accurate all of the details are, but I'm impressed either way, I suppose.

I just watched the first episode of Important Things with Demetri Martin. It was as good as I thought it would be.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/16/09 03:05 AM
Charles if you research the Zodiac killer you'll find that the story is pretty darn accurate ... although very good indications points to Arthur Leigh Allen as being the prime suspect but there was no conclusive evidence to tie him to the killings as of yet. Wild.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/16/09 03:07 AM
I may have to read a book. It was certainly engaging in movie form.
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/18/09 08:31 AM
Yes it's hard for me to accept after all this time and effort, (including the well produced Zodiac movie), that no one knows the truth of what transpired. Astrology now!

Watching the Changeling, 1st 15 minutes, so far I can't believe how well AJ recalls the era, for a million years her bee sting lip smirk (including Oscar award) renditions have left me worse than cold, hope the vibe continues. This recalls reality, once upon a time, or is it fantasy. Hallelujah!, as my daughter is wont to exclaim (sorry, small town utterance)!


Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/18/09 09:45 AM
Ratatouille

I had a former coworker and her friend (and now current coworker) over for ice cream and to watch a movie. They picked this one. I didn't tell them I'd just watched it within the last week or two, since I actually did feel like watching it again. I'm actually liking it more each time I watch it. It may actually be my favorite Pixar movie now, even over The Incredibles.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/20/09 07:49 AM
Important Things with Demetri Martin again. I wish I could just skip ahead and own the series in a nice box set. He makes me sick, though, being smarter and funnier than myself in every way.
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/21/09 03:09 AM
Kung Pow Enter the Fist
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/21/09 06:24 PM
Well, last night was the last episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien. It's been nice seeing all of the looks back at the last 16 years. I'm sad I never got to go see a taping, but maybe I'll be able to catch him on The Tonight Show. Here's hoping the transition is a smooth one.
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/21/09 09:42 PM
Watching the lake through the window across the street as I read an endless medieval fantasy novel. What else are weekends for?

Thanks Jason, the tutorial worked and I can post photos now. \:\)


Posted By: merchman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/21/09 10:48 PM
Absolutely beautiful view. You are very lucky and I am very jealous. Enjoy. \:\)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/22/09 12:58 AM
The Kingdom again. It's a little heavy-handed and manipulates your emotions, but it's still put together well and is engaging enough, and the firefights are fun. Also, it still cracks me up that Jeremy Piven is made to look like Tom Cruise from Collateral.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/22/09 05:41 AM
I admit it, I'm about to watch Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay. I was thinking earlier that it would be funny if it was in DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, and much to my surprise, it actually is. So even if the actual movie isn't funny, I *still* got a laugh out of it.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/22/09 06:34 AM
Battlestar Galactica Season 1 disc 2, having only caught bits and pieces of this while broadcast, I am enjoying seeing it in its full form.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/22/09 06:48 AM
I forgot all about the latest episode. Why have I been wasting time on the internet instead of watching it? \:\(
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/22/09 02:53 PM
Watch Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds Live at Radio City. Bought the Bluray yesterday but had previously watched this on HDNET. There's something special in listening to acoustic guitars on my Axioms \:\) \:\) \:\) \:\) \:\) \:\) \:\)
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/22/09 11:42 PM
BSG Season 1 disc 3 now.
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/09 12:54 AM
Well not too hot, first try to photograph, but after all they do call it "Sunset Hill." \:\)


Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/09 12:55 AM
Nice view, and nice pic!
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/09 01:05 AM
That's my front door view but it's just a nature fantasy, a modicum of solace in an otherwise urban wasteland (we live in a small town which I love for my daughter but I'm not a happy camper as you well know, hey I'm a native Vermonter, not a Texan), I believe the air is cleaner, what with 2 miles of water across and 10 miles long, although EPA testing says it's just the same, my lungs know better, i.e., this is much better than Dallas air. \:\)
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/09 02:00 AM
 Quote:
There's something special in listening to acoustic guitars on my Axioms

I have to agree. I can easily pick out different makes/styles, even if I cannot name them by make.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/09 02:01 AM
Damn thats a nice picture SatKartr!
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/09 02:03 AM
 Originally Posted By: jakewash
BSG Season 1 disc 3 now.

I rented a disc last year when I was bored and got hooked. Went through the first 3 seasons in 3 weeks. Now I have to wait forever for them to release the final season to DVD. \:\(
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/09 02:08 AM
Scooby Doo the Boo Brothers, with the kids.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/09 02:12 AM
 Originally Posted By: sirquack
Scooby Doo the Boo Brothers, with the kids.


I can't use that excu reason any more. ;\)
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/09 03:32 AM
Academy Awards of course, now there's always at least one sure bet for me each year that I go in believing absolutely deserves the Oscar, of course this year it was Heath Ledger, genius performance . . .
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/09 04:06 AM
Yes, it would be easy to dismiss Heath Ledger's award as sympathy. But, I found his performance to be riveting and unlike anything I'd seen before. He scared the crap out of me and, IMHO, deserved the award.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/09 04:12 AM
Was I supposed to be watching something tonight?
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/09 04:15 AM
Dream on, dreamer . . . \:D
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/09 05:07 PM
Beautiful lakeside view!

Here is one facing down the river that joins into my bay when the entire sky was on fire like the world was coming to an end. I wished I would have had a fisheye lens or something that could better display that the entire sky from west to east was lit up in fiery orange.


Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/24/09 03:52 AM
Another beautiful picture!

I took my daughter to see Cats tonight (Christmas present to her). I am not a big fan of musicals, but this is a very impressive production!
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/25/09 03:44 AM
I used to go to PEI on vacation with my Dad back in the day, now that would be the place to live, IMHO, gotta love it! \:\)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/25/09 08:07 AM
Office Space
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/25/09 09:32 AM
 Originally Posted By: Murph
When the entire sky was on fire like the world was coming to an end.


Beautiful phraseology/reality, I love it!
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/25/09 07:48 PM
Thanks. No skill involved. I just took a bunch of shots and pointed at different places on the horizon, holding the clicky half down before I returned to center, in order to get a bunch different effects from the automatic sensors.

Inject enough chaos and you can eventually find perfection.

Edit::
Oh wait, you were talking about my wording. Well, double thanks! That's definitely a first.

Told you I could really speak Mark!!! LOL!!!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/26/09 06:22 AM
Volume 9 of Death Note. I'm going to hate waiting for volume 10.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/26/09 06:41 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Volume 9 of Death Note. I'm going to hate waiting for volume 10.


That’s why I’m keeping 8 and 9 on ice. When 10 comes out I’ll watch all 3 back-to-back the way I watched 2 to 7.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/26/09 06:58 AM
Thanks again for turning me onto the show. It really is wonderful. More people need to watch it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/26/09 07:44 AM
Well, you don't have to wait for 10 to come out. I just finished watching volume 9, and it concludes the series.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/26/09 08:15 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV

Well, you don't have to wait for 10 to come out. I just finished watching volume 9, and it concludes the series.


Thanks for the update. I had read that there was a 10th dvd coming out but I know that there are only 37 episodes and netflix lists 33-37 being on disk 9. Now I know what’s on the top of my list for this weekend.

 Originally Posted By: CV

Thanks again for turning me onto the show. It really is wonderful. More people need to watch it.


Cool that you liked it and I agree about more people watching it but unfortunately too many people think all anime is for kids and/or pervs. I’m just glad I picked up volume #1 (the only one the store had) when I was in Guam last year. Talk about a long wait to get back Stateside and order the rest from netflix only to find out that those fargin bastages still had more to release.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/26/09 08:24 AM
Ha ha, yeah, I can only imagine. I'm glad I didn't start watching until it was almost all out.

I thought I would give in and read the graphic novel box set that my sister and mother bought me for my birthday, but I decided I would wait to watch the anime in its entirety before starting the graphic novels. Now I can read those and see how differently the story is told. It looks like the second box set of the anime hits in April. After that comes out, I'll have to start loaning them out to friends.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/28/09 05:54 AM
Samurai 7. I'm only a few episodes in. It's paced a little slow, but then, Seven Samurai put me to sleep, too, even though I liked it. This is an animated retelling of Akira Kurosawa's classic, only expanded and sci-fied up a bit.
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/01/09 06:36 AM
Body of Lies on Directv HD PPV, this is the first movie as opposed to TV we have watched since installing the 3808, I continue to notice better video images than the 663, I like the sound quite a bit better having run Audyssey auto EQ with only 3 positions so far (there are 3 seats on the couch). Center channel sounds clearer due to EQ, surround is more enveloping and seamless (interesting to me, Audyssey decreased the left surround which is higher and farther away yet mounted on the wall, the right surround is closer and lower yet suspended from the ceiling with a lot of space behind, it all seems rather obvious in retrospect yet would not have been my first thought, so far I am sold on the auto eq, it seems to forgive all of the installation errors and room variance problems, as if the the old school equation that less is more has been due to the inability of human ears to provide sufficient analysis rather than the power of eq itself to provide correction), I wax philosophical and digress, anyhow I am a happy camper so far with the 3808 and suspect I will be able to "live with" (i.e., completely rock with) this processor for more than the foreseeable future.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/01/09 07:10 AM
The director's cut of Jet Li's Fearless on Blu-ray. I was surprised by just how different it was. I mean, basically it's the same, with a few differences in emphasis, but there was a lot of different footage involved, and I would say it was superior to the US theatrical release. I still wouldn't rank it among my favorite movies, but it was nice to see a nicer version of it.

Followed with some episodes of Futurama.
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/01/09 01:26 PM
Got through the majority of Man on Fire and so far I really like it. It also has some good LFE.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/04/09 07:28 AM
I finally got around to Changeling. Man, what a movie. I can see why a couple of you were saying such good things about it.
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/04/09 11:12 AM
Yes, I watched Changling a few weeks ago and thought it Clint's usual wonderful job. The guy can really play with your emotions. I spent the first half of the movie so outraged by her treatment that, a few times, I actually yelled at the screen stuff like " DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY WITH THAT CRAP!!!! " or "TELL HIM TO @#%& OFF!!!." Heck of a story and all the more remarkable because it actually happened.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/04/09 01:02 PM
Jack.... Jack?

It's 8 O'Clock and time for your blood pressure medication....
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/08/09 05:08 AM
Season 3 of Just Shoot Me on DVD. It only took them 5 years to follow up their release of seasons 1 & 2.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/13/09 12:48 PM
Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder

Futurama: What a great TV show, and what an okay series of full-length features.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/13/09 02:05 PM
Wait, there's more than just Bender's Big Score? Awesome!
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/14/09 06:33 PM
I watched the first 12 acts of 美少女戦士セーラームーン, Bishōjo Senshi Sērā Mūn or Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (PGSM). It’s the live action version of the Sailor Moon manga’s first story arc.

So far I really like it. There’s more focus on character interactions and development than in something like Power Rangers so the fighting scenes don’t dominate the show. The transformation scenes are kept reasonably short and when several girls transform at the same time they use split screen so you don’t end up watching 4 in a row. Each episode is short, 30 minutes less beginning/ending credits, and so far they’ve kept the filler to a minimum.

The only drawback for me is the subtitles. There really aren’t that many but I’m a very slow reader and have had to use the pause to keep up. Fortunately the tone of voices and body language don’t need translation so the overall meaning of what’s being said carries through even when I get behind on the reading.

The subtitles for things like signs are done very well making them blend into what’s on screen so they look natural and not distracting. There are also occasional captions explaining relevant cultural references.

The special effects are campy as is to be expected with the genre but the picture quality is really vivid. I’ve noticed this with other live action anime, Cutie Honey was the same way. While it’s only standard definition it jumps out at you like high def rather than the “softened” TV and movie pictures I’m used to here.

Overall I’m quite impressed so far and hope they can keep things from bogging down into a monster-of-the-week format now that most of the main characters are introduced.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/16/09 02:03 AM
I finally got around to watching all of Bottle Rocket on Blu-ray. I've seen the movie plenty of times, but the higher-resolution let me see a lot of new stuff in the background. I was happy with the transfer. Also, the audio sounded very natural and clear, though I didn't pay as close of attention as I could have.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/16/09 04:53 PM
I watched The Changeling yesterday with my wife, daughter and her boyfriend. Towards the end of the movie when the lawyer told the nurse at the psycho ward to "step aside" - the boyfrined added "Yeah Troll!!". May be the only funny thing that I have heard him say.......
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/16/09 06:16 PM
Finished watching the last 5 parts of "Band of Brothers" over the weekend. Now it'll take me a couple of weeks to settle down from watching it. I know I shouldn't watch these types of movies because I get to emotionally envolved. It was a very tough weekend \:\(
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/16/09 07:05 PM
I watched Changeling this weekend with my wife, too. It's definitely an emotional ride, well-acted, well-filmed, and gripping.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/18/09 05:32 AM
I finally watched Kramer vs. Kramer. I liked it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/18/09 07:11 AM
Julia Roberts on Letterman is classic tonight. I'm not really a fan of Julia Roberts until she's on his show. Their interaction always cracks me up.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/18/09 11:22 AM
I watched the old miniseries "Into the West" this past week and weekend. I know that Spielberg left out a lot of "stuff" - but he also put in a lot of "stuff" that actually happened.....this will get your "blood up" in a similar manner as the Changeling. I need to ratchet it back a couple of notches this weekend - maybe the NCAA's?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/18/09 06:05 PM
The Julia Roberts appearance I was referring to:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

It's a lot to watch, but come on, do it.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/18/09 06:10 PM
I'll watch it later on my TiVo. But only to make you happy, Charles!
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/18/09 07:20 PM
I've got an alto flute for Julia right here.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/19/09 06:18 AM
The Princess Bride [Blu-ray]

I just watched a few scenes tonight. The full viewing will come later, so these are my premature impressions.

The extra resolution is nice, though there can be an awful lot of grain to the picture, depending on the scene. It's at least an improvement over the DVD releases, though I have to admit I'm a little disappointed. The audio was clean and clear, though it's not a very demanding soundtrack.

The menu system is actually reminiscent of the menu I had in a version of the Princess Bride website I ran for a number of years. I say reminiscent, but I mean it's the exact same idea, only of higher quality and with actual animation. I'm going to just pretend that I'm the reason they used that idea.
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/19/09 11:55 AM
Watched / listened to The Cure Trilogy on Bluray in 2 channel Direct mode.
EP-800 died
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/19/09 02:33 PM
I watched Akira [Blu-ray] last night. I'm kind of disappointed. While the picture quality was amazing--to the absolute limit of the original animation cells. The image is under-scanned, so when viewed in 1:1 pixel mode, there is a black frame around the entire image, that's the top, bottom, along with the left and right.

Also the 192kHz/24-bit audio (the reason I bought this movie) is underwhelming. Sure, it is crisp and clear, but it is also totally free from dynamics. It is just loud all the time. I usually watch films with the volume set at -18 dB for ones with limited dynamic range so the dialog seems natural but there's still a little punch in the louder parts, movies with a wide dynamic range usually sound natural at -15 (and then really get to kick when something goes boom). This Akira disc sounded loud all the time at -21.

Disappointing. \:\(
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/19/09 02:38 PM
 Originally Posted By: onn
EP-800 died


Ouch. I'm very sorry to hear that. You were due for one of the revised amplifiers, anyway, right?
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/19/09 04:12 PM
Yes, but in talking to Brent there may be other issues that caused my sub to die and the new amp won't solve that issue. I'm going to have to wait for an entirely new sub. The wait begins again. \:\(
Posted By: Shane White Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/20/09 01:37 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
The Princess Bride [Blu-ray]

The extra resolution is nice, though there can be an awful lot of grain to the picture, depending on the scene.


I wonder if the exrtra res is bringing out the grain - like good speakers making a bad recording sound worse.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/20/09 01:59 AM
Am I the only one watchin the NCAA Tourney? What's his face - Oglesby - from Clemson got ejected for throwing an elbow.
Posted By: Zarak Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/20/09 02:14 AM
I'm in on the March madness. Took off today and tomorrow and am not doing much other than watching games this weekend. Winning my pool so far \:\)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/20/09 05:55 AM
I've been re-watching Cowboy Bebop, and here's the trailer for the upcoming Quentin Tarantino film:

Inglourious Basterds trailer
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/20/09 06:33 AM
 Originally Posted By: Shane White
I wonder if the exrtra res is bringing out the grain - like good speakers making a bad recording sound worse.

It is indeed the resolution of the Blu-ray disc exceeding the master which allows one to see the grain. But I don't think of it as a bad thing, it is just proof that you are seeing every bit of detail that was originally recorded.

Perhaps it is because I'm a photographer and I've long since become used to seeing film grain that is doesn't bother me as much as it seems to other people. I say embrace the grain, it is an organic part of the picture.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/20/09 06:50 AM
Grain can work, but this grain was a bit much. It just makes me think it wasn't filmed as well as other movies.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/20/09 10:43 AM
 Originally Posted By: ClubNeon
embrace the grain


What a great SIG line....
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/20/09 11:28 AM
Especially for a constipation cure product.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/20/09 03:34 PM
I've been enjoying the series "Life on Mars" and was disappointed last night to see the promo for the SERIES finale.

One and done. Too bad.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/20/09 03:59 PM
Joyce and I highlight a bunch of new shows every year and TiVo them. We then watch an episode or two of each to decide if we like it. If we do like it, we have a tendency to let them "bunch up" and watch them togeter...i.e., wait until there's 3 or 4 episodes so we can watch them all back to back.

In the meantime, though, we start keeping an eye on the websites that buzz with the demise of which shows aren't going to be renewed or even continue. When we come across one that got the axe, we just delete all of them rather than watch them. If a series is wrapped up nicely, fine... but often times they end without any real ending, or one hastily put-together episode. We've both been burned too many times for that...I'd rather delete them!

Tom, you need a TiVo with a big-azz external drive. We deleted 6-7 episodes of Life on Mars once we saw it was getting the axe a few weeks ago.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/20/09 04:28 PM
You destroyed all life on Mars!!!!!
Where was the Kaboom? There was supposed to be an Earth shattering Kaboom?
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/20/09 05:01 PM
Well done, Murph!



Mark, our DTV HD DVR (whew!) serves us well. I like your strategy. I disagree with it, but I like it
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/20/09 05:18 PM
I'll have what the squirrel's having.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/21/09 08:23 AM
Just watched Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion: Part 1. To paraphrase a reviewer it’s “Death Note” meets “Gundam.” However, it isn’t quite as dramatic as “Death Note” nor does it have as much action as “Gundam” so if your big fans of either don’t look for them to be recreated here. That said it is entertaining just not quite as good as I expected given the number of “top” lists it’s shown up on.

It’s in a 1.78:1 (16x9) format with quite vivid animation and the very good audio for stereo only. Part #1 (2 disks) was entertaining and flew by very quickly but nothing that will make it into a classic that I can see, but then I don’t get the super appeal of Neon Genesis Evangelion either.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/22/09 02:33 AM
It's over. \:\( \:\(

I just watched the 2-hr series finale of Battlestar Galactica. It was fantastic. But alas, there is no more.... **tears**
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/22/09 02:40 AM
I guess I should start watching that show at some point.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/22/09 02:53 AM
The show really is that good.

I'm now watching all the retrospective cast interviews on the show's website to prolong the moment.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/22/09 04:33 AM
Still waiting to pick up Season 2 on DVD. Caught a portion of one of the lead up shows to the finale yesterday and I was shocked at what I saw. Luckily I haven't been able to watch too many first aired and I haven't recorded any, so it will all be very new to me when I pick up the next set of discs.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/22/09 04:35 AM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
It's over. \:\( \:\(

I just watched the 2-hr series finale of Battlestar Galactica. It was fantastic. But alas, there is no more.... **tears**


Cool now that it’s over I can start ordering the rest of the DVDs and watch the whole thing. I lost track due to deployments and missing episodes so I figured I’d just wait for the DVDs and see the whole thing at once the way I did with Firefly and Farscape.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/22/09 12:43 PM
Last night I watched the Tarheels handle LSU - then watched DOOK struggle against Texas. After that, I watched part of disc 2 of Dexter. Never would have picked that one out had it not been for this thread. I would say that during the second episode on disc 1 which we watched Thursday and Friday, I started getting the subtle humor that is sprinkled throughout the scenes. By last night, I was laughing out loud at some of his "thoughts"
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/23/09 03:46 AM
Just watched Roger Rabbit. I'll probably try to get in some more of Sebring before I hit the sack, but it's going to be an early morning tomorrow...
Posted By: Rock_Head Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/23/09 05:22 AM
Megadeth - Blood In The Water on HDNet
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/23/09 11:52 AM
Watched Children of Huang Shi.
Very interesting story of a reporter trapped within Japan's occupation of parts of China in the late 30s. He ends up staying and taking over an all but abandoned orphanage and eventually leads the boys on a 2 month long trek to safety through the mountains. "Inspired" by a true story so you take the details with a grain of salt but they did interview some of the survivors at the end of the film.

Not a best movie ever but one I recommend watching some lazy Sunday afternoon.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/23/09 12:50 PM
I just remembered that I wanted to mention that I saw Taking Chance last week and really, really liked it. Very moving, in my opinion.

I honestly don't have many opportunities to watch movies so I don't "keep up with them". For all I know, this movie has already been mentioned. If so, just consider this another nod...
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/25/09 06:32 AM
Role Models

It was entertaining enough... and wrong enough.
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/25/09 11:03 PM
Hijacking the thread back on topic, We watched Bolt on BR last night, If you liked the Incredibles you'll like this movie, great sound and picture, overall a great family film.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/25/09 11:23 PM
I thought this was the only thread that WAS on topic.

Well, until this very post...
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/26/09 12:03 AM
Mark, you're right, I was confusing it with every other thread. \:\)
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/27/09 04:08 AM
Quantum of Solace, pleasantly surprised to say the least because the reviews I read were a bit shabby, we loved Daniel Craig's physicality and perceive it as more honest/authentic than the supposedly "high class" Bond characterizations (even if who could not love SC).

Total watershed moment, first blu ray we have watched since we received the replacement 800 and for the first time there were zero defects in the sound (not to impugn the first 800, I think it may have been the Yammie, ao remember the model #, 386?), no crackling, no popping, no sub rattling; the first 60 seconds I watched the 3808 manual and the blu ray cover vibrate off the sub, that thing puts out some bass!!

Still running the sub a bit hot obviously to see what it is capable of but man is it capable! Everything at reference volumes today or perhaps a few times even beyond and clarity beyond belief.

Well now I get to tweak/play at my leisure rather than troubleshoot, Hallelujah, have I reached the promised land, oh wait, there are no promises, that does not compute . . .
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/27/09 04:56 AM
I watched Quantum of Solace tonight on BR and also really enjoyed it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/27/09 05:22 AM
I was surprised to see Quantum of Solace get a 5.0 rating on Blu-ray.com after so many ho-hum reviews. And if you missed Maddox's review of the movie:

Quantum of Solace is a shiptile [sic]

I should note that he uses very colorful language.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/27/09 11:27 AM
I watched DOOK get knocked out of the tournament. \:D
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/27/09 01:26 PM
I was a big Duke fan in the mid-80s, in the very early part of Coach K's reign. Dawkins, Alarie, Bilas, Amaker, etc ...

I graduated high school in 1986 and got into Duke and Notre Dame, visited both places, and was put off by the Dookies and welcomed warmly by the Irish, so I'm a Notre Dame alum now.

They now have our previous Athletic Director, Kevin White, who signed Charlie Weis to that long-term contract with the horrific buy-out. Good riddance. He can do to Duke basketball what he did to ND football...
Posted By: Zarak Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/28/09 12:10 AM
Nova crushed them in the 2nd half...it was great to watch. Go Wildcats!
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/28/09 01:49 AM
 Originally Posted By: medic8r
I graduated high school in 1986 and got into Duke and Notre Dame, visited both places, and was put off by the Dookies and welcomed warmly by the Irish, so I'm a Notre Dame alum now.


No surprise there......they put off everybody. Every Tarheel I know is especially fond of.....Henderson.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/28/09 04:10 AM
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

I like Michael Cera and Kat Dennings, and it's always nice to see Jay Baruchel get work, but the overall tone of the movie didn't really work for me. It's probably a sign that I'm getting old, since I wanted to tell the teenagers to stop acting like dweebs.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/28/09 11:37 AM
My wife and I finished the first season of Dexter last night....and then I watched the Heels take out the Zags.
Posted By: Kruncher Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/28/09 04:52 PM
My latest Amazon order arrived yesterday, and last night I watched Stevie Ray Vaughan Live at the El Mocambo and Heart - Alive in Seattle.

I could go on and on about the SRV show, but I'll just say that in one viewing it became one of the "desert island" must-haves. Perfect sound. No. Perfect video? Not really. Doesn't take anything away from a stunning performance.

Heart was really enjoyable too. I've always liked their stuff and I've seen them live a couple of times. I bought the DVD because I remembered being really impressed with them while watching the VH1 Honors program. Last summer? No matter.

Their performances of a couple of Zepplin tunes was really great. Good production with terrific video and very well done DTS sound.

Every Friday night should be so good. \:\)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/29/09 01:15 AM
Body of Lies

I liked it all right, despite the Russell Crowe/Ridley Scott combination. (What's up with the upcoming Robin Hood movie with Russell Crowe playing him? Shouldn't he be Friar Tuck?) Golshifteh Farahani is beautiful, so that was nice.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/29/09 09:53 PM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
I just watched the 2-hr series finale of Battlestar Galactica. It was fantastic. But alas, there is no more.... **tears**


Well, I decided I'd better start watching the show. I actually ordered the first season on HD DVD, since it was only $12.99 on Amazon.com (with Amazon.com Prime 2-day shipping), and I didn't want to wait until they start surfacing on Blu-ray, and why watch it on DVD if the HD DVDs are so cheap. Of course, now you'll tell me that it doesn't really hit its stride until after the first season, and I'll cry not because it's over, but because it hasn't really begun.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/29/09 09:57 PM
I liked it from the very first episode, still waiting to buy season 2.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/29/09 09:59 PM
 Originally Posted By: ClubNeon
Perhaps it is because I'm a photographer and I've long since become used to seeing film grain that is doesn't bother me as much as it seems to other people. I say embrace the grain, it is an organic part of the picture.


Blu-ray.com review of The Princess Bride

They gave the video 4/5, so perhaps my criticism is based in crazy.

 Originally Posted By: Blu-ray.com review
The Princess Bride debuts on Blu-ray with a fine 1080p transfer framed inside its native 1.85:1-window. This Blu-ray transfer offers a nice, noticeable improvement over the DVD. The image is consistently strong, sharp, and clear, with well-defined textures and many eye-catching details. The image remains stable in exhibiting fine clarity in both the foreground and background of most every frame. Particularly impressive are the richly-adorned fabrics worn by the players. Each reveals all of the stitches and adornments nicely, and the varied colors of each, from more earthy tones to vivid reds and purples, sparkle. Likewise, the lush green terrains seen throughout the movie offer a natural, pleasant appearance that both reveal fine amounts of detail -- often down to individual blades of grass -- and fantastic color. A layer of grain over the entirety of the image adds a good cinematic feel to the transfer. Although a few speckles and pops creep up from time to time over the print, this remains a strong, eye-catching and generally first-rate transfer sure to please longtime fans of the film. This is a fabulous transfer from MGM, a fine example of a catalogue title done right.

Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/29/09 10:00 PM
 Originally Posted By: jakewash
I liked it from the very first episode, still waiting to buy season 2.


That's good to know.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/30/09 12:39 AM
 Quote:
They gave the video 4/5, so perhaps my criticism is based in crazy.


Or, time to get glasses?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/30/09 12:47 AM
I do have to make an appointment with the eye doctor for a check-up. I'm down to my last pair of contact lenses next month.

But still, I think it just looks worse than it should. I've seen older movies look better.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/30/09 12:58 AM
I know what you mean. I've seen some movies from the 20s and 30s that look incredible compared to some modern films.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/30/09 01:08 AM
Just watched the Heels Hog Tie the Sooners...........
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/30/09 02:59 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
I just watched the 2-hr series finale of Battlestar Galactica. It was fantastic. But alas, there is no more.... **tears**


Well, I decided I'd better start watching the show. I actually ordered the first season on HD DVD, since it was only $12.99 on Amazon.com (with Amazon.com Prime 2-day shipping), and I didn't want to wait until they start surfacing on Blu-ray, and why watch it on DVD if the HD DVDs are so cheap. Of course, now you'll tell me that it doesn't really hit its stride until after the first season, and I'll cry not because it's over, but because it hasn't really begun.


I looked for this on Amazon, but could only find a $99.99 version. \:\(
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/30/09 03:01 AM
Follow the Used and New link the item's product page. I bought from TRADERBORA with "Fulfillment by Amazon.com."
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/30/09 04:25 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Follow the Used and New link [on] the item's product page. I bought from TRADERBORA with "Fulfillment by Amazon.com."


I forgot a word.

Also, watched The Amazing Race. Some of the show can be entertaining. I like how all of the teams conveniently knew how to pronounce "Phuket, Thailand." They must have been told the pronunciation beforehand or given an additional take so as to be able to air it.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/30/09 04:49 AM
Oops, I forgot about the used portion on Amazon! Thanks, CV!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/30/09 04:55 AM
Sure thing!
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/30/09 08:22 AM
Finished watching “Best Student Council” which is mostly a comedy/slice of life anime parody of previous all girls school animes with just a little something dark lurking in background. In the show it’s actually called “The Maximum Authority Welding Best Student Council,“ and therefore they posses an “assault” squad, “covert” squad “vehicle” squad…you get the picture. They have a huge hidden cannon, the dorm matron is a 5th grader and it just get weirder from there.

It’s almost totally character driven the plot takes a back seat. This makes it very easy to watch over time because most episodes stand alone. Based on it’s mostly missing plot I should have hated it for lasting 26 episodes, but quite the opposite I think it was great and didn’t want to see it end, both because I wanted more of the characters and because the end was anti-climatic.

The main character, Rino, is very similar to Usagi in “Sailor Moon,” The puppet (don’t ask) should be a stupid character but he works great opposite the girls, adding an adult male counterbalance to the girls without being all pervy. No fanservice that I can remember but it does introduce an new word, payapaya to the English language.

Overall I’d rate this a B+ and will definitely watch it again, not for any deep meaning or to catch something I missed but just because it’s fun.

Cheers,
Dean
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/31/09 12:00 AM
Lookin' forward to watching "24" tonight with all the speakers set up. Here's to hoping Jack blows up a few baddies unnecessarily with some kind of McGiver device to check them out, Damn it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/31/09 05:46 AM
Trying to catch up on South Park.
Posted By: AdamP88 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/31/09 08:36 AM
So I finally watched the series finale of BSG. I found myself getting a bit emotional at quite a few moments.

Such an awesome show.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/31/09 11:57 AM
Agreed on BSG, I'm saddened it's over.

I didn't care for them adopting the spinning back and forth in time bit. It works for Lost because they did it from day one but adding it so heavily into the last season almost seemed like a desperate way to tie up all the details and mysteries in short order.

Still enjoyed it though.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/01/09 02:31 AM
Picked up "10,000BC" on BD today, gotta say I should have read some of the reviews for this movie before I bought it. It was OK, but kinda seems like it should have been called "Caveman meets Stargate with Narration by guy with similar voice in 'Mummy Movie'".
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/01/09 09:17 AM
And no Raquel....


Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/01/09 01:18 PM
I just watched Bolt with the kids last night. Great movie, great story, great picture, and great sound with plenty of deep impact bass. \:\)

I liked the characters more than I thought I would.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/02/09 05:36 AM
I still have to watch Bolt. I didn't watch it like you told me to, as I'm waiting to watch with some other people. I just got done watching Let the Right One In. It was a different kind of vampire movie, I'll give it that. Kind of slow-paced, but well-made.

I have too many things here I need to watch. I know what I'll be doing over the weekend, at least.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/02/09 08:24 AM
 Originally Posted By: Murph

Agreed on BSG, I'm saddened it's over.

I didn't care for them adopting the spinning back and forth in time bit. It works for Lost because they did it from day one but adding it so heavily into the last season almost seemed like a desperate way to tie up all the details and mysteries in short order.

Still enjoyed it though


Thanks for the warning about the jumping around in time. That bugs me too.

 Originally Posted By: pmbuko

It's over.

I just watched the 2-hr series finale of Battlestar Galactica. It was fantastic. But alas, there is no more.... **tears**


I spotted this on Netflix when I was ordering the Galactica disks. Looks like it premeries on DVD 21 April 2009.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caprica_(TV_series)

I figured I’d post it in case others here hadn’t seen it was coming out.


This one is also available to be saved in your Netflix queue if anyone is interested.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/index.html?curid=20887118

Cheer,
Dean

P.S. just so I’m on topic…I’m watching words magically pop up on the TV screen when I hit the keys on the keyboard.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/02/09 08:31 AM
 Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson

And no Raquel....


That poster would go perfect in a man cave theater. Sort of nice when heroin chic wasn’t chic.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/02/09 11:44 AM
Thanks for the links, I wasn't aware of 'The Plan' film.
It will be interesting to see the Cylon perspective as for their reasons for wanting to wipe out humans was the one thing they never realy closed off in the final episodes. I guess now we know why. Of course we knew they originally rebelled against their masters but the series kept eluding to their religion which was not fully explained, just compounded by the final scene of the two immortal interveners. It was an obvious setup for something to come.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/02/09 12:52 PM
In my quest to watch every Kubrick film, up next for me is Barry Lyndon. I'll probably get to it this weekend.
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/02/09 11:33 PM
Tonight will be Slumdog Millionaire in BR.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/09 01:20 AM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
In my quest to watch every Kubrick film, up next for me is Barry Lyndon. I'll probably get to it this weekend.


One time, I had a date and she was totally excited that I had "Full Metal Jacket."

So, we watched it.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/09 01:56 AM
Rats! Foiled again!
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/09 03:00 AM
She joined the Army shortly after that.

Go fig.
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/09 04:16 AM
We just got done watching Slumdog, although I haven't seen any of the other nominated films, this was one exceptional film, I don't think I have seen a movie in a long time that has had me as riveted to my seat as this one. Highly recommended.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/09 04:19 AM
I have that one to watch, but I was thinking I should wait to watch it with other people. I'm glad it's worth watching!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/09 06:37 AM
I started watching Battlestar Galactica. I liked the first part well enough.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/09 11:51 AM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy

One time, I had a date and she was totally excited that I had "Full Metal Jacket."

So, we watched it.


I used to try to avoid dates with girls who could out wrestle me, but hey, each to his own.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/09 12:10 PM
 Quote:
I used to try to avoid dates with girls who could out wrestle me, but hey, each to his own.


I like living dangerously?
Posted By: Rock_Head Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/09 05:13 PM
You were obviously an inspiration? \:D
Posted By: Rock_Head Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/09 05:26 PM
I thoroughly enjoyed the movie as well. My wife and I don't go to movies very often with having a home theatre but that is one movie I am glad that I saw on the big screen!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/04/09 05:07 AM
More Battlestar Galactica. Man, I love the EP800s.
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/04/09 12:02 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Man, I love the EP800s.


CV I don't remember seeing PICS!!!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/04/09 05:00 PM
I guess I could borrow my mom's camera at some point (my own camera broke a while ago), but the pics would ONLY be of the EP800s, since the room looks kind of crappy with some of the construction that's gone on.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/04/09 05:01 PM
I started watching Bolt last night. Peter, I know what you mean about the bass. It starts hitting you right away. It was shaking my house as much as any movie I've watched.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/05/09 12:13 AM
La Femme Nikita

The original film by Luc Besson, not the TV series. I haven't really liked much of his work, with Leon: The Professional being the only one I liked enough to own. I figured I should at least watch La Femme Nikita, however, since it went on to inspire the American remake, Point of No Return and the Canadian TV series, La Femme Nikita, which in turn inspired Alias. The film definitely shows its age, with enough of it just seeming tacky now. I liked the film well enough overall, but yeah, it's another one I don't feel the need to own.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/05/09 01:57 AM
I just started watching Slumdog Millionaire, and holy cow, the plane flying overhead and then the helicopter are shaking my whole house. Between Battlestar Galactica, Bolt, and now this, I'm having a fun time with my subs lately.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/05/09 03:54 AM
I liked Slumdog Millionaire. I figured I would. I didn't know what to expect from the soundtrack, so yeah, I was surprised at how much low bass there was in a movie with a storyline that doesn't seem to call for it.
Posted By: ihifi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/05/09 04:00 AM
CV,
Do you have the Battlestar Galactica Season 4? Do you recommend it?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/05/09 04:03 AM
I don't have it. I actually just started watching season one, and I probably won't be watching any more until they're on Blu-ray, or if I have the patience to Netflix them.
Posted By: StuntGibbon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/05/09 11:16 PM
I'm watching Rambo in this thread too...
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/06/09 03:00 AM
I went to the theater to watch I Love You, Man today with my coworker/best friend and her husband. We all liked the movie a lot. Those kinds of movies, with that kind of humor, are hit or miss for her, and she thought they pulled it off really well this time, which I agree with. I thought they balanced it very well.

Then we went to dinner, and I asked her husband how he felt being a third wheel.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/06/09 03:18 AM
Instead of going to bed, I'm going to watch the rest of Barry Lyndon. I got about 30 minutes into it this afternoon, but the kids had other plans...
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/06/09 08:23 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I went to the theater to watch I Love You, Man today with my coworker/best friend and her husband.


Oh, yeah, and JP, there's plenty of Rush in the movie, so be happy.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/06/09 01:32 PM
I saw an interview with Geddy Lee in Entertainment Weekly in which he said they played Limelight about ten times to get all the scenes right.

I'm happy!

\:\)

\:D
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/06/09 01:48 PM
Whoever said "Living on a lighted stage approaches the unreal" must have know something about stages.
Posted By: JaimeG Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/06/09 06:39 PM
 Quote:
I liked Slumdog Millionaire.

I watched Sulmdog Millionaire over the weekend and I found it somewhat underwhelming. Maybe I had my expectations too high since it won best picture. I did like the 'rhythm' of the film, not too fast or too slow , decent acting and music. On the other hand, I rarely complain about a film 'message' but the message on this one is far too foreign for me; to imply that everyone has a fixed written destiny is pretty silly... to me at least. I liked Changeling way more, and it wasn't even nominated for best picture.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/06/09 06:44 PM
You know, I didn't even really think about the message. It's not exactly an uncommon theme, though it doesn't have weight for me, either. But yeah, I'd say I liked the filmmaking more than the story. I wouldn't have nominated it for best picture, but then I wouldn't have nominated Changeling, either, though I liked both movies. I'm not really sure what I would have nominated.
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/06/09 07:30 PM
Watched Slumdog Millionaire last night. I found it a fascinating movie with some half decent sound. I think the message was - rising above your caste, which in India would still be quite uncommon . The lead character was a muslim in hindi India which probably was another strike against him. I was trying to think of a parallel situation of that in Canada / US but couldn't.
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/06/09 07:45 PM
I watched it last night as well and, though I enjoyed it, I don't see it a "best picture."

I think a large number of North Americans might have trouble understanding the import of the "caste" thing which in India, I suspect, is a biggie.
Posted By: JaimeG Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/06/09 08:10 PM
 Quote:
I think the message was - rising above your caste, which in India would still be quite uncommon .


yeah, I know. What I can't get my head around is
Warning, Spoiler:

that he didn't rise above his caste or social status on his own merits; somehow it was 'written' for him to rise. Maybe is the karma thing, he was a nice guy and all
...I don't know. Maybe I'm too Hollywood indoctrinated :P
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/07/09 11:28 AM
UNC = University of National Champions.......
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/08/09 02:30 AM
Just finished watching Cash Back with my wife on Netflix Instant. She wanted to watch a chick flick and I actually thought it would fit the bill. It turned out not to be a chick flick at all, but she enjoyed it anyway.

If you like creative cinematography, a great story, good acting by unknown faces, quirky characters, British accents -- oh, and more bare breasts than you can shake a stick at -- then I highly recommend seeing this movie.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/08/09 03:18 AM
You have done us all a great service with this movie review!

Tonight I watched the Keanu Reeves remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still. It looked pretty good on Blu-ray, and there were some good LFE moments that showed of the EP500 to our two guests. Keanu has found his niche - he was very convincing as a wooden alien. I'd give it a B overall, maybe a B-. Good message, even if it was a little ham-handed, and the military response was ever-so-stereotypical.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/08/09 03:24 AM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
If you like creative cinematography, a great story, good acting by unknown faces, quirky characters, British accents -- oh, and more bare breasts than you can shake a stick at -- then I highly recommend seeing this movie.


It sounds like one I'll have to check out, even if my stick-shaking is in vain.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/08/09 03:29 AM
 Originally Posted By: medic8r
Tonight I watched the Keanu Reeves remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still.


I still need to watch the original.

Every time I see Keanu's name I just want to cry now, in anticipation of his Cowboy Bebop movie.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/08/09 03:43 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
... more bare breasts than you can shake a stick at ...


It sounds like one I'll have to check out, even if my stick-shaking is in vain.

Who has the stick that gets Winona Ryder or Jennifer Love Hewitt into one of these kinds of movies? And why isn't he shaking it?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/08/09 05:35 AM
I finished watching the first season of Battlestar Galactica. I like it enough to keep watching, though I do hope it gets better.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/08/09 12:58 PM
There are a few -- maybe just a couple? -- dud episodes along the way, but it generally keeps improving.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/08/09 02:13 PM
Make sure you have an antidote on hand. I use old Simpsons episodes.
BSG ended well. I agree w/ Peter, some of the episodes start to draw out a bit but stick w/ it. IMHO, best written show on TV.

The end of Season 1 to the middle of Season 2 were a little show. But after that, it picked up FAST.
Posted By: SatKartr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/08/09 10:02 PM
Tried to watch "The Rock" again on blu ray, my wife and I were both fans of the movie when it came out, something wrong with the sound track, had to discontinue after half an hour, seriously compressed, muffled, and lacking in dynamics, the video looked fine, my wife said, "It's like watching TV." What could the problem be, I'm pretty sure it has Dolby HD or DTS Master Audio as default, which I selected anyway in the setup to be sure, although the print is sort of tiny so I couldn't tell exactly what it said and didn't get off the couch to peer at the TV screen.

Some of the older blu rays seem a bit weak as far as audio goes . . .
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/09/09 06:45 AM
Whisper of the Heart

It's a Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli movie. Very pretty, tender, and thoughtful.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/12/09 08:48 AM
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

I somehow thought it would be worse, despite the good things I'd heard, but I'm glad to say it's decent so far.

Oh, I've also been watching Newsradio. I wouldn't rank it among the classic sitcoms, but I always thought it was solid, and when you can get 5 seasons of a show you like for $35, it's hard not to bite. The packaging leaves a lot to be desired, and they obviously slapped the episodes on the disc without trying to improve the quality (at least in the first season--we'll see if it improves over the span of the series), but thankfully, since I don't consider it one of my favorite shows, I don't really care so much about the presentation.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/13/09 05:14 AM
Watched “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.” Here’s a pretty good review:

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/the-girl-who-leapt-through-time

At first I didn’t think I was going to like this but quickly forgot about that and at the end wished it hadn’t. This seems like it should have been a series rather than a movie.

 Originally Posted By: CV

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

I somehow thought it would be worse, despite the good things I'd heard, but I'm glad to say it's decent so far.

Did you order the DVD or are you watching on TV? I saw it straight through on the DVDs (my preferred way of watching all series now) and liked it much more than I expected. Have to admit to seriously crushing on Summer Glau which may be a factor.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/13/09 05:35 AM
I'm still trying to figure out why people like Summer Glau. On the other hand, I do like Lena Headey's face. When she was on Letterman, she must have had some makeup, because she looked younger. She definitely looks older as Sarah Connor, but not in a bad way.

I'm watching the Blu-rays. I'm down to the last episode in the first season.

I watched a trailer for The Girl Who Leapt Through Time about a week ago, and I also got the impression I wouldn't like it, but the positive word-of-mouth I'd read made me think I'd have to give it a chance. With your thumbs-up thrown into the mix, I'll definitely have to watch it sometime.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/13/09 05:53 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV

I'm still trying to figure out why people like Summer Glau.

If you do let me know since I figured I was one of the few who did.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/13/09 06:04 AM
I'm not really aware of her actual approval rating. It just seemed like I read an inordinate amount of love for her because of Firefly, and I didn't really care for her character too much. I didn't really care for any of the characters in that series, though, which I know makes me weird, since I have to read so much about how great Joss Whedon is and how his characters are what make his shows.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/13/09 06:42 AM
I have to admit that the first time I saw an episode of “Firefly” I didn’t care for it. Then I watched “Serenity” and liked it and decided to get the whole “Firefly” series and found that with the exception of a couple episodes really liked it. Glau’s character was my favorite probably because I’ve always liked “not-quite-normal-human” trying to cope with humanity type characters (e.g. Spock, Worf, Seven of Nine, Rommie…) Other than that she reminds me of an ex-girlfriend I couldn't begin to explain why I think she’s attractive. Come to think of it not sure why the ex was attractive either.

As for Joss Whedon, I haven’t drank the cool-aid. I really liked “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” once it was in syndication and didn’t have to wait a week at a time for each episode. If you think about it “Buffy” is nothing more than a live action version of a magical girl anime. However, “Angel” barely tolerable. Never cared for the Angel character even in “Buffy.”

Similarly I didn’t care for “Farscape.“ At first I thought it was stupid but then SciFi did an marathon, showing all the episodes before “The Peacekeeper Wars” debuted and I found I also really liked it.

Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/13/09 07:11 AM
I have to admit I've never seen an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, only a couple random pieces out of all of the time it was on the air. I did watch the movie, though I don't think that really counts. Ha ha.

Someone I used to talk to more regularly online used to try to get me to watch Farscape, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/13/09 10:13 AM
 Originally Posted By: grunt
As for Joss Whedon, I haven’t drank the cool-aid.


I'm enjoying "Dollhouse" more than I thought I would....
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/13/09 04:47 PM
 Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson

I'm enjoying "Dollhouse" more than I thought I would....


Thanks for the heads up I haven’t been watching much TV and hadn’t heard about that one. I thought that Whedon swore he would never work with FOX again…?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/13/09 05:17 PM
I think Eliza Dushku had to convince him.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/13/09 05:42 PM
I find her very persuasive.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/13/09 05:47 PM
 Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
I'm enjoying dollhouses more than I thought I would....

*snicker*



Wait, that's not what he said?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/14/09 06:39 AM
Doubt on Blu-ray. I'd heard it looked good, but I was still surprised by how beautifully-shot it was. The audio was subtle and well-done, too. I can also see why the performances have received such praise. Viola Davis wasn't in it a lot, but wow. The story wasn't a home run for me, but I enjoyed it enough.
Posted By: StuntGibbon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/14/09 07:48 AM
Bolt! Great sound.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/14/09 01:08 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV


Oh, I've also been watching [i]Newsradio
. I wouldn't rank it among the classic sitcoms, but I always thought it was solid,


I used to like that one but it wasn't a regular watch. I agree it was 'solid.' What it sometimes lacked in writing was usually made up for by the talented cast. Matheww's (Andy Dick) scene where he sings a song about slaying some monster with a plus three magical sword is the biggest reason why I stopped telling people that I used to play Dungeons and Dragons.

As for Summer Glau, I liked her in Firefly but she is mostly eye candy as a terminator. Although, to give her credit, playing a machine that is supposedly totally devoid of emotion, would be a tough role to get any cred for.
Posted By: JaimeG Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/14/09 05:51 PM
 Quote:
Doubt ... I can also see why the performances have received such praise.


I watched Doubt a few days ago, wow, really liked it! Superb performance and script. I did find the very last scene a little too superfluous and 'forced' , other than that it is excellent. Still I can't see how SlumDogs would rank better than Doubt.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/18/09 04:59 AM
Super Speedway [Blu-ray]

I owned the original DVD release, but I think I gave it to my dad after watching it a couple of times. They eventually released a remastered version that seemed to be considered a reference disc by some. After it came out on Blu-ray and became available for a decent price, I decided I should revisit it. I don't find it the most compelling documentary ever, but I do enjoy the experience of speed and engines roaring. There's certainly some fun audio, and it's nice to have the impact of my current system versus the much more modest experience the last time I viewed it, when I was really only starting out in HT with hand-me-down pieces from my dad.
Posted By: StuntGibbon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/18/09 09:21 PM
Transporter 3 on the list for today.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/18/09 10:28 PM
I just started watching the BBC/A&E Pride and Prejudice on Blu-ray. I'm pretty happy with the restoration. It's a little weird if the UK release actually has a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track while the US release has LPCM 2.0. Anyway, the audio's fine.

I liked this version of Pride and Prejudice way back when I first watched it, and I'm sure I'll still enjoy this release of it, but right off it's pretty apparent how much more well-directed the newer Keira Knightley movie is. I think they really knocked the material out of the park with that one. As far as the Jane Austen screen adaptations I've seen, I'd say that version along with the Emma Thompson Sense and Sensibility are in a league of their own. I can't wait to see those two released on Blu-ray, and I really hope they have the best possible transfer for S&S. I'm not so worried about P&P since the HD DVD was so strong.

One of my major problems with the BBC version of P&P is that I don't find the actress who plays Jane Bennett attractive, while I really like the face of the actress who plays Elizabeth. The Jane in the newer P&P worked a lot better for my shallow sensibilities.

Don't worry. I'll watch something with explosions afterward.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/19/09 12:31 AM
You'd better.
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/19/09 02:48 AM
I can't believe someone else actually watched these \:\) My wife's been on a Jane Austin kick, so we've watched every version of Pride and Prejudice as well as Sense and Sensibility, in addition to a few other movies made from her novels.

Charles I have to agree with you wholeheartedly on the attractiveness of the women in the BBC version, the one who played Elizabeth was the only gal that IMO was attractive, I'm not sure what the English find attractive but they certainly have different taste than my wife and I.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/19/09 02:52 AM
Blood Diamond. Good movie. It gots splosions too!
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/19/09 02:54 AM
That's a great movie Fred, one of my favorites.
Posted By: Wid Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/19/09 02:57 AM

I liked it.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/19/09 02:58 AM
I avoided it originally because it sounded too holywood. I continue to be impressed by DiCaprio's acting.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/19/09 03:02 AM
His accent is cool, he did very good with that I thought.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/19/09 04:01 AM
Mariners Baseball in High Def. Life is good.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/19/09 05:26 AM
 Originally Posted By: HomeDad
I can't believe someone else actually watched these \:\)


\:\) Yeah, I'm surprised anyone responded. I've been a sucker for Jane Austen. She was pretty sharp, apparently. I still have to admit I haven't actually read the books. One of these days, I swear.
Posted By: duckman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/20/09 03:02 AM
I just finished watching the swingtown dvd set, highly reccomended. Not exactly family fare, but a very well done and intelligent show.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/23/09 06:08 AM
I was trying out scenes from a few Blu-rays, including Sin City, Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, and The Blu-ray Experience: Opera & Ballet (Opus Arte).

The last is a 50-minute sampler, which is a pretty good way to get a taste of Opus Arte's catalog for only $6.95 (price grew to $7.99 on Amazon.com after I ordered it). If nothing else, at least now I know the name of a familiar piece of music: "Aria - Queen of the Night" from Mozart's "The Magic Flute". Those high notes sure are fun.

Now I'll watch another episode of NewsRadio before Letterman.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/24/09 06:05 AM
Ergo Proxy

Anime recommended to me by a friend. Dystopian/utopian themes with robots and what not in a mystery type of story. I fell asleep part-way through the second episode. It's only that I was really tired, though, not that I was bored. I'm actually interested in seeing how it turns out.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/24/09 10:31 AM
Just watched “Caprica” and I think it looks pretty good so far. It’s definitely it’s own show but the one thing it has in common with “Galactica” is and excellent soundtrack that complements the scenes. For the most part it’s pretty concise about it’s story telling with only a little filler and at least so far no annoying (I found them annoying) trips into anyone’s (read Baltar’s) head. I think “Caprica” may appeal more to the Cyberpunk than hardcore scifi fans but I think it’s going to be worth watching.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/25/09 07:13 AM
I love Late Show Fun Facts. Michael Keaton's looking old. Dave is Dave.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/27/09 06:59 AM
Ricky Gervais - Out of England: The Stand-Up Special

I'm still watching it, but I had to mention how playing Peggle earlier has messed with my brain. He has "RICKY" in lights behind him as he performs, and I keep thinking about the angle I would shoot the ball onto the letters to eliminate as much of them as possible.

Funny stuff in the special, too.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/29/09 07:31 AM
I watched the episode of NewsRadio where they're in outer space. Pretty good.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/30/09 07:23 AM
Letterman's got no voice tonight, but he's made up for it by having Jennifer Garner and Elon Musk (of Tesla Motors) on.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/30/09 07:40 AM
I actually liked Manchester Orchestra's performance on The Late Show a lot. I may have to give them a try.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/01/09 10:11 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Letterman's got no voice tonight, but he's made up for it by having Jennifer Garner and Elon Musk (of Tesla Motors) on.


It was really easy to crush on Jennifer Garner, wasn't it?

I really love Letterman. Unfortunately, I only watch one episode a week on average from all the episodes TiVo offers me.
No time...no time... \:\(
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/01/09 04:03 PM
 Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
It was really easy to crush on Jennifer Garner, wasn't it?


Umm... YES. I was pretty indifferent to her when she was first becoming famous, but I have to say I've come to admire how earnestly she plays her roles, and then seeing her appearances on Letterman, yeah, very easy to crush.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/01/09 04:42 PM
I watched the Caprica pilot a couple nights ago. It pulled me right in and I will definitely be following the series when it airs next year. I'll try to drag my wife into it, too.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/05/09 05:28 AM
I'm making good progress on NewsRadio. I just watched the first episode of the fifth and final season. Phil Hartman passed away before the fifth season, so the first episode was a farewell to his character, and I admit I got a bit choked up. I miss that guy.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/05/09 10:12 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I admit I got a bit choked up. I miss that guy.


Choked up for Phil Hartman, yet no man-tears for Band of Brothers.

Harumph.

That's "HARUMPH" I SAY!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/05/09 04:24 PM
Harumph is a good character name. Thanks!
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/05/09 04:59 PM
Harumph Grunting, at your service.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/05/09 05:13 PM
That's Harumph Cornelius Grunting the Third...
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/07/09 06:59 AM
Hey, Peter, your turtle-on-shoe porn was featured in Andy Kindler's special report on global warming on The Late Show tonight.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/07/09 01:10 PM
If only it were my turtle.
If only it were my shoe.
I'd have some royalties.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/07/09 07:35 PM
And a shoe you wouldn't wear.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/08/09 07:13 AM
Norm Macdonald on The Late Show tonight. How great is that?
Posted By: danmagicman7 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/08/09 09:36 AM
Go to bed.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/08/09 11:45 AM
Oops. I fell asleep on my couch. NOW I'll go to bed.
Posted By: danmagicman7 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/08/09 11:47 AM
Wow.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/08/09 11:49 AM
Finally got around to watching Caprica. Not bad but I really though the concept of how artificial intelligence was perfected
Warning, Spoiler:
being unable to download a human consciousness, they instead recreated an exact conscious replica of a person's personality by downloading every piece of personal information about a persons life that exists out on the 'Internet'.
was very cool.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/09/09 10:17 AM
I also liked “Caprica” and was surprised how they developed the prototype Cylon. It’s going to be interesting to see how they develop the story since in the “Galactica” universe since we already know how it ends.

I just finished watching “Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040” which I think is better than “Bubblegum Crisis” in every way. “Tokyo 2040 is a remake so you don’t need to see the original first. The English dub is one of the best I’ve heard so far. The music is ok while the animation is above average and overall story is well done but not quite to the “Cowboy Bebop.” “Ghost in the Shell” level.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/10/09 07:36 AM
I finished NewsRadio, and I'm on to some Law & Order (fifth season).
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/11/09 07:51 AM
Disclaimer:

 Originally Posted By: AnimeNewsNetwork

Elfen Lied is definitely not for everyone. This isn't a series that children should be anywhere near, and it's not for the prudish, squeamish, or anyone else that doesn't have a very high tolerance for nudity, extreme graphic violence, or general cruelty. For those who can handle it, though, it is a horror series of exceptional merit...


I just watched all 13 episodes of “Elfen Lied.” WOW! Is the first thing that comes to mind describing it. Individually most of the story elements are nothing new but the way they are put together is captivating and the animation is superb.

The audio is one of the best I’ve heard in and anime and it also outdoes most movies. You’ll miss a lot if you don’t listen with 5.1, it’s some of the best surround sound I’ve heard. At one point I jumped when someone knocked on a door off screen thinking it was my front door it sounded so real. It’s not just the surround effects that shine but also the ambient sounds and music.

If I have one gripe about it is that they resort to just a little to many flashbacks to previous scenes in the last few episodes. However, despite that I’d still have to rate this in the top 10 and probably top 5 anime I’ve ever seen.

Again this isn’t for everyone. You’ll know after the first episode (probably the first 10 minutes) if you will love or hate this anime.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/11/09 07:53 AM
Sounds like one to watch. Thanks for the recommendation.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/09 06:53 AM
You all know you want to be watching this. The wait until September 8th could kill you.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/09 12:33 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
You all know you want to be watching this. The wait until September 8th could kill you.


*turns hat around*

I'm taking that day off. Definitely.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/09 02:25 PM
Suddenly I want to drive a big rig and arm wrestle.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/09 02:36 PM
And I want to take steroids and star in Italian porn films.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/09 03:40 PM
Make sure you have a "stand-in" for your doodad if you're gonna use the 'roids.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/09 03:42 PM
Hmmm, you have a point. Films first!
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/09 03:58 PM
Tonight I will be watching the Toronto Blue Jays vs New York Yankees game as well the season finale of Hell's Kitchen.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/09 04:52 PM
The Jays are having a pretty amazing run this year. I wonder if it has anything to do with the coach?
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/09 07:56 PM
Sure. I give a lot of credit to Cito Gaston and his staff (Tenance, Arnsberg, Leyva, Murphy etc). I like Gaston managerial style which lets his players play. One of the main problems last year were hitting runners in from scoring position. Bringing back Gene Tenance was a brilliant move and it is evident in the turn around the Jays are in hitting which is some of the best in the league. Tenance is very good with the psychological aspects of hitting with his players as well as making quick adjustments when he notices mechanical problems with a batters swing/stance etc. Gaston/Tenance also let the batters be agressive (let the players play). If there is a good pitch early on in the count to hit, hit it! The last manager was much more conservative. The Jays pitching has been excellent in recent years and we still have a lot of good young arms and the best pitcher in the game in Halladay. We have had a lot of injuries so far in our starting pitching but the likes of Tallet, Richmond, Cecil have really stepped up and have been solid and have saved us from the early injury bug.

Go Jays! \:\)
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/09 10:07 PM
Letting the players "play" was how Cito and the Jays won back-to-back titles in the early 90's. Agressive hitting and baserunning combined with some decent pitching will keep the Jays in contention this year. I think Doc (Halladay) is also a great asset with the younger pitchers on the team, he leads by example and much like he elevated Ryan's game last year, I'm sure he'll help the youngsters on the pitching staff this year.
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/09 10:31 PM
I agree Adrian. Halladay is a great mentor to all those young arms on the team and has been one of the keys to their success. Another thing I like about Gaston is that he does little to no tinkering (adjust to any injuries of course) with his lineup which shows a lot of confidence in his players even when they are slumping. I forgot to mention the Jays have been stellar defensively so far also .

Go Jays!
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/15/09 04:37 PM
Halladay is underrated. I love anybody who beats the Yankees and/or the Red Sox.
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/16/09 12:56 AM
2001 A Space Odyssey, all 130" diag. of it. \:\)
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/16/09 08:12 AM
 Originally Posted By: sirquack

2001 A Space Odyssey, all 130" diag. of it.

That’s gotta be impressive.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/16/09 08:13 AM
Just finished watching “Paprika”

Here’s the grade Anime News Network gives it:

 Quote:

Overall (sub) : A+
Story : A+
Animation : A+
Art : A+
Music : A+
+ Amazing animation and music. Mind-torching storytelling.
− Will absolutely be too weird for some people.


I’ve looked up over 100 anime there and don’t remember any other getting an A+ in every category. I’d have to agree with them. It’s sort of like “Dreamscape” meets “The Matrix.“ I quickly forgot I was watching animation because it just had such a movie like feel. The animation is great and while the surround effects aren’t pronounced the surround speakers do get quite a workout from the music and ambient sounds. This movie was quite a trip and would likely be mind-blowing if watched while tripping.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/16/09 09:13 AM
I liked Paprika all right. I did like the audio a lot. I'll have to watch it again sometime.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/18/09 03:46 AM
I went to see Star Trek with my coworker, her husband, and her daughter. It was entertaining enough, though I wouldn't say the reboot did anything to elevate itself above previous attempts. The over-the-top action and effects got a bit old. Still, for Star Trek, it's about as good a film as you can expect. It's not like George Lucas would be rolling over in his grave.

(Hopefully that joke made Gene Roddenberry roll over in his.)
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/18/09 04:18 AM
Thanks for the comment about it. I’m waiting for the DVD to come out, hopefully I’ll have a full “home theater” up and running by then instead of the temp setup I have now. I hope the haven’t made it just another pedestrian action film like I thought they did with “Casino Royale (2006).
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/18/09 06:02 AM
I thought it was really quite good. I've been meaning to start a spoiler filled thread about it, but I hadn't gotten around to it. (surprise!)
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/18/09 03:15 PM
Star Trek is one of the few films that could tempt me to set foot in a theater again.

Haven't succumbed yet.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/18/09 03:28 PM
Dooooo eeeeet. Although the theatre I was in was poorly equalized and had a blown left front speaker. Sigh.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/18/09 06:24 PM
Ken, should have taken one of your Axioms...for a "small" fee of course!
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/18/09 08:17 PM
Well, I was kind of on the other side of the country from my Axioms...
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/18/09 11:58 PM
 Originally Posted By: tomtuttle
Halladay is underrated. I love anybody who beats the Yankees and/or the Red Sox.


I agree that Halladay gets overshadowed in the league due to being in a small market and playing many seasons on not so great teams, but Toronto fans realize how good he actually is. IMO one of the best pitchers to ever play the game and one of the most consistent and dominating pitchers in recent years. He was actually awarded the player of the week. Pitched a superb complete game against the Yanks. Unfortunetly I don't think he will be playing during the Red Sox series which starts tommorow.
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/19/09 01:38 AM
Alex Rodriguez just said that he considers him the best pitcher in the game.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/21/09 07:09 AM
Stephen Colbert had some great material on Letterman tonight.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/21/09 01:30 PM
Alpaca wool?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/09 07:10 AM
Amy Sedaris is funny, as always, on Letterman.

I also noticed some Au Revoir Simone music in a U.S. Cellular commercial.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/23/09 10:18 PM
Russell Brand In New York City

Funny, funny stuff. I wish I had his command of the language.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/23/09 11:46 PM
Victor Borge Classic Collection

It was an impulse buy at Costco.
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/09 02:29 AM
Taken is about to be watched at The Plex, later. \:\)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/09 02:30 AM
I just watched it. I liked it all right.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/09 03:34 AM
I lichen it to a composite organism consisting of a symbiotic association of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner, usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium.
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/09 04:08 AM
Peter, I think you need to stop taking acid. CV, just finished the movie and did enjoy it.
Posted By: Jc Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/09 04:24 PM
Hi, I watched "Taken" twice (once Friday and once Saturday) . . . great movie especially the unrated version . . . the nails sequence . . . loved it.
Posted By: Jc Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/09 04:38 PM
I watched "Valkyrie" this morning . . . very good audio track (DTS-HD) with some spectacular dynamic scenes (gun shots & airplanes). Definitely worth watching & listening.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/09 04:48 PM
That's wild Jc, wife and I watched 'Taken' Friday night and we watched 'Valkrie' last night, both very good movies.

"I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you."

Classic!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/09 04:53 PM
 Originally Posted By: RickF
Classic!


Maybe, but he gave away the whole movie! \:D
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/09 05:02 PM
Sounds a lot like Ransom, which I shall never watch again.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/09 05:06 PM
I liked Ransom. I liked the reference to The Time Machine. I thought it's certainly one of Ron Howard's better movies.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/09 05:08 PM
I wonder if we're talking about the same movie. I was thinking of the Mel Gibson vehicle with Gary Sinese as the villain.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/09 05:12 PM
Yes, the villain who references The Time Machine.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/25/09 12:45 AM
 Originally Posted By: kcarlile

Sounds a lot like Ransom, which I shall never watch again.

Better than “Ransom” but that’s not saying much IMO. I thought “Taken” was ok if you take out the first 20 or so minutes which contained some pointless character building (for this type of movie anyway) and the setup for the main premise. Once the action starts it’s fun to watch but nothing more than another cut-and-paste contemporary Hollywood “secret agent” action movie. I’d much rather watch reruns of “I Spy,” “Man From U.N.C.L.E,” “Mission Impossible (TV)”…
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/25/09 01:01 AM
Friday I watched all of Kiddy Grade

I really enjoyed this. Unlike most reviewers I didn’t find the early episodes slow even though they were “assignment-of-the-week” fare. There are so many plot twists I could see how it might get confusing if it wasn’t watched in one sitting, but by watching it that way the plot twists kept it fresh. No an epic Sci-Fi anime but very good animation, voice acting and soundtrack.

Saturday I watched all of Full Metal Panic

I think I have to part with the masses on this one. It’s definitely worth watching but it just didn’t live up to the hype for me. The first story arc was fantastic and had it held up it would be on my top 10 list but as it progressed it became repetitive and predictable. Especially tedious was the relationship development between the main male and female characters. Also as the episodes progressed there seemed to be increasing use of filler. It was still a entertaining watch but just not good for watching all in one sitting.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/25/09 02:15 AM
 Originally Posted By: grunt
Friday I watched all of Kiddy Grade


I think my sister may have mentioned that one to me. I'll have to check it out sometime.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/25/09 02:21 AM
I just watched Quantum of Solace. I liked it enough for the one viewing. Like Casino Royale, I don't anticipate needing to watch it again anytime soon. I like the completely different feel the franchise reboot has going, though, and if nothing else, it's a gorgeous-looking movie.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/25/09 09:52 AM
I finished season 6 of Law & Order. A young Jennifer Garner was in the final episode, and her dimples were effective even back then.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/25/09 10:18 AM
Finally watched the last 2 disks of “Death Note.” Thankfully, the story got back on track with the same style as the early episodes. Unfortunately the ending was mundane and overly drawn out. I was hoping for a certain plot twist at the end that would have made this the greatest anime story I’ve seen but instead it just limps across the finish line. Still a great anime but have to give it only 4 1/2 out of 5 stars for what IMO was a lame ending that was out of character with the rest of the rollercoaster ride that was this series.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/25/09 12:31 PM
Dean, sounds like you're describing this season's "24", the end kind drew out alot then seemed anticlimatic...still a good season, but the final hour is more to "wrap it up" as the story wound down. Still, I'd give it a 4 out of 5 sta....err, bullets to the knee cap.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/25/09 05:03 PM
 Originally Posted By: grunt
I was hoping for a certain plot twist at the end that would have made this the greatest anime story I’ve seen but instead it just limps across the finish line.


I'd agree with that. There was still so much good stuff throughout the series, but you're right, the ending could have been a lot stronger. Not that I would have any idea how to end it better. Meanwhile, another series that I liked, Fruits Basket, didn't do a lot for me until the end. Then I liked it a lot. It has to be the hardest thing in the world to get it all right.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/25/09 06:00 PM
Battle Star Galactica, season 4. Been waiting a while.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/25/09 06:26 PM
 Originally Posted By: Adrian

Dean, sounds like you're describing this season's "24", the end kind drew out alot then seemed anticlimatic...still a good season, but the final hour is more to "wrap it up" as the story wound down. Still, I'd give it a 4 out of 5 sta....err, bullets to the knee cap.


I was sort of watching 24 for the first time this season. I switched to second shift a while ago and those guys have been watching it. Overall I thought it was ok but haven’t seen the last episode.

 Originally Posted By: CV

I'd agree with that. There was still so much good stuff throughout the series, but you're right, the ending could have been a lot stronger. Not that I would have any idea how to end it better. Meanwhile, another series that I liked, Fruits Basket, didn't do a lot for me until the end. Then I liked it a lot. It has to be the hardest thing in the world to get it all right.


Thanks for the info on “Fruits Basket,” it’s somewhere in my queue right now. I agree it’s got to be tough pulling off a whole series and my criticism of “Death Note’s” ending is only based on how outstanding most of the rest of it was.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/26/09 07:05 AM
Great Teacher Onizuka

One of my friends really liked this anime series, so I'm trying it out. There are some good moments, but overall, I wouldn't say it's a classic. Maybe I'll change my mind as it progresses.

There are too many series out there.
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/26/09 06:41 PM
I need some suggestions on what should be my second Blu-ray purchase. The reason I'm saying "second" is because I just ordered Baraka.

I would say that it has to be an action movie, and definitely not a box set, because I don't have a lot of cash to fork out. I just want reference video and audio (something in 7.1?).

That said, I have checked out the top rated list at Blu-ray.com, and they have Sin City and The Dark Knight rated as #2 and #4 respectively. I really enjoyed The Dark Knight, but haven't seen or know anything about Sin City.

Any input is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/26/09 06:44 PM
I wouldn't recommend a blind buy of Sin City. It's definitely not for everyone.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/26/09 07:08 PM
IN the Action Genre, either of the two newest Batman movies are a must have for my tastes and for showing off the system. Both are reference quality for my purposes.

Iron Man has some pretty spectacular sights and sounds. Lots of sub woofer exercises to keep it fit.

I know you are an anime buff so I figured 'good' remakes of comic heroes is not a stretch for you.

I have Transformers on HD-DVD, at least until my player dies and I can only assume that the BR version is as spectacular as the HD version.

All of these have everything you need to impress the hell out of your friends and are actually enjoyable movies to boot. Only problem is that everyone has seen already, but maybe not on your system.......

The ever quoted "Master and Commander" remains my favorite movie to show off my sound system. I have yet to hear any other movie with such a well done and detailed surround track. The LFE in the cannon fire and explosions fills the rib cage shaking bill too. it's also a great movie to watch and unlike the others, not everyone has seen it.

My vote for next purchase is the essential "Master and Commander". Because it's as spectacular as it gets for sound and you might hit a few of your friends who have not yet seen it so you'll have an exuse to watch it again.
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/26/09 07:46 PM
Thanks Charles (I'll reserve Sin City for a rental) and Murph, I've seen all of the movies you mentioned, and my favorite by far was The Dark Knight, although I did very much enjoy Iron Man, but these were all on DVD obviously.

I have Master and Commander on DVD and although I didn't enjoy the movie like the others aforementioned, you are definitely right that it is as good as it gets for sound, and I have many friends that haven't seen it, because I've suggested that we watch it, and they declined.

With all due respect, right now, your first suggestion of the newest Batman is the best, just because I enjoyed it much more than Master and Commander.

Any more suggestions \:\) ?
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/26/09 08:05 PM
My picks for action flicks on Blu-ray would be The Dark Night and Black Hawk Down for sound quality. I recently watched Transformers and the sound quality of that movie was superb also.
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/27/09 01:05 AM
The Dark Knight it is, just placed my order!!

Thanks for the input guys.
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/27/09 02:01 AM
I haven't seen the BR version of Sin City, but Imo the SD version was visually stunning. I just put the BR version at the top of my Netflix cue. Oh, and I loved the movie.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/27/09 05:38 AM
I'm in the middle of Lock, Stock, and 2 Smoking Barrels.

Goodness, that's not what I expected...

Also started Around the World in 80 Days, which I had mixed up with It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Somehow. Don't ask me how. About 45 minutes in, I realized why the movie is 3 hours long...
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/27/09 05:46 AM
I just watched the video for the new Regina Spektor song, "Laughing With". I don't care what you all say. She's so pretty.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/27/09 06:05 AM
But I didn't say anything!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/29/09 08:42 AM
More GTO. It is getting better.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/09 08:16 AM
Just watched a couple episodes of Star Trek: The Animated Series. It’s been so long since I’d seen it I only had the vaguest recollection of the shows. I liked the “life support belts” that the used in the show, because I always thought it was sort of silly that in the regular series and the movies they have warp drive and transporters but couldn’t come up with anything better than a big bulky pressure suit. I like this series as it seems to capture the flavour the original Star Trek. However, if memory serves they also did some borrowing from Larry Niven’s “Known Space” universe.

The disks are billed as 5.1 audio but there’s little to nothing coming from the surrounds.

In keeping with the retro theme I think I’ll watch Aeon Flux now.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/09 03:52 PM
 Quote:
I like this series as it seems to capture the flavour the original Star Trek.


Space cowboys? I remember how excited the whole family was when the first episodes came out because we were all avid scifi readers. Years later the series seems so cheesy. I guess maybe thats just a measure of how far the genre has come. If the original Star Trek is cheesy, Lost In Space (which I loved at the time) is just god awful.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/09 04:20 PM
FWIW, yesterday I discovered that we have a new channel on Comcast...or an old one that changed programming.

They were carrying Marcus Welby, Adam-12, Emergency!, Quincy, Rockford Files.... all kinds of shows that I hadn't seen in years!

I gave most of them "three thumbs up" on my TiVo so it'll record some episodes here and there, and a Season Pass to Quincy. I had been searching for that one periodically for the last ten years. I used to love that show! \:\)
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/09 04:20 PM
Heh... hope you have a big TiVo!
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/09 04:23 PM
External Drive...

I must have 50-60 hours of HD stuff on there. I have not had one single show / movie bumped in the 6-8 months I've had that drive. I have movies from January that I haven't watched yet....

LOVE that drive! \:\)
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/09 04:46 PM
Oh yeah, you've got one of them fancy ones.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/09 04:48 PM
He's almost Titanius Anglesmith, Fancy Man of Cornwood. Concord's close, so close.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/09 05:42 PM
 Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson

FWIW, yesterday I discovered that we have a new channel on Comcast...or an old one that changed programming.

They were carrying Marcus Welby, Adam-12, Emergency!, Quincy, Rockford Files.... all kinds of shows that I hadn't seen in years!

That’s cool they’re running all those shows I use to watch all of them. It’s stuff that’s fun to see but I wouldn’t necsesaraly want to get the DVDs for all of them. There use to (maybe still is) a cable/sat channel I think called “TV Land” that showed that stuff. Can’t remember if it was them or Sci-fi who use to show “Land of the Giants” and “Wonder Woman” reruns in the morning.

 Originally Posted By: fredk

Space cowboys? I remember how excited the whole family was when the first episodes came out because we were all avid scifi readers. Years later the series seems so cheesy. I guess maybe thats just a measure of how far the genre has come. If the original Star Trek is cheesy, Lost In Space (which I loved at the time) is just god awful.

I’m still a big Sci-fi nut so even though many of those shows do seem cheesy I’ve still gotten a lot of them. I got smoking deals on “Lost in Space,” “Space 1999,” “UFO,” “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.” “Isis.“ I’ve got all the Tom Baker “Dr Who” but it’s on Beta and in serious need of an upgrade (at least it was from PBS so no commercials).

Lots more I want to collect still.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/09 06:40 PM
You've got aaaaalll the Tom Bakers?

Damn, you may have a better archive than the Beeb!
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/09 07:28 PM
Oh yeah....
a couple of others on that channel were the original "Battlestar Gallactica" and "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century"...

I gave them "three thumbs up" also... \:\)
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/09 07:57 PM
 Originally Posted By: kcarlile

You've got aaaaalll the Tom Bakers?

Damn, you may have a better archive than the Beeb!


Let me rephrase that. AFAIK I have all the Tom Baker episodes as I haven’t done an official inventory. However, I have watched them from beginning to end and there are no breaks in the story between Bakers “regenerations.“ Also, AFAIK the BBC’s archive contains all the colour episodes from Jon Pertwee to the present. I had looked into it when I read somewhere that they were looking for some of the old stuff thinking I might be able to make a contribution. Some of the earlier stuff is still missing but I heard a lot was recovered some even from private recordings.

It’s was lucky how I got them too. I had been hit or miss in recording them but a friend was very passionate about it. However, he was prone to sudden changes of direction and completely lost interest when I happened to be home on leave. So he traded me all the Baker episodes one for one for blank tapes.

 Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson

Oh yeah....
a couple of others on that channel were the original "Battlestar Gallactica" and "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century"...

I gave them "three thumbs up" also...


I love almost everything Glenn A. Larson did. The original Galactica is something I’ve been wanting to get for awhile.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/09 08:10 PM
That's still pretty cool! I've wanted to watch some older Doctor Who, but the DVD releases seem pretty haphazard, and I'm kind of anal about watching stuff in order.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/09 08:48 PM
 Quote:
I’m still a big Sci-fi nut


Did you ever watch A Boy and his Dog?
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/09 10:07 PM
 Originally Posted By: fredk

Did you ever watch A Boy and his Dog?


Wow! I totally forgot about that one. I saw it when it came out in the theater. I’ve always hated Don Johnson since his role in “Miami Vice” but I loved that movie especially the ending. ;\) It definitely belongs on my “cult-classic” shelf, thanks for the reminder.

 Originally Posted By: kcarlile

That's still pretty cool! I've wanted to watch some older Doctor Who, but the DVD releases seem pretty haphazard, and I'm kind of anal about watching stuff in order.


I agree with you about watching things in order especially something like “Dr Who.” Even though most of the Baker episodes were trilogies they still lead into one another and the whole series is full of Story arcs in Doctor Who

They are also a bit pricy.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/31/09 12:17 AM
Oooh... I just spent a fair amount of time reading all of that stuff on Wikipedia. Anyone know where to get their hands on the specials from the new Doctor Who? Sci-fi has been a little haphazard in airing them--I've certainly never seen Time Crash!
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/01/09 01:17 AM
Yesterday, we went to go see Pixar's newest film Up. I found it delightful and entertaining. I've always enjoyed Pixar's films and this one is no exception. There are some beautifully moving moments in this film that I found quite touching. There are also plenty of laughs and adventure.

Oh, we decided to see the 2D version rather than the 3D. I think I wanted to enjoy the movie for what it is the first time, without the distraction of 3D, as there is so much beautiful eye candy on the screen.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/02/09 06:59 AM
The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien

It's funny so far, which I guess I should have expected.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/02/09 07:07 AM
Oh, and Sean, I need to go see Up, too. Hopefully I can convince someone to go with me.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/02/09 12:21 PM
It'd be the perfect date movie!
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/02/09 12:54 PM
I'm alone at home until the 9th. I'll probably see at least Star Trek, alone, and possibly Up.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/02/09 05:57 PM
Peter's home alone! Road Trip!
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/02/09 06:46 PM
That is one long-ass drive.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/02/09 07:01 PM
Did I mention I have wine, beer, and access to a fine selection of more?
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/02/09 07:17 PM
iz goonna beah dagneruz longazz ride hom.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/02/09 07:45 PM
Mark speaks LOLcat!

Awesome!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/05/09 08:36 AM
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete

I never played Final Fantasy VII, and it probably would have meant more to me if I had. Still, it's amazingly beautiful. Even if the people still don't look and move quite right, I have to say wow on the overall quality of the visuals. It really makes me wish they'd animate something with a little more substance to go with the flash. I know Square Pictures wanted to do a version of Seven Samurai, but that was before the disaster that was Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. I wonder if Square will ever try a proper film again, or whether this epic nod to fans is all we can hope for.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/06/09 06:05 AM
I finally got around to watching The Fall. I liked it all right. It's a pretty movie, though I found it hard to get too into the story.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/07/09 02:03 AM
Bedtime Stories

I liked it more than I thought I would. It had plenty of parts that could have used more thought and polish, but I still enjoyed it.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/07/09 03:37 AM
Defiance. I wanted to see Daniel Craig in a non Bond movie and it sounded like a decent plot.

Turned out to be excellent. Craig's manerisms are much like when he played bond, but he still does an exellent job and the movie is very well written.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/07/09 04:50 AM
Good Night, and Good Luck

I liked it. It made me wish I had balls and could articulate my thoughts. Well, not only articulate my thoughts, but have thoughts in the first place.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/07/09 05:27 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Bedtime Stories

I liked it more than I thought I would. It had plenty of parts that could have used more thought and polish, but I still enjoyed it.


Yeah, it was pretty rough in spots and thought it could have been a lot better with the material involved. Also, I'm not the biggest Adam Sandler fan.
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/07/09 10:29 PM
I, Robot on Blu-ray. The movie itself is ok but the DTS HD Master soundtrack is outstanding.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/08/09 12:10 PM
If any of us articulate their thoughts well, it's you Charles. I wouldn't be too concerned. I look forward to your well articulated thoughts daily.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/08/09 12:58 PM
I finally saw The Dark Night the night. Very good movie. I liked it better than Star Trek.
Posted By: PeterChenoweth Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/08/09 03:45 PM
Flipping through channels on Saturday, I came across a TV series I hadn't seen before, Whale Wars on Animal Planet.

It was, well, interesting. I didn't really like it, but I didn't really hate it. It was somewhat fascinating. In a nutshell, it's about a group of environmentalists who have a ship and are trying to stop the illegal (in their view) poaching of whales near Antarctica by Japanese whaling ships. A fine and noble cause, I suppose. But the things they do to the whalers, wow. I'm surprised that with the recent drama of Somali pirate attacks, that the show is still on the air. As it's the kind of show that over-politically-correct/nervous network execs might pull for fear of public outcry. What they do, IMHO, is pretty close to high-seas piracy. Seriously, if US-flagged vessels were being harassed by some group like this, I suspect there'd be widespread calls for the US Navy to intervene.

Anyway, it was fascinating enough that I watched a couple of hours worth of it. ;\)

Then I watched two movies this weekend:

Deception, staring Ewan McGregor and Hugh Jackman. Somewhat 'blah'. Not bad, but not really great. Sort of boring, though the ending was a bit of a surprise. I did like the way these two worked together though - they make for an interesting pair. "C+".

Rigtheous Kill, starring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. I had wanted to see this movie for awhile now. I mean, DeNiro + Pacino. That has to be good, right? Nope! Probably the worst movie with either of those usually-great actors I've ever seen. I know these two can have good chemistry together. There wasn't any of it in this one. Really boring and *extremely* predictable. I'm not the smug type that boasts about figuring out 'who did it' early on in a movie, but this one was ridiculous. See it if you must, but be prepared for a let-down. "D"
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/08/09 04:42 PM
I really appreciate reviews like PeterC's.

Reading it made me wonder whether it is worthwhile for us to find some web mechanism to share our ratings. I would certainly like to have a centralized resource of what my Axiom friends have enjoyed (besides this thread, I mean). I know I am overly inclined to "build a database for it!" because of my work, but there ARE ways, aren't there? Facebook or Netflix or something?
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/08/09 04:53 PM
Well, if you write the db backend and a web interface, I'm sure Axiom would host it.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/08/09 06:03 PM
Um, no, thanks, Fred. That was the path I was trying to AVOID!
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/08/09 07:20 PM
Facebook has a rating feature, and you can connect with friends on Netflix, too. I just tried inviting you to connect, but the feature is temporarily down.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/09/09 05:15 AM
Andy Richter Controls the Universe

I only watched a couple of episodes when it was on the air. I can see why it didn't last, but I'm still enjoying it.
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/09/09 04:45 PM
Watching a episode of Robot Chicken on my Cowon D2+ \:D
Posted By: PeterChenoweth Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/09/09 08:29 PM
 Originally Posted By: fredk
Well, if you write the db backend and a web interface, I'm sure Axiom would host it.


I write DB backends for living, so that's not an issue. ;\) Not that great with web development, so someone else can do that.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/10/09 03:43 AM
 Originally Posted By: PeterChenoweth
Not that great with web development, so someone else can do that.


Where's Spider-Man when you need him?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/13/09 07:03 AM
I finished watching Andy Richter Controls the Universe and wished there were more episodes. Then I watched the first episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and I liked it enough. I'm interested to see where they take the show.
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/13/09 11:16 PM
Some friends are coming over for Beer, Burgers, and watching Gran Torino. I've heard it is pretty good..
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/14/09 02:55 AM
Wathed The Incredible Hulk. Nothing really special as a movie but there were a few good audio moments. Overall it was worth watching but wouldn't buy it or go out of my way to watch it again.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/14/09 03:05 AM
I watched my copy of Gran Torino tonight, too. Every time I watch a movie now, though, I keep wanting a projector, and it's not like I have a tiny, crappy TV. I know I need to hold off, though, until there are reasonably priced and well-reviewed HT projectors based on either lasers or PhlatLight LED, just because I don't really want to replace bulbs, and I'm a sucker for newer, iffier technology that promises higher performance and greater convenience.

Now what to watch next? More Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the BBC miniseries, State of Play, Dirty Work, Last Chance Harvey, Frost/Nixon, or Breast Men?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/14/09 03:06 AM
Oh, and I guess I have Dark City to watch, too.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/14/09 04:47 AM
 Originally Posted By: sirquack
Some friends are coming over for Beer, Burgers, and watching Gran Torino. I've heard it is pretty good..

I just watched it on Thursday. Its a good movie. I thought they did a good job of the soundtrack. For a movie without lots of booms, they made good use of the surround channels.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/14/09 05:00 AM
The first episode of State of Play was all right. It's engaging enough that I want to see what happens.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/14/09 09:02 AM

Just finished the last half of the first season of Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. Animie News Network’s review gets it about right.

DVD 1-2

DVD Part 3

It’s an above average anime but I’m just not getting all the hype. Unfortunatly I didn’t realize that the first 6 disks were just season 1 so what I’m expecting to be the end was just a cliff hanger. Although it’s supposedly on Adult Swim, AFAIK the English DVDs for season 2 aren’t do out until next month. On a rent of buy scale I’d rate this one a rent. Overall it’s fine but just nothing here that I can see to elevate it to “classic” status.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/14/09 08:06 PM
For some reason I'd never watched any of Those Dancing Days' music videos. Besides having a great voice, that lead singer has a great face.

Those Dancing Days - "Hitten"

Those Dancing Days - "Run Run"

Those Dancing Days - "Those Dancing Days"
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/14/09 11:51 PM
Carlos Santana (2008) on HDNet. Un-freaking-believable.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/15/09 02:02 AM
State of Play was all right. There were good moments, but overall, I didn't really care.

I just got done watching Last Chance Harvey. The story itself was a bit bland. I love Emma Thompson, but she didn't really redeem the movie for me, either. I couldn't really connect with any of the characters.
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/15/09 02:20 AM
I watched Reign Over Me . I thought it was excellent and found the character Sandler played quite intriguing. My only negatives is it kinda ended abruptly and Adam Sandler was rockin` what looked like Bose headphones throughout the entire movie .
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/15/09 04:06 AM
I finally saw Dirty Work. I didn't know it had quite so much star power, and I'd forgotten that Bob Saget directed it. But yeah, I love Norm Macdonald's dirty, dirty acting.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/15/09 04:07 AM
 Originally Posted By: Dr.House
I watched Reign Over Me.


I'll have to try getting that movie again. I had it for a long time from Netflix but never got around to watching it before sending it back.
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/15/09 04:16 AM
It is not meant for everyone. I bet it can be a bit too much for some people from an emotional standpoint.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/15/09 04:20 AM
And not enough Shadow of the Colossus for other people, am I right, Team Ico fans?
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/15/09 04:42 AM
Two of my favorite games!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/15/09 04:43 AM
I have to admit I've never played either. What's my problem?!
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/15/09 04:51 AM
Definitely commitment.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/15/09 05:01 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
And not enough Shadow of the Colossus for other people, am I right, Team Ico fans?


I liked them because they were different and tried something new. Gotta respect a product that goes against conventional wisdom and popular flavor. Yeah, the games aren't for everyone, but I found an emotional connection with them, or was drawn into them more so than other games.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/15/09 04:26 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
And not enough Shadow of the Colossus for other people, am I right, Team Ico fans?


ACK! I had both the PS2 version of Gods of War in one hand and Shadow of the Colossus in the other hand from a bargain bin Friday and I put Colussus back because I couldn't decide and Gods of War was much cheaper and I kinda wanted to finally say I took advantage of the PS2 playing ability of my PS3 finally.

Now you are making me wish I switched. I never even cracked the shrink wrap on the other one yet so I can't comment how I like it.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/15/09 04:38 PM
Oops I meant to say something I watched too. Went to see "Up" on the weekend. I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would. I had no doubts it would be great, being a Pixar film, but it still was way more fun than I expected. Freakin sad at points though. Love/death/parental abandonment...... Kids really are not spared anything these days.

Kinda funny when I think of it. When I was a kid, we could do any stupid dangerous thing we wanted but nobody dared talked to us about adult issues. . Nowdays, kids are readily exposed to all sorts of emotional, adult issues every day without even a thought but we go out of our way to shelter then from every conceivable risk of a physical mishap.

Pretty big shift in priorities it seems. Not saying which is write or wrong, just that its an interesting change.

Damn it Pixar, see what you've done! In just a paragraph or two I've gone from exclaiming 3-D fun to a philosophical old man.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/15/09 06:48 PM
"Hey you kids! Stop floating above my lawn!"

The movie is about floating with balloons and stuff, right? So the joke worked??
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/15/09 06:52 PM
Ummmm Kinda sorta, ummmm No. It was the old guy who was himself floating in his house tied to balloons so I'm afraid I have to decree.....Fail.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/15/09 06:53 PM
Damn. Coulda been a little funny.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/15/09 06:57 PM
Don't worry, it will probably become funny the next time my buddy with a power para-sailer comes flying by, buzzing our lawn. Currently I just call him Duffman, but I'm going to wear my practice old man hat and scream your remark next time he flies by.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/17/09 05:48 AM
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has moved up my list into classic status. There have been some pretty great episodes.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/20/09 03:57 AM
Still working on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I'm on the last disc, though. The characters just get more and more horrible, which is great.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/20/09 10:44 PM
Burn Notice

I just watched the first episode, and it was pretty good. It's nice to see Bruce Campbell in a good show, even if he's in a supporting role. I thought I would have a problem with the star after seeing his performance in Changeling, but I'm glad to say I don't hate him. I look forward to watching the rest of the season.
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/21/09 02:12 AM
Serenity

great cult classic (well now anyway)

Also have this John Cleese 'documentary' about wine regions and such. It runs 91 minutes. Haven't watched it yet. I'll be curious to see if it really is a documentary or slapstick attempt at understanding wine.
In fact, i'll double post this over in the wine forum.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/21/09 03:00 AM
 Quote:
sorry fred but hot sauce in an ice wine is just over the line in my books

If its anything like his Meetings, Bloody Meetings video it will be both.
Posted By: danmagicman7 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/21/09 03:15 AM
Watching "It's always sunny in philadelphia"

Good series.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/23/09 07:51 AM
That's what I'm sayin', bro.

I just watched the first part of Generation Kill. Pretty good, but I'm sure most of its impact comes after it develops, so I look forward to watching the other parts. My expectations may be a little high since it's from the creator of The Wire, which was amazingly well-crafted.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/23/09 07:53 AM
I also finished watching the first season of Burn Notice. It's entertaining. It's not the best TV has to offer, but I'm also not embarrassed to say I like it. Here's hoping I can get a good deal on the second season sooner rather than later.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/23/09 08:43 AM
I’ve been catching occasional episodes at work and also like it enough to keep watching. Problem is I have such a backlog of things to watch and games to play already, I just don’t want to take the time to see the whole series.
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/24/09 04:43 AM
Power was out so watched some episodes of Robot Chicken that I had stored on my D2 .
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/24/09 06:47 AM
More Generation Kill. It's getting better, and I'm pretty happy with the picture and sound, too.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/24/09 08:11 AM
Watched one of my favorite movies of all time.

Kelly's Heroes Best Clips
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/24/09 08:22 AM
I've only watched that once, and it was a long time ago, but I remember liking it. I should watch it again.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/24/09 09:35 AM
Not sure if everyone has them but it’s one of those movies I can watch again and again and never get tired of it. This list in the order I’ve seen them the most includes:

Logan’s Run
Excalibur
Kelley’s Heroes
Heavy Metal
Star Wars Episode IV
The Hunt for Red October
The Longest Day
Star Wars Episode I
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
The Great Escape
The Three Musketeers (1993)
Operation Petticoat


Logan’s Run holds the record with over 100 theater screenings alone, back when budget theaters really were budget. Obsessed much?
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/24/09 12:01 PM
Wow, I had forgotten about Logans Run, a favorite as a kid because it was one of the few Sci-Fi movies that actually got played on our TFC (Two F'in Channels.) I wonder if I'd have a whole new view on it know that I'm old enough that my red dot (or whatever it was) would be glowing.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/25/09 06:23 AM
I watched some Cromartie High School with my sister and her son.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/25/09 06:47 AM
Movies I have watched multiple times:

Lion King
Aladin
Pinochio
.
.
.

I can still also recite several Dr. Zeuss books word for word.

The only movie that I have watched multiple times because I wanted to is the LOTR series. Hmm. I guess the starwars series too.

I'm not much of one for repeats.
Posted By: davidsch Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/25/09 11:04 AM
A replay of the U.S. soccer match against Spain in the Confederations Cup. Holy cow! I can't believe we actually won!
Posted By: Rock_Head Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/25/09 06:22 PM
My wife and I took our 5 year old son to the Disney movie "UP" in 3D. I thought it was a really great movie. A little something in there for everybody. \:\)
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/26/09 02:15 AM
Penn & Teller: Bullshit!

I really enjoy this show.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/26/09 06:30 AM
Part 3 of Generation Kill. It continues to get better, and yeah, gunfire and distant explosions sound so cool.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/26/09 10:50 PM
Men, men, men, men manly men, men men woo-hoo-hoo!!! ha, that show is nuts!
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/26/09 11:06 PM
I think it's classic.

I watched The Pretenders live at Cornbury last night on HDNet. Wow!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/27/09 07:40 AM
Regina Spektor performed on Letterman tonight. She gets a bit nervous on TV performances, I think, but I think she pulled it off, and seeing her break into her huge smile when shaking hands with Letterman made me melt.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/27/09 11:46 AM
Your two idols together. Why weren't you there?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/27/09 10:21 PM
I would have thrown the balance off, I think.

I finished Generation Kill today. I liked it a lot.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/29/09 07:21 AM
I've been trying out the first season of True Blood. It's a well-made show, and entertaining enough, but the whole vampire thing just doesn't work for me. I've never seen or read any vampire stuff that I've really liked. Plus, there's a bit too much sex for me. It just ends up making me feel uncomfortable.

At least it's funny seeing the guy I just saw as a serious, even-tempered soldier in Generation Kill as a creepy vampire.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/29/09 02:41 PM
The novels were actually pretty good. But yes, lots of sex...
Posted By: PeterChenoweth Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/29/09 06:26 PM
My wife and I like True Blood. We started watching it last season because one of my wife's guilty pleasures is reading trashy vampire novels, which she embarrassingly admits that she occasionally enjoys. According to her, they're mostly all about the sex - enough to detract from what little plot there actually is. So from that perspective, True Blood is accurate to the books. ;\)

But again, it is HBO. Both HBO and Showtime can do whatever they want. They take advantage of it.
Posted By: Olderbutwiser Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/29/09 09:38 PM
Ok not to change the subject but, We watched August Rush over the weekend. My wife and I originally saw it at the theater and liked it so much we bought the DVD. We really like how they were able to blend the rock and classical music together. Hearing the sound track on an exceptional sound system gave it new meaning, it helped me to visualize how August heard the music he composed. I throughly enjoyed the pipe organ scene as well as surround sounds of the city. IMHO a very good story and an excellent sound track.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/30/09 05:45 AM
I agree that it was an excellent soundtrack.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/01/09 05:49 AM
Eastbound & Down

The first episode was all right.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/09 05:16 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I've been trying out the first season of True Blood. It's a well-made show, and entertaining enough, but the whole vampire thing just doesn't work for me. I've never seen or read any vampire stuff that I've really liked. Plus, there's a bit too much sex for me. It just ends up making me feel uncomfortable.


I feel the same way. My sister loves anything to do with vampires, and I can't get into the vampire thing at all. I forced myself to read Interview with the Vampire to see what all the hype was about and I hated it. The movie did little to change my opinion.

I did manage to catch a bit of True Blood--it was entertaining, but I turned it off after twenty minutes or so.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/09 05:31 AM
I did like the term, "fangbanger," but yeah, I don't know why I can't get into vampires. The idea of vampires seems like it would have some serious potential. I keep thinking I just haven't come across the right material. I was considering writing a story about mervampires (underwater vampires), and they would have to compete with sharks when they smell blood, but of course I was too lazy to do anything with it.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/09 05:38 AM
That could be the material that unlocks the vampire mystique for those of us on the fence. You become a billionaire--books, movie deals, lunch boxes. . .
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/09 05:40 AM
Oh, hey, congratulations on 5000 posts.
Posted By: richeydog Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/09 06:19 AM
Speaking of Vampires, I watched "Låt den rätte komma in" on Blu-Ray last week. It was an interesting flick with some good suspense.

Anyone see it? What did you think?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/09 06:37 AM
I liked it all right. I still couldn't quite get into the vampire thing, but I thought the characters were well-done, and some of the shots were pretty inventive.
Posted By: richeydog Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/09 07:07 AM
I liked it too. It seemed more real than the countless other(cheesy) vampire flicks I've seen. Good story. The child actors were convincing.

The only negative part were the subtitles. Some of them didn't make sense and had me dumbfounded. I learned, after watching the movie, they were translated wrong. Besides the minor subtitle goof, it didn't ruin the movie for me.

I hear a new release is on the way with the correct (theatrical) subtitles. Perhaps I'll have to watch it again in the very near future.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/09 07:15 AM
I guess it's been a while, so I don't remember the subtitles being weird. It would be so much handier if I just understood every language.
Posted By: Olderbutwiser Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/09 12:51 PM
Where's that universal translator when you need it?
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/09 02:49 PM
My wife and I watched Marley and Me last night. I cried.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/09 04:15 PM
I have that from Netflix, but I haven't watched it yet.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/09 04:45 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Oh, hey, congratulations on 5000 posts.


Thanks! Guess I should've posted in the anniversary thread.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/09 04:48 PM
 Originally Posted By: richeydog
Speaking of Vampires, I watched "Låt den rätte komma in" on Blu-Ray last week. It was an interesting flick with some good suspense.

Anyone see it? What did you think?


Hmm, haven't seen that one, much less heard of it.

Just looked it up and sounds like an interesting movie. I like that the vampire thing is just part of the backdrop of the story, kinda like zombies were not the main story in Shaun of the Dead.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/04/09 12:47 AM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
My wife and I watched Marley and Me last night. I cried.


I watched it. Overall, I wouldn't say it's the greatest film, but it did make me cry. The older Marley looked like a dog our family had growing up. Is anyone so affected when a cat dies?
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/04/09 01:05 AM
Kenny vs. Spenny
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/04/09 04:11 AM
 Quote:
Is anyone so affected when a cat dies?

Possibly, but a cat's death comes with the benefit of having less litter box odor.
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/04/09 04:17 AM
Marley and me was a pretty good flick. Unfortunately I am not watching anything tonight tho.. My wife and I are at the family cabin in the middle of the woods and tried to lay down and watch a little news or tv b4bed but it turns out that the digital transition has cut all of the analog OTA channels off air. O well, I guess we shouldn't try to watch tv out here anyway!
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/04/09 04:21 AM
You could play Parcheesi?
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/04/09 04:26 AM
 Quote:
My wife and I are at the family cabin in the middle of the woods and tried to lay down and

You should have stopped there and censored the rest. Then we might have been jealous.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/04/09 04:35 AM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
Possibly, but a cat's death comes with the benefit of having less litter box odor.


Plus, maybe the whole nine lives thing sort of devalues every single death.
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/04/09 04:42 AM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
 Quote:
My wife and I are at the family cabin in the middle of the woods and tried to lay down and

You should have stopped there and censored the rest. Then we might have been jealous.


Lol! I wish... She's asleep now so I'm left listenig to Dave matthews, drinking whiskey, and surfing the axiom forums on my iPhone!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/04/09 06:08 AM
Death at a Funeral

Exceptionally mediocre.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/04/09 09:31 AM
Kill Zone (aka SPL)

Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung do their great action scenes. The story was so-so.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/04/09 09:51 PM
Flash Point

Another Donnie Yen film from the director of Kill Zone. The story is similarly forgettable, and the action scenes are similarly terrific. I did like the audio on this one. Kind of cool music throughout.

I really wish I could move around like these movie martial artists. I'd be launching my flurry of limbs everywhere.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/04/09 11:07 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I'd be launching my flurry of limbs everywhere.


Sure beats a McFlurry of Limbs!


Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/04/09 11:17 PM
\:D I'm lovin' it.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/04/09 11:24 PM
Kinda gives new meaning to a McRib Sandwich?

*urp*
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/04/09 11:28 PM
Oh, man.... I LOVE McRibs! I found a website once where you could search for any locations that had them at the time!
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/05/09 12:44 AM
Mark, you're even more of a garbage gut than I am, and that's sayin' somethin'.

And when did you get your Dad to pose for your new avatar picture?


Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/05/09 06:05 AM
Frost/Nixon

I liked it well enough.
Posted By: a401classic Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/05/09 02:02 PM
Watched Yes Man the other night. Surprising amount of LFE from a non-special effects movie.

Scott
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/06/09 12:57 AM
I'm watching John Adams. It's another solid HBO effort so far. I'm enjoying it.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/06/09 02:20 AM
Taken. Liam does a good job. Say, he would make a good bond.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/06/09 02:56 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I'm watching John Adams. It's another solid HBO effort so far. I'm enjoying it.


I haven't seen that, but would like to. My dad lent me his copy of the book, which I enjoyed.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/06/09 03:07 AM
It's nice to see another angle on the forming of our nation. Of course, every time I see anything on the founding fathers I feel like a moron. Thank goodness for their brains, but I have to resent them just a little. Ha ha.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/06/09 03:17 AM
Definitely. The book offers (and maybe the movie) some personal thoughts and misgivings and doubts John Adams had about how things were going.

Why wasn't I so into history back when I was in school?
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/06/09 04:20 AM
I have John Adams in my Netflix queue. He can't wait to get out.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/06/09 04:32 AM
Sounds interesting. The history we learn in school is often incomplete.
Posted By: richeydog Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/06/09 04:49 AM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
Why wasn't I so into history back when I was in school?


Probably because you were too busy staring at breasts... \:D
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/06/09 04:58 AM
 Originally Posted By: richeydog


Probably because you were too busy staring at breasts... \:D


Bingo!! \:D
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/06/09 05:53 AM
Were you trying to declare their independence from bras?
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/06/09 01:02 PM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
Why wasn't I so into history back when I was in school?
LOL! I have asked myself that same question a million times. I even flunked a history course my first quarter in college. About 20-25 years ago I got interested in WWII history, and I've been a history nut ever since. Go figure????
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/06/09 02:57 PM
Watched "Winter Soldier" over the weekend; great movie.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/07/09 03:05 AM
 Originally Posted By: Ajax
LOL! I have asked myself that same question a million times. I even flunked a history course my first quarter in college. About 20-25 years ago I got interested in WWII history, and I've been a history nut ever since. Go figure????


Same thing. Got hooked on WWII and it snowballed from there. I guess history is fun to learn about now that I know I won't be tested on it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/07/09 09:08 AM
I finished John Adams. I had forgotten that both he and Thomas Jefferson died on July 4th, 1826, 50 years after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. That's so crazy.
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/07/09 09:50 AM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
 Originally Posted By: Ajax
LOL! I have asked myself that same question a million times. I even flunked a history course my first quarter in college. About 20-25 years ago I got interested in WWII history, and I've been a history nut ever since. Go figure????


Same thing. Got hooked on WWII and it snowballed from there. I guess history is fun to learn about now that I know I won't be tested on it.
THAT'S IT! That's the difference! No pop quizzes! \:D
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/07/09 05:07 PM
Trailer Park Boys. Such an entertaining program!
Posted By: Olderbutwiser Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/07/09 05:23 PM
Watched Deja Vu last night, we both thought is was an excellent flick. Does Denzel ever make a bad movie?
Been keeping up with the TDF on VS network. Great to see the tour in HD.

Also, w/ the summer hiatus and my Tivo all cleared out, I'v been watching Harper's Island on Netflix streaming. Not bad at all.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/08/09 06:33 AM
Fate Stay Night

The first episode was a bit slow, but it picked up in the second. I'm looking forward to see how it unfolds now.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/09/09 05:46 AM
More Fate Stay Night. I'm still not sure what I'll think of the series when I'm done, but at least I'm being compelled forward.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/09/09 12:47 PM
I just watched a short parody of West Side Story called Web Site Story. Pretty good, and accurate. \:\)
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/09/09 01:07 PM
That was pretty good! I like the tagline about (LOL)Cats.
Posted By: a401classic Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/11/09 12:02 PM
Watched Tom Hanks in BIG last night. Forgot what a good movie it was.
Favorite parts:

eating the baby corn like it was full sized corn-on-the-cob

keyboard duet at F.A.O.

"I get to be on top" referring, of course, to his bunk bed



Too often I forget to play more and be serious less.

Scott
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/12/09 01:14 AM
I finished Fate Stay Night. Actually, it seems to correctly be Fate / stay night. It did win me over. While I still wouldn't put it in the same tier as Fullmetal Alchemist, I appreciate the way the story expands and the characters stay with you after it's over. Pretty cool.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/12/09 03:35 AM
Valkyrie

When the big gun first fires toward the beginning of the movie, I had to say, "Yeah, there we go." There were some very nice explosions, too.

The movie didn't do a whole lot for me. The history itself seems compelling enough, so I guess my problem was with the execution.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/12/09 04:09 AM
I would think the problem would be Tom Cruise.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/12/09 04:19 AM
He didn't help, but I think the problem was a little bigger even than him.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/12/09 09:05 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
He didn't help, but I think the problem was a little bigger even than him.


Everything's bigger than he is.


Small small man
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/09 02:21 AM
\:\)

Season 2 of Burn Notice. I got the Blu-rays even though everything I read said the video quality wasn't as good as it should be, and that it wasn't worth the extra money over the DVDs. However, it was only $1 more than the DVD set going with used vs. used through third party sellers on Amazon.com. I'd agree that the quality is certainly lacking compared to other Blu-rays, but it's not exactly a high-budget series, and it's not one I care about so much that I need it to be pristine.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/09 02:27 AM
I'm finding the Used section of Amazon to be a great source of getting things, mainly CDs, at a good price.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/09 02:30 AM
Yeah, definitely. I'm probably split 50/50 between buying used and new now.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/09 02:47 AM
Yeah, even with the shipping added onto the used prices, you're more often than not still getting a better deal.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/09 03:08 AM
Yeah, and I'm in Washington, so I get charged sales tax if I buy directly from Amazon.com. Depending on what I'm buying, it might be cheaper to pay for shipping rather than sales tax.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/09 05:46 AM
Watching “The Partridge Family.” I completely forgot this scene.

Partridge Family

I love watching old shows because I barely remember them so it’s almost like seeing them for the first time again. I figure in a few more years my brain will be so addled I will be able to revisit them for the “first time” again. ;\)
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/09 10:19 AM
::Sheepishly admits to having bought the Partridge Family Seasons 1,2 & 3 a few years ago when Amazon had them 70% off::
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/09 04:30 PM
I remember that episode! much like old cars...they don't make 'em like they used to(re Farrah).
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/09 04:33 PM
 Originally Posted By: Adrian
they don't make 'em like they used to(re Farrah).


I'm pretty sure the way they used to make them is still the most popular way.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/09 04:35 PM
\:D Btw, Charles, I just got back from the west coast yesterday and spent a couple of days down in Washington State, I have to say you Washingtonians(?) are some of the nicest people I've met.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/09 05:16 PM
We talk about you after you leave, though.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/09 06:53 PM
Charles, sshhhhh. You're not supposed to tell, remember?

Adrian, I wish we'd had a chance to visit.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/09 07:17 PM
I'm seriously thinking about a move out there Tom(southern BC). I have cousins and an aunt in Washington, and of course my parents are in southern BC, for a while they too, lived in Washington. I found BC quite expensive though.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/14/09 02:51 AM
I find BC expensive, too. I thought it was just a US/Canadian exchange thing, though.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/14/09 03:36 AM
Probably the most expensive Province by a mile, errr...I mean kilometre.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/14/09 07:12 AM
Jonah Hill was really funny on The Late Show tonight. Grrrr.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/17/09 05:40 PM
Finished watching PGSM last night.

This review pretty much describes it but I liked it more than the C+ given by the reviewer. Can’t help it that I like campy mostly whimsical shows as an escape from reality. Ok a bunch of cute Japanese girls in cosplay doesn’t hurt either. Don’t fret there are also plenty of male cosplayers for those so inclined. ;\)

Subtitles are the only drawback if like me you have trouble reading them but mostly it flowed pretty well so I didn’t have to pause to often.

If you like the Sailor Moon stories this is defiantly worth watching especially since the story is a little different giving it some freshness.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/18/09 06:32 AM
I finished the second season of Burn Notice the other night. It's still entertaining. Now I'm trying to finish GTO. After that, I only have a million other things to watch.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/18/09 07:41 AM
Metric performed on The Late Show tonight, which I was excited about, but unfortunately Emily Haines's voice was a bit off. Letterman still seemed to enjoy the performance, though.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/19/09 04:11 AM
My aunt's visiting, and she wanted to watch something on my system. We ended up watching Sunshine, which I still enjoy. She wants to watch Children of Men next.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/20/09 12:08 AM
Wow, GTO got really good at the end. I'm kind of surprised how serious it became.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/20/09 07:07 AM
The first few episodes of Shakugan no Shana. It's off to a fairly promising start. I'm interested in seeing where it takes the idea.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/20/09 07:28 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
The first few episodes of Shakugan no Shana. It's off to a fairly promising start. I'm interested in seeing where it takes the idea.


Please update as you watch more. I just finally got disk 2 from Amazon but have such a huge backlog of stuff to watch it would help to know if I should move this up the list.

I just watched the first two episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist trying to decide if I should watch the whole thing right away. Turns out I had already seen parts of both episodes on Adult Swim but thought that they were somewhere in the middle of the story. Seems interesting so far though the main character is a little cocky for my taste so far.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/20/09 07:42 AM
Ha ha, yeah, he is. I need to re-watch that series sometime soon. I really loved how the story kept expanding.

And yeah, I'll let you know on Shana.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/20/09 08:03 AM
Building? Well they sure have set the bar high to build from on the first episodes. I like the way it jumped right in and then started to work the history in as they went. A fresh break from the usual early episode character building.

One thing I do like so far about Fullmetal Alchemist is how the first 2 episodes formed one story arc. I hope the whole series stays like that since it’s much easier to watch in bite-size pieces that way. I’m already in-the-middle-of to many different series now and will probably want to jump right to all the 16x9 5.1 stuff as soon as I get the projector. Gotta love life when your toughest decision is what to watch, play or listen to.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/21/09 07:12 AM
Man, Katherine Heigl and Letterman had a lot of fun with each other tonight. She's so cute.
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/21/09 09:01 PM
Has anyone else seen the movie "Wanted"? I'm into the first hour and I'm quite enjoying it; great sound, highly recommended.

Edit - I just read this review which gives it flying colors in the video and especially audio department.
Posted By: richeydog Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/21/09 09:19 PM
 Originally Posted By: wheelz999
Has anyone else seen the movie "Wanted"? I'm into the first hour and I'm quite enjoying it; great sound, highly recommended.


I saw it on dvd. Way to silly to be taken serious...despite that, I thought it was an enjoyable film.

Are you watching it on Bluray? I bet it looks incredible.
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/21/09 09:34 PM
Yes it is on Bluray, and it does look incredible.
Posted By: richeydog Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/21/09 10:28 PM
I thought so. I'll have to watch it again. ;\)

The office scene at the beginning was a hoot...
Warning, Spoiler:
when he told his boss to f-off, and then smacked his friend in the mouth with the keyboard.

Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/25/09 02:20 AM
 Originally Posted By: grunt
Please update as you watch more. I just finally got disk 2 from Amazon but have such a huge backlog of stuff to watch it would help to know if I should move this up the list.


I just finished watching Shakugan no Shana last night. I did like it, though I wouldn't quite list it as a classic. Parts of the story were pretty flimsy, though there were some really good moments, and Shana's yelling at Yuji made me laugh. It ruled in Japanese, anyway. I'm not sure how the English voice work is.

What else have you been watching?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/25/09 02:22 AM
Oh, and the OVA was kind of a waste of a disc. It was only as long as an episode, and while it made me laugh, it was just fluff, with no real meat to the story.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/25/09 04:13 AM
The first episode of The Familiar of Zero was promising. Hopefully the story lives up to the premise.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/25/09 03:23 PM
District 9 trailer

I want to see it.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/25/09 03:39 PM
Wow. Me, too.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/26/09 02:39 AM
Coraline

Very pretty, great sound, decent story.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/26/09 06:43 AM
I finished The Familiar of Zero. Pretty good. I enjoyed it.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/26/09 08:15 AM
Thanks for the update Charles. Not sure when I’ll get around to watching it since I’ve got such a huge backlog of stuff to watch and I’m trying to get through as much of the 1.33:1 stuff now and saving the 1.85:1 stuff for after I get the projector and screen.

 Originally Posted By: CV

What else have you been watching?


Only anime I’ve been really been watching recently is “Pani Poni Dash!”

Pani Poni Dash

Pani Poni Dash!

I think it’s hilarious but YMMV. I imagine it’s a love it or hate it type of a show but the plot doesn’t require much to follow so it’s been something I’ve been able to watch while to busy for long sessions.

Also I think I posted before I finished PGSM liking it a lot. You either like cheesy live action Japanese shows or you really hate them. And checked out the first 2 episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist to see if it would be worth setting a whole weekend aside for it, and I think the answer is yes.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/26/09 08:20 AM
I'll have to check out Pani Poni Dash. Thanks for the heads-up.

I look forward to your thoughts on Fullmetal Alchemist.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/26/09 06:00 PM
Eastern Promises

It was all right. I can see why the bathhouse scene was talked about. Brutal.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/27/09 12:56 AM
The Seventh Seal

It was okay. At least now I can say I've seen it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/29/09 07:35 AM
Working on season 2 of Mad Men.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/29/09 11:49 AM
Watched nothing last night. Went for a walk on the beach to cool off after a long overdue hot day.

Although I guess watching nothing is more normal than not for me.
Posted By: EFalardeau Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/30/09 08:11 PM
BSG! BSG! BSG! BSG! BSG! BSG! BSG! BSG!
Just received the BIG BOX with the action figure!
I had season one on HD-DVD and I borrowed Season 2&3+Razor pending the BD edition! Now it's MINE, my precious BSG collection.
And I haven't seen Season 4 yet, so y'all shut up until I'm done! \:\)
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/30/09 08:35 PM
I'd love to be there to watch with you, but I'm sure I'd knock over your rear surrounds.
Posted By: EFalardeau Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/30/09 08:41 PM
You're THAT tall??
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/31/09 02:29 AM
Only when I'm sitting.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/31/09 04:18 AM
 Originally Posted By: EFalardeau
BSG! BSG! BSG! BSG! BSG! BSG! BSG! BSG!
Just received the BIG BOX with the action figure!
I had season one on HD-DVD and I borrowed Season 2&3+Razor pending the BD edition! Now it's MINE, my precious BSG collection.
And I haven't seen Season 4 yet, so y'all shut up until I'm done! \:\)


I just got the season 4.5 disks (standard def only) from Netflix yesturday so now I can start watching since I missed the last 2 and a half seasons.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/31/09 12:01 PM
Frack you ALLLllll!

I ordered the full BSG set and told my wife "By the way, you bought me a Christmas present already, thanks!" and Amazon.ca says they are back ordered with no ETA.

Farckin Amazon.ca. Never has anything compared to it's .com version but I hate paying frackin duty.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/09 03:30 AM
Still working on season 2 of Mad Men. You know, I still can't figure out whether or not I like the show. For the most part, I don't really relate to the characters, but the show is a bit different, and there are occasionally some cool moments. I think Colin Hanks has been good this season as the priest. Also, it's always strange to see the things people used to do back then as normal, but nowadays we'd freak out.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/09 03:30 AM
I'm watching my wife look through real estate listings online. Not sure how I feel about this.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/09 03:33 AM
I did decide to order the Battlestar Galactica set, so I'll have that to watch at some point (whenever it's back in stock at deepdiscount.com). My mom wants to watch it, too, and if I don't like it enough to keep it, I'll pass it along to my sister, so it will be worth the purchase no matter what.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/09 03:33 AM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
I'm watching my wife look through real estate listings online. Not sure how I feel about this.


Are you not ready for that kind of change?
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/09 04:00 AM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
I'm watching my wife look through real estate listings online. Not sure how I feel about this.


Counter attack by looking at really expensive a AV equipment…since in a new house you will have to get new equipment designed for that room. Could be a win-win. ;\) Unless you want to retire any time soon…
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/09 04:12 AM
Maybe I'll make a separate post about it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/09 06:12 AM
Which one is better?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4FCgvTnZxo&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avOrVsBk290&feature=player_embedded
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/09 06:22 AM
She seems to be kinda hungry.



Definitely number 2.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/09 06:24 AM
\:\)

I can't remember the last time I had pork buns, and now I really want some.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/09 06:25 AM
Ha ha, I was thinking the same thing.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/09 06:27 AM
Hey it’s Hippity Hop where’s Cam?

If I had to pick between the two, I like the first one best. However, I prefer her earlier stuff like this:

BoA-Someday Somewhere
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/09 06:37 AM
I wish I could dance.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/09 06:47 AM
You and me both brother. Once when trying to dance in the Philippines I had a bargirl tell me I had no rhythm in my body. \:\(
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/02/09 10:49 AM
I finished season 2 of Mad Men, and now I'm working on the first season of Friday Night Lights. I watched a couple of episodes when it first started airing, but then I started missing it and never got around to getting back into it. It seems to be a well-done show.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/03/09 08:58 AM
More Friday Night Lights. For what it is, it's way too good. I had my reservations about it the first time I watched a few episodes, but I have to admit I'm really liking it this time around.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/03/09 01:12 PM
I wanted a brainless movie Saturday night and watched Mall Cop. I got what I asked for. Having said that, it wasn't as bad as I expected, but not as good as it could have been, either. Just under 3 stars.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/03/09 01:27 PM
Before Tomorrow. Its an Inuit movie done in the Inukitituk language with English subtitles. Its very different: gives you insight into how these people were before we came a long.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/03/09 04:33 PM
Had never seen the Coen brothers' "Hudsucker Proxy" before. Blech.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/03/09 05:22 PM
I hear beer does a good job of washing away blech.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/03/09 09:00 PM
Hmm. Guess I'll take it off my netflix queue then. That's how much I trust you.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/03/09 10:16 PM
I'm flattered, Peter. Really, it is not nearly as smart or entertaining as their other films that I've seen. It was a surprisingly bad movie considering the cast.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/03/09 10:44 PM
Worst movie I've seen recently was Ghost Rider with Nicholas Cage. One of those movies you say to yourself, can I please have the last two hrs of my life back? right up there with Steven Seagal's movies.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/03/09 11:54 PM
I'm with you, Adrian. Pyew.

Nicholas Cage is not a favorite of mine. Moonstruck was good, and The Rock didn't suck, but other than that, I just don't want to watch him. Kevin Costner never really did any interesting acting after Bull Durham, either (I saw him recently in Rumor Has It).
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/04/09 02:59 AM
I just watched Step Brothers. I can't believe I watched the whole thing. \:\(
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/04/09 03:31 AM
Hunh. I had that on my list, too. (Hudsucker Proxy)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/04/09 05:27 AM
 Originally Posted By: tomtuttle
Nicholas Cage is not a favorite of mine. Moonstruck was good, and The Rock didn't suck, but other than that, I just don't want to watch him.


Yeah, I liked him in Raising Arizona (speaking of the Coen brothers) way back, but he got really annoying when he decided he could be an action star. I actually did hate The Rock, but I know I'm in the minority on that one. Even though I find it hard to stomach him, I did like Adaptation a lot.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/04/09 05:27 AM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
I just watched Step Brothers. I can't believe I watched the whole thing. \:\(


I liked parts of that enough that I didn't regret watching it, but yeah, I know where you're coming from. \:\)
Posted By: danmagicman7 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/04/09 07:08 AM
I'm coming from OUTER SPACE
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/04/09 10:24 AM
 Originally Posted By: tomtuttle
Had never seen the Coen brothers' "Hudsucker Proxy" before. Blech.
Yeah, the Coen brothers are, IMHO, an acquired taste and I'm not sure I've acquired the taste yet. Hudsucker was, IMHO, one of their weaker efforts.

Every time I watch one of their movies, before it starts, I keep reminding myself that, in order to appreciate their surreal views (in order to "get it") a certain amount of brain tweaking is required.

Either here, or on another forum I frequent, someone recently expressed hatred for Burn After Reading. Since I "got my mind right" before I watched it, I actually enjoyed it (just watched it on TV a second time). Loved the over the top performances of Clooney, McDormand, and especially Pitt.

However, I completely understand someone hating the damned thing or any Coen movie. Attitude adjustment isn't for everone. It's kinda like accepting an alternate reality. Not easy and can be un-fun. I often fail at it.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/04/09 03:50 PM
Excellent analysis, Jack.

I actually quite liked Burn After Reading, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, No Country for Old Men, Raising Arizona, Intolerable Cruelty, and O Brother, Where Art Thou?

And I absolutely agree with you.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/04/09 04:32 PM
RyG Road Movie - Hanuman

"Rodrigo y Gabriela on the road in Europe Summer 2009. Featuring Hanuman from the new album 11:11."

My crush on Gabriela persists.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/05/09 07:11 AM
The Human Cannonballs on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien were pretty cool. I wish I could be shot out of a cannon (and be a human).
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/06/09 09:28 AM
I'm getting down to the last couple of episodes of the first season of Friday Night Lights, and I'm still liking it a lot. I don't care about football, or even sports in general, but the characters are very well-written, and the acting is terrific. It's very easy to get into, and there aren't too many false moments. I'm curious to see if subsequent seasons have maintained the standard.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/07/09 07:10 AM
Season 2 of Flight of the Conchords. I was too tired, though, and fell asleep briefly. Otherwise, it was making me laugh.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/08/09 05:19 AM
Started watching the first season of Leverage. It's like Oceans 11 meets the A-Team meets Robin Hood. I'm liking it.

http://www.tnt.tv/series/leverage/
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/08/09 05:29 AM
It sound’s interesting Peter keep us posted on what you think of it.
Posted By: EFalardeau Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/08/09 09:17 PM
I have just watched the fist 60 minutes of Coraline in 3D (Blu-ray). Very impressive. I don't like those glasses-thingy in general, but in this movie, Burton has managed to make it something enjoyable!
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/09/09 04:36 AM
Just finished the third episode of season 1 of Leverage. Liking it more and more with each one.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/09/09 05:37 AM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
Just finished the third episode of season 1 of Leverage. Liking it more and more with each one.


My dyslexia was kicking in when I first read this and thought you said you just finished season 3...didn’t know it had been around that long. Read up on it and it looks like something I’ll have to give a shot. Thanks for posting about it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/12/09 06:40 AM
I watched the first episode of Solty Rei. I'm interested enough to keep watching.

I finished the second season of Flight of the Conchords last night. It was decent.

I forgot to say what I thought of the second season of Friday Night Lights. It's the season that was cut short because of the writer's strike, so there was a lot of stuff that didn't get resolved. I'm eager to see the third season and see what they did about that. The second season wasn't as good as the first season, with some weirder plotlines, but there was still a lot of good stuff, too. Here's hoping the third season continues to do it for me.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/12/09 07:51 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I watched the first episode of Solty Rei. I'm interested enough to keep watching.



I’ve only had that one since October last year and still haven’t watched it. Keep me posted.

Hey this was my thousandth post, I think I’ll have a beer.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/14/09 05:56 AM
Oh, congratulations on reaching 1000. Keep 'em coming.

I watched I Love You, Man tonight. I still liked it.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/14/09 01:05 PM
I the past few days, I watched Harry and Kumar Go To White Castle and Half Baked. I liked the first better, but both gave me the munchies.
Posted By: Frraksurred Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/14/09 01:10 PM
Tonight I'm watching an oldie: "Unbreakable"

I've never seen it and noticed it was on blu-ray.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/15/09 07:10 AM
I like Unbreakable.

Solty Rei is kind of disappointing me so far. The writing has been fairly weak. Hopefully it picks up.

Triumph the Insult Comic Dog on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien was good, as usual.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/15/09 04:44 PM
I saw Unbreakable when it came out years ago, in part because M Night Shyamalan produced/directed it, but felt kind of underwhelmed by it. Probably because I had seen the Sixth Sense and was expecting something more along those lines, I don't know.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/15/09 04:45 PM
I saw them in the reverse order and enjoyed both a great deal. Haven't seen any of his other movies after hearing it wasn't really worthwhile.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/15/09 11:12 PM
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I wanted to like it because of David Fincher, but there just wasn't a lot to the story that resonated with me. I don't have a better perspective on aging and death, either.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/17/09 01:31 AM
Just watched Pretear

It’s a 13 x 23 minute episode magic girl anime combining action, comedy, drama and romance. Because it’s short and varied it flies by pretty quickly doing an above average job in each genre but not stellar in any one. Almost every episode advances the plot w/o the usual “each-character-gets-their-own-episode-to-learn-their-background-and-motivations.” Instead you learn most everything about the characters through their interaction. At about 5 hours run time it’s easy to watch in a weekend for light entertainment with nothing to memorable about it.

 Originally Posted By: CV

Solty Rei is kind of disappointing me so far. The writing has been fairly weak. Hopefully it picks up.


I hope so too. I’ve made the mistake of watching a lot of top rated Anime early on so I’m trying to intersperse the ones left with more average stuff so I was hopping this would at least be worth watching.
Posted By: PeterChenoweth Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/17/09 03:56 AM
I played the 'good husband' card this weekend and went to go see Julie & Julia with my wife.

I stayed awake. Mostly.

{Forest Gump}
And that's about all I I have to say about that.
{/Forest Gump}

Avoid this one guys. At least, wait until it's out on DVD and you can do other more exciting things while it's playing; taxes, balancing your checkbook, etc.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/17/09 04:03 AM
 Originally Posted By: PeterChenoweth
I played the 'good husband' card this weekend and went to go see Julie & Julia with my wife.

I stayed awake. Mostly.

{Forest Gump}
And that's about all I I have to say about that.
{/Forest Gump}

Avoid this one guys. At least, wait until it's out on DVD and you can do other more exciting things while it's playing; taxes, balancing your checkbook, etc.


I just started an internet search to see what you suffered through. Before clicking on the link I saw that M**rl Str**p was in it and closed the browser window. You poor bastard.
Saw Big Man Japan recently. It had great reviews and I was open to watching a foreign film. Eh, too slow for me.

Just finished the International on BR. Not good IMHO. The story got too complex (and unnecessarily so) and Clive Owen's character was too wimpy for me.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/17/09 09:55 AM
 Originally Posted By: PeterChenoweth


Avoid this one guys. At least, wait until it's out on DVD and you can do other more exciting things while it's playing; taxes, balancing your checkbook, etc.


.....reading a new owner's manual....... \:\)
Posted By: PeterChenoweth Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/17/09 02:09 PM
 Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson


.....reading a new owner's manual....... \:\)


Hey. No fair bringing Facebook into the Axiom lounge. ;\)

Reading a new car owner's manual is one of my favorite things to do. I read them cover-to-cover. And yes, already done with the new one. ;\)
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/17/09 02:12 PM
 Originally Posted By: PeterChenoweth


Reading a new car owner's manual is one of my favorite things to do.
Especially if it's a Porsche Turbo, Ferrari 430 or Lambo owner's manual \:D
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/17/09 04:04 PM
Wait'll Denon builds a car!

"Use Steering / Radio combination for Bluetooth enhancement of braking while parked."
Posted By: PeterChenoweth Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/17/09 05:23 PM
 Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
Wait'll Denon builds a car!

"Use Steering / Radio combination for Bluetooth enhancement of braking while parked."


LOL.

Or maybe IKEA. Just stick figures & arrows pointing at different features. \:\)


OK, I've seen a few mentions here of Sunny in Philadelphia. Has anyone caught the live show that's on tour?

We're trying to get tix for the SF show (soldout).

Hands in the air for Day Man, Fighter of the Night Man!!!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/19/09 09:36 AM
I was working on more Solty Rei yesterday. The story has certainly picked up. They've made some bold moves, but I'd still say the writing isn't up to the ambition. It'll all come down to how the conclusion is pulled off, I think.

But even with just a little more than a disc left of that, tonight I got the third season of Friday Night Lights, so I switched gears and started working on that. I'm still liking it a lot, and it's nice to see Kim Dickens in something again.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/19/09 09:37 AM
 Originally Posted By: oldskoolboarder
OK, I've seen a few mentions here of Sunny in Philadelphia. Has anyone caught the live show that's on tour?


I wasn't even aware there was one. Good luck with the tickets!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/22/09 07:42 AM
I finished up season 3 of Friday Night Lights. Pretty good. It really is a well-written show.

Brendan Benson performed well on Letterman. And I like Patton Oswalt, too. I don't care for Christina Applegate in movies, but she seems nice enough in interviews. Not particularly interesting, but at least I don't have to hate her.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/22/09 11:38 AM
Are there people you just have to hate?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/22/09 03:21 PM
Anyone who trash-talks Regina?
Hulk Vs on BR from Netflix. The Wolverine was better, I thought, than Thor.

I must say that even though my plasma is only 480p (early generation Panny), animation in BR is stunning. Granted I've calibrated my display w/ in an inch of it's life, which helps.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/09 04:30 AM
I just got back from District 9. It was pretty good, but hard to watch, and overall just not the feeling I like to get from a movie.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/09 05:53 AM
Watched about 8 more episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist. Really liking it. So far just the right blend of everything. I especially like the multi-episode serial nature of this series which makes watching it in bite size pieces more enjoyable sort of like the old “Doctor Who.”
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/09 06:27 AM
Hey, I'm glad you're liking it. I think I'm almost to the point of re-watching that series.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/09 07:20 AM
Dark City. I can see why The Matrix was compared to it. It was okay, but I couldn't totally get into it. The production was too hokey for me.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/09 04:04 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I wanted to like it because of David Fincher, but there just wasn't a lot to the story that resonated with me. I don't have a better perspective on aging and death, either.


I really didn't like that movie. I was expecting a lot more, but like you, nothing resonated with me. The acting was good, but the story didn't go anywhere or do anything. I'm not familiar with F. Sott Fitzgerald's short story, but am interested to read it to find out where he was going with it, because the movie sure didn't.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/09 10:13 PM
In the Line of Fire. I love Clint Eastwood, like Rene Russo, and never really cared for John Malkovich. I hadn't seen the movie since it first came out on video. I just thought it was okay then. I think I like it even less now. It could have been better with better direction. One thing I really hated was the music. It was way too cheesy and just seemed to weaken everything. Then I saw it was by Ennio Morricone, and I felt sad.
Posted By: richeydog Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/24/09 05:08 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Dark City. I can see why The Matrix was compared to it. It was okay, but I couldn't totally get into it. The production was too hokey for me.

Ha...I watched this today for the first time. I thought it was really odd, flat and lifeless.

The Matrix was exciting, kept my interest, and had many wow moments.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/24/09 07:33 AM
I finished up Solty Rei. Yeah, I'd say the whole thing was just okay. Parts of it were decent, but overall it should have been better.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/25/09 07:03 AM
Rozen Maiden. Weird show, but I kind of like the way it's done. We'll see if that wears off as the story develops.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/25/09 07:35 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Rozen Maiden. Weird show, but I kind of like the way it's done. We'll see if that wears off as the story develops.


Well as before keep us posted if you can. I also have that one sitting unwatched.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/26/09 05:58 AM
I just watched the first episode of Leverage. Thanks, Peter, for the recommendation. It looks like it will be a fun show.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/26/09 07:21 PM
I'm into the second (current) season now, using Netflix Streaming. I'm loathing the day when I catch up to air time (any day now) and I'll have to wait for new episodes instead of watching whenever I feel like it.

Really, really like this show.
Posted By: EFalardeau Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/26/09 07:22 PM
I'll have a look at that. I was actually looking for something new to follow.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/29/09 04:52 AM
Just watched Najica Blitz Tactics.

Anime News Nework Review

T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews

First off “Najica” is to panty shots what “Misaki Chronicles” is to massive mammaries in motion. No opportunity to show a panty is missed. So much so that after a couple episodes you just stop noticing…mostly.

Once past that Najica is actually an excellent Anime. It’s only 12 episodes on 3 disks and flies by quickly, easy to watch in one afternoon. I found only one episode dragged a little bit. Each episode except the last 2 stand alone but most also reveal something about the show’s overall story. The animation, music, English voice acting and story are all excellent. The Audio is 5.1 but most of the action is coming from the front 3 speakers except for the occasional gunshot.

While not quite the classic caliber of “Cowboy Bebop” this is a solid series and well worth the watch if you like action with a little comedy.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/29/09 05:58 AM
I'm pretty sure my friend has mentioned Najica. I'll have to check it out... eventually.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/29/09 10:42 AM
Ok I’ve only watched the first 2 of 4 disks 8 episodes of Serial Experiments Lain but I just have to comment on it.

Fantastic!

It’s like a cyberpunk episode of the original “Twilight Zone” on acid. The reviews can tell it better than I can:

Anime News Network

T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews

The Anime Critic

I had only intended to watch one disk tonight but got so engrossed I had to watch the second. It’s not very exciting nor would I say really suspenseful but it draws you in just the same. Only half way through I already know this is one I’ll be watching again.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/29/09 11:27 PM
I'll have to check that series out.

I just watched the first episode of NCIS. I was skeptical, but I ended up finding it pretty entertaining.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/30/09 12:52 AM
I have been watching Phineas and Ferb, on Disney XD. Love the recurring gags. Gotta get myself a pet platypus.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/30/09 01:45 AM


Just finished watching “Serial Experiments Lain.” It is one of the most interesting things I’ve ever watched. If I had to classify it I would call it an existentialist drama. There is no action, comedy or romance and only a little traditional suspense…so why the hell watch it. Because it’s just that good.

Don’t let the first few episodes fool you. I didn’t find them boring or anything but there’s little dialogue and you’re not quite sure what’s happening. Don’t give up thinking it’s going to stay like that because everything starts evolving. By the time it’s finished it works so many angles like God, the meaning of life, Roswell, Free Masonry, Gaia, drugs and plenty more I’ve missed...some, all or none of which might be red herrings. I imagine everyone watching this will come away with a different meaning.

It’s 13 episodes on 4 disks, but #11 is a recap done like a music video so only really 12 worth watching.

If things like “Jacobs Ladder,” “The Prisoner,” and the “concept” of “The Matrix” interest you then this is a must watch. And likely watch again.

 Originally Posted By: CV
I'll have to check that series out.

I just watched the first episode of NCIS. I was skeptical, but I ended up finding it pretty entertaining.


I first started watching NCIS when I moved to 2nd shift at work and got hooked quickly. I think it gets better as the characters develop.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/05/09 07:17 AM
I'm still working on NCIS. The characters are such dorks. \:\)

The segment with Neil Patrick Harris on Letterman was pretty good, too. Letterman developed a beef during the course of the interview.
Saw Glee last night. Sadly, I actually liked it. Kinda hokey w/ the whole believe in yourself thing but the singing was actually well done. I liked the Amy WInehouse cover. Yeah right, those are high school kids.

BTW, what TV exec thought it'd be nice to have tweets on the screen?!?!? The last think I want to see is comments from tweens. Mystery Science Theatre this is NOT.
Also watched a Netflix stream on our Tivo last night with the kids, Never Ending Story. OMG, I forgot how much I hate that song...mostly because I can't get it out of my head now.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/05/09 10:00 PM
Thanks a lot for putting the song in ours!

I'm watching Braveheart on Blu-ray. It looks and sounds very nice. Catherine McCormack and Sophie Marceau are so pretty.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/06/09 04:36 AM
I watched Gloomy Sunday today.

The movie is set in and around a restaurant in Budapest around the time of WWII. Three main characters are a Jewish restaurant owner, his lover/waitress, and a piano player who composes a haunting song in the waitress's honor.

The song is actually real, and it's "curse" was a bit of an urban legend, on which the movie builds its plot.

I wasn't aware that there'd be a war aspect to the movie before I started it, but I enjoyed how it became a key aspect later on.

Highly recommended. Oh, and, um... boobs.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/06/09 04:39 AM
Sounds interesting. I have both the Sinéad O'Connor and Björk versions of the song, but I never really paid attention to it.

Boobs work for me.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/06/09 04:47 AM
Slim figure. My wife commented that they were pretty large for her frame. Maybe she saw me drooling.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/06/09 06:55 AM
Sword of the Stranger on Blu-ray.

I didn't really know what to expect. The plot synopsis I read didn't really jump out at me, but for some reason I wanted to watch it, anyway. I ended up really liking it. It's very pretty, well-animated, sounds great, and the story, while not the most inventive, worked for me. At least it didn't try too hard, and the characters were easy enough to like.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/06/09 03:37 PM
I got about halfway through Steamboy before the sleepies overtook me. Not that the movie was boring, no, I was really enjoying it, but it was well past my bedtime.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/06/09 06:53 PM
I fell asleep during Steamboy, too.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/06/09 07:21 PM
Now I don't feel so bad! \:D
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/07/09 03:46 AM
Just watched Witch Hunter Robin

Anime News Network

T.H.E.M.

This Anime reminds me a lot of “Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG.” I say that because it moves at about the same pace with about the same mix of action and intrigue. The show is 26 episodes on 6 disks so it’s not a quick one evening watch but easily done on one weekend or day in my case because I just couldn’t stop watching.

The reviews above pretty much cover it well. A couple things I’d add is that the pace and intrigue both pick up after the 1st disk which is actually no slacker. Also the music is perfect. What I mean is you don’t even notice it. The music just blends in enhancing whatever is happening on the screen.

Unless you just cant stand watching regular storytelling in an animated form I highly recommend this series.
Posted By: Rock_Head Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/08/09 04:08 AM
Just watched "Knowing" with Nicolas Cage.
A pretty interesting story/science fiction flick.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/08/09 05:23 AM
Sounds interesting. At first I couldn’t stand Nicolas Cage but I’ve liked his more recent roles.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/08/09 05:35 AM
I saw "Knowing" in the theater and really enjoyed it. I believe it caught a lot of flak for it's subject matter, or at least it's suggestions about a certain subject, but I found it very engaging and an interesting concept. Some extremely intense scenes in it.

Yeah, and normally I can't stand Nicolas Cage, but he was somewhat more palatable in this role.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/08/09 05:48 AM
Just finished watching “Blood + Part 1”

The Anime News Network

It’s 25 episodes spread over 5 disks, the 6th disk is bonus material. Something I neglected to read and expecting 5 more episodes tonight felt somewhat jilted. No U.S. DVD release date for part 2 yet but Netfix has it as a save selection.

Overall I’m liking this series but I’d give it an overall “B-” and not a “B+” like the reviewer above. Cut out some of the fluff and I’d bump it up to an “A-.” When this show is on It’s quite engrossing and the episodes fly by, but after each major story arc ends there is sort of an empty episode that does nothing to further the plot. Don’t want to skip them though just incase there’s something important. My other gripe is that occasionally there are to many flashbacks but this doesn’t happen to often. That said it’s more than interesting enough that I can’t wait for Part 2.

I do have to give it high marks for it’s location animation. Rather than relying on some famous landmark to indicate where you are the locations are done quite realistically. When I first started watching I thought the countryside and coastline looks a lot like Okinawa then the city starts looking like Okinawa city and sure enough it was. So far the rest of the locations similarly done.

So far it’s more than worth watching but you might want to wait until part 2 is available so you aren’t left hanging.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/08/09 06:04 AM
The mixed reviews of Knowing kind of worried me, so I haven't gone out of my way to see it, but I'll have to watch it at some point since some people REALLY seem to like it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/08/09 06:08 AM
I watched Blood: The Last Vampire way back when it was first on DVD. I liked it all right, but of course thought it was too short. I may have to check this series out, just to see how different it is. Not that I'll really know, since I've forgotten most of Blood: The Last Vampire. Ha ha.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/08/09 06:39 AM
Started watching the old MTV comedy show, The State. I like it so far.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/09/09 05:37 AM
King of the Hill.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/09/09 12:23 PM
Totally addicted to "Big Bang Theory" now.
Rented season one and Sheldon has me near in tears every evening.
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/09/09 08:32 PM
Ice Road Truckers

Watching bbigwyres haul 20 ton loads with his big rig over frozen water is pretty intense especially under high winds and whiteout conditions. These guys must make some good cash doing this. It looks and sounds(with the ice cracking and all) very dangerous. Great show!
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/10/09 02:17 AM
Murph, you have good taste. Big Bang Theory is one of my favorite shows. Can't wait for the new season to start soon.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/10/09 09:54 AM
{Knock Knock} Penny?
{Knock Knock} Penny?
{Knock Knock} Penny?
{Knock Knock} Penny?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/12/09 06:52 AM
More NCIS (now on the third season) and Late Show. I forgot to mention I really liked Jack Hanna's appearance on last night's show. They're always good.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/12/09 03:31 PM
Been watching The Office, fourth season. I really enjoy this show. Still keeping my eye out for good deals on Battlestar Galactica. I finished the first season, but have yet to purchase any others.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/12/09 04:20 PM
More Leverage. Another episode with Star Trek alums, directed by Jonathan Frakes. My only problems with this show so far are that the CGI is so bad (see the airplane episode!) and there's a ton of product placement.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/12/09 04:28 PM
Watched Downfall last night, very good movie but long as heck ... 2 hrs and 35 minutes.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/12/09 05:03 PM
That looks good! Add it to my Netflix queue. . .


Oops, it's already there! \:D
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/09 03:11 AM
Downfall is the movie where the source footage for the infamous "Hitler yelling in the bunker about X" subtitle mashups come from. One of my favorites is when he hears about Oasis splitting up.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/09 03:44 AM
Ah!! That's where it was from!
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/09 04:02 AM
Sean and Peter that's actually how I found out about the movie. \:D

The last two foreign movies we've watched, Katyn and Downfall have both been very good movies ... certainly worth a watch.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/09 04:36 AM
Right now I'm watching a 4 year-old kid play the drums better than I ever will. \:o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMnwOZA0DQk
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/09 04:45 AM
Prodigies never fail to make me feel like a failure.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/09 04:53 AM
 Originally Posted By: RickF

The last two foreign movies we've watched, Katyn and Downfall have both been very good movies ... certainly worth a watch.


Thanks, Rick! I added Katyn to my queue as well.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/09 04:54 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Prodigies never fail to make me feel like a failure.


About the only thing I was good at at age 4 was picking my nose.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/09 04:57 AM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
About the only thing I was good at at age 4 was picking my nose.


Have you kept it up?
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/09 04:58 AM
Sweet! Katyn is available for instant play. \:\)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/09 04:58 AM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
Sweet! Katyn is available for instant play. \:\)


I need to date her.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/09 05:08 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
About the only thing I was good at at age 4 was picking my nose.


Have you kept it up?


Nah, I've graduated to my belly button now.




Ooh, a gummy bear!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/09 05:10 AM
Your belly button is a bulk foods section.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/09 05:14 AM
It's only bad when watermelons are in season.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/09 05:16 AM
Please, never talk to my son. He'll get ideas.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/09 05:18 AM
Well, you're lucky I moved out of state. \:D
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/09 10:30 AM
The first episode of The IT Crowd. It was all right, but hopefully it gets better.
Saw Hellboy II on HBO HD last night. Great PQ quality and w/ my low expectations, it was actually pretty good.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/14/09 12:33 AM
I DVR'd that one, having liked the original. Hopefully it'll be a good popcorn flick that the wife won't object to too much.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/16/09 04:32 AM
I just started watching the first episode of the fourth season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and I'm already verbally abusing the TV screen between laughs.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/16/09 04:39 AM
"Monkeys are like Nature's humans." Ha ha.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/16/09 10:52 AM
Except for Sea Monkeys. They are only like nature's Cousteau family.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/24/09 05:31 AM
Observe and Report. Uneven and meandering. I was hoping it would surprise me by coming together at some point, but it never quite got there for me. It has some funny moments, but yeah, it just couldn't bring it together.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/25/09 07:49 AM
Watched Sicko last night.

He was preaching to the choir, but it solidified my position. Should be a must-see considering current events, even if it was a bit over-the-top in places.
Watched Modern Family. VERY funny show, I didn't realize Ed O'Neil was on the cast.

If you like Arrested Development or Sons & Daughters, this is is a good one.

We also saw the live version of Sunny in Philadelphia Nightman Cometh last night. SO wrong and SO funny. Even Danny Devito was on stage.

Dayman, fighter of the nightman, champion of the sun, master of karate and friendship for everyone.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/09 02:55 AM
Ha ha ha. I would love to see the live version.

I'll have to look into Modern Family. I do like Ed O'Neill.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/09 03:33 AM
I watched my first episode of Dexter. season 1, episode 1. Holy moley is it dark and morbid. I like it, but my wife couldn't watch it. This will be a lonely journey.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/09 07:02 AM
Sanjay, featured audience member on tonight's Late Show, is a guy I went to school with. The way he's featured is pure Sanjay.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/09 07:09 AM
Man, he got Bruce Willis's Scanket. I'm jealous.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/09 03:37 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Man, he got Bruce Willis's Scanket. I'm jealous.


His what?


I don't care, I want it too!!
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/09 04:07 PM
Watched Defiance last night. Thought it was a really good flick.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/09 04:21 PM
I liked that too. Of course, I'm a sucker for anything WWII. . .
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/09 04:21 PM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
His what?


Bruce Willis came out in what appeared to be a Slanket. Being Bruce Willis, however, he had adapted the idea into his own unique product which allowed for extra cranial warmth. He pulled up a hairy hood and called it the Scanket, presumably short for Scalp Blanket. "Scanket!: The Blanket with Hair."
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/09 04:26 PM
*adding to my lexicon now.

I hope I get to use it in future conversations!
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/27/09 12:50 AM
X-men The Last Stand. Mmmmm. Cheese...

The EP350 may not reach below 20Hz, but what rumbly bits it produces it does very well.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/27/09 01:42 AM
Fred, did you know that the "School" in the X-men movies is Casa Loma?
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/27/09 01:50 AM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
I liked that too. Of course, I'm a sucker for anything WWII. . .
YIKES! Reading that is like hearing someone speaking with my voice. (Liked the movie; WWII buff)
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
I watched my first episode of Dexter. season 1, episode 1. Holy moley is it dark and morbid. I like it, but my wife couldn't watch it. This will be a lonely journey.


I watched it on CBS during the writer's strike a while back. That was morbid, especially for broadcast TV. Good show but man, it got more intense. I never went further because they stopped showing it on CBS and I don't have Showtime.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/27/09 03:54 AM
We're watching Dexter now, too. Almost done with season 2. I think it is very well written. I don't find it any creepier than the many CSI-type shows.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/27/09 04:43 AM
Wallace & Gromit: The Complete Collection (Blu-ray)

I fell asleep. Granted, I only got 4.5 hours of sleep last night, but it seems like anytime I watch any of the Aardman animations, I end up crashing. I actually fell asleep in the theater when watching Chicken Run.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/27/09 04:26 PM
 Originally Posted By: Ajax
YIKES! Reading that is like hearing someone speaking with my voice. (Liked the movie; WWII buff)



That's because I probably got the line from you! \:D
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/27/09 04:29 PM
Careful, Jack. He might be trying to steal your identity.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/27/09 04:33 PM
I figure with two Jacks, it'll be easier for him to remember who he is.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/27/09 04:39 PM
Jack-Jack Attack?
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/27/09 05:49 PM
 Originally Posted By: Adrian
Fred, did you know that the "School" in the X-men movies is Casa Loma?

I didn't know that, but then, I've never been to Casa Loma.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/27/09 10:27 PM
For a second there, Fred, I thought you were going to say:

"I didn't know that, but then, I've never been to school" \:D ;\)

Some other movies shot there include; Darkman, Chicago, Robocop, Cocktail ect....

Some useless trivia for WWII buffs(you there Jack!!): During WWII, the Allies moved production of the ASDIC device(predecessor to the modern day sonar, to the basement of Casa Loma away from German observers. Who would suspect a castle holding ballroom dances would at the same time be producing such an important military device?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/28/09 04:15 PM
As of last night, I'm completely caught up with NCIS. Now I can finally start on some other shows... or start reading.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/28/09 04:30 PM
Or start the Buffy series. \:\)
Posted By: BigHonu Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/28/09 09:34 PM
Kung Fu Panda

Had the BIC F12 bottoming out in a huge way! SKDOOSH!
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/29/09 03:21 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
As of last night, I'm completely caught up with NCIS.

Nuh UH! New episode on tonight! ;\)
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/29/09 03:30 PM
 Originally Posted By: BigHonu
Kung Fu Panda

Had the BIC F12 bottoming out in a huge way! SKDOOSH!


Great animated movie. The audio is well done.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/29/09 06:49 PM
Two episodes into the new season of Fringe. I really like where the main storyline is headed but after yet another mutated, monster person, episode, I think they might have trouble keeping me interested.
Fringe ended well last season but I agree with you on the current progress. I need to see some William Bell and less of the creepy monsters.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/02/09 07:16 AM
Interesting stuff on Letterman tonight between the monologue and the first guest. Interesting mainly because of how Letterman is able to talk about it, keeping it light but not trivializing it.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/03/09 02:50 AM
Wife and I watched 'The Soloist' last night, a great movie and what an amazing and intriguing man Nathanial Ayers is.

A pick by Rick recommendation. \:\)
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/03/09 03:06 AM
Thanks Rick. I needed a reminder to put that one on my list.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/03/09 03:08 AM
I hope you enjoy it as much as we did Fred.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/05/09 01:02 AM
Last night, I finally watched The Maltese Falcon. Only, I fell asleep for probably 20 minutes of it. Needless to say, it didn't captivate me. I also watched Sword of the Stranger again, this time with my parents. I still liked it. I don't know if they did.
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/08/09 03:33 AM
I watched a special on Bernie Madoff. Really scary and sad to watch but also lots of informative information was presented to give perspective on his personality and the scam.

He said this in the most calm and collective demeanor at the time all this stuff was unknown...

In today's regulatory environment, it's virtually impossible to violate rules.

Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/10/09 06:41 AM
Red Dwarf: Back to Earth

It'll never be what it once was. It's pretty sad watching it anymore. I'll have to re-watch the first six series sometime, though.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/10/09 03:40 PM
Is that new?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/10/09 04:28 PM
Yeah.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/10/09 10:48 PM
Blade Runner

It was actually my first time watching it. Red Dwarf: Back to Earth referenced Blade Runner, but I had no idea how much. Kind of strange to watch them so close together, and I probably should have watched Blade Runner first.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/10/09 11:06 PM
An angry Red Dwarf>>>>>
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/11/09 06:39 AM
I love Regina Spektor, but I hate Drew Barrymore. Why do you taunt me, SNL?
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/11/09 11:30 AM
Bladerunner is an excellent scifi movie. One of the few that I would consider true scifi.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/11/09 11:34 AM
Watched The Soloist last night. Excellent movie. Quite sad that someone can be so brilliant/talented and suffer such a debilitating condition.

Another movie, a documentary, that gives amazing insight into what schizophrenia is like is The Devil and Daniel Johnson.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/15/09 03:58 AM
Wife and I watched the IFC movie 'CHE', quite a long (250+ minutes) 2 part movie but it is excellent albeit a little difficult to follow at times. I'd certainly recommend this movie.

CHE
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/18/09 04:48 AM
I Like Killing Flies

It's the documentary about chef Kenny Shopsin. He's an interesting, outspoken guy. I have his book, too, but I've only tried making one of the items in it, and even then I couldn't find the exact ingredients. I need to make time to try more of the recipes.
Posted By: BigHonu Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/18/09 07:21 AM
Blue Man Group!
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/19/09 11:36 PM
Dang! the boys and I are watching my newest Bluray purchase, 2001 A Space Odyssey. It blows away the original SD Dvd, a must for fans, you won't believe the picture and sound....
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/22/09 04:25 AM
I just watched I Love You, Man. It's a bromance movie that's cringeworthy in parts, but has enough redeeming qualities (humor, truth, entertainment) that I give it 4 of 5 stars.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/22/09 11:54 AM
Your Bro is holding the other star, right?
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/24/09 02:47 AM
One guitar, four hands. This takes some coordination. Not to mention the extra hands.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcsSPzr7ays
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/24/09 03:34 AM
That was very charming!
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/24/09 05:40 AM
Just watched the Blu-ray of “Baraka.” Beautiful imagery and excellent soundtrack. I really liked about 2/3 of it…the panoramas and time laps stuff, but could have done without the close-ups of people which I found distracting though not as distracting as a narration would have been. I also felt the overall message was banal but could see it being fresh for a lot of people.

I felt that the Dolby 5.1 (don’t have a lossless capable receiver yet) was a bit flat for 5.1 but still liked the soundtrack. Overall I would give it a 4 out of 5 for watching the whole thing but would definitely use it for demo purposes.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/26/09 03:52 AM
I went to see Where the Wild Things Are with my coworker/friend. We were both a bit bored. It's an all right movie, but there wasn't a whole lot to latch onto. We also considered Paranormal Activity, but we would have had to wait another half an hour, and we didn't necessarily want nightmares. I've always been a total wuss with scary movies. Still, I'm sure it would have gotten more of a reaction from us than Where the Wild Things Are.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/26/09 04:04 AM
I was just watching this McClaren Engine Test , watch the full length, the second half of the test is pretty cool....errr, make that hot (you'll see what I mean).
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/26/09 04:19 AM
Here I was thinking that that couldn't be a GP engine--just didn't sound right--when they started revving it. Ah, yes, that's an Formula 1 engine alright!
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/26/09 04:25 AM
\:D I was thinking the same thing! I guess they had to get the temp/oil pressure up first. I think these engines IDLE higher than most street engines can rev to.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/26/09 01:24 PM
I saw Paranormal Activity. It had its scary moments particularly the last 10 to 15 minutes. I'd wait for the disc release, though. You can pretty much fast-forward through all but the bedroom scenes and the ending.


I guess it resembles a porno in that way.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/26/09 02:04 PM
Watched Road to Perdition last night. I found the movie moved along too slowly for me but there was one scene that really wowed me audio wise. When Tom Hanks goes through the club to deliver the 'letter' to the club owner you can hear the band playing muffled through the walls. The ambient noise and the muffled bass effect was incredible. It sounded EXACTLY like there was a party going on in an apartment next to me. Which is, of course, impossible unless some gophers have built a new pad in the ground beside my basement and brought in some kick butt HT gear.

It was so realistic I replayed the scene several times until my wife got annoyed and we moved on.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/27/09 01:35 AM
Did she grab the remote from you and hide it?
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/27/09 12:17 PM
Actually, she grabbed the remote and, in a huff, walked out the door.....



into the party......



::cue Twilight Zone music::
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/27/09 06:22 PM
Maybe she goes for the gophers.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/30/09 07:40 AM
Tom Hanks was entertaining, as always, on the Late Show, and Weezer performed an okay song well enough. Rivers is so weird. He commits, but he's a little awkward.

Also started re-watching It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia after I ran out of King of the Hill.
Posted By: merchman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/30/09 10:58 PM
Watched Anvil, The Story of Anvil today. I thought it was alright. Rough road for those guys.
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/31/09 02:40 AM
Before we turned on some tunes, me and the boys watched Terminator 2 on BR.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/31/09 04:50 AM
The "Whale Whores" episode of South Park was pretty great. This season and last season haven't been the strongest, but it still has its moments.
Watched the new FX show the League, about fantasy football. That was pretty funny. If you like Modern Family (which I think is HILARIOUS), you'll like this one.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/31/09 08:05 AM
Weezer performed on Letterman again. It was nice to see everyone donning the official Weezer Snuggie. Well, the blue one, anyway. There's a zebra print version available as well.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/31/09 11:27 AM
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia again. This time, episodes from the current season. They're really in their prime.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/31/09 10:37 PM
Drag Me to Hell

Ha ha, oh, man. I'm glad Sam Raimi dragged himself away from Spider-Man hell long enough to make this. Pretty entertaining.
Posted By: Worfzara Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/31/09 10:57 PM
I watched this lastnight. Excellent film, good story, good acting, and great effects.

M80's, VP150 and QS8's are so clean and clear that I think I suffered heart failure 2 or 3 times during the film.

pn
Posted By: Zarak Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/01/09 12:06 AM
The Phillies, if they get out of this rain delay sometime soon.
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/01/09 12:40 AM
Oklahoma state vs Texas! Go cowboys!
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/06/09 10:12 AM
Just got done watching “Transformers 2” and “G.I. Joe” on Blu-ray. Both looked and sounded great but I liked “G.I. Joe” more because it was just entertaining and didn‘t make any attempts to take it‘s self seriously. “G.I. Joe” reminded me a little of the “Doc Savage” movie and books.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/06/09 10:56 PM
Anyone seen "The Aviator" on Blu Ray? wondering if it's worth buying or not for about $15 CAD.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/09 02:16 AM
Is this Mike work'n?


::tap::......::tap::.......
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/09 02:24 AM
Adrian, are you inquiring about the quality of the Blu-ray transfer, or how good the movie is?

I don't have the Blu-ray, I have it in SD and I've seen the movie multiple times. I really enjoy it. I'd buy it for 15 ducks. <--that's canadian money, right? ;\)
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/09 02:40 AM
We actually call them "Loonies" \:D



Actually meant both. I haven't seen the movie yet and read some mixed reviews about it. Thanks.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/09 02:46 AM
I feel I have to tell you my taste in movies may not run completely mainstream, but The Aviator was very engaging and exciting. And, yes, there are scenes with some rumble for your sub, too.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/09 02:51 AM
Most reviews for it were quite good, but you always wonder about the one written by the artsy fartsy critic from Cucamonga.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/09 02:52 AM
Oh, him. . . . . . .




Caught up on "The League" on FX. HILARIOUS. Modern Family on ABC is also very funny.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/09 11:25 AM
Just watched “Monsters vs Aliens” Blu-ray and really liked it a lot. Nice simple fast paced entertainment that looks good too.
I thought the voice casting for Monsters vs Aliens was very good.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/08/09 02:49 AM
Anvil, The story of Anvil. Great documentary.

Man some people are dedicated.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/08/09 05:27 AM
Monsters vs Aliens - great LFE throughout the movie. Would be a good sub demo disc, it's that good.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/08/09 05:38 AM
I'll have to get a copy sometime.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/08/09 07:42 AM
Just watched the Blu-ray of Goldfinger.. It looked fantastic and sounded pretty good. This was well recommended at Blu-ray.com and I wanted to get an idea of how a well transferred movie would look and sound. Have to say they did an outstanding job. The video looked exactly how I remember older movies (colour/texture) looking on the big screen. The audio was pretty good considering it was originally mono. The front soundstage was the best with lots of sounds panning to follow the action but about all that came from the surrounds were ambient sounds. Using the DTS surround sensation mode sounded the best of the many to choose from.

I don’t think I’ve seen this since the late 60s so the only part of the story I remembered was the card game Bond interrupts, the Oddjob and Pussy Galore characters and Goldfinger’s plan but the how the rest of the story unfolded was all “new” again. Sean Connery’s character rocks…to bad the modern James Bond has become so pedestrian.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/08/09 10:44 AM
Watched the Aeon Flux Blu-ray. Not the greatest Scifi movie ever made but reasonably entertaining and looks pretty good.

Also finished watching Blood + part 2. Overall a pretty good anime about a “B.” Good characters and interesting story with almost every episode ending in a cliffhanger keeps you coming back for more. Things that stop me from giving it an “A” are the about 1 in 5 or so episodes that are about her family that do nothing much to further the plot. Also, the stupidity of some of the characters that’s need to keep the story going. So overall I liked it but could have skipped about a 5th w/o missing much.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/09/09 12:11 AM
BLOOD+ isn't even a B+? What a missed opportunity.

I just watched Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan. There were some beautiful scenes, but it was a bit boring for me. Maybe it's just something about the way it was done.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/09/09 12:36 AM
“Missed opportunity” is the perfect way to put it. Cut out the filler episodes that deal with the family life and I’d bump it up to a B+ or A- (Obviously if you’re seen it before you’d know which ones you could skip). Hard for me to go above an A- with the stupid way the character must act on occasion to advance the plot in the direction they want. Still overall I’d recommend it.
Posted By: Zarak Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/09/09 01:22 AM
Eagles vs. Cowboys in a battle for first place in the NFC East.

GO BIRDS!!!
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/09/09 11:59 AM
Just watched the Battlestar Galactica to kick off a recap of the first 2.5 seasons I’ve already seen as a prelude to watching the remainder over the Thanksgiving holiday. It was still as good as I remembered it. I just hope that the last part of the series is as good as the first. I didn’t care for the “New Caprica” story arc and shortly after that missed so many episodes I figured I was better off waiting for the whole thing to come out on DVD.

On the big screen the standard definition looks pretty good most of the time but occasionally in some scenes there was a grainy look, but I was trying to be critical and it really was pretty good.




Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/09/09 03:01 PM
I've noticed the grain as well, and I think it's probably intentional (esp if I'm noticing it on SD!)

The New Caprica arc is painful, but I think you really need to watch it to understand the rest of the series. Not that I've finished it...
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/09/09 03:13 PM
 Originally Posted By: fredk
Anvil, The story of Anvil. Great documentary.

Man some people are dedicated.


I watched that a week before they opened for AC/DC this summer. They certainly rocked their hearts out live. You could tell they were super happy to be back on stage, especially opening for AC/DC. Unfortunately, they suffered from the opening band, sound quality blues but their energy certainly made up for it.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/09/09 07:06 PM
 Originally Posted By: kcarlile
I've noticed the grain as well, and I think it's probably intentional (esp if I'm noticing it on SD!)

The New Caprica arc is painful, but I think you really need to watch it to understand the rest of the series. Not that I've finished it...


I watch “Caprica” when it first came out. Very different feel but I liked it a lot. It was nice to get the beginning of the back-story for the whole series. The thing I like most about the new “Battlestar Galactica” is that they started with the intent of telling a story rather than just having an ongoing series. It’s the same thing I like about most animie. However, the downside is if you miss a few episodes It’s rather like skipping a few chapters in a book. Also modern technology has spoiled me in that I can save up or order a whole series and watch it all at once, my preferred viewing method.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/09/09 07:09 PM
I have The Plan at the top of my Netflix queue, but the waiting list must be a mile long.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/09/09 07:20 PM
I‘ve seen Netflix have items listed as “Save“ more than a year and a half prior to release. I found this site helpful when checking for new movies:

http://www.themovieinsider.com/movie-releases/november/2009/

When I’ve gotten something in my queue very early it’s always shipped on the day of release. I put “The Plan” in my queue over a year ago and it would have shipped immediately however when I got the Blu-ray player I switched all the queued items to Blu-ray if it was available so now it says “Very Long Wait” (stupid stupid)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/11/09 07:21 AM
UP

It lived up to the hype. It sure is amazing how far animated films have come. Why does Pixar keep making me say that?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/09 06:52 AM
Monsters vs. Aliens

I actually started watching last night, but I fell asleep after half an hour, so tonight I finished it. It was entertaining enough. I agree with JP about the audio.
Posted By: davidsch Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/09 06:18 PM
Tonight it will be the MLS Western Conference Finals where hopefully my Dynamo can win against the Galaxy. It will also be extra nice because I finally bought a HDTV yesterday. All of my other TVs were at least 10 years old.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/09 06:48 PM
Last night we watched "Adam's Rib" - Spencer Tracey and Kate Hepburn. Maybe the first movie on Women's Rights?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/09 07:34 PM
Hey, congrats on the new TV.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/09 07:34 PM
 Originally Posted By: Argon
Last night we watched "Adam's Rib" - Spencer Tracey and Kate Hepburn. Maybe the first movie on Women's Rights?


Was it any good?
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/09 07:51 PM
Anything with Katherine Hepburn is good.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/09 10:04 PM
 Originally Posted By: fredk
Anything with Katherine Hepburn is good.

If you are a fan of B&W movies and quick witted but understated humor, I recommend it.


Not sure what generation CV is from - Audrey Hepburn (no relation) is another of my favorites. "Roman Holiday" comes to mind.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/09 10:23 PM
Funny Face. Breakfast at Tiffany's. My Fair Lady. Sabrina. Did she do any "average" work? Love her, and that oversaturated Technicolor.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/14/09 03:12 AM
 Originally Posted By: tomtuttle
Funny Face. Breakfast at Tiffany's. My Fair Lady. Sabrina. Did she do any "average" work? Love her, and that oversaturated Technicolor.

My daughters ripped Moon River by Holly Golightly off of a VHS tape.
Then there was "Wait Until Dark" with Alan Arkin.

And she was part of the (I think) French Underground in WWII. Pretty awesome.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/14/09 03:28 AM
My daughter is home from App this weekend. She discovered that I bought a copy (I suspect is bootleg) of Fantasia off of Ebay. That is what we are watching. If JohnK is checking this out, I have determined that I am not a Stravinsky fan.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/14/09 04:27 AM
 Originally Posted By: Argon
If you are a fan of B&W movies and quick witted but understated humor, I recommend it.[/quote

I do like them. I haven't seen enough.

[quote=Argon]Not sure what generation CV is from - Audrey Hepburn (no relation) is another of my favorites. "Roman Holiday" comes to mind.


It's pretty hard not to love Audrey Hepburn. I do own Roman Holiday, along with Sabrina and, though not in the same era, Always. I used to own Breakfast at Tiffany's, but I must have given it away. I do like that movie, despite the horribly offensive portrayal of a Japanese man.

As far as B&W movies, I've always been a sucker for the Frank Capra movies. I just got It's a Wonderful Life on Blu-ray. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is another favorite, of course, with Jean Arthur being just about perfect. I actually ordered Easy Living when it dropped in price on Amazon.com the other day. Hopefully it's a good one.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/14/09 11:33 PM
Oops, sorry for the butchered quoting. Let's just say I was tired. I was also going to say that I tried to watch My Fair Lady at one point, too, but the whole men-teaching-women-how-to-be-ladies thing was hard to stomach.

I just watched Cutthroat Island. I didn't have high hopes, considering Renny Harlin's other work, and I still found it unsatisfying. There were a couple of moments that made me smile, but it was too long, not engaging, and just poorly-executed.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/15/09 10:30 AM
The first episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender. My sister said I should try it, and a lot of people seem to really like it, so I figured I'd better. The first episode was interesting enough to get me to watch more. My sister said it continues to get better in subsequent seasons, so I guess I have a lot of watching ahead of me.

I also watched Up again earlier, this time with my parents. I may have liked it even more the second time.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/15/09 01:45 PM
OK......CV, that definately passes the Audrey litmus test \:\)
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/15/09 11:17 PM
I watched Cutthroat Island years ago...another couple of hours of my youth I wish I could have back \:D . Geena Davis' makeup job was downright scary in that movie, the only thing I remember about it, other than that, was that the movie was a trainwreck...errr, shipwreck?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/18/09 07:04 AM
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: A Very Sunny Christmas

Very funny, but I see no reason to own it on Blu-ray. The video quality isn't noticeably better than DVD I suppose because of the look they're going for. Of course, right now there's only $1 difference in DVD versus Blu-ray on Amazon.com, so I guess go for the Blu-ray, anyway. Ha ha.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/18/09 12:58 PM
Back to Audrey. My youngest daughter brought her poster of Audrey home from college. I asked her why. Her roomate said she couldn't sleep with "that girl" looking at her all the time.?!? Didn't even know who it was/is. Maybe it shouldn't, but that kind of thing never ceases to amaze me.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/19/09 07:06 AM
More Avatar: The Last Airbender. It's definitely a kids' show, but the episodes are getting more entertaining. I look forward to seeing the whole story play out.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/19/09 12:31 PM
Finally watched Seabiscuit. Once you got past the low points in the movie - it was pretty good.
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/09 12:49 AM
Have some friends over for beer, lasognia, and to watch the new Start Trek on Bluray on the big screen. The Axioms will be rockin da house.
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/09 01:15 AM
Whats lasognia?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/09 02:13 AM
It's what you eat when watching Start Trek.

Sorry, Randy!

I watched Star Trek, too, with my parents. I think I liked it more this second time, partly because the audio had more impact than at the theater. Fun stuff.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/09 04:32 AM
It’s what he didn’t eat before the beer. ;\)

I also watched “Star Trek” with my dad and a friend. I’m glad that I was able to stay almost completely ignorant of what it was about or how it was done. Very impressed with what they did with it. Looks like we’ll have to wait until 2011 for the sequel.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/09 04:33 AM
Frankly, I'm surprised it's that soon. As I recall, the older movies had a longer turnaround time in between.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/09 05:33 AM
Looks like I'm hangin' with the in crowd. Watched Startrek tonight. They did a good job. I don't think they nailed Bones the way some people raved, but the characters were quite consistant with what they were in the original series as was the movie: space cowboys.

I got a kick out of all the lines from the original series they worked in.

TNG remains my favorite series of the brand.

Edit: come to think of it, they incorporated all the stuff from the original series: Captain Kirk fighting (or in this case running away from) aliens on a strange planet, lots of shoot 'em up, expendible crew members... Just like the good old days.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/09 08:31 PM
I could put this in the bargains thread, I guess, but I was at Target yesterday and saw that they had the Blu-ray Star Trek for $19.99, which includes BD, DVD, and digital copy.

I saw it in the theaters with St_Patguy in Arizona. His local multiplex actually had good sound. I remember the mind-meld scene being impressive.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/09 09:14 PM
I just got done with the first season of The Big Bang Theory. I didn't think I'd like it, but I do. It's guilty of being a bit too sitcom-y at times, but it's still entertaining.

I also just started playing GalaxyQuest on Blu-ray, and it's "A Mark Johnson Production." Thanks, Mark!
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/09 09:16 PM
You're Welcome, little dude...You're Welcome.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/09 03:43 AM
Fitzcaraldo. Its a German movie (Werner Herzong) with English subtitles about an eccentric dude and a steamship.

Cool movie. I was surprised at how much of the movie I understood without the subtitles.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/09 04:11 AM
CV, Big Bang Theory got even better in season two (last year) and is cruising along in season three. Jim Parsons continues to steal the show as Sheldon, but I really like all of the other characters as well.

This weekend, we watched Toy Story and Toy Story 2. After Nolan went to sleep, the wife and I watched Dexter. Only three episodes left in this season! It also is a top-quality show.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/09 05:56 AM
 Originally Posted By: medic8r

I saw it in the theaters with St_Patguy in Arizona. His local multiplex actually had good sound. I remember the mind-meld scene being impressive.


I was too lost in JP's dreamy eyes to pay much attention to the movie.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/09 05:57 AM
 Originally Posted By: fredk
Fitzcaraldo. Its a German movie (Werner Herzong) with English subtitles about an eccentric dude and a steamship.

Cool movie. I was surprised at how much of the movie I understood without the subtitles.


I really really enjoyed that movie. Epic and monumental in what he tried to accomplish with the steamship.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/09 06:18 AM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
I was too lost in JP's dreamy eyes to pay much attention to the movie.


If the drugs don't get you, the hypnosis will.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/09 12:58 PM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
 Originally Posted By: medic8r

I saw it in the theaters with St_Patguy in Arizona. His local multiplex actually had good sound. I remember the mind-meld scene being impressive.


I was too lost in JP's dreamy eyes to pay much attention to the movie.


OMG. I actually started opening a search in IMDB to find out who this "JP" character or actor was before the true meaning set in. A literal LOL broke out at that point.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/09 05:22 PM
Watched Matthew McConaqueen last night in "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past". It was ok...
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/24/09 06:19 AM
 Originally Posted By: medic8r
CV, Big Bang Theory got even better in season two (last year) and is cruising along in season three.


I'll be watching the second season soon. I'm trying out Castle right now. It's entertaining enough, but I don't know how long I'll stay interested. After that I have more Avatar: The Last Airbender to watch.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/24/09 12:07 PM
Bah, Sheldon would destroy all of the inconsistent physics surrounding Airbender. Return to Big Bang Theory!!!
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/24/09 12:39 PM
My wife watched "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" while I was surfing the web - ordering stuff like Christmas Tree Stands and repair parts for blowers and trimmers. Sounded like a pretty dark movie to me - not her type of flick at all.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/24/09 04:13 PM
So what I am reading from the above is that you broke your snow blower by running over the Aluminum Christmas Tree that you tried to trim.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/24/09 05:46 PM
 Originally Posted By: Murph
So what I am reading from the above is that you broke your snow blower by running over the Aluminum Christmas Tree that you tried to trim.

Nice try. Actually, it is a leaf blower that is the same brand as the weedeater. I was taking the primer bulb off the trimmer to put on the blower until the replacements that I ordered get here. Xmas tree stand completely unrelated. I bought a "Grinnen's Last Stand" because last year the tree fell over in the middle of the night and this year I swore I was not going to use one of those POS plastic stands.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/24/09 07:05 PM
So what I am reading from the above is that using the word "blower" means something totally different to someone like Argon living in North Carolina than it does to someone like Murph, who lives in PEI, than it does to someone like Ken, who lives near San Francisco.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/24/09 10:20 PM
 Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
So what I am reading from the above is that using the word "blower" means something totally different to someone like Argon living in North Carolina than it does to someone like Murph, who lives in PEI, than it does to someone like Ken, who lives near San Francisco.

He is on the tightrope, Ladies and Gentlemen. Can he stay balanced?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/25/09 05:11 AM
Not if we all blow really hard?
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/25/09 05:13 AM
With a vengeance?
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/25/09 05:23 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Not if we all blow really hard?


All this blowing will create a stiff breeze.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/25/09 12:49 PM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
 Originally Posted By: CV
Not if we all blow really hard?


All this blowing will create a stiff breeze.


I knew this was "headed" here.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/25/09 12:57 PM
 Originally Posted By: Argon


I knew this was "headed" here.


We aim to please!
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/25/09 10:27 PM
I watched Year One (with Jack Black and Michael Cera) last night. It had some funny moments, but it was pretty mediocre overall. \:\/
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/26/09 05:53 AM
That's too bad. I'll still watch it at some point, but after the reviews, I don't know when that will be.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/26/09 05:02 PM
Latest Dexter. I have to say, despite the Star Wars cliche, I did not see the final 5 seconds coming. Nicely done.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/09 04:45 AM
Funny People

I think Judd Apatow needs to make something that doesn't get quite so crude. It's starting to feel a bit tired. That being said, the film does have its moments.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/09 05:54 AM
Just watched Lock and Roll Forever

It’s a musical comedy by the production team that made “High School Musical” and ostensibly staring the OreSkaBand I say that because most of their contribution is playing music. I was wondering how they’d handle the English dialogue as Leader is the only one who seems to speak much English. Well their “aunt” does most of the talking for them and except for Leader the few lines the other girls have seem to be their own voices but often dubbed after the shooting (odd). There are two scenes where they are talking with each other in Japanese unfortunately the version I watched has Swedish subtitles.

Ok I won’t kid anyone, the writing is really bad and the plot isn‘t far behind it. Some of the sight gags are ok but unless you like Oreskaband and/or like stories about the underdog making good skip it.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/09 07:04 AM
 Originally Posted By: Argon
Finally watched Seabiscuit.

That reminds me, I gotta put the Sex and the City movie on the Netflix queue.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/09 02:57 PM
 Originally Posted By: medic8r
That reminds me, I gotta put the Sex and the City movie on the Netflix queue.


Why?
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/09 05:00 PM
 Originally Posted By: Murph

Why?

\:D \:D \:D
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/09 08:18 PM
Yes Dean there is a post man!

Dude was late so I started thinking there was no delivery today. 4 Blu-rays in the bull pen warming up:

Ghost in the Shell: 2
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (movie)
The Longest Day
Tinker Bell
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/09 08:38 PM
'Diners, Drive-ins and Dives' with Guy Fieri ... the one cooking show I truly enjoy, "That's money right there!"
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/09 10:25 PM
 Originally Posted By: grunt
Ghost in the Shell: 2


Is that Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence or Ghost in the Shell 2.0?
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/28/09 12:45 AM
Just finished it and yes it’s the Blu-ray version of “Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence.” 2.0 is still in my queue with a “very long wait” time but I wanted something new to watch for the holiday weekend and figured it wouldn’t hurt to see the old version first to compare to the new one later so I could see what all the whining about the new CGI graphics is all about.

First time watching it because I couldn’t get an English dub before. It certainly upholds the quality of the rest of the story. Didn’t like the Major being so out of the picture she’s clearly the best character.

The music sounded fantastic. The rest of the audio was great with lots going on up front but not much involvement of the surround channels. Being cyber punk it’s mostly muted colours but when it does get colourfull it’s incredibly vivid. Hard to imagine the new one looking or sounding much better.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/28/09 03:19 AM
Just watched “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.”

First thing I noticed is that I really like this version of Anakin much better than the movie (whiny little…). Also like the new character of Ahsoka Tano, Anakin’s padawan. Plucky and clearly designed to appeal to a younger audience.

I checked the Rotten Tomatoes and there’s all sorts of people whining about it not being a real movie. Ok it’s not “Ghost in the Shell 2” but then it wasn’t meant to be an as an existentialist cyberpunk drama either. Take for what it is, an amped up pilot for a kids cartoon series version of “Star Wars II” and at this it does great.

The writing is not great, the plot is thin, sacrifices depth for action and visuals. Sort of reminds me of “Star War” after all. However, if you could make the transition from liking the original “Star Trek” to the Saturday morning cartoon I think this one is even easier. I saw the age poll. I know there’s more of you out there that get that reference than we might care to admit.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/28/09 05:13 AM
Of the three Blu-rays I’ve watched so far today, all animated I just realized, “Tinker Bell” is the clear winner. As mentioned above I really liked the others and give them at least 4 out of 5 stars for getting what they intended to do right, but on that count “Tinker Bell” hits it out of the park. If you like true Disney style movies this one is a must.

I thought it would look good based on some of the shorts I’d seen on the Disney Channel, but it really looks amazing. The animation makes no attempt to look real which makes it work way better than either of the above movies in consistency. That consistency in animation, appropriateness of the music, minimization of filler, tight plot and short length actually made it easier to suspend disbelief and enter the story than either of the other two I just watched.

If you have little kids just buy it because they will likely be pissed at you when you send it back. Get ready to fork out for the sequels. I just queued up “The Lost Treasure” and saw that two more are in the works.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/28/09 09:16 AM
 Originally Posted By: grunt
Of the three Blu-rays I’ve watched so far today, all animated I just realized, “Tinker Bell” is the clear winner.


Maybe I'll pick it up when it's cheap. I heard decent things about it.

I just watched Lucky # Slevin. I kind of liked it, but I fell asleep during part of it, which means I'll have to watch it again sometime. I missed some important exposition.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/28/09 09:26 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV

I just watched Lucky # Slevin. I kind of liked it, but I fell asleep during part of it, which means I'll have to watch it again sometime. I missed some important exposition.

Looks kind of interesting, why’d you fall asleep?

Just watched “The Longest Day Blu-ray. This is IMO the best traditional war movie of all time (I think “Kelly’s Heroes is the best “war” movie but not a true example of the genre). I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen this but never got to see it on the big screen until now. In other words I should say I never “really” saw it before today.

This Blu-ray looked great, or so I thought until after it was over and I popped in my standard def copy to compare and realized just how awesome the Blu-ray really was. There’s just no comparison between them either in the picture or sound. Where the standard definition’s PQ is grainy and SQ is muted the Blu-ray is sharp and dynamic respectively.

I thought that Blu-ray was mostly going to enhance newer movies and these older movies Blu-ray were only going to amount to a bigger picture w/o loss in PQ. The reality has been that “The Longest Day,” “Patton,” and “Goldfinger” have all been spectacular compared to their SD counterparts. Granted all three of these are rated pretty highly at Blu-ray.com but based on them I can see renting a lot more older movies than I expect. I imagine my dad is going to get a real kick out of them too. It’s probably just nostalgia but watching these on the big screen feels like I’m really watching a movie as compared to much of what is produced today that just seems like an extended cut scene from a computer game (“300” being the starkest example of this) designed just to show off what the special effect people can do.

This movie was the most stark example of the benefits and costs of frame interpolation. Without it almost every scene with any sort of panning was blurred which might not have been an issue if the picture wasn’t so clear when not moving. Mode 2 on the AE4000, my normal setting, wasn’t even enough to stop the blurring but bumping it up to mode 3 did. The cost was one of those hyper vivid images I’d been reading about. It’s been called the “soap opera effect.” I did look exactly like “Dark Shadows” and “The Avengers” (Honor Blackman episodes). However, except when this stark imaging contrasted with real WWII film footage it was much more preferable to the motion blurring.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/28/09 10:20 AM
 Originally Posted By: grunt
Looks kind of interesting, why’d you fall asleep?


Because I underestimate how tired I am. I keep falling asleep watching stuff lately. Is this part of getting old?
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/28/09 10:42 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV

Because I underestimate how tired I am. I keep falling asleep watching stuff lately. Is this part of getting old?

I do know that people on average sleep less as they get older. But that doesn’t really answer the question whether they feel more, the same or less tired than when they were younger and slept more.

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/sleep.html

My body clock has always caused me to want to sleep in until about 10am assuming mundane things like work don’t interfere. 20 years ago I would sleep from about 1am to 10am. Now that’s shifted to about 4am to 10am. Can’t say I feel any more tired though. Not running regularly or being around people to much are what really make me feel tired.
Posted By: EFalardeau Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/28/09 11:23 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Because I underestimate how tired I am. I keep falling asleep watching stuff lately. Is this part of getting old?

Only if your joints are making enough noise to wake you back up.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/28/09 01:36 PM
I finally found the blu-ray version of "2010: The Year We Made Contact". I had this on VCR about 15 years ago and haven't watched it since I gave away all of my VCR tapes about 10 years ago. Watching it again after all of these years was somewhat of a let down. I remembered it as a good movie, but the rewatching it sort of paled with my memories.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/28/09 06:54 PM
I really like that movie. In some ways more than the original but I haven’t seen it in awhile and have been worried it wouldn’t stand the test of time.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/28/09 06:56 PM
 Originally Posted By: EFalardeau
Only if your joints are making enough noise to wake you back up.


I do wake up a lot at night, but not because of joint noise.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/09 06:02 AM
Hilarious. I love how the Fight Club Blu-ray starts up.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/09 09:54 AM
It had its fun audio moments. I really liked when they were playing chicken with the big truck, before Tyler lets go of the wheel and lets the car veer off the road. When the truck was passing by, it really felt like a truck was passing by.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/09 10:37 AM
Just watched the Blu-ray version of “Serenity.” It’s a noticeable step up in PQ and SQ from the standard version but not as huge a difference as some since the DVD was pretty good already. I didn’t try to access the BD Live since I haven’t hooked my Oppo up to the network yet, but the feature of being able to clip a scene from the movie and send it looks cool.

I liked everything about this movie except the ending fight scene between Mal and the bad guy. Just drags on way to long. I which Whedon had cut that one down and left in some of the deleted scenes.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/09 02:53 PM
I watched Serenity about 3 times, and each time it seemed like I was missing something. Googled Serenity and discovered Firefly. I watched Firefly about 5 times. Now it looks I may have to get the blu-ray version of both. I've only had a BD player about a year or less. I hate upgrading my dvds since I have about 300 of them. But if I get the ptae4000u projector, I'll probably have to upgrade the disks I like the most.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/09 04:11 PM
 Originally Posted By: CatBrat
I watched Firefly about 5 times. Now it looks I may have to get the blu-ray version of both.


Because you liked it so much, or for some other reason?
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/09 06:43 PM
I jut liked it. And that's about 5 times over 2 years or so.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/09 06:57 PM
 Originally Posted By: CatBrat
I watched Serenity about 3 times, and each time it seemed like I was missing something. Googled Serenity and discovered Firefly. I watched Firefly about 5 times. Now it looks I may have to get the blu-ray version of both. I've only had a BD player about a year or less. I hate upgrading my dvds since I have about 300 of them. But if I get the ptae4000u projector, I'll probably have to upgrade the disks I like the most.



Originally I caught part of one episode of “Firefly” and didn’t care for it. Later I saw “Serenity” and went out and bought “Firefly” and watched the whole thing in one sitting. Amazing show!

I’m planning to be very selective about what I upgrade. Only the stuff I really like to watch and that shows a marked improvement over the SD version. Ok who am I kidding I also didn’t plan on putting 200 hours on my projector in the first month. For now I’m using strategery and ordering up 3-4 Blu-rays from Netflix each weekend. So far the only ones I’ve bought are: Serenity, Blade Runner, 2001, Close Encounters, Star Trek, The Fifth Element (trend?) and Patton. Everything other Blu-ray I’ve watched has been rented.

 Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson

Because you liked it so much, or for some other reason?

Easy for me to answer…Summer Glau!
Posted By: merchman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/09 07:09 PM
Watching some Stihl Timbersports Series in HD. Looks pretty cool with the chips flying in slow motion. \:\)
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/09 08:50 PM
Wifey and myself are getting ready to play the just received from Amazon.com BR version of Air America ... a replacement for the SD disc that I loaned out and never got back.

Great movie, one of our favorites.
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/09 09:56 PM
I watched Cloverfield the other day, and it sure did give my EP500 a solid work out; the sound is pretty phenomenal.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/09 10:10 PM
 Originally Posted By: grunt
Later I saw “Serenity” and went out and bought “Firefly” and watched the whole thing in one sitting. Amazing show!

Well, I have to admit to an ulterior motive with my original question.

I'm been trying to get CV to buy / watch the Buffy series since he watches lots of TV-series on discs and I thought he would really appreciate the witty banter and character development. Pointing out that people love other Joss Wheden series was going to give me ammo to poke him one more time.

The Buffy series went on sale on Amazon the other day, so I tried noting that to him.

Alas, I was reBuffed.
Posted By: EFalardeau Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/09 10:17 PM
I watched Buffy only after I watched and loved Firefly. When I noticed it was the same creator/main-writer, I decided to give it a try... and Amazon had an incredible deal on the series at the time! I was not disappointed. You need to watch a few episodes, but it grows on you fairly fast. Altough, to this day, I am not entirely convinced about the scientific facts behind vampires...
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/09 10:26 PM
 Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
I'm been trying to get CV to buy / watch the Buffy series since he watches lots of TV-series on discs and I thought he would really appreciate the witty banter and character development. Pointing out that people love other Joss Wheden series was going to give me ammo to poke him one more time.


I'll try it out at some point, even though I already feel I've given Joss Whedon a fair shake. I don't know why I haven't been able to get into any of his stuff.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/09 10:29 PM
 Quote:
I am not entirely convinced about the scientific facts behind vampires...


Well, me neither. \:\)

For me, I thought the series really took off after it's first, "half season" (it was a mid-year replacement). I truly think it has better character development than almost any series I can think of, with the exception of All in the Family.

Joyce and I have loaned out the series to 12~15 people, and each has become a serious fan!
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/09 10:33 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I'll try it out at some point, even though I already feel I've given Joss Whedon a fair shake. I don't know why I haven't been able to get into any of his stuff.

I didn't realize you had tried something of his...I'm assuming it was Firefly?

Well, knowing that, I'll stop poking you! \:\)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/09 10:52 PM
Yeah, I watched most of Firefly (I don't remember where I stopped, but I think I got through at least 75% of it), Serenity, the first part of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, and Alien: Resurrection. And he wrote the screenplay for Toy Story, so there's something he's done that I actually liked.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/09 11:19 PM
 Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson

Well, I have to admit to an ulterior motive with my original question.

I'm been trying to get CV to buy / watch the Buffy series since he watches lots of TV-series on discs and I thought he would really appreciate the witty banter and character development. Pointing out that people love other Joss Wheden series was going to give me ammo to poke him one more time.

The Buffy series went on sale on Amazon the other day, so I tried noting that to him.

Alas, I was reBuffed.


CV hasn’t watched Buffy? Really? WTFO? Dammit, we need to stage an intervention!

Oops! Should have refreshed the browser window you guys left me in the dust.

P. S. It’s not about Joss Whedon it's about Sarah Michelle Gellar.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/09 11:23 PM
 Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson

I didn't realize you had tried something of his...I'm assuming it was Firefly?

Well, knowing that, I'll stop poking you!

Friends don’t let friends not watch Buffy.

Besides it’s about Buffy and not that narcissistic dweeb who came up with it. ;\) I’ll give him credit for having a knack for picking the right people for parts.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/30/09 12:06 AM
 Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson

Because you liked it so much, or for some other reason?

Easy for me to answer…Summer Glau!


I bought season 1 and 2 of the Sarah Connor Chronicles beacuse of Summer Glau.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/30/09 12:38 AM
I had to Google her. {{insert Joke Here}}

Truthfully, I can't really claim to be a Joss Wheden fan, per se, because I've never really seen anything but Buffy and Dollhouse last year. Joyce and I have both Angel and FireFly sets on DVD, but we've never watched them.

But as much as I love the casting of Buffy, it's really the writing that makes me love the show, so I've gotta give Joss Wheden kudos for the end result.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/30/09 01:04 AM
Angel is very similar to Buffy except that he is the main character who unfortunately was one of my least favorites in Buffy. Cordelia actually makes the show for me until Spike shows up as a regular.

I’m really not a Joss Whedon fan. I just happen to really like Buffy and Firefly (though that one had to grow on me). Angel is ok and I don’t really have any interest in anything else he has done.

Not sure why I have a thing for Summer Glau. I mean come on next to Morena Baccarin? Just something about her quirky characters.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/30/09 07:33 AM
The Firefly series is at least 5 times better than the Serenity movie. The movie was a bone to fans who needed some sense of closure, but the experience was not even close to watching the Firefly season/series.
Posted By: bigwill2 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/01/09 03:56 AM
Just finished watching Albert Collins live at Montreaux ($5 at SecondSpin). '92 performance was off the hook. Sound was great.

'79 performance was, at times, a little too much guitar super-hero for me, but a surprise appearance by Gatemouth on "Frosty" was supercool. \:\)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/01/09 08:05 AM
I finished the second season of The Big Bang Theory the other night (good stuff), so tonight I'm back on Avatar: The Last Airbender. I'm enjoying it a lot. There's some genuinely funny stuff, and I'm pretty happy with how much thought they've put into the storyline.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/01/09 07:36 PM
Those fargin’ bastages at Netflix just shipped me 4 Blu-rays not on a weekend off:

Ghost in the shell 2.0
Angels & Demons
Terminator: Salvation
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure

They were all listed as “Long” or “Very Long” waits so I left them at the top of my queue. False advertising I say. Looks like a day is in order now that I’m feeling a little Blu…. ;\)
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/09 06:46 AM
Just watched “Ghost in the Shell 2.0.” It’s been long enough and I’d watched enough of other things that I’d forgotten a lot of how the story unfolded so it was cool to see it again. Also meant going back to the original to be sure what had changed.

The first most obvious change is the audio. Way better no contest. Right from the beginning all the speakers come alive with sound and the bass is much better. Later by comparing it was also clear that the surround and other effects were greatly enhanced.

Almost as quick as the opening music you see the first CGI enhancement, an added scene, with the Major surveilling a meeting. It fits into the storyline but it’s man purpose seems to be showing that naked CGI Major is way better looking than the cell animated one. Most of the rest of the CGI enhancements are exterior shots of buildings and helicopters. Overall it blends in pretty well but it’s also not earth shattering.

Popping in the original also reveals they’ve cleaned up the picture overall but this is not nearly as significant as the audio. Although the picture does look better than the original the colours seem a little muted.

Otherwise everything is pretty much the same as the original

Here’s what Blu-ray.com has to say about it.

Ghost in the Shell 2.0 Blu-ray
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/09 08:39 AM
Ooh, I'm glad to hear the audio is rockin'. I got my copy, but I haven't watched it yet. I like the main song in that movie a lot. I'll probably be blasting that one.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/09 09:25 AM
Just watched extended edition of “Angels and Demons” Blu-ray. I thought it was pretty good if a bit predictable. I guest the best sign is that it sure didn’t seem like 2.5 hours. While much of the picture was fairly dark when it did show bright scenes the colours were great. The uniforms of the Swiss guard were very cool looking. The music sounded great on the Axioms and a soundtrack like this makes me appreciate that Axioms don’t roll off the highs and that I held out for a room with a vaulted ceiling. Overall I’d recommend watching it but I don’t think there’s enough replay value to make it worth owning.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/09 09:40 PM
Finally finished up the most recent season of "Mad Men" last night. Quirky and stylish. I dig it.
Posted By: Craig_P Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/09 05:32 AM
Food Inc.

Highly recommended viewing.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/09 08:13 AM
Just watched “Terminator Salvation” Blu-ray. Pretty decent movie though I really didn’t care for the John Connor guy that much, but I like all the rest of the characters. It’s mostly action but I thought well balanced in that no one scene even fights and chases last to long w/o some interesting twist to change the dynamic. But at the same time it’s not so full of rapid cuts as to make you dizzy.

Real good picture quality the detail is great but it’s a little bland colour-wise due to the post-apocalyptic setting. Plenty of explosions and other special effects as eye candy.

Where this movie really shines is the soundtrack. The best workout my sound system has ever had. It’s got everything, big bass, all sorts of direct and ambient sound effects. It’s pretty much going on all the time so it’s not just a few scenes here and there that benefit but almost the whole movie.

If you want to give your system a great workout watch this movie. IMO way better than “Transformers 2.”
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/09 08:15 AM
I'm going to watch it this weekend. It sounds like fun!
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/09 08:23 AM
The audio is going to be intense!

Have you watched GITS 2.0 yet? If so what did you think of it?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/09 08:37 AM
Not yet. I was saving that for the weekend, too.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/09 09:21 AM
I've liked Avatar: The Last Airbender since I started watching, but it's getting pretty amazing as the story develops. It's hard to believe it's a Nickelodeon cartoon. I don't know if it's as good as Buffy, but I'm eager to see how it all turns out.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/09 09:58 AM
I’ve heard good things about “Avatar: The Last Airbender” but always got the impression it was heavy on the fight scenes and am worried that they will get repetitive. Also I’ve got a backlog of at least between 50 and 100 anime (I’ve lost count) to watch and some of them like I InuYasha is 30 not counting the movies and Bleach which is up to 22. And I’m just starting the 9th disk of “Full Metal Alchemist.” So something else would have to be out-of-this-world good to even gut bumped up into the top 20 of the queue.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/09 10:18 AM
I wouldn't say there's an overabundance of fight scenes. There's always been enough story going on that I didn't notice, at least. I'd say the first book started off a bit slower, to set it all up, but it picked up in the second book. I just started book 3, and it looks like it's going to be quite a ride until the end. Since I'm not done, I can't make a case for where it should be in your queue, but I'm finding a lot to be impressed with.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/09 10:19 AM
Oh, and I'm glad you're still watching Fullmetal Alchemist. I do intend to watch that over again sometime, along with Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Death Note.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/09 11:04 AM

Before I put it in my Netfix queue I was wondering if you‘re renting the disks or watching it streaming? If you are watching streaming does the Dolby digital 2.0 come through or is it just in mono or standard stereo? Hard to believe an American made Anime could be done well. ;\)

I’ve been purposely pacing myself watching “Full Metal Alchemist” because it’s one of the few anime I’ve seen that does a great job of breaking the story up into bite size pieces that can be watched a little bit at a time. Plus with getting the projector I’ve changed my viewing habit’s a bit and going back to watch a lot of stuff I had on hold until I got things set up here.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/09 02:26 PM
I'm watching the discs, but not renting. I bought them when they dropped in price on Amazon.com, simply based on my sister's recommendation. I do that sometimes with her stronger recommendations because I know that even if I don't end up liking it enough to keep it, she'll want to have it and the purchase will be worthwhile. \:\) Of course, it doesn't work out in her favor very often, since we have pretty similar tastes.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/04/09 01:09 AM
Just watched “Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure” Blu-ray. As with the first one if you like Disney movies they’ve hit it out of the park with this one again. The story is different since she’s already a pixie it kicks off right into the main adventure.

The video quality is top notch and as is most of the animation though in this one there are a couple of scenes where it look like they got lazy in the background. The audio is also great though not much going on in the surrounds. However the music and effects up front are ambient enough that it still fills the room with sound.

It’s short and sweat making it likely to get watched again.


Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/04/09 04:48 PM
Watched the “Close Encounters of a Third Kind” special edition Blu-ray last night. Still a good movie but overall it didn’t stand the test of time for me as well as I thought it would. I guess I’m getting use the frantic pace of more recent movies because some of the family scenes had me reaching for the fast forward button. However, I still liked most of the movie.

The video quality of this was touted as really good but I’m not seeing it. Picture is decent but there’s a lot of graininess I’m not use to seeing in the few Blu-rays I’ve watched. I mean “Patton” and “The Longest Day” looked better. Colours were pretty muted by comparison to others I’ve scene. I didn’t have time to check out my standard def copy to see how it compared.

Audio quality was about the same. It was respectable but nothing to grab your attention which actually worked for the more subdued nature of this film. Didn’t notice much going on with the surrounds and the subwoofer was only mildly engaged.

I had bought this outright based on the number “top lists” it was on but this is one case I should have rented first because unless the standard def version looks a lot worse on the big screen I would have passed on this as a Blu-ray.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/04/09 05:09 PM
So the subwoofer didn't do anything in this scene that High-Def Digest talks about?:

 Quote:
The scene where Roy Neary first encounters a UFO in his pick-up truck still delivers some of the most intense low bass I've ever heard on a home theater mix. Cranking up the high-res tracks, my subwoofer just about vibrated right off the floor -- this scene, along with the mothership climax, is a true test of any home theater rig's mettle. Don't turn up the volume on this Blu-ray edition of 'Close Encounters' unless your speakers can handle it.

Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/04/09 05:25 PM
I don’t think I saw the same movie as that reviewer. The bass output was just on the margin where my M80s could have handled everything and I don’t think I would have known the difference.

As for “some of the most intense low bass I’ve ever heard on a home theater mix.” all I can say is WTFO. Earlier in the evening I had moved and recalibrated everything and wanted to test out some movies I hadn’t put in since the apartment. I can say all 3 I tried “Apollo 13,” “War of the Worlds” and “Sky Captain and the World fo Tomorrow” all had much more intense bass than anything “Close Encounters . . .” comes close to. I mean not even in the same league.

Which brings me to something else I realized is that now I need to go back and watch all the movies I saw in the apartment because now I can really listen to them.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/04/09 05:29 PM
Well, now I know I don't need the Close Encounters of the Third Kind Blu-ray. I'd toyed with buying it simply for that scene, but it never got low enough in price.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/04/09 05:40 PM
I’ll pop in my standard def copy later when I fire up the projector to see if the PQ or the Blu-ray is worth the upgrade. I’m also going to recheck the audio because I just checked Blu-ray.com and they also say the bass is “phenomenal.” Not sure why I’m not feeling it.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/04/09 09:53 PM
Well I stand semi-corrected on the bass in “Close Encounters . . .”. There is a lot more bass in the scenes Charles quoted than I realized. However, not much of it was below 40Hz which after watching some very bass heavy scenes earlier made it feel thin.

The low-pass filter on my Buttkicker amp it set at 40Hz. I put my foot on it and played the scene with the mailboxes and there was almost nothing. I put my hand in front of the subwoofer and it was going crazy. So I cut out both subwoofer channels in the configuration menu and played the scene again and notice only a very slight drop in the bass with just the M80s playing it.

So while there is plenty of bass above 40Hz it just didn’t have the feel (even with the Buttkicker off) of movies like “Terminator: Salvation,” “Apollo 13,” “War of the Worlds,” “Star Wars III,” “LOTR FOTR” . . . .

Also popped in the standard def DVD and didn’t see any great difference than in the Blu-ray but I didn’t spend a lot of time checking. Also at least the bass portion of the audio track on the standard def version seemed the same as the Blu-ray. However, I didn’t listen extensively to see if other aspects were improved much.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/04/09 10:05 PM
I have all the Harry Potter movies on DVD and BD. When I had compared the sound track between the two for the very first movie, the DVD seemed to have the better quality.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/05/09 03:05 AM
Dean, thanks for the comparison and clarification.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/09 03:38 AM
Terminator: Salvation on Blu-ray. I liked the audio, but the movie didn't really involve me. I think I'm growing weary of Christian Bale.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/09 03:48 AM
I watched One Fast Move of I'm Gone: Jack Kerouac's Big Sur.

Two thumbs up, but keep a glass of alcohol handy. My wife was pouring Jim Beam throughout. \:\)
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/09 04:44 AM
Just finished the Pineapple Express.
Not much to say about it really.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/09 06:13 AM
I just finished Avatar: The Last Airbender. I wouldn't say it never falters, but there's quite a lot of really good stuff in it. Imaginative and funny. I'd say it's definitely worth watching. There was some heavy stuff in it which I didn't feel was too dumbed down for children. You kind of have to watch the whole thing, though. It really picked up in Book 2. I'm sad that Mako passed away before Book 3. They got a decent imitation for his voice, but the delivery just wasn't the same. Anyway, I was happy with the whole thing. I was pretty skeptical that I'd like it.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/09 06:17 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Terminator: Salvation on Blu-ray. I liked the audio, but the movie didn't really involve me. I think I'm growing weary of Christian Bale.


I had to look him up to see who he was since I didn’t recognize the name. Then I realized you were talking about the same guy I didn’t like.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/09 06:21 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I just finished Avatar: The Last Airbender. I wouldn't say it never falters, but there's quite a lot of really good stuff in it. Imaginative and funny. I'd say it's definitely worth watching. There was some heavy stuff in it which I didn't feel was too dumbed down for children. You kind of have to watch the whole thing, though. It really picked up in Book 2. I'm sad that Mako passed away before Book 3. They got a decent imitation for his voice, but the delivery just wasn't the same. Anyway, I was happy with the whole thing. I was pretty skeptical that I'd like it.


I was so about to flame you for not using “spoiler tags” until I realized you were talking about the real actor. Yeah that sucks about him. Well I’ve got it in my queue but it won’t be here for awhile.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/09 06:33 AM
I watched Cowboy BeBop: The Movie. Makes me want to start watching the series over again.

My sister really enjoys Avatar: The Last Airbender and she was telling me all about it a few weeks ago. I should add it to my Netflix queue.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/09 06:42 AM
I saw “Cowboy BeBop: The Movie” first because they had it at the nearby Blockbuster. I immediately ordered the series after seeing it.

If we manage to get together here in the near future you can borrow copy if you like.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/09 07:11 AM
I was going through Movie Insider looking for things to queue up at Netflix early and spotted this in case anyone is interested.

The Last Airbender
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/09 07:42 AM
They must have taken Avatar out of the title so people wouldn't confuse it with James Cameron's Avatar. My sister's so mad about the casting. It was the perfect opportunity to give Asian actors work, and they cast white people? Equally annoying is how they cast Jake Gyllenhaal in the Prince of Persia movie. People are weird.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/09 07:54 AM
How about John Wayne as Genghis Khan (now that was a bad movie) but what do you expect when the marketing people get involved. Most any of the crap that comes out of Hollywood gets anglicized and dumbed down for an American audience. The power of marketing I guess.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/09 08:18 AM
Two Men go To War. Its a comedy based on two dentists who go awal to invade France during ww2. Its well acted and a fun movie.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/09 09:05 AM
Sounds funny. I'll have to look it up.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/09 03:57 PM
 Originally Posted By: grunt
I saw “Cowboy BeBop: The Movie” first because they had it at the nearby Blockbuster. I immediately ordered the series after seeing it.

If we manage to get together here in the near future you can borrow copy if you like.


Oh, thanks, Dean! But I have the series!

I bought it shortly after I got hooked after seeing it on Cartoon Network late one night.

That reminds me, let me look at my calendar and settle on a day for a GTG!
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/09 03:58 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
They must have taken Avatar out of the title so people wouldn't confuse it with James Cameron's Avatar. My sister's so mad about the casting. It was the perfect opportunity to give Asian actors work, and they cast white people? Equally annoying is how they cast Jake Gyllenhaal in the Prince of Persia movie. People are weird.


That's exactly what my sister was ranting about when I talked to her on the phone. She didn't understand the casting choices at all.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/09 04:40 PM
I think we just need to change this thread title to "What anime are you watching tonight?"
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/09 04:43 PM
I smell jealousy!

;\)
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/09 04:50 PM
I smell updog.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/09 04:52 PM
Still working my way through Season 1 of Lost. Good stuff. Wonder why I never was interested in it when it was in real time? The HD streaming feed from Netflix (through my Samsung BR) is really very good.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/07/09 12:27 AM
I watched Away We Go last night. I like both Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski, but I didn't relate all that well to either of their characters. There was some funny stuff, but there was annoying stuff, too. Maybe the music made it seem more pretentious than it was.

Today I watched select scenes out of Ghost in the Shell 2.0. I agree with Dean that the audio is really cool, and that some of the new CG stuff is out of place. I couldn't commit to watching the whole movie. The pace is too slow for me most of the time.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/07/09 02:30 AM
Snatch on Blu-ray. Looks and sounds very nice, and I still like the movie.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/07/09 04:52 AM
Eagle Eye on HD-DVR, from an HBO broadcast. Good movie overall, a thriller/action movie where lots of stuff gets blowed up real good. I kept wondering what it would be like for schizophrenic people with symptoms of ideas of reference to watch that movie.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/07/09 05:36 AM
You posted that link because of me didn’t you? ;\)
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/07/09 06:17 AM
You're delusional. He posted it because of me...
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/07/09 06:25 AM
“I know you are but what am I?”
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/07/09 12:29 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Snatch on Blu-ray. Looks and sounds very nice, and I still like the movie.


Haha, I thought that was a very funny movie, despite an opposite review from almost everyone else I knew. It is also the first movie where I had to admit Brad Pitt can actually act when he he has to. I don't know if his gypsy accent was accurate but it certainly was hilarious. Prior to that I disliked him probably more so because of my wife's obsession with him. heh heh.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/09/09 07:29 PM
With lunch, I just watched two guys in rubber suits fight each other above the city of Tokyo in slight slow-motion.

I'm rooting for the one called UltraMan, not the one simply referred to as "the monster" in the out-of-sync English overdubbed audio!
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/09/09 07:38 PM
Tokyo. How many times will they keep rebuilding that city?

Godzilla....Rodan....Mothra....
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/09/09 08:05 PM

Last night I watched The Sky Crawlers

Here’s what Blu-ray.com has to say about the quality:

The Sky Crawlers Blu-ray

And here’s how animenewsnetwork reviewed it:

Sky Crawlers

I’m still digesting it and likely fall into the “Most people won’t get it” category in the above review. However, I certainly was not “bored to tears.” Despite being very tired I always felt engaged and interested probably because I was paying extra attention to make sure I didn’t missing some clue as to what was going on.

Also not many are calling this action not even close it’s a drama. The action is short and sweat probably like real dogfights.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/10/09 02:34 AM
Dean, that sounds like a very engaging film. I'll have to check it out.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/10/09 07:07 AM
Not to compare it in any way story-wise to the TV show “The Prisoner,” but it left me with the same impression that it’s something you need to watch with another person and then afterward discuss it to see what meaning came across.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/10/09 01:13 PM
Yeah, from what I read, it looks to be somewhat challenging. I kinda like that! I'll see if I can talk my SO into watching it with me.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/11/09 07:07 AM
Amélie on Blu-ray. I wouldn't say the picture is perfect, but I'm satisfied. It's certainly enough of a step up from the DVD. I just watched the first 10 or 15 minutes. I'll watch the whole thing this weekend. Right now the central heat is too loud to really enjoy the audio. Too bad I don't have radiant floor heating.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/12/09 02:33 AM
Just watched the “Public Enemies” Blu-ray. I really wanted to like this movie. Technically it seems to do pretty much everything right, good picture, cinematography, audio, acting but left me wanting to fast forward more times than I can remember.

Overall the video quality was good. Some scenes were almost lifelike but then others were somewhat dull and graining. It was like looking through a stack of mostly glossy pictures and occasionally coming to one with a matte finish. When this happened I found the difference enough to be distracting. Lots of dark scenes which really showed off the AE4000s ability to handle shadow detail.

The audio was solid. No one thing really stood out for me in the audio which is actually a complement because it enhanced what was happening on the screen rather than calling attention to itself. It didn’t give my system any real workout but everything just sounded right. One noteworthy aspect of it was the gunfire which I found sounded quite like the actual weapons being used.

Also of note was that the bank robbery scenes were well done. It’s nice when a 2 minute bank robbery doesn’t last 20 minutes on screen. However, there was just something overall that was missing. For me the movie seemed like a bunch of mostly well done scenes, a few of which I found boring, strung together but lacking any real continuity.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/12/09 04:51 AM
Just watched the “Princess Protection Program.” What can I say . . . I like escapist entertainment and Disney does a good job of making it. Like most made for TV movies it moves along pretty quickly and stays fairly shallow but that’s what it’s suppose to do. If you like this sort of light hearted fluff this one is just about straight down the middle, not to good and not to bad either.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/13/09 08:22 AM
I just watched “Gunslinger Girl” season 1. Read this reviewers comment before proceeding.

 Quote:

I had some concerns over the highly controversial material and whether I'd be able to accept it and enjoy the show for what it was. Upon getting it, I quickly found out that the show was not one to enjoy in the word's most literal sense. Gunslinger Girl is an abrasive and cruel show, its jarring sensibilities constantly at odds with the story. It was also beautiful in the way only a truly twisted show can be, and, as such, definitely worth the money spent.


I must say I really liked this show. Although many talk about how controversial it is I think “Elfin Lied” has more potential to turn people off. Perhaps it’s the less fantastical nature of “Gunslinger Girl” that bothers the reviewers.

First off this is a drama not action adventure. Despite it’s mostly slow pace I found the characters and there interaction fascinating and more than enough to keep me engaged. Reviewers say that the plot isn’t coherent but I think they miss the point that it is a character study and that the plot is nothing more than a backdrop to showcase the character interactions and I believe intentionally left vague and disjointed so as not to distract from this.

This show can grab you on both an intellectual (character study) and emotional (character) level. I’m not prone to bursts of emotion but can say without shame that I broke into tears when the girls are out watching a meteor shower and start singing the “Ode to Joy.”

These reviews can better describe what’s going on than I can. If you read the first one also read the second as the reviewer softens his take on the series as he gets further into it. Note there are 3 disks to the season.

DVD 1

DVD 2
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/13/09 09:00 AM
I'll have to check that one out sometime. I see it's coming out on Blu-ray in March.

I'm going to be getting Samurai Champloo on Blu-ray next week. I haven't seen it yet, but coming from the creator of Cowboy Bebop, along with the sparkling reviews I've encountered (haven't really done more than glance at them, though, since I don't want anything spoiled), I'm pretty sure I'll like it.

Tonight I was re-watching the first season of Friday Night Lights. It still weirds me out that I like it so much.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/14/09 04:25 AM
Like to hear what you think of "Samurai Champloo. I’ve been close to ordering it a couple times but Hip Hop music is not my favorite so I’ve been hesitant.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/14/09 05:06 AM
Just watched “National Treasure 2” and “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

The video quality of both movies was great with a slight advantage going to “National Treasure 2” but mainly because there was more variety to show off. Also “Half-Blood Prince” is a mostly dark movie and once again I’m appreciating the shadow detail on the AE4000.

Both also have great sounding audio. They were about the same in technical quality and I didn’t hear anything to indicate demo material. However, the clear winner for me was “Half-Blood Prince” because of how the music and sound effects just blended setting the mood and not drawing your attention away from the movie.

As for entertainment value “Half-Blood Prince” wins easily. I was worried I wouldn’t care for the characters and story as much with the characters getting older but I think it’s progressing well. I’m curious how someone the same age as the characters feels about the progression of the series. OTOH “National Treasure 2” was like a connect the dots puzzle where you already know what the picture is going to be. I had to fast forward through parts of it I got so bored.

Another plus for “Half-Blood Prince” is Helena Bonham Carter shows up again. While not in many scenes, any sighting is worth the price of admission. And it looks like she’s also in the next two movies as well.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/16/09 08:04 AM
Inglourious Basterds

I was entertained. The scene with Samm Levine running while firing a gun was absent, or I really wasn't paying attention. I think it simply must have been an earlier cut of the film that the trailer was made from. I wouldn't call it Tarantino's best, by any means, but yeah, I liked the movie. I can't comment on the audio too much. I was watching it too late to be able to play at theater levels. I'll try again this weekend.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/16/09 09:13 AM
Just watched a few scenes from the “Band of Brothers” Blu-ray. Awesome!

If you like the series get this it’s worth the upgrade. Compared to the standard def DVD the picture and audio are both big improvements. Best to just let Blu-ray.com explain it:

Band of Brothers

Thanks for the heads up on Amazon Charles.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/17/09 10:58 AM
Just watched the Blu-ray of Akira

Sad to say I didn’t like it. Despite lots of great reviews I found very little to like about this film and ended up giving it only 2 out of 5 stars at Netflix.

The video was good with nice vivid colours and pretty good animation for the 1980s. The sound track was just ok. Nothing particularly bad about it but then nothing that great either. The biggest letdown for me were the characters. Just nothing likable about any of them so I didn’t care what happened to them or in the end the story. It was like they tried to pack what should a been at least a full season of episodes into one 2 hour movie.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/17/09 07:20 PM
I just bought the Shakira, Oral Fixation Tour blu-ray and will be watching it tonight.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/18/09 01:26 AM
 Originally Posted By: CatBrat
I just bought the Shakira, Oral Fixation Tour blu-ray and will be watching it tonight.


Well, I watched/listened to it and it was excellent! I have about 5 CD's of her, mostly in spanish. Some belly dancing and a whole lota shaking going on in this concert. I know I'll be watching this a lot more.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/19/09 03:39 AM
Just watched the Blu-ray of “The Animatrix.”

I hadn’t seen the standard def version so I can’t comment on whether the Blu-ray is an improvement in video of audio quality. If you haven’t seen it this is a collection of short stories some of which tie in directly to the movies while others just stand alone. The quality both of the stories and the animation is a real mixed bag. I’d say 3 of the stories are outstanding 3 more are just average and 3 are worthless. Nice thing is not even the poor stories last long enough to bring the whole thing down. I’d say this is a must see for “Matrix” fans, who have probably already seen it, but easily skipped if your not. The only other collection of animated shorts not part of a series I’ve seen is “Heavy Metal” which IMO beats “The Animatirx” easily.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/19/09 05:48 AM
Just watched the last episode of “Fullmetal Alchemist.”

This is definitely a top 10 anime not sure I could bump it up to top 5 for one reason I’ll note later. Most anyone into anime will already have seen this but if you’re not into anime I still highly recommend it as a great anime on it’s own right and a very good one to get started with.

It was a total of 30 episodes on 13 disks but it seemed like a lot less. It’s basic cell animation w/o any CGI mixed in so everything is seamless. The colours are great, characters distinctive, and the animation is smooth. The audio quality is good but nothing special and the music is ok but forgettable.

Where this anime shines is in the story and character development. It starts right off with the story and fills in the back-story as you go. However, the telling of the back-story is done quite well so I never felt there was a disconnect from the main plot just to explain why something is happening. Also, the series is digestible in small pieces w/o losing it’s flow. I find this unique and advantageous considering it’s length.

If you’re afraid of fan service the most you see is a bellybutton and a little cleavage. Actually there are probably more shots of Armstrong flexing and posing. Which brings me to my favorite character, yes Armstrong. Just something unique and over the top about him resulting in him often stealing the scene.

Now the one gripe I have about the series. Far to often the characters especially the main two must behave stupidly to advance the plot in a particular direction. I really hate when a story does this, especially so often. This does allow the series to have more plot twists and certainly keeps the pace going where more elaborate twists might be more time consuming, but it still seems like lazy storytelling.

Now I’ll have to watch the movie and looks like the second series is coming to DVD in the Spring of 2010.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/19/09 06:29 AM
 Originally Posted By: grunt
Now the one gripe I have about the series. Far to often the characters especially the main two must behave stupidly to advance the plot in a particular direction. I really hate when a story does this, especially so often. This does allow the series to have more plot twists and certainly keeps the pace going where more elaborate twists might be more time consuming, but it still seems like lazy storytelling.


Yeah, I would agree with that. I've actually been re-watching Fullmetal Alchemist, finally. I'd say it was better the first time, but I'm still impressed with the sheer imagination. You're right, though, that the main characters do act stupid way too much, even though they're kids trying to adjust to an adult world before their time.

I couldn't get as into the movie, but of course it's always harder for movies to be as compelling as a series. There's just not as much space for development. I'm avoiding reading anything on the new series because I want it to be a total surprise. I also still need to read the manga to see how different the original author's storyline is.

And yeah, Armstrong cracks me up.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/19/09 07:36 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV

Yeah, I would agree with that. I've actually been re-watching Fullmetal Alchemist, finally. I'd say it was better the first time, but I'm still impressed with the sheer imagination. You're right, though, that the main characters do act stupid way too much, even though they're kids trying to adjust to an adult world before their time.

I couldn't get as into the movie, but of course it's always harder for movies to be as compelling as a series. There's just not as much space for development. I'm avoiding reading anything on the new series because I want it to be a total surprise. I also still need to read the manga to see how different the original author's storyline is.

And yeah, Armstrong cracks me up.


Yeah, I was willing to overlook their behaviour because they wee kids but after 6 years of world travel . . . . I will say at the very end they finally seemed to wise up. I don’t want anyone to think it’s a deal breaker when watching it, just an annoyance causing me to give it a 4.5 out of 5.

I’ve taken so long to watch it I could probably start over and not remember the beginning. I didn’t even realize another series was out, and I’m also looking to avoid spoilers.

I went to pop the movie in and I can’t find it. My media room is a mess. Combination of still not completely moving in and not keeping up on filing new DVDs. About 1/4 of the floor and he whole desk is covered with stacks of series and I’ll be dammed if I can find that movie and It’s not available for instant viewing so I ordered the Blu-ray.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/19/09 07:58 AM
\:\) I just finished watching the final episode of the first season. Maes Hughes might be my favorite character. But yeah, let me know what you think of the movie.

I have discs on my floor now, too. I ran out of shelf space, which is another thing I'll have more of in the basement.
Posted By: a401classic Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/19/09 08:51 AM
We tried to watch Weeds: Season 4 Episode 8 (out of 14), but Disc 1 is asking me to insert Disc 2 It's hell to get addicted to a series and you have to wait for the mailman to deliver the next disc....

For those not familiar with the series, its about a Southern California widow who turns to selling pot to pay the bills. Definitely not for the kiddies - Season 1 is almost pornographic. Not the greatest fodder, but reminds us so of life in So Cal. If you're a Kevin Nealon fan, he's great in this series.

Scott
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/19/09 07:00 PM
Brüno

It's as horrible as you'd imagine, but I have to admit I laughed a lot. I thought it would be crappier, but I found it pretty entertaining. Never underestimate the power of low expectations, if that's not a contradiction.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/20/09 06:16 AM
Just finished watching Gunslinger Girl -Il Teatrino

This one is 13 episodes on two disks with a third OVA containing 2 episodes released later.

The review above pretty much sums it up. The visual quality is way off from the first season. In the OVA they even write it into the story by having Rico charge into terrorist stronghold to the dismay of a local operative, only to have her emerge after some brief gunfire to exclaim she’s finished. This actually works because they only resort to it once. In the first season the fight would have been well choreographed with lots of slow motion shots. Music is ok but never evokes the same emotional response as a couple times in the first season.

The story telling changes drastically with about 1/3 or more of the episodes being from the “bad guys” point of view. This certainly gives more depth to the storytelling but I also detracts from the original focus of the relationship between the girls and their handlers. So it’s 50/50 whether this is an improvement.

Overall a decent sequel. The last episodes of the season and the OVA leave it open to another sequel and the Manga continues so . . . .
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/20/09 03:29 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Brüno

It's as horrible as you'd imagine, but I have to admit I laughed a lot. I thought it would be crappier, but I found it pretty entertaining. Never underestimate the power of low expectations, if that's not a contradiction.


I watched that a couple of weeks ago and laughed a lot too. Yes, it's horrible and tasteless, but incredibly entertaining! There are some truly uncomfortable moments in that movie, and then you find it strives to go to the next level with uncomfortableness. I have to applaud that. That takes balls.

Or no taste.

But, either way, it's entertaining!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/20/09 03:42 PM
Wasn't it excruciating to watch him interview the parents who were trying to get their kids a part? Owwwww.

Last night I started working on Samurai Champloo. I like the look of the series. There's some funny stuff, but I'm not in love with it yet. I was really tired last night and kept falling asleep, though, so there are several episodes where I only watched half, which means I have to go back and watch them all again.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/20/09 03:48 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Wasn't it excruciating to watch him interview the parents who were trying to get their kids a part? Owwwww.


I feel sorry for those kids. That was quite painful.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/20/09 11:51 PM
Re-watching Inglourious Basterds at a more appropriate volume level. The big gun fight is very impressive.
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/09 02:37 AM
Bought the Blu ray version of Rush R30 yesterday. Watched it tonight and thought this version at 3 hours was better then the DVD version. The DVD when I first got it was a take it or leave it audio wise. The blu ray was a lot better.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/09 02:43 AM
Mel, which songs are included on the Blu ray that they left off of the DVD. I know "La Villa Strangiato" was one of them(one of my fave Rush songs).
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/09 05:30 AM
I'm enjoying Samurai Champloo more, but there is an annoyance. The audio likes to drop out when it seems like the volume passes a certain high threshold, and then it takes a second to start again. I assume it will take an update to the OPPO to fix it. It's a title-specific problem, I'd say, since I just watched Inglourious Basterds without issue, and it has very extreme shifts in volume. I'll have to try it out on my parents' PS3 to see if it happens on theirs. I don't think it's just a bad copy since it spans both of the discs I've been watching, and I haven't seen any chatter about problems online yet, so I think it must just be a combination of this title and the OPPO.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/09 08:23 AM
Watched the live action Blu-ray of “Blood: The Last Vampire" earlier. It’s pretty bad is about the only good thing I can say about it.

Just got done watching the Blu-ray version of “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005).” A decent enough movie but it’s lacks the magic of a real enchanting story. I think it could have been done better as a multi-episode short story rather than one movie.

The video quality was good and the special effects of all the creatures look real nice. Even in Blu-ray the didn‘t stand out as fake. Audio was also good but nothing special. I liked the movie but it just didn’t grab me the way I expect something like this should.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/09 11:40 AM
Just finished watching the Blu-ray of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008). I have to go against the majority of critics and say I liked this sequel better than the first. The story just seemed to flow better. In part I think it’s because it gets off to a quicker start but also seem better edited. Hard to believe they were both made by the same director.

Like the first the video quality good. There were several periods with dark largely single colour scenes but the other scenes looked really natural. I also thought the audio was slightly better on this one.

Neither of these movies captivates me like the LOTR but then they didn’t make me ever think about the fast forward button either.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/09 04:20 PM
I thought just the opposite. I loved the 1st movie (especially where Lucy first gets to Narnia). But the second movie was a let down. Probably because I bought the Chronicles to Narnia book and read all of the stories a couple of times first. The magical scenes in the book for Caspian didn't get translated that way in the movie, such as when the door to the underground treasure room gets discovered. In the book, there was a lot of buildup and suspense to it. In the movie, it was like, oops, here's a door.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/09 06:53 PM
Yours seems to be similar to most other peoples opinion especially those who read the books. In a way I’m lucky that it’s hard for me to read because I’ve skipped a lot of things I would otherwise have read that are eventually turned into movies. It’s easier to like a movie when I don’t have a preconceptions about it.

Looks like the third one is coming out, already have it in my Netflix Queue.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/09 07:00 PM
 Originally Posted By: grunt
Looks like the third one is coming out, already have it in my Netflix Queue.


Great! I was wondering when that was coming out. I wonder how they have managed to mess it up. \:\)
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/09 07:08 PM
I watched the 'Stray Cats Rumble in Brixton' last evening on HDNet and was so impressed with the show that I ordered the DVD from CD Universe. Great stuff for those of you who like the Stray Cats.
Posted By: merchman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/09 07:19 PM
Rick, we caught a few songs from that show as well. Very good stuff. \:\)
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/09 07:25 PM
I caught most all of it Ed, missed the first 10 or 15 minutes or so. The disc isn't available in Blu-Ray but I didn't read any negative reviews on Amazon or CD Universe regarding video or audio, apparently that show was done in '04 ... those guys were rockin'!
Posted By: merchman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/09 07:30 PM
I wondered what year it was from. Love the bass player pulling on them strings. The hairdo's were great! Definitely brings back some memories. \:\)
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/09 07:39 PM
Sorry I missed that. Currently searching for a HDNet replay on that.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/09 07:41 PM
Here's a nice little clip of the show Ed...

Stray Cats

Good stuff indeed!
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/09 07:43 PM
ZZ Top Live from Texas on Palladia. Cool and amazing.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/09 07:49 PM
I got the DVD several months back Tom, good stuff fer sure! I miss Palladia ... lost it whenever we switched from cable to DirecTV. Hope you can catch those Stray Cats, I think you'll enjoy that one.
Posted By: Wid Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/09 08:06 PM
 Originally Posted By: tomtuttle
ZZ Top Live from Texas on Palladia. Cool and amazing.


See it before but just turned it on. Thanks Tom.
Posted By: merchman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/09 08:15 PM
Got VH1 Classic Albums on now. U2: The Joshua Tree.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/09 09:06 PM
Imo, that was U2's peak, the "War" album was very good too.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/09 09:32 PM
 Originally Posted By: RickF
I miss Palladia ... lost it whenever we switched from cable to DirecTV. Hope you can catch those Stray Cats, I think you'll enjoy that one.

Hey, I have DirecTV and I get Palladia - you're right, it's awesome. You must need to increase the size of your package.

(that's what she said)

;\)
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/22/09 01:41 AM
J.P. had I known it was that easy I would have made the call years ago.

DirecTV, huh?!

\:D
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/22/09 03:13 AM
 Originally Posted By: Adrian
Mel, which songs are included on the Blu ray that they left off of the DVD. I know "La Villa Strangiato" was one of them(one of my fave Rush songs).


Adrian the following songs are extra on the Blu-ray
Bravado
YYZ
The Trees
One little Victory
Secret Touch
Red Sector A
La Villa Strangiato
By Tor and the Snow Dog
I hope I got the right songs with no duplicates but you can buy the Blu-ray and see / hear for yourself
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/22/09 03:14 AM
Wow! they left out 1/3 of the concert on the DVD.
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/22/09 03:17 AM
It is amazing that they left out that many songs. It does make the blu-ray worth it just to get the full concert and the DTS-HD Master sounds great \:\)
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/22/09 03:20 AM
Did Alex "rant" on La Villa? I saw him on Youtube ranting about Paris Hilton.
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/22/09 03:23 AM
I don't know what Alex was trying to do. It was sort of like what he did in the Rush in Rio DVD but not as weird. For Alex that is
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/22/09 03:54 AM
Has anyone bought/seen "District 9" on blu ray yet? impressions on the transfer and LFEs. This movie seemed to fly under the radar when it came out.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/22/09 05:23 AM
I'll have the Blu-ray tomorrow, supposedly, but I don't know when I'll get around to watching the whole thing, but I can at least pop it in to see how it is.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/22/09 06:31 AM
How’d you get it so fast? I’ve had it in my queue for a couple months but it just switched from “Releasing 22 Dec” to “Short Wait.” Well I’ve got 8 movies that should ship tomorrow and if it happens to make it I’ll be watching it within a day or so.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/22/09 06:40 AM
 Quote:
It does make the blu-ray worth it just to get the full concert and the DTS-HD Master sounds great


Dammit dammit dammit dammit.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/22/09 06:41 AM
Oh, I bought this one. I saw the movie in the theater, and while the story has its problems, I figured the audio would make it worthwhile.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/22/09 05:28 PM
U2 Rattle and Hum. Love the black and white. I really liked U2 from that era and prior. Now, not so much. Probably my fault.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/22/09 05:33 PM
No. It's theirs. They've gone a little Pop since then.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/22/09 05:52 PM
I liked Achtung Baby. It was a solid album. Then they went weird (Pop), but their last two or three have been more solid.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/22/09 06:00 PM
Achtung Baby was kind of weird, too, but Pop and Zooropa (?) were weirder.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/23/09 10:52 PM
Just took a break from a “Battlestar Galaxtica” marathon to watch “District 9.”

Video quality is very good through most of the movie. The only issues I had with it were the stark difference between the “movie” elements and the “documentary” ones, and an occasional increase in graininess during a few of the “movie” scenes. However, other than that the PQ was real nice.

I liked the audio quality even better than the PQ. Clear and distinct but never drawing attention to itself. There was actually a lot going on in the audio but because it was integrated so well I can't just point to a particular scene that stands out. During the “movie” segments it created a very real feeling.

If documentary and pseudo-documentary style stories don’t bother you then this is a best-of-the-year movie. Personally, I hate those styles. I like to suspend disbelief and be drawn into a movie which I find impossible when watching a documentary of people being interviewed. Also while I usually don’t mind news broadcasts as a vehicle for furthering the story between scenes, this movie has them interspersed throughout action sequences totally ruining the flow just once I started getting drawn into the scene.

Sadly I have to call this movie only average because of the pseudo-documentary style which IMO ruins what would otherwise have been a totally engaging film. Still worth watching and if you don’t mind the style then you’ll probably think it’s great.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/23/09 11:29 PM
Thanks for the review, Dean. That "documentary style" you refer to, reminds me of so many older movies like the original "The Thing" or "King Kong" for eg, where there always seemed to be a news reporter present to narrate the story or to verify the story(my how times have changed).

I generally like to be drawn into a movie, rather than just watch it as well. That also depends alot on how we relate to the characters as well as the story.

I'm not sold on buying this movie yet, esp at what it's going for locally.
Posted By: Wid Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/24/09 12:54 AM

Heart dvd.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/24/09 06:55 AM
I finished Samurai Champloo. I ended up liking it a lot more than when I started. I'm still not sure I'd put it in the classic, classic category, but there's some pretty cool stuff in it. I think I'll enjoy watching it again sometime.

I've also been working at rewatching Fullmetal Alchemist. I'm on the second season. My sister said that the newer Brotherhood series starts the story over and follows the manga, so that should be interesting to see.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/24/09 09:40 AM
Just finished watching the final season of “Battle Star Galactica.” Overall I liked this series but have very mixed feelings about it. There was a time I would have loved any SciFi show just for being SciFi however there have now been a few series and if you include anime quite a few that IMO do a better job of storytelling.

I really liked the beginning of the series, first season and a half. Then it seemed to loose it’s way. Got back on track toward the end of the third season and for most of the fourth but I felt the end was a letdown. Quite a few story threads are either left dangling or tied up with a fairly cliché ending which I found disappointing considering one of the main strengths I found in the series was it’s cutting edge storytelling. The finale, I watched (extended) was bogged down with a lot of backstory that I felt totally disrupted the flow while telling me stuff I either didn’t need to know (storywise) or care about this late in the game.

I am glad that I waited to watch the last season on DVD because I like the continuity that maintains with a multi-threaded story. Despite the shortcomings I found it still drew me in and kept me watching to see what was next. And after about 20 hours of watching in 2 days it’s sort of hard to come back to reality. Almost like coming down off a high or realizing your parting with friends/family never to be with them in the same way again (yes I like to get into the story). So clearly I did really like the show especially on an emotional level which it certainly does better than anything else I’ve seen, I just wish they wouldn’t have resorted to what in my opinion amounts to lazy storytelling in some parts.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/09 01:19 AM
Earlier I watched the Blu-ray of “Logan’s Run.” I don’t know why but I just love this movie. Ok seeing it at age 16 and becoming totally infatuated with Jenny Agutter certainly played a part but that doesn’t explain why I still like it.

The video and audio quality are both improvements over the standard def version but they’re also nothing fantastic either. About the best part is how rich and colourful the costumes look and the natural flesh tones. However, the Blu-ray goes even farther than the standard version in making the special effects look crappy. There are a couple of scenes where the audio is way to loud but overall it’s a lot clearer than the original.

This is not a movie to be taken seriously. That goes double after just coming off a “Battle Star Galactica” marathon. However, for pure entertainment and maybe nostalgia value I like this movie more than I probably should. Call it a guilty pleasure.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/09 01:44 AM
Just finished watching the Blu-ray version of “Trouble with Tribbles” from the original “Star Trek” Season 2 Blu-ray collection. Awesome! I was skeptical about how the Blu-ray transfers of these old shows would fare but now I’m so glad I skipped getting the standard def and waited on the Blu-ray versions. Ok it’s only one episode so far but WOW!

I’ve never seen “Star Trek” look this good. I remember when it first aired we only had a BW TV so it was a real treat to first see it in colour. This is way better than even that. It simply looks fantastic and now it’s over 6’ wide and 5’ high.

The enhanced special effects look great and do nothing to detract from the original presentation that I can see so far. However, this episode didn’t have any of the updated backdrops. It’s also cool to be able to switch between the re-mastered effects and the original.

The audio quality is also great. Especially the updated audio for the effects. Also the ambient sounds of the ship are greatly improved.

Until I finished watching this I didn’t even realize the disk also included "More Tribbles, More Troubles" from the animated series and "Trials and Tribble-ations" from DS9. So of course I watched those too. The animated version also looked great but the DS9 version didn’t look any different than I remember the original, however I don’t have a copy to compare. I can say that the way they integrated the DS9 characters into the original episode is impressive.

Looks like there is a lot of extras on these disks (got all 3 seasons even though season 3 sucked) including an extended version of “The Cage” which I have never seen by itself. Lots more to watch.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/09 03:57 AM
Just watched the Blu-ray version of “Fullmetal Alchemist: The Movie - Conqueror of Shamballa.” This movie is an extension of the series so if you haven’t seen “Fullmetal Alchemist” watch that first.

Both the video and audio quality seem pretty good but I haven’t seen the standard def version so I can’t compare them. Overall it looks and sounds the same as the series including the same English voice actors.

For the most part it’s a pretty good movie which picks up the story a couple of years after the series ended. It’s not fair to compare them but it’s also impossible not to but the series is IMO better overall. The movie is interesting in the tie-ins and also hits on all the characters which is a mixed blessing. While it’s nice to see everyone again the movie also seem to try to just do to much leaving it with a thin feel compared to the series. I would have preferred the movie budget been put toward another season or an OVA release and had the story given more depth comparable to the original series.

If you’re a fan of the series it a very good movie, just wish they would have done it as additional OVA episodes instead.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/09 05:07 AM
Norad Santa Tracker with the kids \:\)
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/09 05:31 AM
\:\) I was at work for a while this morning and a couple of people were talking about that tracker.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/09 05:34 AM
Baraka HD. This movie really does justice to the format. Listening to the sound track a second time, I think it really showcases the sound system as well. All those different instruments create a really cool sound-scape and my Axioms didn't miss a beat. The various bells and percussion instruments really shine.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/09 06:35 AM
Stargate

It was actually my first time watching it. It wasn't a bad concept, but I thought it was pretty poorly executed. It's not the kind of moviemaking that stands the test of time.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/09 06:52 AM
Just watched the Blu-ray of “Hannah Montana The Movie,” yup another guilty pleasure and liked it a lot. However, if your not already a fan, I imagine most of you aren’t, then it’s not going to “wow” you.

Video quality is much better than the standard def version but not on par with the best Disney stuff. The audio quality is a little better but most of the audio action is up front. The exception is during the musical segments where all the speakers come to life including the subwoofer giving the feel of being in the venue shown on the screen. She does a mix of Hannah and Miley songs, I prefer the Hannah stuff but fans of both should be pleased.

The story is straight out of the TV show but it does have the look and feel of a big movie. Sadly the biggest difference that made for me was the inclusion of more filler. Can’t waste time in a 30 minute TV time slot but in a near 2 hour movie directors with few exceptions (Serenity comes to mind) never seem to be able to keep the things as tight.

So if you’re a Disney fan in general or a Hannah Montana fan in particular it’s worth the watch.

Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/09 06:56 AM
As I recall, Stargate was remarkably awful.

Grunt, you constantly surprise me.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/09 06:58 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV

Stargate

It was actually my first time watching it. It wasn't a bad concept, but I thought it was pretty poorly executed. It's not the kind of moviemaking that stands the test of time.


Did you watch the Blu-ray of standard def. I just got a copy of the Blu-ray from Amazon today but haven’t watched it yet (to many other things from Netflix to watch). I liked the show much better than the movie. I thought the actors in the show were better suited for the parts. Michael Shanks’ performance is uncannily like James Spader’s
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/09 07:04 AM
I watched the 15th anniversary Blu-ray. Oh, and I selected the extended cut when I watched, so maybe the theatrical cut was slightly tighter. Not that it could have been helped much.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/09 07:20 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I watched the 15th anniversary Blu-ray. Oh, and I selected the extended cut when I watched, so maybe the theatrical cut was slightly tighter. Not that it could have been helped much.


That’s the one I got. Mostly because it’s suppose to have much better audio and video quality than the previous Blu-ray edition. I’ve noticed that a lot of extended editions and directors cuts don’t seem to add much and often seem to bog movies down with the notable exception of LOTR.

 Originally Posted By: kcarlile

Grunt, you constantly surprise me.


;\)
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/09 09:27 AM
Just watched the Blu-ray version of “Race to Witch Mountain.” It’s a pretty average family film on the whole though I do like “The Rock’s” Disney character which was enough to make it work for me.

The video quality isn’t that great for a Blu-ray. Dark areas of many scenes are just black with almost no shadow detail at all and since much of the film is dark this becomes annoying. There is one cool special effect of a car crashing in slow motion but other than that mostly just standard stuff.

The audio is better with a good amount of ambient and directional sounds along with good LFE.

It’s been so long since I’ve seen “Escape from Witch Mountain” I can’t say how it compares but it was entertaining to watch if not memorable.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/09 01:43 PM
Concerning Stargate, every time I tried to catch an episode on TV, I was always underwhelmed by the acting, so I never got interested in it. I love Sci-FI, but Stargate always appeared to be crap. (Yeah I know, it's lonely being a critic of things others like).
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/09 06:08 PM
Took the kids to see Avatar in 3D yesterday while the wife did some last minute shopping, we really enjoyed it, surprisingly for a 160 minute movie it didn't seem so long, we were pretty immersed in it.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/09 06:36 PM
My dad shares your opinion of “SG1.” I think what appealed to me was the interaction between the original characters that developed over time. The new characters and storyline didn’t appeal to me as much but still liked them enough to watch it.

I remember trying to watch a couple of episodes of “Farscape” here and there and thinking it was the dumbest SciFi show I’d ever seen (there‘s been some bad ones). Later just before “The Peacekeeper Wars” came out the SciFi channel did a “Farscape” marathon showing all the episodes in order. Watching that I became totally enamored with the show.

Similar with “The Next Generation,” I saw the pilot while living in New Zealand and hated it. More specifically hated the characters. About 4 years later upon getting back to the States I happened to catch an episode, I think from season 3, and was totally blown away by how much I liked it. Now it’s my favorite “Star Trek” flavor.

Not saying you would like SG1 under different circumstances but sometimes a re-look can be worthwhile.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/09 06:43 PM
Very interesting Dean.

I agree with you on SG, its pure schlock, but there is a chemistry between the original characters.

I loved Start Trek TNG from the beginning. Patrick Stewart was by far the most convincing Starship captain. Episodes ranged between really good and pretty schlocky.

Farscape was interesting. I think the show captured 'ship life' (ie: stuck with a few people in an enclosed space) the best of any sifi series, but missed on a major opportunity at serious scifi in favour of much more formulaic shoot-em-up.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/09 12:10 AM
 Originally Posted By: fredk

I agree with you on SG, its pure schlock, but there is a chemistry between the original characters.

Yeah it’s not normally the type of show I would have gotten into. I mean for the most part they are on earth or a notably earthlike planet but the chemistry of the original cast just worked for me. IMO it lost a step when they made the cast switch but at least the producers were smart enough to cast two actors Browder and Black who already had chemistry between them so a new sort of chemistry developed including them and Shanks but the others just seemed to fade out. Then when they changed bad guys the show took a nosedive for me. Still watched it but for the most part the magic was gone. However, IMO the direct-to-DVD movies have been pretty good.

 Originally Posted By: fredk

I loved Start Trek TNG from the beginning. Patrick Stewart was by far the most convincing Starship captain. Episodes ranged between really good and pretty schlocky.

I agree Stewart was tops. I just really hated the pilot. All the characters except Stewart seemed hokey and stiff. Steward seemed to be the only “real” actor who knew his character while it took some time for the others to find theirs.

 Originally Posted By: fredk

Farscape was interesting. I think the show captured 'ship life' (ie: stuck with a few people in an enclosed space) the best of any sifi series, but missed on a major opportunity at serious scifi in favour of much more formulaic shoot-em-up.

The thing I liked the most about the series was that all but one character were “non-human.” I’ve always found the non, or not entirely human characters more interesting starting with Spock. Just makes them more interesting like Hobbits, Dwarves, Elves . . . . So even though I agree it was pretty formulaic I liked the twists the various aliens brought to the formula.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/09 04:57 AM
Just watched the standard def version of “Battlestar Galactica: The Plan.” I got tired of waiting for a Blu-ray to become available from Netflix and since I just finished watching the series I wanted to see it while it was still fresh in my mind. Also Blu-ray.com said the video quality of the Blu-ray wasn’t that spectacular, though the audio is suppose to be, so I figured I’d rent it.

The video quality of the standard def was on par with the series which was pretty good considering it was shot to look grainy and mostly dark. The audio quality is a little better than the series on DVD was but still a slight issue.

Which reminds me of something I forgot to mention about the season 4 DVDs I watched earlier in which the audio sucked. The sibilance in the voices on the season 4 DVDs was so bad I for the first time ever used the “treble” setting for the center speaker lowering it by -6dB just to make it listenable. Most including many male voices were so sibilant it was un listenable at my reference volume of 80dB until I turned down the treble at which point I could at least tolerate it. It was so bad I popped out the first DVD shortly after starting and put in something I knew well just to make sure my system was ok. For “The Plan” I only had to turn it down by -4dB so a slight improvement.

I won’t go into what the plot covers in case you don’t want to know but will say that if you don’t want to know who the finial Cylon models are then don’t watch this because they are all present.

Overall this is a great addition to the “Battlestar Galactica” universe. It’s not a stand alone movie so you need to have seen the series to really appreciate it. It does explain some of the why’s behind events in the series which is nice. It also covers a lot of ground so there’s not a lot of wasted time and it flow pretty quickly. If you’re worried it won’t be that interesting because you already know what happed don’t be it’s still very interesting to see this view of events. It’s also cool to see the initial attack fleshed out much more. I’d say it’s interesting enough that I’m glad I watched the standard def version so that it gives me a good excuse to watch it again when the Blu-ray ships from Netflix.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/09 04:59 AM
 Originally Posted By: HomeDad
Took the kids to see Avatar in 3D yesterday while the wife did some last minute shopping, we really enjoyed it, surprisingly for a 160 minute movie it didn't seem so long, we were pretty immersed in it.


Can you comment on if you think the 3D makes it worth the trek to the theater?
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/09 05:21 AM
Actually this might go in a separate thread “What did you try to watch tonight?”. I just tried to watch “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor” Blu-ray which tries to load but doesn’t. I’m 99% sure it’s a firmware issue since I just read of other players previously having problems with the “Mummy” disks which were corrected by firmware updates.

Just checked my firmware and It’s not the most current but since they just released a public beta on the 22nd I’m going to just wait for that one to become official rather than doing two separate updates. Not going to be heart broken if I have to wait to watch it later since I had 8 Blu-rays shipped for the holiday weekend plus the few dozen I’ve received from Amazon in the last week. And a whole bunch of other stuff I’m way behind on watching.
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/09 06:06 AM
 Quote:
Can you comment on if you think the 3D makes it worth the trek to the theater?


The 3D was really good in certain parts, I'm not sure if I would have enjoyed the movie any more or less without the 3D. It will definitely be a purchase when it comes out in BR, it does have some really great special effects.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/09 06:48 AM
I just watched Heat. Like with Stargate, I'm pretty late to the party. I did like the audio. I like how quiet most of the movie is, but then the helicopters, gunshots, and airplanes are suddenly there, reminding you just how much home theater you have. Overall, the movie wasn't really my thing.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/09 08:15 AM
Yeah I didn’t care much for “Heat” when I saw it. Not sure if it’s the movies he’s in, characters he plays, or just him but I don’t recall ever really being thrilled by anything staring De Niro.

Just finished watching the Blu-ray of “Inkheart,” at least the parts I didn’t fast forward through. What a cool premise turned into an utterly forgettable movie. Not even worth reviewing here IMO.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/27/09 05:13 PM
Watched abouut 5 episodes of Season 1 of Lost last night.

Via Netflix streaming to the Samsung BD. Man, I LOVE that feature.
Posted By: rvrrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/27/09 05:40 PM
I just watched the Blu Ray of District 9. I was not impressed but then again I am not that big of a Sci Fi fan. Interested on getting anybody else's opnion.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/27/09 05:54 PM
 Originally Posted By: tomtuttle

Via Netflix streaming to the Samsung BD. Man, I LOVE that feature.


That reminds me, I need to check/update the new Samsung BDP1600 I picked up.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/28/09 03:19 AM
Just finished watching “The Third: The Girl with the Blue Eye.” Overall I’d say this is 4/5 stars or a B+ depending on your scale. It’s six disks each with four episodes which if you skip opening/closing credits and previews last a total of about 80 minutes/disk.

At first one might think this is just an anime version of “Tank Girl” but the main character is much more complex. While there is an underlying thread to the series it is made up of multiple story arcs based on missions with other story arcs based on characters superimposed on them. The result is a well told series of stories without any threads left dangling that I noticed.

While there is little original in the overall story, and the subplots and most characters are average, the main character upon which the entire show hinges is quite unique. Unlike many heroes/heroines she is multi-dimensional which allows her to overcome obstacles in unexpected ways. She’s one of those characters you just can’t help but like. Another plus, big plus based on a lot of things I’ve seen lately, is that none of the characters need behave stupidly to advance the plot in a particular direction.

However, all is not roses in this world. There is an annoying voiceover narration that keeps popping up pretty much just explaining the obvious or stating what could have been made obvious with a characters body language. Seldom does it give anything useful like back-story. Usually it just tells you what the characters are thinking/feeling which is obvious by from seeing their expressions. The only purpose this narrations served for me was to yank me out of the world and remind me I’m watch a show.

While not an epic or groundbreaking story it’s still a series well worth watching if for no other reason than the refreshing originality of the main character.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/28/09 03:37 AM
Dean, seriously, you need to moonlight as a movie critic...always a good read.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/28/09 04:06 AM
Thanks! It’s nice to know more than 2 other people read the “So what ‘anime’ are you watching tonight?” thread. ;\) I wish more people would post here though I do probably have a life that affords me a bit more “me” time to watch things than most.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/28/09 04:32 AM
Watched Gran Torino last night from one of the movie channels in HD. I really liked it, and thought that Eastwood did a great job as star and director. One of the best roles in recent memory. I give it a solid A and would consider it in my top twenty or thirty movies.

Watched the second Transformers movie a couple of nights ago on blu-ray. The ultimate popcorn movie, and I don't mean that as a compliment. Too much c/g FX, not enough else. The twins were awful - the Jar Jar Binks of this franchise. It was lame. I give it a D.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/28/09 04:43 AM
Gran Torino is an interesting movie. Overall it is a rather plain plot line and the ending was a little lame, but the interactions between the main character and his neighbours was brilliant. Him in the middle of the family get together was just priceless.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/28/09 04:47 AM
I agree with you on both counts. Unfortunately I watched “Gran Torino” at work (with the usual annoyances of a bunch of people trying to top each other’s commentary) thinking I probably wouldn’t care for it so it didn’t need the HT treatment. So I will certainly be watching it again.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/28/09 05:05 AM
Watching these video clips my sister wanted me to watch:

Young boy showing off his hip hop skills

"Move B*tch Get Out The Way!" Desperate House CAT on Roomba Driver Bitch Slaps a Dog pit bull Sharky
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/29/09 07:32 AM
Pushing Daisies

I just watched the first episode. I liked it enough to keep watching. I'm kind of curious how much they can contort the premise.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/29/09 09:30 AM
The opening scene fades in with to junior high girls eating lunch:

“Mitsue-chan…”
“Hmm?”
“I became a god.”
“What kind?”
“I don’t know, it only happened last night”
“Have an offering” [puts a piece of parsley on her plate]
“I don’t need it.”
“Well, gods can’t be picky.”

Ok you have to hear the voice acting but it’s actually a great scene setting up the premise of “Kamichu!” short for The Goddess is a Junior High School Student. This series is only 16 episodes on 4 disks each disk lasting about an hour and a half if you just watch the stories.

Actually the first thing I noticed about this series was the detailed background animation. Before the characters start talking in the opening scene you can see out the window next to them into a richly detailed background. The animation in the rest of the series is also top notch. Characters are distinctly and realistically animated. No fan service as might be typical of a school anime unless you consider the three main characters in one pieces suits at the beach revealing (in fact they even look pair shaped).

The voice acting is great but nothing special about the audio otherwise.

I really wish I could recommend this series and had I only watched the first disk I would gladly rate it a 4/5 or B+ but in the end it only gets a 2.5/5 or a C. The first three episodes are great in setting up the story. The fourth episodes goes off on a tangent. From then on it settles into a slice of life story about a little girl coping with becoming a god. Problem is there’s nothing much in the way of a plot holding the stories together. The obvious story about her figuring out what type of god she is gets abandoned. You could watch the first and last disks and not even realize you missed anything in between.

One funny part of the story are all the random Shinto gods hanging out around town. There’s a god for about everything including tin cans. One early scene has the gods of laser disk and VCD discussing the fickle nature of technology. Based on it’s start this story has so much potential and very likable characters but in the end fails to inspire as it aimlessly wanders.

The first disk is worth watching but I’d skip the rest. Even the ending doesn’t mean much since there’s really no story to end.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/29/09 10:57 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Pushing Daisies

I just watched the first episode. I liked it enough to keep watching. I'm kind of curious how much they can contort the premise.

Joyce and I used to watch it (and liked it) until we found out it was being canceled.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/29/09 03:58 PM
 Originally Posted By: grunt
I agree with you on both counts. Unfortunately I watched “Gran Torino” at work (with the usual annoyances of a bunch of people trying to top each other’s commentary) thinking I probably wouldn’t care for it so it didn’t need the HT treatment. So I will certainly be watching it again.

Yeah, sounds like a good idea. Being around loud coworkers would definitely detract from the experience. Walt has this almost palpable intensity that really is best appreciated in a quiet environment.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/29/09 04:05 PM
 Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
Joyce and I used to watch it (and liked it) ...

I'm glad you liked it, but I don't need to hear about you pushing anybody's Daisy.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/30/09 02:14 AM
Just watched Jeff Beck's Performing This Week: Live at Ronnie Scott's off the TiVo from Palladia.

Awesome.

I should add that I always appreciate virtuoso musicians who remain humble and enjoy what they're doing... and all these guys seem to be having a lot of fun!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/30/09 05:34 AM
Pushing Daisies just made me laugh out loud. Or the disc did, anyway, not the show. After the last episode on the first disc is the most impressive stream of copyright warnings I've ever seen. It's in every language under the sun. I've never seen even close to that many languages represented in copyright warning form. Hilarious.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/30/09 06:03 AM
Just watched a BR on the 58" Panny, I am very happy now. Pics to follow.......

Any one want to try to guess which movie? It is not a block buster nor audio laden as I have no sound system set up, just TV speakers.

Add guesses to my thread in the HT forum........
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/31/09 06:43 AM

First please pardon the fact that many of the movies I’ve been watching and commenting on here have been out for awhile but I made a choice not to watch a lot of them until I got the house and set up a projector and screen. I’m glad it I waited!

I just watched the Blu-ray version of “Enchanted.” Wow! Fantastic movie in all respects.

The video quality of this movie is tops. When it came out Blu-ray.com said it was “one of the finest Blu-ray images yet” and that it was “definitely reference material.” I’ve watched only about 30 Blu-rays so far but this beats all of them except “Baraka.” The picture does pretty much everything right from black levels and shadow detail to skin tones with a uniformly grain-less image throughout.

Guess what? The audio quality is just as good. Voices are clear, distinct and sibilance free. All the speakers including the subwoofer come into play at some time but nothing ever detracts from the screen action. Some very cool scenes like when an elevated train goes buy and it really sounds like there is one up there (using either the heights or the wides). Similarly when it starts raining it sounds like a downpour right in the room.

With all that then the movie had to suck. Nope, it’s great. It’s about 1/4 cartoon, 1/4 movie and about 1/2 live action cartoon. Disney does a great job bringing the cartoon world into the real world complete with musical numbers and helpful animals. Neat thing is that that the way “cartoon” world elements are worked into the real world actually makes them seem natural. And not only is it a great story the movie also pokes fun at itself and other Disney movies it takes shots at a few other classics. There are also quite a few funny lines like when the princess sighs that she doesn’t know where to find a fairy god mother and the little girl says that she has something better than a fairy god mother and pulls out daddy’s credit card.

Unless you hate Disney cartoons (musical numbers and all) then this is a must see.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/31/09 08:38 AM
Just watched watched the Blu-ray of “Mission Impossible meets Dr. Dolittle meets Transformers” AKA “G-Force.” Not an academy award winning and nothing to original (are any parodies) never-the-less entertaining.

The video is not “film like” but has an appeal anyway. Colours are way over saturated, very high contrast and often digitally enhanced scenes making the whole thing appear like eye candy. Purists won’t like it but I thought it had a nice look.

Audio quality is a little above average nothing to special nor to offensive. Gotta give credit though for working “Oh Fortuna” into a guinea pig action movie.

The movie itself is formulaic but for me there was never a dull moment. I found it a much more entertaining movie than any of the “Mission Impossible” movies and way less tedious than the last “Transformer” movie. Action scenes didn’t drag out and it had one of the few car chases I’ve enjoyed in awhile.

As a parody it took a lot of swipes at various movies. Not sure if it was a swipe at something but in once set of scenes there’s a hamster in a log cabin with a Canadian flag above the door. Something we should know about Canadian hamsters? It’s also IMO one of Nicholas Cage’s least offensive performances.

Worth watching if you like light entertainment or parodies of movies that take themselves to seriously.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/31/09 06:20 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
 Originally Posted By: medic8r
I saw 500 Days of Summer last night and used Shazam to tag a song I liked. Turned out to be Vagabond, by Wolfmother. Good music in that movie.


I saw that Regina was on the soundtrack album twice. I've heard good things about the movie. I'll have to watch it sometime. I like Zooey Deschanel, but I kind of hate Joseph Gordon-Levitt after having to see him too many times with bad hair on that show I didn't like. And there's something about his face that I just want to punch. But I'm sure he's really a nice guy.

That's funny - I was meaning to post in this thread about watching that movie. There were several good songs in it, and I recognized Feist. I thought I recognized Regina, too - her voice isn't as distinctive as Feist for me to be sure it was her at first. Anyway, I actually said to my wife, "This movie has lots of music CV will like." So you're a household name at Medic8r Manor.

I give the movie a B or B+, pretty entertaining story, nicely done.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/01/10 05:57 AM
Oh, yeah, Feist was on the soundtrack, too.

I finished the first season of Pushing Daisies. I liked it all right, but it's not the TV series I want to be buried with. I do like the faces of two two main characters, though.

I'm currently watching the first episode of Better Off Ted. I love when Portia de Rossi says "anything." Her odd pronunciation of that word brings back Arrested Development.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/01/10 06:33 AM
Better Off Ted is hilarious so far.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/01/10 07:41 AM
I spent the day watching “Last Exile.” It’s a 27 episode series on 7 disks each episode running 20 minutes if you skip the intros, previews and endings. I really liked this story. Starts off simple and builds in complexity with the story always changing and evolving keeping me so interested it was easy to watch in one sitting. AnimeNewsNetwork gives it an “A” and T.H.E.M Anime Reviews gives it 5/5 stars. Here read for yourselves.

T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews

AnimeNewsNetwork
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/01/10 08:02 AM
I have that to watch, but I haven't made time for it. I'll have to do that soon.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/01/10 02:20 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Better Off Ted is hilarious so far.

My wife watches that regularly. The times I've seen it, I've liked it.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/01/10 07:53 PM
Made up a little on the to be watched list last night, watched:

Star Trek - Must watch again when I have my sound system set up \:\)
The Taking of Pelham 123 - a good movie

UP - different story than I was expecting \:\)
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/01/10 08:43 PM
My wife and I have been watching Freaks & Geeks. Such a fantastic show. Too bad it was only on for one season. \:\(
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/01/10 10:24 PM
Watched District 9 last night. Excellent film. I like the idea that the main character is less than perfect and mostly seems motivated by his own self interest even if he does the right thing in the end. His all too human failings make the film much more 'believable'.

The alien portrayal is also much more interesting than the usual super enlightened or super evil technically advanced race.

I would still rate Blade Runner or AI as more complete scifi, but this one is up there.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/01/10 10:43 PM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
My wife and I have been watching Freaks & Geeks. Such a fantastic show. Too bad it was only on for one season. \:\(


About time! Yeah, I'd still put that show at the top of my favorites. How many episodes do you have left?
Posted By: TroyD Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/10 12:38 AM
Canada beat USA in the World Juniors ;)) was what I was watching
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/10 03:12 AM
We have one disc left, so three episodes only. \:\( The last one we watched was Noshing and Moshing.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/10 03:35 AM
I've probably averaged watching it once a year, and it still gets me every time. I still envy the people who get to watch it for the first time.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/10 03:38 AM
Gator football in the Sugar Bowl ... looking good at the half for Tebow and the Gators. \:\)
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/10 04:22 AM
Rewatched Jeff Beck at Ronnie Scotts and then back to watching Rush R30 bluray which is really starting to grow on me. \:\)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/10 04:23 AM
 Originally Posted By: onn
Rush R30 bluray which is really starting to grow on me. \:\)


You might want to put some wine or beer on that.
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/10 04:27 AM
I don't think the OPPO would like that and besides that I only drink water.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/10 10:02 AM
I finished the first season of Better Off Ted, and I liked it a lot. Very quick with a lot of good material. That Andrea Anders is an attractive woman, too.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/10 12:33 PM
Yes, she is.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/03/10 05:03 AM
Just watched the series “GunxSword.” It’s a 26 episode anime split up on 7 disks with each episode lasting about 20 minutes w/o opening/preview/closing.

The animation is ok (looks a lot like “Cowboy Bebop”) but nothing extra special. The audio is also ok actually having some pretty low bass and some but not exceptional surround action. The music is mostly forgettable.

This thing deserves and award for being one of the most inconsistent anime I’ve ever seen. I borrows from, no down right rips off, about 4 other anime that were popular in the U.S., but without getting them consistently right. Some episodes or parts of them are some of the best I’ve seen, however the weak points are really bad. At times it almost seems like it’s trying to be a parody but it’s not.

For me the weakest part of the series was the mecha part. I’m not big on giant robots battling each other which is a major part of the story. About 1/3 of the battles were interesting the others I just fast forwarded through since all that really matters is the outcome.

Overall I’d give this series a “C” or 2.5/5 stars but if you like mecha or are willing to just FF through those parts the maybe bump it up to a “B-” or a 3/5 stars.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/03/10 08:57 AM
I started off watching some of season 2 of Pushing Daisies, but it was kind of boring me, so I watched the first episode of The Mentalist. It was nothing spectacular, but I still kind of want to see where the show goes. My sister likes it a lot, and so does my mom.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/03/10 09:06 AM
Last night, the medic8r clan watched The Wizard of Oz from a recent TNT HD broadcast (DVR). Brought back good memories of watching it every year as a child, when it aired annually on broadcast TV. Hard to believe it's 70 years old, or as Jack would say, just a baby.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/03/10 09:08 AM
I love how jokes about old people never get old.

My coworker got the Wizard of Oz Blu-ray as a Christmas present. Maybe she'll let me borrow it sometime to let me relive how creeped out I was as a child.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/03/10 09:09 AM
I’ve caught a couple of episodes of the “The Mentalist” at work but so far it hasn’t done anything for me. The only interesting things I’ve seen at all for the last year on TV have been “NCIS” and “Burn Notice.”
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/03/10 09:17 AM
CV, I was glad to see that my 4-year old was not scared by the flying monkeys. They were pretty bad-ass, carrying off everybody.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/03/10 09:22 AM
Kids are so jaded these days.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/03/10 09:27 AM
My wife and I had that conversation. She said that one time (different movie), she asked him if it was scary, and he said, "Mom, it's only a movie."
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/03/10 03:02 PM
Flying monkeys?

What about the Lollipop Guild? ...them guys STILL creep me out.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/04/10 09:09 AM
I just finished watching “R.O.D. the TV” another 26 episode (no I don’t have a life) anime. It’s on 7 disks and each episode runs about 23 minutes and boy did I like this one.

This is somewhat of a sequel to the “Read or Die” movie but seeing the movie first is not required, however, this has spoilers for the movie. I love the premise of these stories, “paper masters,” or people who can manipulate paper to do almost anything. Need a cloths, a bullet proof shield, a bow and arrow or how about an airplane just use paper.

As with many series it starts simple and grows in complexity but the early simple parts do lots of character development and in hindsight plot development. The interactions between the main characters, three sisters, is great and the rest of the characters are no slouches either.

The episodes are actually all over the place in terms of presentation. Some are comedy, drama, action and combinations of those. There are a few illogical plot elements but does that really matter when the basic premise ignores physics? A couple of the episodes could have been pulled right out of “The Avengers” (TV show).

I’m not usually big into the fight scenes since most are unoriginal and last to long but that’s not a problem here. The fights are awesome in the way the sisters manipulate paper to win their battles. I think one advantage of having shorter fights is they animated them extremely well. None of the still shots with speed lines crap just nice fluid motion even when there are hundreds of pieces of paper flying around. The rest of the animation is also very good. Facial expressions are used extensively to convey much more than words.

The audio is also very good as is the English voice acting. It’s in Dolby 5.1 and makes pretty good use of the speakers but mostly up front. The music is a combination stuff you’d expect from a spy movie.

I’d say this one is a 5/5 or a “A+” unless you don’t like stories that need slower moments to build the characters/plot.

T.H.E.M Review
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/04/10 12:54 PM
Watched A Perfect Getaway last night. I thought it was pretty decent... Nothing Special, but pretty good.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/04/10 02:15 PM
I grudgingly watched the new Brothers and Sisters with my wife last night. Calista Flockhart is still not dead.
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/04/10 02:17 PM
Amazing what a transfusion will do from a step brother from an affair your mom had...
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/04/10 03:10 PM
 Originally Posted By: troyd
Canada beat USA in the World Juniors ;)) was what I was watching


WOOT! Can't wait for tomorrow night. Should be a nail biter of a game.

While we wait, here is the explanation as to why us Canadians prefer more curve in their sticks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtIl06KCp_s
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/04/10 03:14 PM
Also, has anybody broken away from their HT Man Dens to go see Avatar yet? I can't recall ever being so totally immersed in a movie. Even if you don't like sci-fi, you owe it to yourself to go see this on the big screen in 3D. Absolutely STUNNING.

My one and only minor gripe is that the action scenes in 3d had a blurry effect sometimes. Maybe it is a limitation of the 3d technology but to me, it's as if they used too slow of a frame rate. You soon forgot about it though and just enjoyed the experience.

In fact, if any movie deserves it's own thread in an AV forum, it's this one, but I'm too lazy to retype.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/04/10 03:19 PM
The wife and I hope to go see it when we can get a babysitter. We are lemmings, following the hype.

But, seriously, just about everyone I've talked to has said "Wow" in some way or another about this movie.
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/04/10 04:06 PM
How do the 3d glasses fit over presctription eye glasses? (or do they?)

That is the only thing keeping me from seeing Avatar in 3D at our local IMAX
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/04/10 04:19 PM
I had that problem all over Disney. There are so many 3D (and 4D) movies, and the combo didn't work well, so I had to keep choosing 3D and blurry or 2D and clear! \:\(
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/04/10 04:22 PM
Our family enjoyed Avatar. The IMAX had 3D glasses specifically designed to fit over prescription lenses.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/04/10 05:11 PM
 Originally Posted By: terzaghi
How do the 3d glasses fit over presctription eye glasses? (or do they?)

That is the only thing keeping me from seeing Avatar in 3D at our local IMAX


Duct Tape.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/04/10 07:20 PM
Do others see a lot of blurriness when watching 3D movies with 3D glasses, like "The Polar Express"?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/05/10 08:20 AM
Michael Cera is pretty funny on Letterman tonight, as usual.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/05/10 09:40 AM
Just watched the first two episodes of “The West Wing.” I ordered the first 3 seasons for about $15 each from Amazon. I only really liked the first three seasons so I didn’t bother getting the rest of them.

I was hooked on this show when I saw the first episode. It’s one of the few series I’ve seen where the cast just works from day one. I also love the hand cam shots walking following particular characters through the White House w/o any cuts. Talk about making you feel like your in the story!
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/05/10 05:18 PM
It's a great series. I need to get back into it--I really want to see Alan Alda.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/05/10 06:22 PM
I like Alan Alda but I thought overall the show lost a step when Aaron Sorkin left. In the early episodes it had the long uncut wandering scenes full of rapid fire dialogue but later they start using longer and longer setup shots like outdoor panoramas, musical interludes. As it became more of a standard done TV show it lost some of the magic it held for me early on. Plus I’ve never really liked Jimmy Smits.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/06/10 10:03 AM
Just watched the Blu-ray of “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” that I picked up a couple weeks ago. It’s easy to see why it won Oscars for cinematography and sound effects editing.

IMO the DTS lossless is reason enough to upgrade to the Blu-ray even if you already have the DVD. Simply fantastic! I’ve demoed the opening battle dozens if not a hundred times trying different speaker configurations and can w/o reservation say this is far superior to the SD version. The dynamic range seems to make the most difference. There seems to be much more below 40Hz on the Blu-ray because the Buttkicker (high pass filter set to 40Hz) was much more engaged. Also the detailed sounds stood out more during the explosions. I had never noticed the sound of the cannonball tearing the shoulder off the ships figurehead before because even though it’s there (I went back and listened) it was not as prominent on the SD.

This was one movie where I found I preferred the wide speakers over the height speakers throughout. With the wide speakers the ambient sounds of the ship, wind, water were completely enveloping. I can’t say this is unique to the Blu-ray as the SD version also does this. I just hadn’t watched most of the movie since setting up the DSX speakers.

The video is also an improvement and not just the resolution. Black levels and shadow detail are better. It’s easier to see colours in the shadow detail on the Blu-ray than the SD.

Now the bad part. Overall I find this movie incredibly boring. I still think it’s is worth owning for if for no other reason than as a demo disk. Great visuals and sound, awesome battles unfortunately burdened with characters I really don’t care about and side stories that are meaningless to the overall plot. From a story perspective I much prefer the made for TV “Hornblower” movies.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/06/10 11:36 AM
Just watched the Blu-ray “Star Trek” episode “The Doomsday Machine.”

This was always one of my favorites because of all the space ship special effects and I wanted to see how it looked remastered. WOW! That’s how it looks. The remastered effects are a huge improvement. It’s not like “Star Wars” with the “remastered” effects this is night and day different for the better. I even noticed that the background stars are now various colours. The regular scenes are no slouches either. These are the most vivid colours I’ve seen in a TV program (note I don’t watch much TV anymore < 10 hours in the last 9 months). Some of the panels and other things in the ship look even more fake in high def but if your not trying to see that most of them don’t jump out at you.

The audio is really good on this too. Lots more ambient shipboard sounds. Very clear dialogue and good sounding music. Not a lot of surround action but you do hear pans from side to side and occasionally front to back as a ship passes over your shoulder. A healthy amount of bass in this episode when the “machine” is passing near.

IMO these remastered episodes are well worth the getting if you are a fan.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/06/10 02:35 PM
Dean, your assessment of Master and Commander is quite accurate, imo. The problem with the movie, I think, is that it never quite lives up to that opening cannon salvo scene between the HMS Surprise and the Acheron. The defining battle between the two ships later in the movie, which should have been the climactic point of the film, seems like a watered down battle of the first attack by the Acheron. Nevermind the length of the movie, it could have been 15-20 min shorter.

I kind of felt the same way about Peter Jackson's King Kong, the boat voyage early in the movie was really the highlight for me, nothing to do with Kong himself.

Both enjoyable movies, I thought, but they were somewhat lengthy and drawn out which seemed to water them down somewhat and lose some of my interest as the film progressed.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/06/10 06:36 PM
Adrian, I agree about “King Kong,” and remember thinking the same thing right after watching it.

In “Master and Commander” I wish they would have cut out the subplot involving the guy who ends up offing himself. And just get rid of the doctor completely. I never read the books so I’m not sure how much if at all those dominated the books but they both seemed to needlessly sidetrack the movie for me.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/08/10 07:51 AM
I finished the first season of The Mentalist. There's a certain generic crappiness to the show, but it has its moments. Simon Baker can be pretty entertaining as Patrick Jane, and Cho is kind of a badass. I was kind of disappointed the main storyline wasn't resolved.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/11/10 01:54 AM
 Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
 Originally Posted By: CV
Pushing Daisies

I just watched the first episode. I liked it enough to keep watching. I'm kind of curious how much they can contort the premise.

Joyce and I used to watch it (and liked it) until we found out it was being canceled.


So you never finished watching it? If you were concerned about the story not being resolved, it is. I just finished watching the second season. Maybe some people would consider the ending rushed, but, if anything, I thought the writing could have been leaner and over in one season. There are certain things I liked about the show, but overall it didn't really win me over.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/11/10 02:12 AM
Finished watching “Space Above and Beyond.” I had only caught a few episodes when it aired and finally got to finish watching from where I left off in my apartment. Despite some bad righting and not so great acting, especially the first couple episodes, I actually liked the show. Kind of had the feel of a cross between “Combat!” and “Starship Troopers.”

It’s in standard def so the video is ok though intentionally shot a little dark and muted. The Audio is also ok some surround action kicking in during battles and ship flybys. Even though it only lasted one season they did rap it up, in a bit of a hurried way, so you’re not left completely hanging.

It’s a good watch for the real Sci-Fi fan but most people probably won’t care for it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/11/10 02:48 AM
Patton Oswalt: No Reason to Complain

I've had this DVD for a while, but I kept putting off watching it. Very funny set.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/11/10 05:28 PM
 Originally Posted By: grunt
Finished watching “Space Above and Beyond.” I had only caught a few episodes when it aired and finally got to finish watching from where I left off in my apartment. Despite some bad righting and not so great acting, especially the first couple episodes, I actually liked the show. Kind of had the feel of a cross between “Combat!” and “Starship Troopers.”

It’s in standard def so the video is ok though intentionally shot a little dark and muted. The Audio is also ok some surround action kicking in during battles and ship flybys. Even though it only lasted one season they did rap it up, in a bit of a hurried way, so you’re not left completely hanging.

It’s a good watch for the real Sci-Fi fan but most people probably won’t care for it.


I came into this about half way through the season and liked it enough that I was disappointed when it was not renewed. We are getting a little too close to comfort for the "tank" premise these days.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/12/10 04:59 AM
Just finished the last segment of the Planet Earth BD set. The imagery in this documentary is stunning. I was quite surprised by how much the used both lfe (sometimes a little over the top) and the surround channels. Some of the elephant rumbling was really cool!
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/12/10 05:42 AM
BSG Season 4.5, first ep. Now I need some Simpsons chaser. Gwaaaaaahhhh...
Posted By: Rock_Head Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/12/10 08:53 PM
"Hangover"
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/12/10 09:31 PM
Watched that on New Year's eve. It was a BR and I had a heck of a time getting it to load. Cute movie though
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/12/10 09:48 PM
Even my wife loved Hangover. \:\)
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/12/10 09:48 PM
Yeah, pretty much. I'll see if I'm up to watching another episode tonight.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/12/10 09:50 PM
I just watched an amazing photorealistic CG movie showpiece called The Third & The Seventh. Definitely watch this full-screen and with the volume up.

I was completely floored by it.

Here's the artist's own info about it:

A FULL-CG animated piece that tries to illustrate architecture art
across a photographic point of view where main subjects are
already-built spaces. Sometimes in an abstract way. Sometimes
surreal.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/12/10 09:53 PM
Want to crack open BSG season 3 and 3.5 but I think I might need to wait till the move is done.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/16/10 07:48 AM
I've been watching Conan O'Brien the last few nights. Pretty funny stuff.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/16/10 11:07 AM
Just got done re-watching “Cutie Honey: The Movie” which is a live action anime/manga.

I watched it before in the apartment but have to say that the smaller screen and having to keep the audio turned down didn’t do it justice.

I’m not sure how they film these live action movies but every one I’ve seen looks sharp and vivid and although this is standard def it looked better than many Blu-rays I’ve seen. The audio was even better than the picture with some good surround and subwoofer action.

You can probably tell by the name this is not a show that’s meant to be taken seriously but it is actually quite entertaining if you like this genre. It certainly doesn’t hurt that it stars Eriko Sato, former gravure idol, reprising that role in several scenes. Nothing but light entertainment but it was worth watching again.

I watched the subtitled version both times but after reading the Animenewsnetwork review in which they give the dub a thumbs up I guess I have an excuse to watch it once more.

DVDTimes

Beyond Hollywood

Animenewsnetwork
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/16/10 11:32 AM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
I just watched an amazing photorealistic CG movie showpiece called The Third & The Seventh. Definitely watch this full-screen and with the volume up.

I was completely floored by it.

Here's the artist's own info about it:

A FULL-CG animated piece that tries to illustrate architecture art
across a photographic point of view where main subjects are
already-built spaces. Sometimes in an abstract way. Sometimes
surreal.


That was incredible Peter. List me as totally blown away. It looks so good it’s almost scary. I understand the reason for his imagery but the only think I didn’t like were the repeated shots of the cameras which I found distracting, but that takes nothing away from the quality of the work.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/10 11:35 AM
I've been watching the second season of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I was a little worried it wouldn't be as good as the first season when I first started watching it, but I have to admit there was some pretty creative writing as the season progressed. Overall, I'm happy with what they were doing, but of course it's too bad they leave you hanging.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/18/10 06:04 AM
I went to the theater tonight to watch Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes. I liked it. I wouldn't call it a masterpiece, but there was enough there to keep you entertained. I'm glad they didn't go with Moriarty as the main antagonist in this first outing, as I'm hoping they can do even more with a sequel.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/18/10 06:05 AM
Oh, and of course I kept thinking the whole time that the audio will be much better at home on Blu-ray.
Posted By: zero002021 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/18/10 07:22 AM
I watched Moon on Blu-ray the other day. It's a great movie and one of the best Sci-Fi films to come out in a while. If you like Sci-Fi and haven't seen it, you need to buy/rent it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/18/10 08:33 AM
That's on my list. I'm looking forward to watching it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/18/10 10:21 AM
True Romance

I hadn't seen it before. If nothing else, it shows that Quentin Tarantino directs his writing a lot better than Tony Scott does. The soundtrack was getting on my nerves, too. There was some entertaining stuff, but overall it didn't do a whole lot for me, which I'm attributing to the execution.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/19/10 03:39 AM
Just finished watching the second 2 hrs of "24". I've forgotten the body count so far, but I think Jack's on schedule.
Posted By: PTPlayers Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/19/10 05:18 PM
I just watched 8 episodes of Dexter season 1 .

On to the last 4 tonight.

Cannot believe i did not watch this show from the beginning .
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/19/10 06:54 PM
Dexter is awesome. You've got many seasons of joy ahead, my friend.

I was glad to see Michael C. Hall and John Lithgow win Golden Globes for the season that just ended. Can't wait to see where the show goes next.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/20/10 07:36 AM
 Originally Posted By: zero002021
I watched Moon on Blu-ray the other day. It's a great movie and one of the best Sci-Fi films to come out in a while. If you like Sci-Fi and haven't seen it, you need to buy/rent it.


I just watched it tonight, and I liked it a lot, too. I'm curious where he goes with the story in the follow-ups.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/20/10 08:00 AM
The whole kerfuffle between NBC and Conan O'Brien sure makes for some entertaining television.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/20/10 03:38 PM
I watched Moon last night, too. Great movie. I could use a Gerty.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/21/10 09:29 AM
The Hurt Locker

Pretty intense stuff.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/21/10 12:57 PM
I REALLY want to see that. Missed it in the theater when it was out.

In need to get my priorities straight.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/21/10 02:29 PM
Sean's up early today!
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/21/10 03:40 PM
Oooh. Just added it to my Netflix queue.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/21/10 05:48 PM
No, me first!
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/22/10 02:06 AM
 Originally Posted By: medic8r
Sean's up early today!


It's hard to take over the world when you sleep in. \:D
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/22/10 05:28 AM
I'm settling for taking over France if it means sleeping in.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/22/10 09:08 AM
Re: (500) Days of Summer

 Originally Posted By: medic8r
I give the movie a B or B+, pretty entertaining story, nicely done.


I watched it tonight. I liked parts of it, but overall I found it a bit depressing. I didn't like the main character, perhaps because he's somewhat of a reflection of myself, but then again, he also did enough stuff I wouldn't do.

I did enjoy how Han Solo was utilized.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/22/10 09:05 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I didn't like the main character, perhaps because he's somewhat of a reflection of myself ...

Ah, a breakthrough.

*scribbles into Axiom patient file*
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/23/10 01:13 AM
Oh, you'll love this, JP. My son was looking at your avatar the other night, so I got him to say, "Hi Dr. Nick!" Or, more accurately from him, "Hi Dodo Nit!"
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/23/10 06:35 AM
Hi, Ev'rybody!

\:D
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/23/10 04:16 PM
 Originally Posted By: medic8r
Ah, a breakthrough.

*scribbles into Axiom patient file*


Hey, stop that. \:D

Last night I was re-watching some of The Familiar of Zero, some light anime entertainment. A few days ago, I was listening in English because I couldn't get subtitles to appear. The recent OPPO BDP-83 firmware update included subtitle shift, so I thought that may be the issue, but adjusting the values didn't seem to have any effect. I finally figured out last night that simply changing the setup wasn't enough. Apparently you need to adjust the settings, then start the disc over again for the settings to change. I had endured listening to the horrible English lead male voice actor for the duration of the first disc for no reason.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/24/10 04:11 AM
Moon. That makes two good sci-fi flicks in one year.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/24/10 04:23 AM
Wife and I watched The Kite Runner tonight, really a good movie and worth a recommendation from me.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/24/10 05:14 AM
I've had my eye on that one Rick. The premis is interesting, I just have to remeber while I'm in the video store.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/24/10 10:41 AM
I watched the "Dwight's Speech" episode of The Office since medic8r said to. It was entertaining.

I used it as an excuse to try Zune Marketplace on my PC. Unfortunately, Zune Marketplace is really ghetto. I can't seem to share the episode with my Xbox 360, which I assumed would be very easy. I shared the media, but when I try to access it on my 360, it says that there may be a problem with the license, but on my PC, there's no indication of any issue. Also, you're supposed to be able to restore purchased media, so I thought I'd have my PC download all of the videos I've purchased on Xbox Live Marketplace in order to avoid using up Xbox 360 hard drive space. However, only three out of the many, many videos were available to be downloaded. I can't see a reason why the others are unavailable, or why those three were available. So yeah, overall it's a joke of an experience so far. DRM loses again.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/24/10 04:37 PM
 Quote:
DRM loses again.

How does it loose? Looks like you bought, er borrowed the content anyway.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/24/10 06:47 PM
It won the battle but lost the war?
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/24/10 06:56 PM
Watched Terminator: Salvation this morning. Pretty good surround sound effects, decent acting, with an OK plot.
Posted By: richeydog Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/24/10 10:39 PM
 Originally Posted By: terzaghi
Watched Terminator: Salvation this morning. Pretty good surround sound effects, decent acting, with an OK plot.

I also watched it this morning. Certainly better than T3..though the plot was kind of weak. Acting was poor in some spots, very good in others. My biggest complaint was not enough character development. I didn't know who some of the people were or where they came from. The audio (Blu-ray, I'm using dts core) was aggressive and full...worthy of an A+. Video was excellent as well.
Posted By: madjak Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/24/10 11:01 PM
Hi All,

"The Pentagon Wars"

An oldie, but a goodie. Not one for special effects or anything, but anyone with an engineering background will probably laugh so hard their sides spit.

If you're a project manager, you will probably cry and say its just too realistic to be funny.

It's compulsory viewing for people on my team.

Also, "Forgotten Silver" - directed by Peter Jackson is a pretty good documentary on early NZ film (like early 1900s).

Neither are vids for the picture or sound quality, but worth taking a gander at.


Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/24/10 11:19 PM
I watched "Pan's Labyrinth" on Blu ray last night, I picked up the movie from Amz Canada the other day, with a few others. Anyway, I wasn't sure what to expect from the movie, only that it had something to do with a Spanish fairy tale set in WWII and that's basically what it was although I would suggest that it would traumatize any l'il ones who heard or saw it. The Captain was quite the brutal fellow! Definitely a different type of movie and in Spanish with English subtitles, no less. The girl who played the little Princess(Ofelia) was an extraordinary young actress by the name of Ivana Baquero.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/25/10 12:40 AM
I bought Pan's Labyrinth on DVD when it first came out a little under 18 months ago. It's still one of my favorite stories. I love how Ofelia skips around the horror of real life, but then replaces it with another horror within her imagination.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/25/10 02:10 AM
Good movie, and yeah, that actress has a great face.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/25/10 06:50 AM
 Originally Posted By: terzaghi
Watched Terminator: Salvation this morning. Pretty good surround sound effects, decent acting, with an OK plot.

It has a plot? The surround stuff was good, the bass was a little over done in sections, but overall very good and the cgi was very good. Its a fun movie, but not one I would turn to for either plot or acting.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/25/10 03:21 PM
 Originally Posted By: CatBrat
I bought Pan's Labyrinth on DVD when it first came out a little under 18 months ago. It's still one of my favorite stories. I love how Ofelia skips around the horror of real life, but then replaces it with another horror within her imagination.


My wife and I both really enjoyed this movie, great story.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/25/10 03:25 PM
Wife and I watched another movie the other night that we both really enjoyed, Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story ... great story about an awesome individual.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/25/10 03:29 PM
Watched Coraline last night on Blu-ray via Netflix. The animation was beautiful, and the story was very interesting, just as you'd expect from Neil Gaiman. Some pretty scary sequences, so definitely not for little kids. I'm going to be very leery of needles for a while.

Two thumbs up from the medic8r clan. Mrs. Medic8r says I can continue to have Netflix queue privileges for now, ha ha.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/25/10 03:30 PM
My wife and I watched Mystic River last night. It was too dark for my wife, but she at least conceded that it was a great movie. I can't believe it took me so long to get around to watching it. Clint Eastwood can't seem to do anything wrong.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/25/10 05:36 PM
Yeah, great movie. It took me a long time to get around to watching it, too.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/10 09:39 AM
I'm re-watching Death Note. I'm just as drawn in as the first time.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/10 10:17 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I'm re-watching Death Note. I'm just as drawn in as the first time.


Based on the backlog of stuff I have to watch I might get back around to it in about 2020 at the rate it’s going. I will certainly watch the first 25 episodes again but after that I thought it lost a step and only really finished watching from then on to see how they ended it.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/29/10 12:22 PM
My daughter came in with Food Inc. the other night. I tried not to watch it but got drawn in nonetheless. The Virginia Farmer that is in the movie is speaking at a college in Raleigh. I am thinking I might try to go see that.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/29/10 12:24 PM
I know this is a foreign concept to you Northerners - We are supposed to have another snow storm here tonight. My wife is convinced we will be "snowed in". So we went to the video store last night and rented Hidalgo and Terminator 4.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/29/10 07:37 PM
Supposed to storm here today also. My wife's work got shut down at lunch in anticipation but so far nothing but flurries. Snow days used to be great. That is until the invention of VPN.

To come back on track, I am behind on watching the latest Fringe, Heroes and 24. I'm like you with 24. I tried not to watch it but when an undecover agent cuts off the thumb of a russian mobster so he can escape his parol tracking device, how can you not get sucked in to quality TV like that ;\) I'm hoping that's not a spoiler since its a couple of weeks old now.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/29/10 09:28 PM
OK, I'm probably the only guy who hasn't seen Avatar yet. Tonight's the night. Mrs. Medic8r has arranged a babysitter for Medic8r Jr, so it's a date night at the local IMAX 3-D. Woo hoo!
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/29/10 09:31 PM
I watched it last night, IMAX 3-D. I sat about one third, (or closer) of the way back. Too close, I wish I had sat 1/2 or further back, because of all the action.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/29/10 09:31 PM
Nope, I haven't seen it, either. Probably won't, the way things are going.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/29/10 10:24 PM
Same here. Let's not see it together, Ken!
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/29/10 10:29 PM
Sounds like a plan.
Posted By: madjak Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/29/10 10:52 PM
Just watched Push last night on BRD.

Excellent sound test. Pretty good non search and replace plot.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/29/10 11:21 PM
Hey, I want to not see it too!
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/29/10 11:22 PM
OK, you can not see it with us. But only if you are the one who doesn't sneak in the booze.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/29/10 11:39 PM
Brother came down for a visit so we watched "The Dark Knight", easily the best of the Batman series imho, much prefer Ledger's performance vs Nicholson's.
Posted By: PhillipD Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/10 02:33 AM
I hate to really say it but the theaters are really poor quality were I live and I would rather wait for movies to come out on BluRay and watch them at home. No sneaking in beers LOL. So I have Surrogate and White Out for this weekend. I am really behind when it comes to just released movies in theaters LOL.

later
Phil
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/10 02:55 AM
Probably like what our theaters were like back in the 70's when I saw Rocky I and Grizzly Adams. \:\)
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/10 03:05 AM
Watched the first episode of “Caprica.” It seemed ok so far. Nothing earth-shattering but not boring either. I am wondering if I’d be better off just waiting for it to come out on DVD or recording several episodes to watch at a time. I’ve gotten spoiled watching whole series or at least seasons of show all at once.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/10 03:42 AM
I watched the Caprica pilot when it came out last year and liked it well enough -- held my interest. I've heard that this first episode is basically the same as the pilot, but I'll watch it again. I'll be on the several episodes at a time viewing plan. I find that all shows are more enjoyable that way.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/10 05:04 AM
 Originally Posted By: medic8r
OK, I'm probably the only guy who hasn't seen Avatar yet.


I haven't seen it, either. I assume I'll be going with a friend at some point, but I don't know when.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/10 05:12 AM
Meet me halfway in Wichita, KS and we'll see it together.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/10 05:13 AM
What else is in Wichita besides a showing of Avatar?
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/10 05:16 AM
A Dairy Queen
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/10 05:17 AM
Well, I'm sold.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/10 05:22 AM
That's awesome. I hear they have both hot eats AND cool treats.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/01/10 01:21 AM
 Originally Posted By: grunt
I will certainly watch the first 25 episodes again but after that I thought it lost a step and only really finished watching from then on to see how they ended it.


I just watched the 25th episode again. L is such a great character.

I would agree that it lost a step, but maybe I'll like the remaining episodes more this second time around. Not that I disliked them. I still thought there was some good stuff in there.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/01/10 03:54 AM
My thoughts were that it lost a step for a little while right after the 25 episode then things got good again and then the end was disappointing. However, I am comparing the show to itself at it’s best so by any other standards the poor episodes were still good. I really wish they had done something more interesting with the ending though, like having it turn out that Misa was the most cunning of them all and spin that off into another season. Such a fabulous show with such an uninspiring ending.
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/01/10 03:56 AM
Watched the Grammy's off and on tonight... There were a few good performances.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/01/10 04:08 AM
I haven't watched the Grammy's for years as I never really thought they truely reflected what was going on in the music industry. Maybe it's just me
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/01/10 04:59 AM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko

Who knew there were so many queens in Wichita?
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/02/10 06:17 AM
I watched Tideland. Terry Gilliam may be a genius, and it was a well crafted movie, but I won't go so far as to say I liked it.

It was fun, tense, cringeworthy, imaginative, and surreal. And I'm glad it's over.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/02/10 08:33 PM
Watched "Return to OZ" last night. Slept through half of it. Yawn. "Is that a Chicken you're carrying?"
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/02/10 09:51 PM
I saw Return to Oz when it first came out (or soon after) and liked it then. I rewatched it recently and thought it held up pretty well.

Probably would not have thought so if I were seeing it for the first time, though.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/02/10 10:07 PM
I've seen it several times. Years ago on VHS and 3 times on DVD. But the last 2 or 3 times I watched it, I fell asleep.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/02/10 10:08 PM
Maybe try starting it earlier? ;\)
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/02/10 10:18 PM
Is that the one with Tick Tock? I think I've seen about 5 minutes of it, years and years ago. Desperately wanted to see it when I was a kid, but I kind of figured it was probably no good.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/02/10 10:31 PM
Yes, with Tick Tock. It's definitely worth a watch, mostly because of the strangeness of it. Dated though, because the special effects just aren't very special when compared to today's standards.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/02/10 10:34 PM
Well, I've been watching through Deep Space 9, so dated sfx aren't a shock to me...

Worse yet, I've watched a few original series Doctor Who eps in the past few weeks.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/02/10 10:38 PM
Never seen Deep Space 9.

I used to be a Dr. Who fan that recorded all of the shows off of PBS. I've probably seen them all except for the 1 or 2 doctors at the end of the 1st series. Watching the first Doctor Who now would probably drive me batty.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/02/10 10:41 PM
The new series is well worth it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/07/10 09:26 AM
Just finished re-watching Death Note. I actually did like the ending more the second time around.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/08/10 06:41 PM
I started watching InuYasha about a week ago and am up to disk 10 out of about 56 series disks and 4 movies. It’s mostly action with a little romance and comedy and likely to appeal to both male and female audiences. It started out with 4 episodes/disk but has recently dropped to 3. So far I really like it.

Once things settled down it’s presentation is similar to Full Metal Alchemist (FMA) in that it has one overarching plot line with episodes divided into 2 to several episode arcs and the occasional stand alone episodes. However, it differs very much from FMA by being much more character than just plot driven. I find this more appealing because it does two things FMA didn’t. I makes me care about the characters more and makes the story flow more fluidly. One more FMA comparison is InuYasha’s character which is somewhat cocky like Edward, however he’s routinely put in his place when Kagome says “Sit boy!”

The animation is colourful and mostly fluid but not the best ever. Shortcuts include reusing fight scenes and still shots with pans to simulate motion during fights. Also the female characters seem to mostly come in two varieties, those that look like Kagome and those that look like porcelain dolls. Some people complain that Kagome only ever wears her school uniform but without signature clothing you’d be hard pressed to tell the main female characters apart. Fan service is limited to Kagome’s school uniform and the occasional skinny dipping scene (nothing shown), so far always for comic effect.

The audio is 2.0 and it shows. The front soundstage sounds good with lots of panning and even characters talking from off screen sounding like their off screen (I’ve had to double check a couple times that I wasn’t running my wide speakers). However, there’s not much ambient stuff to be sent to the surrounds and no bass to speak of. The opening and closing music is some of the worst I’ve heard but the in-story music complements what’s on screen well.

So far it’s mostly light hearted entertainment with occasional darkness laying under the surface but no deep and “meaningful” stuff. I would rate this a B or give it 4 out of 5 stars up to this point, but I‘ll see if it can maintain that over so many episodes.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/08/10 07:04 PM
 Originally Posted By: kcarlile
Well, I've been watching through Deep Space 9, so dated sfx aren't a shock to me...

Worse yet, I've watched a few original series Doctor Who eps in the past few weeks.


I’ve got to try watching DS9 again it‘s the only “Trek“ series I don‘t own. When it was first on it was a sort of love/hate thing for me. I liked the predominance of “alien” characters (Dax, Quark, Odo) but not so much the humans especially Jake. Did they learn nothing from the near universal fan hatred of Wesley Crusher. Also the fixed nature of operating from a station and the generally darker theme didn’t fit with what appealed to me about all the other Star Trek series. The Bajoran “question” seemed way to preachy and I completely lost interest when the Dominion showed up. Head to head I’ve preferred “Babylon 5” which having been made as a serialized story from the start was more cohesive with my friends and I calling the Star Trek version “Deep Sleep 9.”

I’ve completely lost interest in the new “Dr. Who” after the first season. To many changes of characters and the more “ongoing” vs several episode story arcs caused me to loose interest in trying to watch it weekly. I’m sure I’ll go back and see the all once they’ve run their course but after the first episode I still prefer any of the older versions.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/08/10 07:05 PM
Oh, the Dominion is when it starts getting good, although they did start setting up the main story arc early. And Jake doesn't go the Wesley route, although I think that's what the writers were envisioning at first.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/08/10 07:15 PM
I’m sure I’ll have a better appreciation for the Dominion story line when I get a chance to watch it all at once rather than one episode a week. I much preferred “Babylon 5 when I got a chance to watch most of it straight through. Though I’ve still only seen the first 3 seasons.

I was just thinking of another thing I remember not liking about DS9 was Capt. Sisko. Even Janeway had more balls than him.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/08/10 07:17 PM
Seriously? He usually seems pretty bad ass. Certainly in dealing with Q... The acting's a little overwrought sometimes, but if you can take Bruce Boxleitner, well, you can deal with overwrought acting.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/08/10 07:24 PM
 Originally Posted By: kcarlile
Seriously? He usually seems pretty bad ass. Certainly in dealing with Q... The acting's a little overwrought sometimes, but if you can take Bruce Boxleitner, well, you can deal with overwrought acting.


That’s the truth.

I guess it would be better to say that Sisko seemed to philosophical to me, not that he couldn’t put the smack-down on someone. However, keep in mind the only DS9 episode I’ve seen in about 12 years is “Trials and Tribble-ations” on my original series Blu-ray disks so my recollections are a little dated.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/08/10 07:52 PM
Heh... yeah, I haven't gotten to that one yet.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/08/10 08:00 PM
Actually, it’s a great episode. They do a great job of integrating the DS9 characters into the original “Trouble with Tribbles” scenes and the story is great too.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/08/10 08:07 PM
Oh, it is a great episode. I just haven't seen it since it originally aired.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/09/10 06:05 AM
I'm enjoying another episode of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" on FoodTV. They're at a place called "Melt Bar and Grilled" in Cleveland where they have 30 different kinds of grilled cheese sandwiches. I'll be expecting Jack to take me there if I ever have the good fortune to visit.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/09/10 06:47 AM
Wow, I want to try every kind.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/09/10 07:11 AM
Just started watching Dead Like Me. It's quite amusing.
Posted By: BrenR Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/09/10 11:56 AM
 Originally Posted By: tomtuttle
(...)Cleveland where they have 30 different kinds of grilled cheese sandwiches. I'll be expecting Jack to take me there if I ever have the good fortune to visit.
I understand that Cleveland Rocks.

Bren R.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/09/10 12:00 PM
 Originally Posted By: tomtuttle
I'm enjoying another episode of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" on FoodTV.


Jeesh, what is it with you and Rick (F) and that show? My wife loves it too. It's all I hear about lately. Why don't the three of you just get a room or somethi......wait.


never mind.
Posted By: JaimeG Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/09/10 02:25 PM
Watched ‘MJ - This Is It’ last night. It was surprisingly entertaining. The DVD was filmed during the upcoming tour’s rehearsals. I’m not a MJackson fan so I liked the fact that because it was rehearsals, Michael only sings at about 60-70% of the songs so it leaves mostly music to listen to. The music performance is pretty darn good and the sound quality is excellent. So, even if you’re not a Michal fan you might find this quite entertaining.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/09/10 02:37 PM
That's helpful to know, thanks!

Watch out for more snow, BTW!
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/09/10 02:56 PM
Joyce is mad at the mid-eastern states for getting the snow that we normally get.

She loves the snow...even at the end of the winter by which the rest of us have had it. Weirdo.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/09/10 03:05 PM
At least she had the good sense to marry you!

Thanks, Joyce, for keeping Mark off of the streets.
Posted By: JaimeG Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/09/10 03:38 PM
 Quote:
Watch out for more snow, BTW!


Yes indeed. It’s amazing the amount of snow we’ve been getting around here. There’s absolutely no more room to shovel the snow to; I could shovel it over a 5 feet mound of snow but I don’t think my back will handle it too well. :-)
Oh well, still I find this weather much better than the scorching tropical sun of the Caribbean.


Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/12/10 02:35 AM
Re-run of today's Dual 150 qualifying races from Daytona ... Vrooom


Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/13/10 07:42 AM
Zombieland

It was semi-entertaining. It had its moments, but for the most part I was wishing it was a bit better in both the writing and directing. I did like the use of the line from Babe.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/13/10 05:19 PM
That will do pig?
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/13/10 05:24 PM
 Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
Joyce is mad at the mid-eastern states for getting the snow that we normally get.

She loves the snow...even at the end of the winter by which the rest of us have had it. Weirdo.

I loved the snow in my younger active days. My first winter in banff, they had the snow piled up at least 12' in the boulevard on the main street. There would be fresh snow on the ground in the morning 4 days out of 5: beautiful!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/14/10 02:45 AM
 Originally Posted By: fredk
That will do pig?


Close enough.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/14/10 04:33 AM
9

I did like it. The sound and visuals were pretty great. I didn't get into the story too much, but it wasn't bad.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/14/10 04:43 AM
I watched District 9 on the plane last night and thought it was good. Nice visual effects, decent story, cute little alien, lovely weapons. \:\)
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/14/10 12:58 PM
The cute alien had nice weapons?
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/14/10 09:01 PM
I liked District 9, but I was surprised to see it get a nomination for Best Picture. I think they threw that one and The Hangover in there just to try and boost interest in the Oscars.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/14/10 09:16 PM
“District 9” was a shoe in for a Best Picture nomination because it’s message is that Apartheid = bad. As was “Avatar” because of it’s message that indigenous peoples = good and exploitive Western capitalists = bad. The best picture nominee that surprised me most was “Inglourious Bastards.” While killing Nazis is always a winning theme in Hollywood it’s not usually as well received when it’s done so glibly and gleefully.

Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/14/10 11:55 PM
Yeah, James Cameron went for the soapbox hat trick by villainizing 1) invaders oppressing the indigenous people, 2) capitalists who have no regard for the environment, and 3) the antiterror military offensive.

That last one isn't as pervasive; there was just that one scene where my wife and I looked at each other and said, in our best Texas drawl, "Dubbah yuh!"
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/15/10 12:28 AM
 Originally Posted By: medic8r

3) the antiterror military offensive.


Can’t believe I missed that one.

Being an indigenous-people-oppressing-no-regard-for-the-environment-capitalist-anti-terror-militarist has done quite well for me BTW. Though for a long time it was “anti-commie-militarist. ;\)
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/15/10 12:29 AM
 Originally Posted By: grunt
Being an indigenous-people-oppressing-no-regard-for-the-environment-capitalist-anti-terror-militarist has done quite well for me BTW.


Well, that's kinda the point, then, innit? ;\)
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/15/10 12:39 AM
 Originally Posted By: kcarlile
 Originally Posted By: grunt
Being an indigenous-people-oppressing-no-regard-for-the-environment-capitalist-anti-terror-militarist has done quite well for me BTW.


Well, that's kinda the point, then, innit? ;\)


Why yes! Yes it is. \:\)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/21/10 06:28 AM
I've been trying to watch Heroic Age, but it's just not grabbing me. The writing is juvenile, with the characters having no discernible depth, and the action is uninspired, so that isn't redeeming it. If it doesn't get better soon, I'll have to give up on it.

It's also getting old seeing the original-language tracks being lesser in quality or number of channels than the English dubs. With all of the anime fans who prefer to watch in the original language, it's hard to understand why they're doing this.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/21/10 10:57 AM
Thanks for your thought on it. I’ve had it since October but it wasn’t high on my list of things to watch and now it’s dropped a little lower.

I’m still watching Inu-Yasha and liking it a lot. It works very well over time since there are several episode story arcs like in “Full Metal Alchemist.”
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/22/10 06:19 AM
I still have a couple of seasons of Inu-Yasha on DVD that I haven't watched. I should get around to that. I do like the show a lot.

I've taken a break from Heroic Age to watch Claymore, which I'm enjoying a lot more.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/22/10 06:41 AM
I think I’m only on disk 13 of I think 56 of “Inu-Yasha.“ The only annoyance about this show for me is the way the sister talks. Other than that I really like it. It cracks me up every time Kagome says “Sit boy!“

I’ve also got “Claymore” waiting to be watched at six disks it looks like a possible marathon watch. I’m interested to hear your thoughts if it seems like they type that could be watched all in one session.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/24/10 06:58 AM
I finished watching Claymore last night. The episodes do keep you wanting to watch the next one. I would say they were starting to drag the action out toward the end, or at least it felt that way since you wanted them to get on with the story, as opposed to earlier in the story when it wasn't yet headed in a clear direction. Despite the minor impatience I was feeling by the end, I did enjoy the series. I would watch it again sometime. There were some fun ideas, but it would have been nice if they'd gone just a bit further.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/24/10 07:50 AM
Leverage and Dead Like Me. I love the music in those shows. And, you know, the comedy, too...
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/24/10 02:54 PM
Ooh. I need to start watching Leverage again.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/24/10 06:55 PM
Just finished Season 2. Apparently there will be a Season 3 starting this summer. Netflix was getting them only a couple days after they aired, which was pretty cool.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/25/10 03:07 AM
I just watched the Blu-ray of “9.” I can say it didn’t suck but then it wasn’t great either. The video quality was great and even for a post apocalyptic dreary world it wasn’t to dark either. The audio quality was as good or better than the video with decent LFE and occasional discrete surround effects.

OTOH the store was way to formulaic which is sad given the uniqueness of the animation overall. It’s worth watching but only for the video and audio as you’ve likely already seen this story several times before.


After that I started watching the Blu-ray of “Dante’s Inferno.” I don’t think I made it even 15 minutes before hitting eject. Why in 2009 someone would make an animated movie that looks like it comes from the 70s to early 80s is beyond me. I didn’t like the voice acting of the main character either. Chalk this one up as a waste of a rental for me.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/25/10 03:26 AM
I just ordered '9' on BR this morning from amazon, I *hope* we like it. Along with that movie I also ordered all three Bourne movies on BR, seems like the fella I loaned our three standard definition Bourne movies several months ago can't remember borrowing the movies from me and says they're not anywhere in his arsenal, dimmitt. I also loaned our standard definition Air America DVD to another friend several months ago who also can't remember taking delivery from this particular movie from me and also states no such movies exist in his collection, double freakin' dimmitt. Three of my most favorite movies in our collection.

Lesson learned, Rick will longer loan *any* DVD from his personal collection to anybody ever again.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/25/10 03:39 AM
I hope you like it too. I’ve been pretty careful about buying Blu-rays I haven’t watched at least the standard def version of. The new “Star Trek” movie is the only one so far. I’ve also been very picky about what I’ve upgraded. While I splurged and got a few right off the bat everything I’ve bought since then has been well discounted, movies I like watching and well reviewed for improved quality of the Blu-ray version. I’ve passed up on several movies I like just because the transfers weren’t reviewed to be a significant improvement over the standard def.

Those two movies I just tried are the first Blu-rays I’ve watched in quite some time. I still mostly watch standard def since that’s what all my anime series are, but I can’t complain since the Oppo upscales very well in general and superbly on animation.

Last month I loaned both my “Gundam Seed” series to someone and I’ve been sweating it since they are out of print.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/25/10 05:21 AM
I finally got around to watching "Million Dollar Baby" the other night. Great acting by Swank, Freeman and Eastwood but despite that and a few Academy Awards, I have to say I didn't really like the movie a whole lot. The first 2/3's of the movie was fine but Clint seemed to go out of his way to put the viewer in a depressive state by the last third of the movie(reminded me of Terms of Endearment) with no hope for the main character and too many loose ends for the supporting ones. Not meant to be a review, as I'm lousy at revoo-ing, but I found it depressing and couldn't wait for the end of it. Swank did a great job with her character though.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/25/10 05:45 AM
Thanks for the warning, I hate depressing movies. Movies are an escape for me and last thing I want is to escape into someone else’s depressing story.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/25/10 06:00 AM
Hockey. Was there anything else on tonight?
Posted By: sidvicious02 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/25/10 08:54 PM
 Originally Posted By: fredk
Hockey. Was there anything else on tonight?
Well....until the 2-women bobsled event about 5 minutes after the game ended....could they have timed that any better? \:\)
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/26/10 02:34 AM
 Originally Posted By: sidvicious02
Well....until the 2-women bobsled event about 5 minutes after the game ended....could they have timed that any better? \:\)

Apperently not. In the semis there was only one second between first and eighth place.

I sooooo wanna ride one of those things...
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/26/10 07:56 AM
I took a break from playing Bioshock 2 for the last couple of days and just watched all of “Full Metal Panic? FUMOFFU” It’s a 12 episode anime split between 4 disks. Most episodes stand alone with one two episode story and a few half episode stories where each 15 minute segment is it’s own mini-episode. There are a couple threads that tie the series together including the romantic tension between some of the characters. That makes it a great anime to watch if you can only fit in one 30 minute episode at a time but if your like me I couldn’t stop putting in the next disk until they ran out since it’s that good.

If you’ve seen “Full Metal Panic” this whole series is like one of the high school comedy episodes from that series. More generally it’s a character driven comedy with moderate action an a touch of romance. If you haven’t seen the original series picture a slice-of-life high school comedy where the main premise is trouble gotten into by the very under socialized commando sent undercover there to protect one of the students.

The animation is great. Every character looks distinctive w/o resorting to wild hair colours or distinctive cloths and that includes the people in the background and on the streets. Motion is fluid and no using speed lines or fast pans over a stationary pictures as far as I recall. Facial expressions and body language especially for the main character are superb adding greatly to the impact of scenes. Only a small amount of fanservice but no nudity.

Audio is 5.1 and sounds pretty good. Some occasional LFE and mild surround sound use mostly when people are yelling in crowds. Music is ok but nothing stand out, so I’d say it does it’s job w/o calling attention to itself. Where the audio really shines is in the voice acting. The dub is great. Lines are delivers so well especially the timing and integration with the “cinematography” (not sure how else to describe it) that it’s easy to forget your watching animation. Some foul language in one scene is not completely “bleeped” out for comedic effect. And some sexual innuendo but those old enough to get it probably would be bothered by it. I can’t stress how well the English dub is written and lines are delivered. If timing is everything in comedy this one gets the timing just right.

There is also a lot of parody. Not just of other anime but also major movies. One that works really well is a take off on the “Austen Powers” nude scene where things just happen to keep blocking the naughty bits.

I’d give this 4.5 stars or an “A.” Just misses top marks for a couple reasons. It’s to damm short. I liked these characters and want to see more of them in this environment. Also, it doesn’t really have an ending so to speak. While that’s understandable from a stand-alone episode format I was hoping they would do something more with the romantic thread to sort of punctuate the ending. This is definitely an anime I’ll be watching again.

AnimeNewsNetwrok

T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/27/10 05:55 AM
I usually avoid the English dubs due to the tendency toward lackluster performances, but it sounds like this is a fine exception. I'll have to put this one on my list.

I've been watching Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Complete Season One on Blu-ray. I don't like how the people look, but otherwise the art and animation are very pretty. I've only been watching at night, so I haven't been able to crank the sound, but it seems pretty decent. Of course, it's annoying that it's only Dolby Digital and not a lossless codec. It's also too bad the writing of the show is so uninspired. Maybe it'll get better as it progresses, but as of now (five episodes in) there hasn't been much meat to the story, and the dialogue is as bland as can be. Here's hoping that turns around.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/27/10 06:03 AM
IMO it’s great English voice acting. It’s also got Japanese audio but I don’t know if it’s 5.1. I didn’t even sample the Japanese audio so I can’t offer a comparison but the reviews say it’s great too.

I saw the “Clone Wars” movie and liked it. I liked the introduction of the Ahsoka Tano character. I’ve been putting off watching the series until I can collect more of them to watch all at once. The look of the characters also puts me off. Sort of felt like I was watching a play with the characters wearing masks with exaggerated features.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/28/10 06:25 AM
I went to see Shutter Island. We almost saw Avatar, finally, but somehow we decided not to. Shutter Island was okay, but overall it didn't really do a lot for me. I guess I can't really say a lot about it without spoiling anything, and there wasn't very much to the story in the first place. I guess it's one of those movies where I kept hoping for more.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/28/10 05:05 PM
 Originally Posted By: grunt
Thanks for your thought on it. I’ve had it since October but it wasn’t high on my list of things to watch and now it’s dropped a little lower.


Dean, you may want to read this reviewer's differing opinion on Heroic Age in case his tastes are more in line with yours.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/01/10 02:51 AM
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Pretty entertaining, and yes, I'm hungry now.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/01/10 03:19 AM
Thanks for the review link, I would never have thought to check out Blu-ray.com com for one.

How does AnimeNewNetwork's review of it jive with your impression of it compared to the Blu-ray.com review.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/01/10 03:27 AM
That's pretty much on the money from my perspective.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/01/10 03:35 AM
Thanks! I’ve read enough of their reviews to know how their reviews opinions and mine match up. I have it so I will watch it at some point but I’m in no hurry.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/01/10 04:00 AM
I don't know if anyone caught it, but that First Nations chap I mentioned a couple weeks back by the name of Derek Miller was playing guitar at the Olympic closing ceremonies tonight. He's got some pretty good blues stuff on Youtube.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/01/10 07:49 AM
Watched 9 tonight. It was OK. The graphics, dialog and pace of the movie were good, but there really wasn't much in the way of plot.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/01/10 09:15 AM
Watched the latest episode of Caprica. I really want to like this show which doesn’t bode well for actually liking it. Based on the pilot movie I figured this show would be interesting but it’s proving more difficult to stay interested every time I watch.

It’s already doing one thing I hated about Galactica which is running more than one major story arc with different characters. At least Galactica usually kept that down to 2 major arcs at a time but Caprica already has at least 4 up and running. The practicality of that mean only about 10 minutes of each arc/episode or like this episode one is completely left out allowing a whole 13 or so minutes for each of the other 3.

Then there’s slow plot. One of the 3 story arcs in this episode was pretty much just killing time so they could have a “cliff hanger” at the end. The last episode AFAIR was over a third filler doing nothing to advance any of the plots. 1/3 was wasted on setup for more setup in this episode for a small plot advancement. I could go on and on . . . .

Not all is bad. The writing and acting are very good. Most of the actors already seem to have their characters down. I find a couple of the plot lines promising which is proving just enough to keep me watching for now. I hope they get things moving or it might not last long enough to tell the story it intends. I should check some blogs to see what people are thinking of it and it’s ongoing chances.


Yeah Fred that’s about what I thought of “9” also.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/01/10 01:45 PM
I agree with you on Caprica Dean. I really want to like it.
On paper, it has all kinds of very intriguing story lines and characters on the blurred line of several morality issues to play with. However, like you, I find myself watching just because I feel I should, and not so much because it makes me want to.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/01/10 03:30 PM
I just caught up on the last two episodes last night. I think the show's style of cramming many different arcs into one episode works better if you watch more than one episode in a sitting. That being said, it still leaves you with an unpleasant hanging feeling when you've run out of material to watch. ;\)

I'm not sure if I like the New Cap City story arc, with Neo, I mean Tamara Anderson, err Adama character. It's a wide open story arc that can go in many directions.

We shall see. The show definitely is keeping my interest.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/01/10 07:03 PM
Murph, that’s a good way of putting it. I guess I’m also watching “just because I feel I should.”

Peter, that may be my mistake watching it every week. I haven’t watched a weekly episodic show since the second season of “Eureka.” It’s just more compelling to order the DVDs and watch all of them. Still I hope Caprica holds enough of an audience to finish it’s planned run, I hate a show that either doesn’t get resolved or has to be rushed at the end like “Space Above and Beyond.” I was thrilled when “The Peacekeeper Wars” and “Serenity” came out to give some sort of closure to those shows.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/02/10 05:38 PM
 Originally Posted By: grunt
Thanks for the warning, I hate depressing movies. Movies are an escape for me and last thing I want is to escape into someone else’s depressing story.


Me Too!!! I have enough pain in my own life without living it in a movie. Stay away from 7 pounds. My wife rented that - I knew I was going too hate it about 15 minutes in.....
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/05/10 09:39 AM
Has anyone been watching “Stargate Universe?” I just now found out the show was on when I was checking to make sure my DVR was set to record “Caprica” today. That’s what I get for not watching any TV for almost a year, I have no idea what’s going on.

Also anyone been watching “Warehouse 13?” Looks like it might be interesting.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/05/10 02:52 PM
I tried watching the first episode and found it interesting, but hard to get into. Perhaps I will try it again. One of my favorite authors (John Scalzi) is the creative consultant.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/05/10 04:51 PM
Well Netflix has the first 10 episodes on 3 disks so I put them at the top of my queue. Should get here Saturday so I’ll give it a try. Might even watch the two episodes on tonight.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/06/10 06:53 AM
Watched “Caprica.” IMO it was one of the better episodes so far. If they were all as focused on moving the story forward like this one I would really be liking the show. Though they are adding in more plot threads so it’s still got a lot of potential to bog down if they don’t have some of them start converging.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/07/10 03:21 AM
Now you have me tempted to watch it, too, instead of waiting until next weekend so I can watch two in a row again.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/07/10 05:29 AM
It’s a good stand alone episode but it certainly does set things up for the next one if the keep the ball moving forward.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/07/10 07:58 AM
Just watched “Burn Up Scramble.” It’s 12 episodes on 3 disks of bouncy special taskforce police woman boobs (translation: it‘s an action comedy). The show is pretty typical for the genre save a couple things. Although there is the requisite twist near the ending it was rather lame compared to the conspiracies of most of these shows. The main characters are pretty standard except for one who has psychic powers but she is mostly marginalized compared to the other two.

The audio quality is sub par while the video is about average. There is plenty of fanservice often used for comedic effect but sometimes just gratuitous. There’s no common thread to really tie the episodes together so marathoning them was sort of pointless.

This is the most recent in the “Burn Up” series (all stand alone) which also include “Burn Up,” “Burn Up W,” and “Burn Up Excess.” From the reviews I’ve read this was the worst of the series so far so I went ahead and watched it first. I’m trying to break up watching all the top rated anime with some of the lesser ones so I don’t end up blowing through all the good stuff to quickly.

Cant’ really recommend this one unless you just want some light entertainment and fanservice.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/08/10 10:01 AM
I decided to start watching the “Babylon 5” series again since I’ve only seen the whole thing through the 3rd season and occasional episodes after that.

So I just watched “Babylon 5: The Gathering,” pilot movie for the series and the first few episodes.

First the pilot, which I hadn’t realized I’d never seen before. The format was standard 4x3 TV and only 2.0 audio which was kind of disappointing. The picture quality overall didn’t scale up to the 134” screen very well. The CGI shots looked great but the regular shots were very graining and not in the sometimes good vintage movie way. More like a smoothed out YouTube video way. The audio wasn’t bad for 2.0 but clearly nothing to get excited about.

Sure was interesting to see how much of the show was set up right from the start, especially the relationships between the characters, and also to see how much they changed from the pilot to the series. I didn’t like the original makeup for Delenn, in the show she looks good but in the pilot not so much. I liked the character of First Officer Takahima, would have been interesting to see her in the series. I didn’t, however, like the original doctor, so I’m glad they dumped him.

The series itself is formatted for DVD (AFAIR the original was 4x3) in 16x9 and 5.1 audio (AFAIR originally Dolby Surround). The CGI effects appear for now to be lesser quality than the pilot OTOH most of the regular shots look much better, however there is occasionally a shot with that YouTube video look to it. One nice thing about the video are the colours and black level. The audio is a step up from the pilots 2.0 but not a big one. Not feeling any of the .1 at all. As for the 5 regular channels most of the audio action is up front with the occasional panning effect but nothing amazing. Most of the surround effects are just ambient station noise which does enhance the overall effect making the series feel more immersive than the pilot.

Although I liked the Takahima and would like to have seen more of her the character who replaced her, Susan Ivanova, rocks. The new doctor, Franklin, is so much better than the original. Besides Ivanova, Delenn and Lando were my other favorites. Overall the show had some bad acting but I like the way the above three were played. The writing seems better in the first few episodes than in the pilot but what I like most about this show was it’s epic scope. In many ways this series seems refreshing compared to the way-to-many-simultaneous-story-threads of the Galactica franchise.

Just watching the first few episodes I’m already hooked again. And it’s been long enough since I last saw any of it that it’s almost like watching it again for the first time.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/08/10 02:35 PM
The pilot is really quite bad. Season 5 also seems to stink on ice. Never managed to finish it. But the rest of the seasons are really good, at least if you can ignore Bruce Boxleiter's overacting.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/10 03:19 AM
Man-0-man-o-man. I think I've just discovered the best movie for LFE and I don't even have a sub woofer. I purchased 2012 BR at Sam's club today and just finished watching it. All I have is a pair of M22's and a W100. I watched it at -9db and I'm surprised I still have a house left standing.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/10 12:38 PM
My daughter had some friends over and watched it last night - I was on the ground floor and could hear the rumble. I think I'll check it out tonight. 2012 that is.
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/10 12:53 PM
Watched Zombieland on bluray last night. Pretty funny stuff.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/10 06:29 PM
I've got Zombieland on Bluray from Netflix waiting for the right night to watch. \:\)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/13/10 06:55 AM
Evangelion: 1.11 - You are (not) alone

This is my first exposure to Neon Genesis Evangelion. I'm not really sure what I think of it. There was some cool artwork and some nice sound, but the story didn't do a whole lot for me. I think I'd probably have gotten more out of it if I was already familiar with the previous incarnations, but maybe not. Maybe it picks up and moves into more engaging material in the sequel.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/13/10 07:07 AM
I watched the original on VCDs and thought it was ok but that was based on it being one of the first anime series I watched. If I watched it again I’d likely be hard pressed to give it 3 out of 5 stars. I guess it was groundbreaking for it’s day, but pales in comparison to much of what I’ve watched since.

I’ll have to give this version a try. AFAIK this was a compilation of the first 6 or so episodes of the series. Just saw that Netfix doesn’t seem to have the Blu-ray version. Guess I’ll wait.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/13/10 07:27 AM
Your post count is now my birth year.

I've also been re-watching Fate/stay night. I still like it. I like how there are only a handful of attempts at humor through the whole thing, and they seem so out of place.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/13/10 07:52 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Your post count is now my birth year.

I've also been re-watching Fate/stay night. I still like it. I like how there are only a handful of attempts at humor through the whole thing, and they seem so out of place.


#49-54 in my Netflix queue right now. Disk 5 is missing so it’s in my Blockbuster queue but they often change hard-to-get things to “unavailable” once they hit the top. Making up for the all-to-often missing disk from Netflix and some mainstream stuff like Deep Space 9 right now are the only reasons I keep Blockbuster around.


Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/15/10 03:22 AM
Earlier I watched the Blu-ray of “Ultraviolet.” Ok overall the movie sucks but I like the action scenes and Milla Jovovich in spandex w/varying hair colours. However, mostly I rented it because of the review at Blu-ray.com, specifically the audio.

Gotta say I didn’t feel the love they did for it. Actually I’d reverse the scores they gave for the video and audio as I felt the video was far better. Not to say the audio sounded bad but they talked about all this bass which I just didn’t feel. I was so surprised I had to pop in the Blu-ray of “Master and Commander” to make sure something wasn’t wrong with my system. There was a good amount of ambience like they said and a small amount of directional surround cues but nothing to rave about.

Also the audio “layering” they liked didn’t work much for me. During the opening fights a machinegun firing isn’t very audible over the music. But then the music goes soft and the machine gun sounds much better only to be drowned out again. I actually found this very distracting and not even done as well at the opening fight in the standard def version of “Appleseed.”

Like I said I much preferred the video. This had the inkiest blacks I think I’ve ever seen. They also mention the washing out of the detail in faces compared to the stark sharpness of the surrounds which was an effect I rather liked. Sure it looked unnatural (surreal might be a better description) but it’s a comic book based scifi movie not a nature flick.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/15/10 03:41 AM
The new Star Trek movie. I just bought it and watched it for the first time.

I remember watching the original Star Trek on a black and white TV at home, but was really impressed when I saw it in color for the first time at a Montgomery Wards store. (That was one of those memorial events, like knowing where you were when president JFK got shot.) Then I watched through all the movies and through the next generation, then lost interest.

Watching this movie didn't spark any new interest in me either and I was rather underwhelmed by it. For one thing, the evil enemies didn't impress me as much as the one on Galaxy Quest. These seemed too, human or something. Like some seconds they found at the last minute and splashed some paint on their faces.

I did partially enjoy some of the interaction among the crew members trying to act like their older counterparts, but even in this it seemed like they could have done a better job. It didn't feel natural, but contrived (which it was.)

Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/17/10 04:49 PM
I've been watching the second season of Better Off Ted. It still makes me laugh. It was kind of making me angry, though. I got a season pass through iTunes, and the audio was dropping out for split seconds quite often, as well as getting way out of sync. I finally reinstalled my video drivers in an effort to troubleshoot my TV tuner difficulties with Windows Media Center, and it cured both problems. Much happier now.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/17/10 06:50 PM
I can't believe I watched the whole thing:

http://www.youtube.com/v/3yO3hg_LxmY

Leave it to the Japanese...
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/17/10 10:54 PM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
I can't believe I watched the whole thing:

http://www.youtube.com/v/3yO3hg_LxmY

Leave it to the Japanese...


The link isn’t working for me, anyone else?
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/18/10 01:23 AM
Try this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yO3hg_LxmY
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/18/10 02:01 AM
Well it beats rap.

Usavich

It’s not on DVD but torrents are available.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/18/10 02:10 AM
Just tried to watch the Blu-ray of “Planet 51,” which might have been better named “The animated Sci Fi cliché movie.” Ok sometimes clichés can be funny, here they are not. I want to find some redeeming value in the time I wasted watching part of this but can’t. Note to self, check reviews before autiomatically dumping every SciFi or animated movie that comes out into the queue.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/19/10 12:58 AM
Just starting to watch season 5 of Desperate Housewives.
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/19/10 08:33 PM
So I watched Ponyo last night on bluray... pretty strange. It's a trippy semi japanese animation style cartoon about a magical goldfish that wants to be a human.

Has anyone else seen this?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/20/10 04:59 AM
 Originally Posted By: terzaghi
semi japanese animation style


That can be changed to simply "Japanese."

I haven't seen it yet, but I'll watch it eventually. Miyazaki has made some good films. His Lupin III film, The Castle of Cagliostro, is still my favorite out of all of them, and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is pretty cool, too. A lot of people love Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away, but I've only seen either of those movies once. I'm sure I'd like them more after a second time.

So did you enjoy Ponyo? Are you embarrassed to say you did, and that's why you're waiting for other people to share their impressions first? Ha ha.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/20/10 05:27 AM
Watching last week's Indycar race. I was surprised to see B&W as a primary sponsor for one of the teams. I guess they must be having a few good years to have that kind of dough to throw around.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/20/10 05:40 AM
I wonder how often sponsors get their money's worth, and how they can measure that.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/20/10 05:51 AM
Darned if I know. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, but Marlboro's even worse. They haven't been able to actually use their name on a car at all for the last half decade at least, and yet they still sponsor Ferrari, and up until this year, they sponsored Penske.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/20/10 07:02 AM
 Originally Posted By: terzaghi
So I watched Ponyo last night on bluray... pretty strange. It's a trippy semi japanese animation style cartoon about a magical goldfish that wants to be a human.

Has anyone else seen this?


Nope haven’t seen it but it’s now in my queue, thanks.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/20/10 07:07 AM
I’m still keeping up with “Caprica” and still see it as a mixed bag. I’ve found one way to like it more, every time Amanda Graystone appears on the screen I fast forward. Makes the show much more enjoyable for me so far.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/20/10 07:16 AM
Just finished the second season of “Babylon 5” last night. I’m averaging a disk a day which is roughly 4 episodes. I definitely like the first season better than the second. Although many of the story arcs become more engaging in the second season I liked the character interaction in the first season better. Way more negativity in the second season which if I remember correctly is continued in the third.

“Remember?” Well that’s got me a little worried. It was only about 3 years ago I watched seasons 1-3. However, I’m hardly remembering anything about most of the episodes. A few episodes I flat out don’t recall seeing, most I vaguely know what happened and very few I remember in any detail. I’m going to chalk it up to watching thousands of hours of programming since then so I can be in denial about the possibility of loosing cognitive ability. ;\) At least it’s making it fun to watch again.


Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/21/10 03:04 AM
Ninja Assassin

I never thought I would feel the bass from a throwing star. It felt like it traveled right across the floor and into the couch. Pretty entertaining. Rain has pretty good presence onscreen. The story isn't all that special, and the over-bloodiness didn't add a whole lot for me, but yeah, I still found it fun to watch.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/21/10 05:48 AM
Glad you liked it. Someone put it on at work the other day and it was all I could do to ignore it. ;\)
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/21/10 02:49 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
[quote=terzaghi]
So did you enjoy Ponyo? Are you embarrassed to say you did, and that's why you're waiting for other people to share their impressions first? Ha ha.


When posting about Ponyo in this thread I thought you would be the first to come back and say you have already seen it... seemed like your style of cartoon.

Yeah, I enjoyed it.. but it is not the type of thing I normally watch. The story was pretty interesting and I could appreciate the animation style. I think I gave it a 3 on my netflix rating though. I was glad I rented it but don't think I'd ever watch it again.


Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/21/10 02:52 PM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Ninja Assassin


I added this to my netflix queue but it isn't available thru netflix until april 14th \:\( boooo.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/22/10 06:39 AM
I'm through the first disc of Gunslinger Girl. I kind of like it, but the story needs to go somewhere more interesting before I can fully embrace it. Pre-teen girls who are given cybernetic implants and trained to be assassins isn't interesting enough for me, I guess.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/22/10 07:46 AM
If as the show gets going the character interaction and general moral dilemma of what’s going on doesn’t appeal to you than it’s likely to be a slow ride. I found the show very intriguing probably helped by watching it all in one sitting. Hope it starts working for you.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/22/10 08:10 AM
I'm liking it enough. I think I just want the bigger story to move a little faster, but it's not so slow that I want to give up on it. I do like the general feel of the show. So you watched both seasons? I only have the first season right now.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/22/10 08:34 AM
Ahh, and I'm done with the first season. I guess I'll have to get my hands on the second season sometime soon.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/22/10 08:51 AM
I watched them on back-to-back weekends. The second season has a more cohesive thread running through it involving more political intrigue but not a lot. However, the animation suffers. I wouldn’t say it’s worse or better than the first season, just a little different.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/26/10 09:29 AM
The Good, The Bad, The Weird

I liked the trailer enough to import the Korean Blu-ray. The story's a bit of a mess, and it can't compete with The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly with its material, but it has its moments, and it's really well put-together as far as how it's filmed. Decent sound, too. I'd say it's worth watching, but don't expect to be bowled over by the story.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/28/10 07:59 AM
Just watched the Blu-ray of “Moon.” I have to go against the crowd as I found it at best unremarkable and at worst plain boring.

The video was ok but in many ways it was to “film like.” while I appreciated the sort-of dirty lived in feel and the lunar surface the overall lack of sharpness just made it seem like a movie set in space. I guess I’m tainted by watching the live feed from the Apollo missions in all their sharpness and hyper contrast.

The audio was also ok but again for me there was nothing special about it.

As for the story it seemed to be a big part “Silent Running,” some “Jacobs Ladder“ a bit of “2001” and a tad of another movie (I won’t mention so as not to ruin the “suspense“) all of which are better told stories than this one. It could have been a very interesting character study but wasted to much time just setting up the main premise w/o any other substance so when the main premise is given up way to quickly you’re left only with how it will be resolved which was sent like a semaphore message if you’re paying any attention. So once the “suspense” of figuring out what is happening is gone it’s a lot like the last bit of an amusement park ride where you’re just gliding into the station and waiting to exit to the left. The main (only) story in this movie could have been told much better in 30 minutes w/ commercial interruptions by Rod Serling on the old “Twilight Zone.” If you want a real mind-bending thriller rent “Jacob’s Ladder.”

I know I’m in the minority on this one. ;\)


P.S. If your on the back side of the Moon how far do you have to drive to get an Earthrise that high above the horizon?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/28/10 08:08 AM
We all hated it, too. We were just testing you.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/28/10 10:23 AM
Just watched the Blu-ray of “Ponyo.” What a refreshing change of pace to the crappy movies I’ve been renting lately.

Although I’m coming to prefer Disney’s CGI style (like “Tinker Bell“) this is still no slouch. The video quality is impeccable. Colours are vividly rendered enhanced by outstanding black levels which brings out the variations in hue even in the ocean. Animation is fluid and characters move naturally. The only video issue I saw was really bad motion judder when it started because I had frame creation set to off for gaming. Bumping it up to level 2 eliminated the judder and didn’t over sharpen the image.

The audio is also great. What is lacks in bass is more than made up for in surround action. Ambient sounds like wind, rain and ocean are almost always present. Also directional cues abound. I especially liked the scene when the school of little fish jumping out of the water are landing all around you. Reminded me of when that happened to me while surfing.

The story is both cute and entertaining. Being a Miyazaki film distributed by Disney you can figure out how it will end from the beginning, but as with most good movies you enjoy the trip anyway.

Only one thing really got to me in this movie. When Ponyo occasionally reverted half way back to being a fish the way she was drawn with 3 toes and fingers was sort of creepy.

Certainly not Miyazaki’s deepest work but thoroughly entertaining if you like feel-good stories that are also a little off the beaten path.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/28/10 10:31 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
We all hated it, too. We were just testing you.


I think 4 other people have commented on liking, some a lot, but nothing about why. I’m curious what the people in the forum liked about it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/28/10 05:37 PM
\:\) I liked the way Sam Rockwell interacted with himself. While I think there was a lot more potential for the story, I wasn't bored like you were. The interactions with the AI were pretty ho-hum for sci-fi, and the entire premise was a little ridiculous as far as feasibility and potential backlash over how the moon base is operated, but I still enjoyed it despite all that, and I want to see where they take the story from here. I hope they can ramp up into some more inventive sci-fi for the next outing, but I'm not going to beat up this first one when I simply found it enjoyable. It's like you just mentioned about how you knew how Ponyo was going to end, but you still liked that. Some things just work for you, no matter the criticisms you may have for it.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/29/10 01:07 AM
Thanks for your thought Charles. I agree with you that Rockwell did a good job however, IMO the director failed him. I felt that far to much time was spent just on setting up a short scene later like the revelation of the main premise or the radio call, or the rescue. I mean they probably spend almost as much time showing treks across the moonscape as they did showing interesting interaction between the characters. I mean three years w/o any direct conversation and that’s all they’ve got to say not to mention I’d be a little bit homicidal when I figured out what was really going on after 3 years.

Something else that irritated me was with that level of technology and automation the best they can do for the robots interface are internet forum emoticons. Three years interacting with a smiley face, really? I bet my cell phone could do better if I owned one.

Don’t get me wrong I don’t want to give the impression I hated the movie I was just really disappointed after all the hype. “Best Scifi movie” in years, 89% fresh at Rotten Tomatoes. . . . I was expecting a character driven psychological thriller and would say I got about 20 minutes of that stretched out with fluff to fill a movie timeslot.

By comparison I thought Silent Running and the latter scenes of 2001 where Bowman is alone were brilliant. The former was an in depth character study while the latter leaves you thinking what just happened (at least if you didn’t read the book first) and both are more engaging. However, “Moon” creates little interest in the character and feeds you the story on a platter creating little tension and leaving what happens after the ending the only really interesting thing to speculate about.

I would love to have seen this movie by Aaron Sorkin and or Joss Whedon for their writing and ability to set up and focus on great dynamics between characters.

Cheers,
Dean
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/29/10 06:47 AM
It's funny, but I started watching the anime vampire comedy, MoonPhase, a few days ago, and now I have both that and Buffy to get through. I've said that I can't seem to get into vampire stories for the most part. At least MoonPhase has its humorous moments, but I'm still on the fence about it. There's the anime cliché of the young woman lead suddenly needing to be roommates with the young male lead, and of course it's otherwise a full house, so the situation is supposed to be full of comic potential. So far some of it has been funny, but it still seems just a little too formulaic in that aspect.

I think I'll try some Buffy now that I have the rest of my music collection converting. Only 3 hours, 42 minutes left.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/29/10 07:23 AM
I just watched the first 4 episodes of “Hellsing Ultimate.” Unfortunately I thought there were only the 4 because that’s all Netflix had come to find out there are at least 8 the last 4 of which have not been released in English yet and I’m even having trouble finding them in Japanese. However, I figured I’d give my impressions so far in case anyone might be thinking about watching this series.

This is an action series which so far has some intrigue, little comedy and no romance so far. If you are going to like this series at all it’s going to be because it kicks off with a lot of attitude. Its also very gory, though not quite as sickeningly so as “Elfin Lied” but enough you might not want young children to watch it.

First off the animation style isn’t something I usually care for. It looks like it come straight of a manga. Lots of long lanky characters, still shots with camera pans to show motion and lots of close ups of action like guns firing or body parts being slashed. Despite that it actual does work for this. The colours are rich despite the dark theme and all the main characters are well drawn and distinctive looking. Not really any fanservies except a little in the form of “Police Girl” (yes that’s her name, at least at first), a main character drawn about the size of a page 3 girl. An added bonus, as with most recently made anime, is the 1.78:1 format. Watching this format seems so much more natural than either 1.33:1 or 2.35:1 in the way it draws you in.

The audio track is a mixed bag. The music mostly sucks though there are a few good passages here and there. Where it shines is in the LFE and surround sound. Lots of LFE below 40Hz especially for gunfire but also for ambient mood effect which are really enhanced by the Buttkicker. The surround sound also rocks with a mix of ambient and directional effects going on all the time especially during the battles.

As for the story the first two episodes really grabbed me and just when it started to like this might be just monster of the week fare the story starts to develop. Sadly this is also where the series starts to loose me. By the fourth episode (4 more to go by all counts) you have to suffer through a 10 minute monologue by the bad guy. With that as a last impression I’m not inclined to be in a hurry to watch an more of these. Since I’m half way through I imagine I will finish it at some point assuming all the DVDs are released but unless that 4th episode ending was an aberration it’s going to be tough to finish.

Guess I go back and watch the original “Hellsing” which I haven’t seen yet. It’s suppose to be more in depth and less action oriented which is usually more to my liking. But for now I’d say give “Hellsing Ultimate” a pass at lest until the finish releasing the whole story.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/30/10 07:03 AM
The main thing I've learned from MoonPhase so far is that spiritual messenger cats don't have rectums. I hope this enriches us all.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/30/10 09:35 AM
Works for me!!
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/30/10 09:57 PM
Bjork has a video that features robots. Lesbian robots.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjAoBKagWQA

Song sounds pretty good, and will probably work a subwoofer nicely, too.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/31/10 02:30 AM
I like that video. I like a lot of her videos. I even have a poster for that "All Is Full of Love" video. I think it's sort of an ad for the people who did the special effects.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/02/10 04:59 AM
What do you get when you take a high school class and mix in 2001, Andy Warhol, The Exorcist, Gundam, Warring States Periods of Japan and China, Super Mario, Lee Ermey, Casablanca, Godzilla, Race Queens, Salvador Dali, Jaws, Ben Hur. . . make that about every cultural/pop culture reference for the last 3,000 years and animate it?

ぱにぽにだっしゅ! which translated says Pani Poni Dash!

Nope, no fracking idea what that means but I get the “Dash!” part since that’s what my brain is doing after disks 3 and 4 out of 6.

There is so much going on besides the main scene in almost every frame of this show that it’s almost impossible to keep up. Even if you miss half of the jokes because they are Japanese pop culture there are still to many to keep up with. On top of that add in the really non-sequitur stuff and after about 4 episodes your brain is fried.

Matter of fact my brain is to fried to write much more about it so read the reviews:

Anime News Network

T.H.E.M Anime


P.S. About 98.6% of you reading this aren’t gonna like the show. It’s probably only going to appeal to a few of the lurkers I notice reading this thread at 3:00 AM.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/02/10 05:25 AM
I'd give that show a try. I remember reading good things before, but it never made my list for whatever reason.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/02/10 07:13 AM
I finally got a hold of all the episodes and movies so I started watching “Kim Possible” from the beginning. I’ve always loved the show but never been able to follow it on TV so I’ve been holding off.

If you’ve never seen the show it’s actually quite good IMO. The voice acting is excellent and the writing, though aimed at teens/pre-teens is smart enough for adults. Picture Kim as 3 parts Buffy and 1 part Blossom (the pink Powerpuff Girl).

Unfortunately I’m only watching the 1.33:1 2.0 version which looks and sounds great but I wish I could get a hold of the 1.78:1 5.1 version.

Most episodes are 22 minutes and stand alone though there are reoccurring themes and the major arc of Kim and Ron’s relationship. The animation looks good with fluid action scenes (important for an action show). Nice thing about shows based on 30 minute TV slots they don’t usually waste time on filler and neither does this one. Also, a big plus for me is that even during the action scenes the witty dialogue is maintained between the characters so the action doesn’t become just boring and repetitive.

Best of all you’ve got to love a show where one of the main characters is a naked mole rat. \:\)
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/02/10 07:14 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I'd give that show a try. I remember reading good things before, but it never made my list for whatever reason.


Have you continued watching Gunslinger Girl or have you given up on it?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/02/10 07:15 AM
I will watch the second season at some point, but it'll be a little while. I'm interested enough to keep going.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/02/10 08:33 PM
Ok, so it's not tonight, but I saw Fantastic Mr. Fox last week with my family and we all loved it. Great story, great stop-motion animation, just all around fantastic (heh).

Whenever someone in a regular Wes Anderson movie would be cussing, they substitute the swear work with "cuss", i.e. "Are you cussing with me?" and "What the cuss?" \:\)

So rent/buy and enjoy this masterpiece. \:\)
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/10 12:07 AM
Peter, thanks for reminding me. I wanted to see that movie when it was in the theater, but didn't get a chance. I enjoy the works of both Wes Anderson and Roald Dahl.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/10 12:20 AM
Anybody watched the new Sherlock Holmes yet?
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/10 12:35 AM
I saw it in the theater over Christmas with my folks. The movie was good!

The theater was horrible, though! We got there early enough and sat in the middle. It was one of the main screens and everything seemed good. Well, the movie started and it sounded like everyone was talking in a tunnel. I had a very hard time understanding the dialogue all the way through. Turns out, so did my parents. On the way out, I put my hand up against the wall and felt concrete. I scanned all the walls and saw there was no cover or anything. No wonder the sound was horrible! It was bouncing around all over the place in there.

I'm eager to watch it again at home so I can understand some of the jokes and other dialogue.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/10 12:41 AM
Sean we pre-ordered the BR version and it came in today but will not watch it until tomorrow night ... can't do a late niter with work at first daylight tomorrow morning. I was curious because I started reading some reviews and it was pretty much a mixed bag, some loved it while some hated it.

I usually take most reviews with a grain of salt but will listen to my Axiom brethren here on the board, this is more of a 'real world' review to me.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/10 12:44 AM
Oh man, the pressure is on now!

The thing I liked best was the new take on Sherlock Holmes and kinda showing how his thought process works.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/10 12:45 AM
Oh, and it's definitely geared toward the action-oriented audiences, while still trying to make things a mystery.

It was a fun movie. \:\)
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/10 12:49 AM
That's great to know, I did the pre-order deal through Amazon and didn't believe it was going to be in until sometime next week ... I was pleasantly surprised whenever it came in today.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/10 12:57 AM
I'm going to be watching "How to train a dragon", this Sunday evening. A co-worker watched it in 3D-IMAX and said it was worth watching.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/10 02:53 AM
I enjoyed Sherlock Holmes. I only saw it in the theater, but I have my Blu-ray copy waiting to be watched. The sound wasn't as horrible as Sean's experience, but I did keep thinking, Man, this would sound so much better on my home system, when I watched it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/10 02:54 AM
I have The Fantastic Mr. Fox on Blu-ray to watch, too, but I'm waiting until my friend can come over to watch it with me. I just made her watch Bottle Rocket within the last couple of weeks since she hadn't seen it. She enjoyed it a lot. And now we get to watch this much later Wes Anderson movie that we both intended to go see in the theater but that we never got around to.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/10 02:57 AM
Fine.


Don't invite me over or anything. . .
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/10 02:59 AM
You're always welcome! I really don't know why anyone would visit this area, though. There's not a lot of culture here.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/10 03:00 AM
Whoo hoo! Packing my bags now.

I'm gonna swing by and pick up Tom and his clan and we're all gonna crash at your place.

Um, you don't have the alligator pond up and running yet, do you?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/10 03:02 AM
Ha ha, you're safe. Only crocodiles.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/10 03:03 AM
*whew*



Wait. . . .
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/10 03:09 AM
Watching a bunch of 80s videos I’ve downloaded from youtube.

Missing Persons - Words

The Human League - (Keep Feeling)

Even at 134’ diagonal some of these videos are awesome.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/10 04:12 AM
Sean, how long should I wait in the driveway? We're getting rained-on out here.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/10 04:16 AM
Rain, what’s that?
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/10 04:21 AM
Ok how about 60s videos:

Casino Royale (1967) - final song

Check out the credit to “Jacky Bisset."

Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/10 05:05 AM
 Originally Posted By: tomtuttle
Sean, how long should I wait in the driveway? We're getting rained-on out here.


Sorry, Tom!! I stopped at a gas station and loaded up on ice tea and Flaming Hot Cheetos.

I need to find a rest stop and SOON!
Posted By: richeydog Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/10 05:54 AM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
I stopped at a gas station and loaded up on ice tea and Flaming Hot Cheetos.

I need to find a rest stop and SOON!




Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/04/10 07:32 AM
Just watched the Blu-ray of “Battle for Terra.” I’d say this was a pretty average movie on a whole though some parts were better than others.

First the bad, the story. You’ve seen it before. Also, it tries to do to much to fast while still having some filler so it’s very superficial. It’s moral message is like getting hit over the head with a baseball bat, or several of them as there’s more than one message. If it were up to the story alone I’d have to give it a “D.”

The video was ok. Nothing on par with the better CGI out there but the look was clean and the world though simple was appealing. I was disappointed that it was in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and not 1.78:1 like many other CGI movies being made. I just think 1.78:1 looks more natural for representing the field of view. Have to give it a “C” here.

The best part was the 5.1 PCM lossless audio. Not a lot of ambient stuff but there is a huge amount of directional audio mostly in the form of panning as ships fly all around you. The dynamic range is also quite good with some nice airy highs along with some deep rumbling bass below 40Hz. So the audio gets a B.

Overall it’s not terrible (rave review huh) but I wouldn’t go out of my way to watch it. Overall I’d rate it a “C” but only if you have a good audio system which by now I hope most of you do. ;\)


Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/04/10 08:19 AM
Oops. I had a long post about what I'd watched today, but then I forgot to Send it. Let's see...

I just watched Saturday Night Live since I hadn't seen it in a while. I realized that Casey Wilson is no longer on the show, which I find to be a shame. I had a crush on her. Damn that Lorne Michaels. I hope she doesn't fade into obscurity.

Earlier, I watched sample scenes from X-Men: The Last Stand, Ninja Assassin, 9, Super Speedway, The Incredible Hulk, and Band of Brothers to test the bass from the new EP800s. Fun stuff.

Before that, I watched Sherlock Holmes. I've never noticed Hans Zimmer's soundtracks as being anything special before, but I do like his music in this one. I wouldn't call the movie itself a home run, but I do like the focus on the characters of Holmes and Watson and their interactions. I hope that the next one can step up the excitement a bit, which more Moriarty should help with.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/04/10 09:27 AM
I watched last weeks episode of “Caprica” last night. I had waited thinking I would watched two episodes back-to-back without realizing that it’s on hiatus. Talk about a cheesy way to end the first half of the first season with every story arc ending in a “cliff-hanger.” Be still my beating heart.

Yep I’m getting about as exited to watch “Caprica” as I was to read that Emo is now selling subs. Where “Galactica” at least had some trappings of a space opera, “Caprica” has all the trappings of a prime time soap opera.

Also I quickly developed a liking for most of the Galactica characters, but I can really give a hoot about most of the Caprica ones. Only one’s I’ve found interesting so far are Sam Adama and Zoe Graystone, Tamara Adama could also be cool but she actually would need to appear occasionally. Only problem is with Sam they’ve always got “Boxy” I mean William Adama hanging around. Doubt they will kill off Amanda Graystone not that they don’t have the opportunity so continuing to FF when she is on the screen to avoid the feeling I should be pulling my brain out my ear with a coat hanger.

I know that they didn’t want to try to redo “Galactica” but it seems they’ve taken everything that they got wrong with “Galactica” and dumped it all into this series. I sure hope the second half of the season isn’t already shot or that they can at least do something to tweak the show and make it more interesting like dump or at least scale back the “real world” soap opera part of the story and ramp up the cyberpunk angle. That would also take care of the too many story arcs issue.

I’ve seen a lot of glowing reviews out there for this show and a few people who share something like my opinion. I’m interested to hear if anyone else is still watching it and what you think about “Caprica.”


P.S. I really have liked several characters done by James Masters but here they’ve managed to make him into a Dullard.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/05/10 12:57 AM
I watched most of Sherlock Holmes again since my mother didn't get to watch it all. There's some respectable rumble in different parts of the movie.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/05/10 03:23 AM
I watched a new movie called "Remember Me" at the theaters. Good movie. It had characters from Harry Potter, Lost, October Sky, James Bond.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/06/10 02:04 PM
Holy crap! I just realized that the actor who plays Daniel Graystone (Eric Stoltz) was also the drug dealer from Pulp Fiction. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO48Vr4KIc8
Posted By: Glitchy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/06/10 11:46 PM
Not watching tonight,

but tried to timed my netflix returns

and have all 3 LOTRs in the mail for tomorrow in the Bluray format...

I'm still waiting for inglorious bastards on BluRay.. So I consider this a major victory!
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/07/10 03:05 AM
Got my LOTR in Bluray today \:\) But probably won't have a chance to watch for a couple days. \:\(
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/07/10 05:38 PM
Avitar BD available on April 22.
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/07/10 10:31 PM
Pre-ordered already \:\)
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/08/10 06:55 AM
Tried stopping at the nearest Blockbuster to rent a the “Lord of the Rings” BDs today but it’s closing. Didn’t feel like drive the extra mile to go to the next closest one.

The other thing I’m not going to be watching any more is DirectTV. Called to cancel it today. In the year since I moved in I’ve watched about 20 hours of TV in total and 9 of that has been “Caprica.” At $33.00/hour I don’t think it’s been worth it. Theirs just to many less expensive and often better ways of watching TV.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/08/10 08:25 AM
I hope you've subscribed long enough so that you do not have to pay to get out of your tenure with them.

I've come to realize that DirecTV is a first and very tight cousin to the devil himself.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/08/10 08:44 AM
No unfortunately it was a two year deal with $20/month off for the first year. The buyout is $240 but the cost for another full year would be $900 so I’m still saving $660. Basically I’m paying back the $20/month I saved off the regular rate I would have had to pay w/o the 2 year contract so not really a big deal to me since I can certainly put the savings to better use for something else.

I wouldn’t have even messed with it if I had realized how much more I was going to listen to music, watch DVDs and play games since I moved into the house. In the apartment I always had the TV on while surfing the internet or otherwise putzing around so I actually used it a lot. But now music has completely replaced the TV for “background noise.”

I agree DirectTV is one of the worst companies I’ve ever dealt with. I actually had them bundled with my phone provider so when I called to cancel I told them it was because of the crappy service not that I wasn’t really using it. Not sure if that matters but sometimes if enough people complain. . . .
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/10/10 05:00 AM
 Originally Posted By: pmbuko
Ok, so it's not tonight, but I saw Fantastic Mr. Fox last week with my family and we all loved it.


I finally got my friend to come over to watch my copy with me. We both really liked it. Wes Anderson obviously put tons of thought into how to shoot that movie. Very creatively put-together, and the story worked for me, too. But yeah, it looked really great on Blu-ray. Just really fun to look at everything. I liked the sound, too, though we weren't listening at reference volumes. I'll have to give it another watch with the knob turned higher. Maybe tomorrow!
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/10/10 05:54 AM
Sean brought over the Blu-ray of “Dark Knight” which we watched. I could just write a one word review, “Spectacular!” or link to Blu-ray.com’s review as they say exactly what I would have written about the audio and video.

The Dark Knight Blu-ray

In summary one of the best video presentations I’ve seen. I expected the switching between the 2.40:1 and 1.78:1 aspect ratios would really annoy me but the only time it did is when it switched back from 1.78:1 to the 2.40:1. But it was worth it for the scenes that filled up the whole screen. I wish they would just stop making 2.33:1+ movies already.

The audio especially the LFE was great about the only thing surprising was that the surround sound was anemic enough that at first I started checking to see if my surrounds were even working, but once I got use to it their relative absence wasn’t noticeable.

Thanks Sean, great movie experience.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/10/10 05:57 AM
I'm jealous that you guys get to hang out. I feel like I should be part of the group, at least in the background while you guys do the real cool stuff.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/10/10 06:01 AM
Dean, it was a pleasure to see that movie on your screen and listen to it on your system. I agree with you on the sound. Sometimes the mix for the surrounds didn't account for much, but it seemed to come firing back up during action sequences.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/10/10 06:03 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I'm jealous that you guys get to hang out. I feel like I should be part of the group, at least in the background while you guys do the real cool stuff.


Well, come on down and hang out with us, CV! There's plenty of room on Dean's comfy couch. \:D

Is it wrong for me to invite people over to other people's houses?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/10/10 06:08 AM
It's wrong, but if I bring some EP800s, will that make it right?
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/10/10 06:12 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I'm jealous that you guys get to hang out. I feel like I should be part of the group, at least in the background while you guys do the real cool stuff.


We could set up a web cam and have you sitting in the third seat displayed on my LED TV. Might actually be kink of cool thing to try. We are in the 21st century and hopefully tech savvy enough to pull it off. \:\)

Of course you wouldn’t get the full HT experience but then Sean and I do spend a lot of time just talking so no reason we couldn’t just hang out.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/10/10 06:15 AM
You could also get a job with an airline and jump seat out here for the weekend. One of my coworkers (mechanic) is an airline pilot who’s carrier flies to Hawaii. Now that’s who I’m jealous of.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/10/10 06:15 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
It's wrong, but if I bring some EP800s, will that make it right?


Sweet! You're in!
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/10/10 06:17 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
It's wrong, but if I bring some EP800s, will that make it right?


Sean we could set them up near field and try them out as midbass modules.


Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/10/10 06:22 AM
Holy smokes, that would be abusive!

Fun to watch, though!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/10/10 06:37 AM
Ha ha, that's a great idea.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/10/10 06:49 AM
Which one the EP800s or the web cam. I’m serious we could video conference you in and have a gab session.


Then we could post that we are watching each other tonight. ;\)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/10/10 07:22 AM
Oh, I was referring to the EP800-as-MBM idea. I actually didn't fully grasp what you were meaning with the webcam. I get it now! That would be kind of crazy, but also funny. The bonus is you could turn me off at any time.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/11/10 08:28 AM
I finally finished MoonPhase tonight. It was decent. I wouldn't call it a classic by any means. Some of the attempts at humor made me laugh, but a lot of them fell flat. I like off-the-wall gags, but a lot of these just didn't work for me. So yeah, it wasn't a must-watch show.

I also watched Fantastic Mr. Fox one and a half more times. I watched it with my mother this morning and parts of it with my father in the early evening. They both liked it, and I was still impressed with the look of the whole thing.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/11/10 08:45 AM
How the Puppets from Fantastic Mr. Fox Were Made (Vanity Fair)

Cutting-Edge Fox (MakingOf)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/12/10 06:42 AM
I watched the first episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Mark, you're right. It's a bit of a corn and cheese casserole so far. Still, I promise to stick with it through at least a couple of seasons, probably the whole thing.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/12/10 06:47 AM
Oldboy

Brutal, mysterious, and compelling.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/12/10 07:30 AM
I did like that movie, but I don't know if I could watch it again.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/12/10 10:47 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Still, I promise to stick with it through at least a couple of seasons, probably the whole thing.


Gold Leader: It's no good, I can't maneuver!
Gold Five: Stay on target.
Gold Leader: *We're too close!
Gold Five: Stay on target!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/12/10 04:20 PM
\:D
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/12/10 04:31 PM
I'm with CV on Buffy - we just started it (only 3 episodes of season 1 so far). I'm laughing more than the rest of the family is.

Watched the first episode of "Justified", a new original series on FX. (Yeah, I'm about a month behind already. Shuddup.) It's based on stories by Elmore Leonard, who also has a hand in production. REALLY like it so far. It's a Western set it modern day Kentucky.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/12/10 04:51 PM
Better yet, go do some cool stuff that will make them envious!
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/12/10 07:34 PM
Tom, I didn't know you were starting the Buffy series...

As I've said to Charles, give it time to get past it's hokey beginnings. It's made several "Best TV Series ever" awards/lists....
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/12/10 07:37 PM
I'm convinced you just like watching Sarah MG jump around and beat up vampires. Not saying it's a bad thing, just that I'm saying it was a factor \:\)
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/12/10 08:03 PM
Can’t speak for others but you could have stopped at “like watching Sarah MG” and left it at that. ;\)

The writing, character interaction etc. . . is just icing on the cake.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/12/10 08:57 PM
Mmmmmm. Cake.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/12/10 09:15 PM
What? Did someone say cake?
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/13/10 04:54 AM
Yes Cheese cake. We changed the topic from the casserole Charles was talking about.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/20/10 08:08 AM
I went to see Clash of the Titans with some friends. In 2D, since that's the showing that we could get to. It was okay, but I wouldn't even put it above the original, so I was annoyed that the new one had to make a little jab at the old one. The relentless special effects got tiresome. Throwing a lot of crap into the picture doesn't make it interesting. Still, I didn't even hate the movie as much as I thought I would. Of course, that could simply be because of the actress playing Io.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/20/10 08:11 AM
Oh, and I finally saw a movie in 3D the other night. How to Train Your Dragon. The writing wasn't spectacular, but it was entertaining enough. The 3D was somewhat fun, but I can see what some of you have said about perhaps preferring a 2D presentation. It's still not perfect and can cause some eye strain. Still, I'm glad I finally saw the current state of 3D.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/22/10 10:58 AM
Just watched the Blu-ray of 2012. Overall it was a nearly 2 and a half hour movie and by the end it sure felt like it.

The video quality was great. Dark scenes looked stunningly detailed and the overall PQ was excellent. My only gripe about the PQ is that there was a stark difference between “real” scenes and CGI special effects. The live action scenes had a real pop and realistic quality to them while the CGI stuff was dull and muted by comparison. Don’t get me wrong, the CGI looker great I just felt the difference was distracting.

The Audio quality was also great with one big disappointment. This might have the best surround effects through the movie I’ve ever heard. While there were some ambient effects like wind it’s the directional effects that really shined. Creaking and moaning of the airplane they are flying in. Debris flying all around. Helicopters flying from one side to the other behind me. Really just to many directional sound effects to describe.

Sadly, however, the LFE was IMO a joke. I had to boost the Buttkicker by +11dB and the EP500 by +6dB just to get something that felt remotely believable to the on screen action. Even with the boost almost all the LFE was just rumbling. Didn’t matter if the on screen action was explosions, earthquakes, big rocks and cars crashing around it was all just a rumble. The only place this actually worked was in the tsunami scenes otherwise it just didn’t feel right compared to movies like “War of the Worlds” or even FOTR were the LFE spikes correspond to what you’re watching.

The special effects were great throughout most of the movie. Some of the most realistic if a bit over the top stuff I’ve seen. And for most of the movie these action scenes were just the right length except at the end were it dragged out way to long.

Which leads to the overall nature of the movie. Way to long especially at the end. For the most part the build up and early action works great and I was really getting into the movie but then it started trying to be dramatic and fell right on it’s face. It also has way to many story arcs which if they had all been handled quickly, a few were, weren’t so bad but some just had to be drawn out for “dramatic” effect and just became boring. I didn’t see this in the theater but it seemed almost like a “directors cut” were all the crap the studio should have made him cut out got picked up off the cutting room floor and spliced back in.

AFAIK this was made by the same director as “Independence Day” and it shows. The story and direction are almost cookie cutter copies of it. Even many of the characters reappear. Similarly we are introduced to many characters who might as well be wearing red shirts since we all know what going to happen to them.

Overall I could only give this movie a C- or 2.5 out of 5 stars and that’s only because of the surround sound and the early scenes. Reedited and shortened I might be inclined to bump it up a little bit. I really liked the first half to two thirds of this movie as I did “Independence Day” but as with “Independence Day” the melodrama and drawn out ending bring it crashing down.

Worth a watch but without better LFE I wouldn’t even use it as a demo there are much better audio tracks out there that get it all right.
I keep catching "signets" of Fringe... it looks good! Am I missing something? Should I get it from the beginning from netflix?

Thanks
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/23/10 06:19 AM
Just watched the “Two Towers” blu-ray theatrical version of course. No movie review here since you should have already seen the movies if you haven’t sell your HT on ebay. ;\)

First I watched the movie on my Oppo BD then I popped in the standard version and also watched some of it on my Oppo BD. Then I synced up the blu-ray version on my Oppo BD and the standard version on my Oppo 981HD.

In all cases the PQ for the blu-ray version was significant improvement over the original. There were some scenes, to often IMO, that didn’t seem to be re-mastered looking not really grainy but almost like there was a smoky haze blocking them. It was almost if not always in a well lit scene. OTOH, when this wasn’t happening the picture looked fantastic. Very sharp and lifelike with a great depth of colour even in the dark scenes. Despite the poorly re-mastered scenes the PQ is worth the upgrade. I just hope that when they release the extended version they take care of this. If I were a suspicious person I might even thing that was their intention from the start.

I wasn’t as impressed with the audio quality improvement. Really I’m not so sure there was a great deal. I did notice what seemed to be an improvement in directional surround effects but for the scenes I A/B compared the musical track seemed pulled more to the front on the blu-ray whereas on the standard version it was enveloping me in sound. I didn’t notice much if any difference in the LFE. The overall detail of the sound might also have been better on the blu-ray but it didn’t jump out enough to be sure. Overall, based on a limited comparison I preferred the more enveloping sound track of the standard version.

I saw nothing here to make me want to buy the theatrical editions. I will likely, depending on the price, get the extended editions when they come out later as the PQ improvement alone IMO makes it worth the upgrade.

Note my comparison is based on a 134” diagonal screen from about 12 feet. I’m to lazy right now to do a comparison on my 42” LED/LCD TV but it’s possible on a smaller screen the PQ improvement won’t be as noticeable. Someone else can do that comparison if they are so inclined.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/24/10 05:50 AM
Wow!

I just watched the blu-ray of Avatar I am totally blown away. I went into this as a skeptic so I’m no fanboy of the movie but all I can say it WOW!

From an HT standpoint this is the best movie I’ve ever seen. First off thank you for 1.78:1 transfers, 2.35:1 or . . . should be forever banished from being produced. The PQ was consistently one of the best I have ever seen. The CGI and live action was as seamless as I have ever seen. The colour depth was exceptional and the overall quality of the presentation was fabulous.

The sound quality was fantastic. The best thing I can say about the sound was that nothing at all stood out. The only issue I had was having to up the bass a little to reach my liking other than that it was one of the best mixed sound tracks I have ever heard in my HT. the combination of directional and ambient sounds was the one of the best I’ve ever heard.

As for the story . . . It was very cliché but given the visuals I didn’t give a crap. Can’t say how this will stand the test of time but I’m pretty sure I can watch the movie several times and just plain be amazed enough not to care it had a story or not.

I must admit that at the very begining I was worried by the strip mining scene that it was going to be an eco-diatribe but I don’t care because the visuals were so cool that it wouldn’t matter if it was beating it’s message over my head I still would have enjoyed it.

I can’t compare the BD to the standard def but I can’t now imagine not having bought this BD, simply fantastic.

If I have one gripe about this movie it’s so small but just bugged me because it got so much right. When they arrived at Pandora and were getting their in-brief, which seemed very real BTW, the Marine didn’t have his shirt properly bloused which would never ever happen. Ok I’m being very picky but come on if you’re wearing a duty belt you’ve got it properly bloused damm it. ;\)

Best thing is that BB matched Wally-Worlds price even though they didn‘t have it. \:\)

Sean, if you haven’t seen this guess what we’re going to watch the next time you come over.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/24/10 06:24 AM
I'm half-way through Avatar and agree. It looks and sounds great. I was prepared to dislike the movie, but I'm enjoying it enough. I imagine it would be that much better on a projector.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/24/10 06:06 PM
I just finished watching the Babylon 5 series last night, still have the movies and other releases and spin-off series to go but this was a milestone since I’d never seen the complete 4th season or the 5th season at all.

I really like the fact that they shot this from the beginning with the intention of re-mastering it for 16:9 format which IMO gives a much more natural perspective. The live action scenes look quite good but some of the CGI effects are a bit off. Well I just read up on why that happened. Apparently the original intent was to redo the CGI effects for 16:9 but they had also hedged their bets and shot the original to be able to scale up from the 4:3 aspect ratio of the original TV broadcast. The CGI models were lost so the originals did have to be scaled up but since they were made in NTSC format they weren’t the same quality of the live action shots which were filmed for HDTV format and cropped down for the 4:3 TV broadcast. For most this might not be a huge deal but on a very big screen the CGI effects do look pretty rough.

I liked the first 4 seasons a lot with only a few episodes that were not interesting like the news broadcast episode. OTOH most of the 5th season was the opposite with only a few good episodes and most of the rest being throw-away. They also either start of ramp up several story arcs which are either rushed, not explained well or just flat out left hanging, which makes no sense considering they knew the series was ending. There also seem to be a lot of character building episodes which makes no sense to me at the end of a series. IMO you could skip the entire 5th season and miss nothing worthwhile of the series.

Babylon 5 is IMO TV scifi done right, mostly. It has complete characters, complex and interesting stories dealing with real-world issues over arcs long enough for complete stories to be told. Some of the acting leaves a bit to be desired though a few of the characters are actually done quite well, it’s a real mixed bag here. To bad more series like this aren’t being done. To get more of this type of epic scifi/fantasy storytelling Anime is the only real alternative.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/24/10 08:48 PM
Oh good, I skipped the entire 5th season.

I've got all the movies and seasons, (other than the newest one), but I've never finished 5 or the movies.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/24/10 09:05 PM
I think I’ve seen two of the movies but it’s been so long I’m pretty sure I won’t remember anything. AFAIK I’ve got all the movies and the series “Crusade” but I’ll have to check on what order to watch them in as I remember reading that one of the movies sets up the spin-off or something like that.

Unless you just want to be able to say you’ve seen the entire Babylon 5 series I wouldn’t even waste the time renting season 5.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/24/10 09:05 PM
Yeah, I've also heard that Crusade is pretty bad, but that's just the Amazon reviews.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/24/10 09:15 PM
I haven’t read up on it yet because I didn’t want to ruin anything. I only just found out today that it was a spin-off of Babylon 5 when I was reading up on that series. I wasn’t sure of Crusade and still haven’t even burned it to disk so I’ll just watch it from my HTPC. I only ordered it because I was just went through and ordered every scifi series I could find w/o even knowing what it was.

I actually just cut my Netflix account down from 8 at a time unlimited to 4 at a time since I’m having to dig deeper and deeper to keep my queue full. Also I could probably start watching what I already have right now and still not finish before I die of old age, and that’s assuming I don’t get any new shows that come out. ;\)
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/24/10 11:59 PM
I'll be interested to find out what your opinion is. I suspect it's a spin off of the 5th season, maybe one of the later movies.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/25/10 12:17 AM
According to a reviewer at Netflix “Babylon 5: A Call to Arms” sets the stage for “Crusade” so I’ll make sure to watch that one first.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/25/10 12:18 AM
That's on the movie box set?
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/25/10 12:25 AM
AFAIK it’s part of the 5 movie box set. I ordered them individually from Netflix.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/25/10 01:46 AM
I started to watch "The Flash" series I rented from Netflix. Don't bother. It is extreemly boring and low budget. I could hardly get through the first episode.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/25/10 07:05 AM
 Originally Posted By: CatBrat
I started to watch "The Flash" series I rented from Netflix. Don't bother. It is extreemly boring and low budget. I could hardly get through the first episode.


Thanks for the feedback. I don’t recall ever seeing the series and it sound’s like I didn’t miss much.

I just finished watching the Babylon 5 movie “Third Space.” It’s basically a double length stand alone episode set between episode 406 “Into the Fire” and 414 “Moments of Transition,” more specifically probably near episode 409 “Atonement.” Don’t watch this movie if you haven’t seen at least up to episode 406 as it contains spoilers for what happens prior to that. But I do suggest watching it before moving past episode 409 as the series itself then becomes a spoiler of sorts for the movie.

Overall it’s a ok story but not going to win any awards. The best thing I can say about it is that it has the season 4 cast which I prefer to the season 5 cast I just finished watching.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/25/10 08:00 AM
Minority Report on Blu-ray. I had my friend and her family over, and it was a lot of fun. It was kind of funny because I'd had her over to watch the DVD of it a long time ago, when I only had a 32" Sony CRT and Polk bookshelf speakers in an apartment. With my new system and the new format, it was a lot more impressive. The sonic shotgun Anderton wields in the Lexus factory is always fun.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/25/10 09:00 AM
Just watched Babylon 5: River of Souls. Despite being set in season 5 I actually liked this one better than the “Third Space” movie I just watched. If you want to keep within the timeline then this should be watched just before the last episode of season 5 as it has spoilers for that season while last season 5 episode jumps ahead of this part of the timeline.

Both the overall sound quality and the picture quality of the live action scenes in this are a cut above the original series and preceding movies. The stock CGI shots of the station still suffer from the same transfer problems however, the new CGI work specific to this movie and the live action film both look like high definition quality. Also, the surround sound in this though somewhat sparse is noticeably better than anything prior.

Overall this is an excellent stand alone episode just double the normal episode length.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/25/10 12:30 PM
I'm probably one of the few sci-fi lovers that has never seen a single episode of Babylon 5.
Posted By: EFalardeau Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/25/10 12:49 PM
 Originally Posted By: CatBrat
I'm probably one of the few sci-fi lovers that has never seen a single episode of Babylon 5.

Then you're probably more of a sci-fi "special friend" than a lover! \:\)
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/25/10 02:23 PM
You really should watch it, although the effects are dated. Excellent storylines.

I seem to recall enjoying River of Souls a great deal more than Third Space. I should pick those up again. After I finish BSG and DS9, maybe...
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/26/10 09:56 AM
I just got done watching the Babylon 5 movies: “In the Beginning,” “The Legend of the Rangers,” “A Call to Arms” and “The Lost Tales.”

First thing you notice is that none of these contain the entire cast or in some cases even most of it. All of these except perhaps “In the Beginning” are best viewed just before the last episode of season 5. “In the Beginning” can be viewed earlier but I forget at what point in the series it won’t have any more spoilers.

First watched was “In the Beginning.” Probably the best reviewed of the 5 movies and an interesting prequel to the series for some reason this movie just doesn’t flip my trigger. I think it’s mostly because I already know the outcome so while entertaining didn’t really offer anything that new. The video and audio are pretty much in line with the series.

Second watched was “The Legend of the Rangers.” Ok this one was very campy and although set in the B5 universe has only passing similarities to the series. It’s more like a version of Star Trek with a young crew. Clearly geared for a younger audience and as a series would likely have been lacking the intrigue of the B5 series. While it would have been interesting to see this as a series I doubt I could have held my interest. The video was on par with the series but the 2.0 audio track left me wanting the 5.1 of the series and other movies. While B5’s 5.1 was never stunning it was noticeable in it’s absence here.

Third was “A Call to Arms.” Probably the closest to feeling like a B5 episode. It works well as both a stand alone episode and a setup for the series “Crusade.” Both the video and audio are on par with the series.

Fourth was “The Lost Tales.” Although set with the B5 characters this is more of a cerebral exercise than the series. No action of any kind is present and most of both mini-episodes are mostly dialogue between two characters. Overall I found these interesting with a sort of “Twilight Zone” feel only with the B5 cast. Skip these if you are looking for excitement. Both the video and audio on these are outstanding. My understanding is they were shot in HD and it shows. Also the CGI is updated and with a couple exceptions looks fantastic, sort of like B5 re-mastered the way the original Star Trek was. Also this is the best sounding of all shows. Came up as DTS 5.1 and sounded like it.

One major thing about these movies is that they all fail to capture the “feel” of B5 in the sense that the series was a serial with overlapping story arcs leaving a sense of wanting to know what’s going to happen next. Unlike an episodic series like Star Trek, IMO B5 doesn’t lend itself to stand alone movies that well. If you are a B5 fan then these are worth watching if only to get a small fix. OTOH, if you haven’t gotten into the series then don’t even think of wasting your time with any of these movies as they fail to capture the magic of the character driven story arcs of the B5 series.

Now on to “Crusade.”
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/26/10 02:24 PM
In the Beginning gives me chills... I don't know if it's ever adequately explained how the outer story in that one came to pass, or what happened after it.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/27/10 09:29 AM
I watched the first two episodes of “Crusade,” the spin off of Babylon 5. So far I’m unimpressed. Everything that was great about Babylon 5 is missing from this. Ok I’m only 2 episodes and I also thought that Star Trek the Next Generation sucked so bad after seeing “Encounter at Farpoint” while living in New Zealand I made no attempt to ever see the show again until I got back to the states 3 years later and fell in love with the it in the third season. Also, one reviewer at Netflix does say it doesn’t really get going until after episode 3. Still it’s hard not to judge it against B5 which this certainly aint.

First disappointment is that its 4:3 aspect ratio. Second disappointment is it seems geared toward action rather than intrigue and plot threads. The third disappointment is the characters which seem paper thin except for Galen which actually seems like a rip-off of Nicol Williamson’s Merlin from Excalibur right down to some of his first lines.

Note that according to a few Netflix reviewers and Wiki the broadcast order of the episodes don’t follow the chronological order of the timeline which can cause some incongruence. The correct viewing order is listed on the Wiki page. That they would make any sense at all out of order shows just how much this isn’t B5.

I will finish watching this out of curiosity and so I can say I did but I think I’ll be taking a break from it since I have many more interesting things to watch and there is nothing about this series compelling me back right now.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/27/10 06:12 PM
I know it's been loved to death already but I was finally able to play my BR version of the Band of Brothers last night. I started on Episode three as I recently saw 1 and 2 on TV again.

I think I have a new audio demo, for guys anyways. The gunfire from all angles almost makes you forget to watch the screen. Most impressively, even at just a reasonable volume, I really felt some of the gunshots. There was some real punch to some of those bangs. One explosion had my couch vibrating, albeit suddenly and briefly, more that than the tripod scene in War of the Worlds and again, that was at a reasonable volume level. (dbs never broke 93)

Visuals on the BR version are equally stunning.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/29/10 12:12 PM
I just watched the Blu-ray of “Sherlock Holmes.” I must admit that based on the trailers I was not expecting to like it but I was quite presently surprised.

The video quality was quite good though not the best I’ve seen. My system is very good at bringing out shadow detail but there were some scenes where the blacks just blended together in a uniform darkness. Also, a couple of times when pulling back from a close-ups. elements of the image got very grainy almost static like.

OTOH, major kudos for the 1.85:1 transfer as more people have gotten 16:9 HDTV displays I think the studios are getting the message. I loved the look of Victorian London especially all the detail in both the interior and exterior shots. Some might complain that it was mostly without colour but thought the various hues of the colours used created quite a rich palette. Except for the minor complaints above, the overall picture was very sharp.

The audio quality was also excellent but not outstanding. While my whole system got a nice workout the audio presentation did seem a little forced at times. There was quite a but of deep LFE evidenced by my Buttkicker getting called into action quite often. However, the low LFE wasn’t so much tied to on screen actions as much as musical or just mood setting which it did quite well. Lots of surround action from street noises to people walking around you inside of rooms. Quite a bit of directional effects were also present. There were also several times where voices and other sounds panned around the room for dramatic effect which I also though worked quite well. One of the scenes with gunfire at 221 B had me ducking for cover with the actors on the screen. Oh yeah the dialogue was also mixed in very nicely.

Like I said above I was quite surprised at how much I liked this movie. I’ve been so disappointed by the crap coming out of Hollywood the last few years I almost dread putting the movies in my queue. I doubly dread modern remakes of classics as they try to make them contemporary and dumbed down for an un/under-educated U.S. audience. However, I was quite pleased with the steampunk atmosphere of this remake. The style is what I wish they would have done with “The Wild Wild West.”

I liked all the performances even though Downey’s and Law’s characterizations are very non-standard, however they are believable do to their chemistry. I love the fact there were no cases I noticed of characters having to behave stupidly to further the plot. Instead everyone just keeps out smarting one another. At first I wasn’t sure I would like the “replay action” for lack of a better term but it wasn’t overused and in most cases I thought it worked quite well to tell the story from a different perspective than just seen.

Ok this movie isn’t perfect but it’s entertaining, entertaining enough that I know I would enjoy watching it several times. Since my sole purpose of watch movies is to be entertained I totally recommend seeing this movie.
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/29/10 03:27 PM
Watched Ninja Assassin last night. Killer sound effects for sure. Unfortunately I couldn't crank it up as loud as I wanted because the wife was home...

Visuals were great too (if you like blood and guts), and the story wasn't bad.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/30/10 11:32 PM
1979 movie "Hair".
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/01/10 09:10 AM
Apocalypto

I still really like this movie... and I really like my sound system. Watching movies is so much more fun than it used to be. Thanks to both Axiom and my very own skewed priorities. What a team. I don't know why, but I was just really happy hearing what my system is capable of tonight. I've sort of been taking it for granted, but tonight it's like I was listening with fresh ears.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/01/10 12:46 PM
I have seven or eight episodes of The Pacific on my TiVo, but I'm not hearing much mention of it anywhere except for the initial excitement when it first was about to be broadcast.

Delete or watch? \:\)
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/01/10 02:51 PM
Seems like there's not to much buzz about the series like there was a month ago. Might as well check them out though, it sounds like a good series.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/01/10 03:01 PM
Yeah, I'd like to hear from the ones who have been watching it. What's the scoop?


Mark, did you ever watch the first series?
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/01/10 03:04 PM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
Mark, did you ever watch the first series?


::Sheepishly kicks a few pebbles with the toe of his shoe::

Ummm, no, not yet. \:\(
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/01/10 03:44 PM
DUDE!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/01/10 03:46 PM
Yeah, what did those pebbles ever do to him?
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/01/10 04:03 PM
Disney's The Princess and the Frog on blu-ray with Mrs. Medic8r, Medic8r Jr, and our 10 yo cousin who's visiting from New Mexico. I enjoyed the story and visuals. It was better than Disney's most recent non-Pixar films, almost as good as the early 1990s standouts.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/01/10 04:06 PM
I saw that in the theaters and liked it. Glad to see them return to the hand drawn animation.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/01/10 04:17 PM
Did you see it in the theater where you and I saw Star Trek? I like to refer to that as "our" theater.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/01/10 04:36 PM
No, we went to another one. Wanted to keep "our" theater as pure as possible.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/01/10 04:47 PM
Sweet.

Why do you have a David Spade South Park avatar?
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/01/10 04:48 PM
Just to throw you off.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/01/10 04:56 PM
And why does your Moose allege that there's nothing up his sleeve?

Man, you're complicated.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/01/10 04:57 PM
Cuz it's the other sleeve you gotta worry about. \:\)
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/01/10 05:10 PM
One of these days, he's going to say "Presto!" and then we'll know.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/01/10 05:12 PM
"Pesto!"


Oops, now it smells like garlic.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/01/10 10:08 PM
I finally got around to watching my Toy Story 2 Blu-ray. Lots of good subwoofer moments. I like when Woody is on the sleeping Al trying to retrieve his arm, among others.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/02/10 07:14 AM
I'm not watching it tonight, but I just wanted to say I'm excited to watch Saving Private Ryan on Blu-ray this coming week. It will be my first time watching the movie at all, actually. I know, I know, where have I been?

As for what I'm actually watching, I'm still working on Buffy the Vampire Slayer that Mark convinced me to try. I'm on the third season. The series did have me worried, but the writing has certainly gotten more engaging over time. Certain things still bug me about the show, but it's getting easier to overlook them and focus on the stronger aspects.

The bad:
  • The overwhelming majority of the bad guys are two-dimensional throwaway characters. Spike has some depth (which I hope keeps developing), but I still wouldn't go so far as to say he's a standout compared to other great characters in fiction.
  • The fight scenes. They're boring to watch. I think they're supposed to inject energy into the show, but they're simply not done well. This kind of goes hand-in-hand with the uninteresting bad guys. If there was any emotional weight to the encounters, the bad choreography could be saved, but they're mostly just there to show Buffy being a vampire slayer, lest the audience forget.
  • Buffy and Angel. Their dynamic doesn't do a whole lot for me. Occasionally some sort of sympathy will stir inside me, but for the most part I find it hard to relate to their love story.
The good:
  • The supporting characters. Mark, you're right about the character interaction making the show. The writing has improved a lot in this regard, and I find myself liking Xander, Willow, and even Cordelia sometimes. Giles has his moments, too. Without a doubt, the way these characters deal with each other is the most engaging part of the show.
Hmm, I'm having trouble thinking of more to say. I know I had some other points to make, but for now they've drifted into the murky depths. I suppose the main point is that despite my distaste for Joss Whedon, I do find there's enough to enjoy in the series to continue watching. Oh, I'll still hang my head in shame for watching it, don't get me wrong, but I'll at least acknowledge that there's something there to appreciate. Ha ha.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/02/10 07:21 AM
I agree on the monster of the week theme, even thought there are story arcs. But for me it was also the character interaction that kept me coming back. Angel was my least favorite main character of the show while Spike over time became my favorite.
Posted By: spiffnme Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/02/10 07:32 AM
Yes, Spike becomes one of the very best characters on the show. I preferred Angel on his own show.
Posted By: spiffnme Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/02/10 07:33 AM
Yes, Spike becomes one of the very best characters on the show. I preferred Angel on his own show.
Posted By: spiffnme Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/02/10 07:37 AM
ooops.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/02/10 07:39 AM
Me too, Angel is a much better character on his show, so much so that I actually bought the series. I’ve seen most of it but I know I’ve missed some episodes unlike Buffy most of which I’ve seen 5 or more times. Toward the end of Angel I even thought Spike started to steal the show there too.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/02/10 11:47 AM
Without giving anything away, Charles, I'll just say that there's much more of what you like and less of what you don't like coming in future episodes. Season four, for me, is when it starts to get flat-out great, without even a few of the "campy" episodes that filled season one and were sprinkled through season 2.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/02/10 03:14 PM
Well, Spike is just plain a really fun character, at least once the writers get him going. Be warned, this is Joss Whedon, though... don't get too attached to anyone. Bastard.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/10 05:57 AM
Just watched the Blu-ray of Star Trek Nemesis. I watched it again because it was the best rated of the Next Gen movies for video and audio quality by Blu-ray.com. In both those respects it doesn’t disappoint. OTOH the second time through it was really uninteresting.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/10 05:58 AM
But... but... the movie completely blows! I was so disappointed when I saw it. I mean, Insurrection was better.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/10 08:22 AM
Just watched The Powerpuff Girls Movie. This is soooo better than Star Trek Nemesis. Actually movie is a bit of a misnomer as it really plays like an extended version of a normal episode. Unfortunately like many 30 minute TV spots extended out it’s not as tight and contains some filler. Also for some reason Netfilx only has the 1.33:1 transfer and not the 1.85:1 though they list that they do. OTOH the 5.1 soundtrack was pretty good with audio effects zipping all around the room. One thing I’ve noticed about a lot of cartoons is that they often have better surround sound than most movies.

If you’re not a PPG fan, what’s wrong with you? These girls kick butt. In the opening sequence alone they nearly lay waste to Townsville playing tag with each other and things pretty much go downhill for the people of Townsville after that. Of course they eventually save the day. The movie also makes fun of several other movies like the original Planet of the Apes and King Kong.

The animation style for PPG is a combination of 50’s Hanna Barbara and Japanese Anime. It’s nothing special but for what it’s doing it works. It’s a shame this show was on Cartoon Network since if it had been on broadcast TV I’m sure it’s popularity would have gone through the roof.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/10 08:24 AM
 Originally Posted By: kcarlile
But... but... the movie completely blows! I was so disappointed when I saw it. I mean, Insurrection was better.


Yeah the second time through I was hitting the FF button a lot to skip to the “action” scenes. The first time it was marginally better because it was new but it sure didn’t stand up to a second viewing.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/10 09:06 AM
I like the Powerpuff Girls. I didn't actually watch many episodes, but I liked the ones I saw. I should really try to see more sometime. Thanks for reminding me they exist.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/10 04:54 PM
Well, I can tell you what I'm not watching anymore.
Stargate Universe

As a big fan of the other Stargate series's, I left this one on my PVR hoping it would stop being boring. Not happening, it seems. I know they are trying to ride on the success of Battlestar Galactica that manged to inject real weekly drama into the science fiction genre but they are failing badly. The show is about 93% desperately trying to build characterization, leaving only about 7 percent for actual story progression. The ratio just isn't working.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/10 05:34 PM
Thanks for the review. I’ve been thinking about what to use as my SciFi fix since just finishing B5 looks like I’ll be putting SGU off a little longer.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/06/10 07:09 AM
Ha ha, I love when Jack Hanna is on Letterman. Why doesn't he know anything about animals?!
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/06/10 04:05 PM
I have to again recommend the FX series "Justified". Really good writing, really good vibe.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/06/10 09:13 PM
Well, if Tom's recommending stuff again, I'm going to recommend Dead Like Me again. For all your snark needs!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/07/10 06:05 AM
Street Fighter: Legacy (YouTube)

It looks kind of cool, but of course all it does is make you want more.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/07/10 01:24 PM
Caught up with some current sitcoms (TiVo) last night:

Modern Family
Cougar Town
The Office

Got too tired to watch Community, but I'm looking forward to this episode - the characters get into paintball, and it looks like the episode is filmed in the style of a gangster movie.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/07/10 02:58 PM
I'm liking Modern Family... it's become one of our favorites...
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/07/10 03:18 PM
Yesterday I bought and listened to the blu-ray Certifiable, Live from Buenas Aires, by the Police.

It had really good sounding high end, as heard via my on-wall M22's, but the bass seemed to be really lacking, even with these speakers. Just wondering what the bass sounds like with a sub.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/07/10 05:20 PM
 Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
I'm liking Modern Family... it's become one of our favorites...

I'm thinking they have a real chance to unseat 30 Rock and get the Emmy for best comedy. Modern Family is just about perfect.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/07/10 08:33 PM
30 Rock really is pretty freakin' funny, too...

Actually, those two sitcoms are the only ones I watch.... (oops, I lied... I watch Big Bang too).
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/07/10 08:53 PM
No 2 1/2 Men?
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/07/10 08:54 PM
Never got into it. Though there's a number of good looking women sprinkled throughout, I'll give it that.

Edit:
Plus, many of the characters are jerks to each other. That started turning me off to most sitcoms 10 years ago.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/07/10 08:55 PM
Hey, the 2000th post of the thread!
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/07/10 08:56 PM
Ryan Stiles has a new comedy out in Canada called "Memory Lanes", I caught the first episode the other night, it was quite funny.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/08/10 09:22 PM
I'm half-way through Saving Private Ryan on Blu-ray. The audio is definitely a lot of fun. Explosions and gunfire all around is entertainment. As long as it's in the context of a movie, that is. Here's hoping I never have to experience the real thing.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/08/10 09:28 PM
Nice segue, Charles.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/08/10 10:41 PM
\:\)

I finished it. Good movie. I would certainly put it up there as far as having showcase audio.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/08/10 10:46 PM
They should make a comedy movie..."Saving Private Ryan Stiles".
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/10/10 12:42 AM
I watched Kill Bill: Volume 2 with my mother. Appropriate for Mother's Day, right? It made me want to snatch out her eyeball.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/13/10 01:22 AM
 Originally Posted By: CatBrat
Yesterday I bought and listened to the blu-ray Certifiable, Live from Buenas Aires, by the Police.

It had really good sounding high end, as heard via my on-wall M22's, but the bass seemed to be really lacking, even with these speakers. Just wondering what the bass sounds like with a sub.


I decided to give this concert another go. The reason the bass was missing is because I was listening to it in 5.1 without a subwoofer. Once I switched the audio mode to 2.0 stereo on the blu-ray, the bass is there.

Scheesh.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/15/10 02:09 AM
This scene scarred my childhood, so naturally my sister had to forward this link to a post about it. I still cringe at the source material, but I was happy to see The Lonely Island's story about Dude-atude.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/15/10 02:19 AM
I just watched the final colapse of the Bruins...up 3 games to none, Philly wins the next three games to tie the series. Boston has a 3-0 lead in the 7th game and loses 4-3.
Posted By: Anonymous Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/15/10 03:01 AM
WOW, unbelievable playoffs this year!
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/16/10 05:56 AM
Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead

This is one of the 2009 specials. Not the greatest story, but some fantastic one-liners and toss-offs. Highly recommended (well, if you're a Who fan), even though the music at the end is pretty cheesy.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/18/10 05:17 AM
I'm up to season six of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Overall, I'm enjoying the series. I still have trouble fully embracing it. There are still parts that annoy me, but it's keeping my interest, and I can understand why people like it. There are some genuinely creative ideas and twists, but it seems like there's always some other way that it drops the ball. Anyway, I'm still glad I've been watching it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/18/10 08:22 AM
I noticed the first couple episodes of seasons 4 of Friday Night Lights were up for download on Zune Marketplace, and I couldn't resist. It's going to be torture waiting for the rest of the episodes.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/20/10 04:06 AM
DirecTV channel 101 has a 1-hour excerpt from the Rush "Snakes and Arrows" tour. Great production, amazing performances. Just. Freaking. Awesome.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/10 03:27 AM
Just got done watching “Nim’s Island” on Blu-ray. Basically a very average movie geared toward kids but acceptable enough for grownups who aren’t to jaded.

Where this movie shines is in it’s video quality. This ranks up with the best quality video I have ever seen. There is just nothing it doesn’t do right from a video standpoint. An added bonus is that the audio quality isn’t to shabby either. In both cases the movie isn’t something that creates a new world experience like “Avatar” but it relates a real world experience as good as an other movie available. If you’ve ever been on a Pacific island you will feel right at home watching this movie.

The story is very average with nothing too exciting or challenging but the overall presentation moves along quite briskly and before you know it the story though quite predictable is over w/o any wasted time.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/10 03:50 AM
Please tell me you had a kid over and that's why you were watching it.


On second, thought, I hope you didn't have a kid over.



\:\)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/10 04:34 AM
Ha ha. I'm just surprised he didn't wait to watch it with Sean!
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/10 05:14 AM
Shh!!

(I don't want to watch that one!)
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/10 05:25 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Ha ha. I'm just surprised he didn't wait to watch it with Sean!


I’m holding off on “Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century” for Sean’s next visit.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/10 05:28 AM
Commences Google search. . .
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/10 05:29 AM
Wow, that's quite the box art.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/10 05:34 AM
I just poked my eyes out.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/10 05:35 AM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
I just poked my eyes out.


With your double erection?

Wait, I'm not Micah. Why am I saying these things?
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/10 05:37 AM
Maybe you are channeling him?



Now, if you'll excuse me, I have another lucrative career to explore. . .
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/10 05:39 AM
No joke I have that movie DVR’d since it’s not out on DVD only VHS.

What? I‘ve already admitted to being a Disney movie fanboy. ;\)
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/10 05:43 AM
It's okay. I have a copy of Ice Pirates on DVD that looks like it was filmed from a VHS tape on an old CRT tv.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/10 05:43 AM
 Originally Posted By: grunt
What? I‘ve already admitted to being a Disney movie fanboy. ;\)


Well, if it isn't the Dean of admissions again. I'm still tempted to watch the Tinkerbell movies based on your reviews. I can't quite get there yet.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/10 05:46 AM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
It's okay. I have a copy of Ice Pirates on DVD that looks like it was filmed from a VHS tape on an old CRT tv.


I was just thinking about that movie the other day. I'm scared to watch it again.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/10 05:47 AM
So. . .you admit to seeing it once, huh?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/10 05:52 AM
Oh, I watched it a handful of times growing up. I remember my dad liked it a lot. He liked a lot of bad movies.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/10 05:56 AM
So bad they are good.


Yeah, I watched it a bunch as a kid too. I don't think I had developed any kind of taste when I was a kid. I watched anything.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/10 05:58 AM
 Originally Posted By: grunt

What? I‘ve already admitted to being a Disney movie fanboy. ;\)


I like Disney movies, too. I was glad to see a return to hand drawn animation with The Princess and the Frog. Saw it in the theater!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/10 05:59 AM
Same here. I still exercise bad taste, but usually it's for the sake of good audio. Speaking of which, I still have to watch my copy of U-571. I watched the depth charge scene, and that's all.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/10 06:02 AM
If you drop the movie in the toilet you get a gross approximation of a depth charge?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/10 07:10 AM
Close-Up Magic Week on the Late Show has been entertaining. I wish I could believe the magicians weren't performing real magic, but unfortunately I'm simple-minded and can only see their direct link with Satan.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/10 11:37 PM
I just watched the Blu-ray of “A Bug’s Life.” Surprisingly I had hadn’t seen it yet. Equally surprising it just never got out of the chalks for me.

First off the video quality was superb. Colours are vivid and the look is sharp and clear though it’s seems quite dated compared to something like the new Tinker Bell movies.

The audio quality was also outstanding. Everything was crystal clear with pretty good LFE and excellent discrete surround effects. It defaulted to DTS-ES for playback which I later read was because it was matrixed 6.1. I tried several other surround modes including DSX and PLIIz but found the DTS-ES sounded the best. The other surround modes lost some of the surround effects sounding front heavy.

Overall the movie just sort of fell flat for me. Typically I would really like this sort of movie. It even got 91% on the Tomatometer (95% from the pro critics). I think it was the voice of the main character that did it in for me. There was just nothing there making me want to cheer for him. OTOH many of the supporting characters were enjoyable making the movie passable for me but overall I despite being about a 90 minute movie it seemed more like 2 hours. Worth watching but I can’t see wanting to revisit it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/23/10 12:42 AM
Knowing

I can see why it got mixed reviews. Personally, I thought it was poorly conceived and poorly executed. Consider me not a fan of Alex Proyas.

As for A Bug's Life, I liked it back in the day, but I still haven't watched more than a couple scenes from my Blu-ray copy of it. I also didn't have a problem with Dave Foley's voice. Of course, I already liked Dave Foley. I would agree that the movie seems longer than it is, though.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/23/10 03:18 AM
Just watched the Blu-ray of “Inglourious Bastards.”

This is a great movie visually. Colours seem very natural and blacks are quite deep which helps bring out the contrast quite well. Despite being a “war movie” there are a wide range of colours especially in the variety of Nazi uniforms depicted.

The audio quality is also great. Gunfire, though limited, is very sharp. The surround channels don’t call attention to themselves but add nicely to the ambience of the various scenes.

This is a movie I both love and hate. When it’s working it’s great like in the opening scene but when it’s not working the scenes drag out becoming tedious. Sadly some scenes, had another director made them, might have worked better for me because of their ending twist, but come up short here since the “payoff” is predictable Tarantino. Even some of those scenes would have been worth the “payoff” had they just been shorter.

The movie does have two saving graces for me. The surprise one is subtitles. I hate reading subtitles but here they are on the screen more than long enough. So long in fact that they often allowed me to fast forward through some of the tedious dialogue while still being able to read them. The other real pleasure is the performance of Chistoph Waltz. Were it not for his portrayal of Colonel Hans Landa I would be saying how much I hated wasting my time on this movie.

Time and schizophrenia are IMO the movies two biggest problems. Many of the scenes drag out way to long loosing their dramatic effect. Also the multifaceted story line just doesn’t weave together for me the way it does in “Pulp Fiction.” This would have worked much better for me if it had been made into two movies instead of one. This is a movie I would love to watch again but only if I could edit it down to my own taste. Worth watching once IMO but no repeat value here.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/23/10 03:28 AM
Invictus

Enjoyable enough movie. Clint Eastwood does a solid job, as usual. I like the texture and color of the film. There are even some decent bass moments involving planes and some slow-motion rugby sequences.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/23/10 03:29 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
Knowing

I can see why it got mixed reviews. Personally, I thought it was poorly conceived and poorly executed. Consider me not a fan of Alex Proyas.

As for A Bug's Life, I liked it back in the day, but I still haven't watched more than a couple scenes from my Blu-ray copy of it. I also didn't have a problem with Dave Foley's voice. Of course, I already liked Dave Foley. I would agree that the movie seems longer than it is, though.


I don’t mind Dave Foley and I guess his portrayal, trying to be that of an “average” ant, is in line with the story but I just wasn’t inspired to really care about his character that much based on the voice acting. OTOH I loved Kevin Spacey’s voice acting. Heck I even like Hayden Panetiere as Dot more than Foley and I think she wasn’t even 10.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/23/10 03:31 AM
I enjoyed the movie immensely, but agree it did drag in places. It more than made up for the tedium with some truly engaging scenes and excellent performances. While I normally cannot stand Brad Pitt, I liked his acting in this, and, yes, Christoph Waltz stole the movie.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/23/10 03:33 AM
I didn't realize that was her. I think I remember Bonnie Hunt being my favorite voice, but I don't remember why.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/23/10 03:36 AM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
While I normally cannot stand Brad Pitt, I liked his acting in this, and, yes, Christoph Waltz stole the movie.


I have to throw in my agreement about Christoph Waltz. He deserved the accolades. Brad Pitt I didn't find all that impressive for the most part, but I did like his negotiation with the Nazi in the bar.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/23/10 03:40 AM
 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
I enjoyed the movie immensely, but agree it did drag in places. It more than made up for the tedium with some truly engaging scenes and excellent performances. While I normally cannot stand Brad Pitt, I liked his acting in this, and, yes, Christoph Waltz stole the movie.


I agree about Pitt of whom I’m not a big fan but he was good for this role. Actually, all the characters were well cast I just felt Tarantino was a bit to self indulgent with his own direction. A little channeling of George Lucas “Faster, more intense” might not have been a bad thing here in places.

In many ways Waltz’s scenes are somewhat reminiscent of “Death Note” but with the actors facial expressions conveying extra meaning rather than a voiceover personal monologue to clue you in on what the characters are thinking.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/23/10 06:04 AM
I just watched Lovely Bones and really enjoyed it, despite the fact that it really stressed me out during a few scenes. It was directed by Peter Jackson and had a talented young actress in the lead role. Highly recommended if you like the edge of your seat.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/10 03:00 AM
I got my mom hooked on the current season of Friday Night Lights. She might like it enough to watch the previous seasons.

I like the show a lot, but it also kind of makes me sad. I still find it very engaging, but it's going to be hard for it to ever match its first season simply because they have to get it all done with a lot fewer episodes. The first season had 22 episodes to tell its story. The second season got cut short by the writers strike, so it stopped at 15. The third season was scaled back to 13 episodes, and same thing with the fourth season. That's still a lot more time than a movie has to tell its story, but I still liked the pacing of the first season. It didn't get bogged down by having more episodes. It simply fleshed things out more. Still, I think they're doing some remarkable writing with only 13 episodes in a season.

Anyway, now I'll stop plugging the show for a while. I still have more Buffy to watch. I haven't been as impressed with the sixth season, so I'm hoping it picks up the pieces a bit.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/10 03:36 AM
I just watched the first half of the first season of Melrose Place meets Lost meets BSG meets . . . meets . . . meets . . . , but I swore the mailers said “Stargate Universe.” A better title might have been “Plagiarized Universe” or PU.

I’m not sure what the target audience is for this show but I get the feeling they went to the mall and set up a marketing research booth outside of Hot Topic and ended up with a show geared toward something akin to an emo. Don’t get me wrong I like a little drama with my scifi, a big reason I’ve been switching to anime, but they’ve left a couple important parts of the genre out. Most notably the “sci” and the “fi” bits which when present seem to just be vehicles for the wait for it. . . drama.

First off this does not deserve to have the name Stargate in it’s title. Atlantis IMO barely did but not this one. SG1 worked for me more than anything because of the chemistry between the characters which seemed to be present from the first episode. So far about 10 or so episodes in, including the pilot, and there are no characters to speak of save the Dr. Smith (I mean Rush) who can have any chemistry together.

Don’t get me wrong and assume that there is not character building. Quite the opposite, the viewer is beaten in the face with it in several overly contrived ways. Unfortunately like most things that beat us in the face we just don’t appreciate them so much.

Also, where Caprica and to some extent BSG pissed me off by having to many separate story arcs this one has none yet except for the voyger-lost-in-space-1999-time-tunnel one. Oh there are hints but nothing so far to indicate anything interesting coming up.

Where in SG1 the sexual tension between Carter and O’Neill could always provide something to a story here it’s more about not having any unrelieved “tension.” I guess having everyone sleeping around provides for more drama. Might be a nice change if we actually got to see anything but I saw as much skin in the original BSG.

We’ve also been entertained by a couple of musical interludes. The music sucked!

The worst thing about this whole enterprise is that it could have had a lot of promise but just seems to want to get everything possible wrong. I haven’t seen all of the newer shows on the SciFi channel and of those I have seen the only one I really liked was the first season of “Eureka,” but SGU has made me curious enough to try to get a hold of some of the other shows like “Warehouse 13” to see if everything being made by the Scifi channel is now mindless crap.

Now I need to find something good to watch like a rerun of “Wormhole Extreme.” ;\)
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/10 03:40 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV

Anyway, now I'll stop plugging the show for a while. I still have more Buffy to watch. I haven't been as impressed with the sixth season, so I'm hoping it picks up the pieces a bit.


Hope you like the latter half more than I did. Buffy went steadily down hill for me after the 4th season.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/10 03:43 AM
My nephew likes Eureka, but I don't know anything about it. My sister said I probably wouldn't like it, and she can usually anticipate that sort of thing.

I know one of my coworkers mentioned liking Stargate Universe. I don't think I'm really down with his tastes, though. Science fiction shows haven't done a lot for me, historically, excepting Red Dwarf. Considering I couldn't really get into the first season of Battlestar Galactica, it may be a while before I dip my toes into those waters again, even with my sister urging me to give Doctor Who a chance. We'll see.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/10 03:52 AM
 Originally Posted By: grunt
Hope you like the latter half more than I did. Buffy went steadily down hill for me after the 4th season.


Aww, that's too bad. Yeah, I liked the 3rd and 4th seasons more than the others so far. Xander hasn't been as fun. I like Anya, probably more than Cordelia, but somehow I still kind of miss Cordelia, as shallow of a character as she is. I haven't really liked how Willow's character has changed, either. While I agree that the strongest part of the show so far has been the character interaction, I am finding a lot of it forced and unsatisfying.

Mark, don't take my comments too hard. I still don't regret watching the show.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/10 04:00 AM
I really liked the first season of Eureka. Starting with the Pilot movie the main characters were hitting on all cylinders. IMO the second season lost a step, but didn’t seem irrecoverable but then I lost track of it going into the third season when they started making character changes which I didn’t suspect I would like. I do have through season 3.0 so I might give it a watch here soon. Give the pilot a shot if you get the chance. If it doesn’t strike a cord with you then you won’t like the series.

I really liked the first season of the new Dr. Who but didn’t like the switch from Christopher Eccleston to David Tennant. Stuck with it but then they dumped Rose who’s character had kept me watching. I only stuck around for one more season because Freema Agyeman (Martha Jones) is smoking hot. So when she left I bailed the series for now. May watch it on DVD later down the road but I just didn’t see it worth keeping up with any longer.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/10 04:08 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV

Aww, that's too bad. Yeah, I liked the 3rd and 4th seasons more than the others so far. Xander hasn't been as fun. I like Anya, probably more than Cordelia, but somehow I still kind of miss Cordelia, as shallow of a character as she is. I haven't really liked how Willow's character has changed, either. While I agree that the strongest part of the show so far has been the character interaction, I am finding a lot of it forced and unsatisfying.


Anya is a more “fun” character then Cordelia but IMO Cordelia’s very shallowness is her strength. She actually get some of the most witty snarky and most memorable lines in the show. If you want to see the Cordelia character fleshed out more watch “Angel.” She was the main reason I kept watching that show until it grew on me.

I agree I don’t like the direction of Willow’s character nor that of Buffy for that matter. I think the change happened for me when they went from dealing with “school issues” to more complex real world issues in the characters lives.
I just wasted my life watching Lost. What a waste. That show ended crappily.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/10 08:52 AM
 Originally Posted By: oldskoolboarder
I just wasted my life watching Lost. What a waste. That show ended crappily.



Another validation for never watching it. \:\)
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/10 01:27 PM
I like Eureka. I've been watching it as it comes out on Netflix.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/10 08:10 PM
That’s what I’ve started doing. I watched all but one episode of season 3.0 last night. Seems to have gotten back on track with the way I liked it. Also, IMO it’s always more fun to watch a show multiple episodes at a time. It makes it easier to get into the characters and story.

Now I’ve got to wait for season 3.5 to become available at Netflix since it’s still in my save queue.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/10 08:37 PM
Will be watching the finale of "24" tonight. Jack's been taking a lot of numbers lately....
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/25/10 06:00 AM
Law & Order

So that was really the final episode of the series? I'm sad to see the show go. I never thought any of the spin-offs stood up to the original.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/25/10 10:32 AM
Wuzzat, hunh?
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/25/10 12:55 PM
Pure Pwnage
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/26/10 06:46 AM
Ha ha, I love how much Letterman hates Jay Leno.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/27/10 08:31 AM
Appleseed on Blu-ray. Okay, I didn't watch it all, but rather just a couple of scenes to see how the transfer is. The added detail is worthwhile, though it also makes it that much more apparent how the animation simply can't compete with the current state of CG. The audio is as impressive as ever. My first impression is that it's clearer than the DVD, but take my off-the-cuff impression with a grain of salt. Anyway, even if it's not lossless audio, it's still demo-worthy, just like the DVD was.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/27/10 10:51 AM
Thanks for posting your impressions. I’ve been waiting for Blu-ray.com to review it before deciding on buying it. I’m quite happy with the quality of the DVD even on the big screen but keep wondering.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/27/10 10:23 PM


"? ?P9[099999999999990OKIJK/.………………


--my daughter
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/27/10 10:25 PM
She types better than I do.... \:\)
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/27/10 10:30 PM
Holy Moly! that's the secret code the Deaf Monk Brotherhood uses when they have their annual meetings in Hoboken! err....that's what I heard....
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/27/10 10:45 PM
The M80 owners can use our decoder rings to figure it out.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/28/10 09:02 AM
Just watched/listened to rips of Within Temptation’s “Black Symphony” and Nightwish’s “End of an Era.”

“Black Symphony” was a BD-rip at 720p DTS96.

The video showed a lot of compression/conversion artifacts from the 1080i original but still gave a taste of the quality of the video presentation. Colours when present (there’s a lot of use of de-saturation for effect) are mostly fantastic. Most of the shots are crystal clear but not in the artificial hyper real soap-opera way. Note this is not the actual Blu-ray presentation which must absolutely superb. The only issue I have with the PQ is the shift in clarity depending on which camera is showing.

The audio quality is exceptional. The mixing of the audio is as good as it gets. I don’t think I’ve heard a better live concert mix. The crowd noise is mostly mixed into the surrounds so it sounds like you are in a real concert. The one issue I have is with the vocals which on occasion are not very intelligible. It’s not the mixing level but there are many times I can’t make out what she is saying.

As for the overall presentation I do have a couple quibbles. One is the use of de-saturating the colours when used on the stage performers and not just the audience. Used on the audience it does have a nice effect of highlighting the stage performance. But when used on the performers I just found it annoying. I also got very annoyed at points with the editing. I timed the cuts and they often were every 1 to 4 seconds even during slow passages. While this worked ok for the fast passages I found it just plain irritating during the slow ones.

From a PQ and SQ standpoint this is by far one of if not the best concert video I’ve ever watched/heard and it’s not even the original Blu-ray. The audio places you right in the venue. The video quality on the 134” screen is breathtaking. Sadly IMO it most of the lifelike eye candy which could complete the package making you feel like your in a live concert is lost in haphazard editing. Demo worthy but just misses hitting it out of the park for me.

“End of and Era” was a Xvid (MPEG4) AC-3 standard DVD rip.

The PQ was nothing like the BD above no comparison. Hard to comment on it since the PQ issues could easily have been do to the rip and not the source.

The audio quality wasn’t nearly as dynamic as the BD above but sounded quite well mixed. Most notably the vocals were much more articulate throughout.

I much preferred the editing of this concert. The cuts flowed with the music both in timing and what was being portrayed actually enhancing the performance rather than distracting from it like the BD above. Also fading was used to soften some cuts while adding variety, and overlays of two shots were used to highlight things like the vocalist and dominant instrument at the same time. I also preferred the song selection on this video.

Based on what I’ve seen I plan on getting both of these performances. The “Black Symphony” BD will make an outstanding concert demo taking the place of my “Jethro Tull: Live at Montreux 2003.” However, based on the way it was edited I don’t think I would want to watch this all the way through very often. OTOH the “End of and Era” DVD I could watch over and over again w/o and fatigue since the editing is just so much smother.

IMO, my 2 cents YMMV . . . .
Posted By: FireGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/29/10 02:02 AM
Nice take on both. I agree the audio on Black Symphony DTS 24/96 is exceptional. It's still my DVD audio reference to date. Video editing continues IMO to be, I suppose, "toublesome". It's as if the engineers have to, I don't know... engineer. Give these people four weeks, massive amounts to audio/video techie stuff and they go balistic. Best production edit I've seen is Alison Krauss + U.S. 2002 live in Louisville Palace.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/29/10 02:37 AM
Thanks for mentioning them. Both are well worth getting if you like the genre or “Black Symphony” if someone just wants a reference concert for demos.
Posted By: FireGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/29/10 02:47 AM
I'm still in awe of Tarja's performance in "End of an Era. Kinda wish I found found her years ago.

http://www.gothtronic.com/?page=23&livereviews=415
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/10 05:00 AM
Iron Man 2

I liked the first one all right, though it didn't do as much for me on subsequent viewings. I wanted to see this sequel, but not really enough to make special plans to see it at the theater. I got to go out and be with friends tonight, though, and it's what the group decided on. Unfortunately, we saw it at the theater that I didn't have discount tickets to. Those weirdos.

The action was amped up, as you'd expect. Despite that, it still seemed to drag a bit in parts, like the first one did. And we didn't stick around to see whatever little thing happens after the credits, so I guess that will be a mystery to me until it comes out on disc.

Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood to watch it. My friend actually fell asleep for around 10 minutes. Not the strongest recommendation, but the other movie options didn't seem any better. I think the movie will be more fun on my home system, anyway, since the audio will no doubt be better.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/10 08:30 AM
Enjoyed some Cake music videos on YouTube since they came up in conversation today, then watched a live clip of Hello Saferide's "2006."
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/31/10 10:42 AM
I just finished Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I liked the series more than I thought I would, so thanks to Mark for convincing me to try it. Even if I had problems with certain aspects of it, there were also plenty of examples of inventive and thoughtful writing.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/01/10 07:57 AM
Wow! Sure seems like you got through all 7 seasons pretty quick. I remember starting to loose interest after season 4 and by season 7 is was just pretty much hanging on to see how it ended. I kind of wish it had been cancelled after season 4 and then Whedon had gotten the money to do a movie to tie it all together like “Firefly” which I thought he did and excellent job on with “Serenity.”

Anything in particular you really liked or disliked about the show. I liked the “funny” episodes and parts of the writing the best. I least cared for the real life stuff after she gets out of school. I think my favorite story arc is when she is first attending university. The show seem to really be taking off at that point despite just ending a major story arc.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/01/10 08:31 AM
I would agree that the funny stuff did the most for me. I liked some of the drama, but when it got too heavy I would wish the show would stop taking itself so seriously. It would make me picture Joss Whedon and the other writers sitting around a table congratulating each other on how fearless their writing was. Like I said, I liked some of the drama, but I guess it wasn't always at the right ratio for me, personally.

I just started watching Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood on Blu-ray. I'm hoping that the pacing gets better after it gets out of familiar territory. Right now it doesn't seem to build and transition with any grace. I do like how clean and pretty the picture is on Blu-ray, though. Anime on Blu-ray can be very beautiful.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/01/10 09:22 AM
Dean, I thought you had posted once that you watched the series through 5 or 7 times?
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/01/10 09:32 AM
 Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
Dean, I thought you had posted once that you watched the series through 5 or 7 times?


I’ve seen the first four seasons at least that many times. Maybe twice through season 5 and only once for seasons 6-7 possibly with a few missed episodes.
Posted By: Glitchy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/01/10 11:26 PM
I watched Kellys Heros this weekend on HDNEt in honor of Dean!

Enjoyed it much!
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/02/10 06:55 AM
 Originally Posted By: wordgasm
I watched Kellys Heros this weekend on HDNEt in honor of Dean!

Enjoyed it much!


How did it look in HD? I’ve yet to see it that way. Amazon sells a combo of “Kelly’s Heroes” and “Where Eagles Dare” both of which I like but I haven’t seen a “Blu-ray” review to see if it’s worth the upgrade since I already have the standard def versions. I’ve already found that a lot of my favorite older movies are not worth the upgrade either in PQ or SQ so I usually won’t buy unless Blu-ray.com or someone else’s opinion I trust recommends it.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/02/10 04:02 PM
Just received Firefly in blu-ray today. Sister in hospital so it may be a couple of days before I can watch this. Want to compare DVD to BR just to see if I can tell any difference with a 37 inch screen.
Posted By: Glitchy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/03/10 01:44 AM
I thought great! but I have no call on video/audio quality .. I am easily entertained ... on that note .. I'll never put another DVD into the library again.. I love the enhanced video of HD and bitstreaming audio as available

I watched these over cable so not Bluray!
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/03/10 05:05 AM
Good point. The HD cable and Blu-ray versions are probably not comparable. I managed to resist putting it into my Amazon order today so let me see how much longer I can hold out.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/03/10 07:17 AM
Watching some Aqua Teen Hunger Force tonight in honor of Sean.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/03/10 06:29 PM
Anybody watch the tv series "Twin Peaks"? I start season one next week.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/03/10 06:45 PM
I vaguely remember the series. An old girlfriend and my mother used to watch it religiously...I recall not liking it, despite my best efforts to score brownie points with the gf.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/03/10 07:50 PM
So you were probably watching the wrong "twin peakes" then. Giggedy.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/04/10 10:55 AM
I finally got around to watching “The Incredible Hulk” on Blu-ray. This was the first time I’d seen it and enjoyed for pure entertainment value.

I share the same opinion on the video and audio quality as Blu-ray.com’s

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Incredible-Hulk-Blu-ray/824/

Based on what I’ve read I’m in the minority in liking this move more then “Iron Man.” while there were a couple brief scenes Hulk dragged a bit I was never bored to tears like at the beginning of “Iron Man” during the back-story. “Hulk” dispensed all the setup during the opening credits so when the movie starts you feel like your already in the second episode of a TV series. As the movie progresses details of the back-story are filled in. I liked the fight scenes better in “Hulk” than either of the “Transformer” movies.

While I enjoyed “Hulk” I don’t see a lot of replay value for me but it was worth watching and hearing.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/04/10 11:07 AM
Grunt Smash!!!!
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/04/10 05:03 PM
I suspect you are talking about the second Hulk movie with Edward Norton. The first one already dispensed the boring lead up like Iron Man had to for those unfamiliar with the characters.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/04/10 05:16 PM
Yes I’m talking about the 2008 version.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/04/10 05:20 PM
I liked the 2008 Hulk as well, actually watched it before the original with Eric Bana.

I have yet to see Iron Man 2. I am eagerly waiting for the DVD/BR release later this year. \:\)
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/04/10 05:29 PM
I haven’t seen “Iron Man 2” either but will rent it. I thought most of “Iron Man” was ok, not great, I just thought that the back-story dragged on way to long.

I don’t think I ever saw the 2003 version of Hulk.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/04/10 08:50 PM
 Originally Posted By: grunt

I don’t think I ever saw the 2003 version of Hulk.

Jennifer Connelly would be my only reason to watch the '03 Hulk again...I hope they did a better job on the newer version of 'Hulk'(haven't seen).
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/04/10 11:24 PM
I actually liked the back-story on Iron Man. I think its what they call 'character development', a stretch for an action movie, I know...
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/04/10 11:59 PM
IMO the beginning of “Iron Man” was mostly story development to set up the second half (interesting part for me) of the movie. I noticed little development of the Character in that early part for the amount of time spent on it. I felt a better way to handle it would have been to have him being shown in captivity during the opening credits with the first scene being his escape/rescue then the main storyline could have taken off right from there. Any specifics or pertinent details could then be filled in as the main storyline progressed.

I also feel that in most cases it works better when they develop the character throughout a show rather than try to cram it all in the front and then race off with the story. Makes thing seem to schizophrenic.

I think a movie like “Indiana Jones” gets it right. You learn little memorable quirks about the characters throughout the movie but nothing to deep. If I want deep I’ll watch drama or an action/drama which IMO is best done as a TV series or mini-series to really allow for both action and character depth. Not that action/drama can’t be done I just think very few get it right.

Overall “Iron Man” just didn’t do it for me. Nothing about the movie grabbed my interest or hooked me to make me want to come back, just like “Transformers.” undoubtitly I’ll end up watching “Iron Man 2” as I did while hoping it’s not as bad a sequel as “Transformers 2.”

I know I’m in the minority on “Iron Man” since the Tomato Meter gives it over 90%.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/05/10 03:53 AM
I enjoyed Iron Man more on the first viewing. I find it hard to watch through now.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/05/10 04:03 AM
Friday Night Lights made me cry like a pepper-sprayed baby tonight. I'm such a sucker.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/05/10 05:31 AM
I'm trying out Lie to Me. It's entertaining enough, but it's just another one of those shows. The writing is a little obvious so far, so I'm hoping it gets a little more nuanced over time. It wants to be a smart show, but it gives away too much before it's time, almost beating you over the head with what it's going to do. Still, like I said, entertaining enough.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/05/10 08:46 AM
I do like how often they use the term "deception leakage" in Lie to Me. It makes me think of the phrase, "lying out your ass."
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/05/10 09:27 AM
I just watched the “Toto: Falling in Between Live” Blu-ray. I bought it on the fly today at Fry’s because I had read a good review of it on Blu-ray.com.

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Toto-Falling-in-Between-Live-Blu-ray/6852/#Review

Wow! I’m even more impressed with it than the reviewer. You know you like something when you loose all track of time until you suddenly realize that your face hurts from grinning ear to ear for the last 30 or so minutes. I usually prefer studio mixes of songs I’ve always heard that way in the past but this is one exception. Just read the review and then dial it up a notch or two and that would be my impression.

The ambience of the hall is perfectly reproduced in the surround speakers. The echoes sound so real it’s like your standing there. Playing this was perfect validation that I’m getting everything dialed in as good as it can get. The only other thing I’ve listened to here in the house was Sean’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” Not even the Blu-ray sampler that came with my Oppo sounds this good and it was done in a studio.

Although it might sound cheesy I liked that they gave coloured balloons to the audience and had them throwing them in the air at times. While the colours were already well presented the balloons burst out with all the colours of the rainbow adding some vivid eye candy.

If you are a Toto fan this is as good as you will ever hear them sound in concert and if you don’t mind that the songs differ some from the studio versions it’s going to be the best you’ve heard them sound ever.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/05/10 09:31 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
I do like how often they use the term "deception leakage" in Lie to Me. It makes me think of the phrase, "lying out your ass."


Occasionally one of the guys at work turns it on saying he really likes it. I tried watching it but found it pretty boring and easy to figure out. I guess being an experience interrogator there’s nothing novel to me about the premise.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/11/10 05:00 PM
 Originally Posted By: CatBrat
Anybody watch the tv series "Twin Peaks"? I start season one next week.

 Originally Posted By: Adrian
I vaguely remember the series. An old girlfriend and my mother used to watch it religiously...I recall not liking it, despite my best efforts to score brownie points with the gf.

So far, I've watched the pilot and the first 2 episodes and I'm intrigued by it. This seems to be an interesting series.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/12/10 05:47 AM
I'm finally watching Helvetica and enjoying it. Unlike Chris, I didn't really know anything, so it's more interesting to me.

I liked the quote, "You will do what the typeface wants you to do."
Posted By: sonicfox Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/12/10 07:19 PM
Just received "Zombieland" in the mail from Netflix...looking forward to some good gore!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/12/10 07:57 PM
You'll get some good cardio, anyway.
Posted By: sonicfox Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/13/10 04:25 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
You'll get some good cardio, anyway.


I just finished watching the movie, and NOW I get your response! BTW, I loved the movie! Really gross, but entertaining!
Posted By: mpyw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/14/10 01:48 AM
I watched "War of The World" last night, great pop-corn flick and hell lots of LFE action, really enjoying all the free "massage" comes with it, put a smile on my face whenever the tripod shoot out a laser beam :p
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/14/10 01:56 AM
I had my dad watch the pods emerge scene (whatever the actual name of that scene is--I always forget) yesterday, and he liked that a lot. I'll have to sit down and watch the whole thing again sometime soon. Subwoofers are fun.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/15/10 05:58 AM
 Originally Posted By: grunt
I spent the day watching “Last Exile.”


I started watching this yesterday. I'm only a few episodes in. I'm liking it okay, and I look forward to the story unfolding.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/15/10 06:24 AM
 Originally Posted By: CV
 Originally Posted By: grunt
I spent the day watching “Last Exile.”


I started watching this yesterday. I'm only a few episodes in. I'm liking it okay, and I look forward to the story unfolding.



AFAIR it does start out slowly but picks up as it moves along. It’s also mostly a character driven story so it helps to like those.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/15/10 06:34 AM
I watched the Blu-rays of “Dune” and “Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within” yesterday. I haven’t seen either in standard def for awhile so I can’t offer a comparison. Both looked pretty good with Final Fantasy being better consistently. There were occasion grainy looking scenes in Dune that stood out from the otherwise cleaner looking ones. There were occasionally some very crappy looking effects in Dune where one image being superimposed over another was obvious, but these didn’t happen to often.

In both case the audio was very good. During one of the dream sequence battles in “Final Fantasy” you could hear the fighting going on all around you. Lots of discreet and ambient effects in both movies to exercise the surround channels. Also some very low bass as the but kicker “kicked” in quite often especially in “Final Fantasy.” However, I was disappointed that there wasn’t more very low LFE rumbling for the worms.

Except that as a movie “Dune” pretty much sucks IMO, they were both worth seeing on Blu-ray.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/18/10 08:56 AM
I just got the seventh season of Curb Your Enthusiasm, so I'm catching up on that show. The second episode was classic.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/19/10 11:09 AM
I just watched the series Moribito. It’s a 26 episode anime on 8 disks. Each episode lasts 25 minutes less if you skip the opening and closing. IMO this is easily worth 5/5 stars as it is simply an outstanding series.

The story is excellent showing signs of being adapted from a novel because of its richness and characterization. While some may complain at the slow pace I felt that the story moved along quite well with only a couple exceptions. There were a few filler episodes only two of which I found annoying. Otherwise all the rest of the episodes do something to advance the story in either an interesting or exciting way.

The nice thing about the story is the way it flows. No crazy plots twists (some twists just not double jointed) caused by characters behaving stupidly. All the characters are smart, well written and well acted. As if a great story and set of characters isn’t enough how about they add in fantastic animation and great sound.

I haven’t seen every fantasy anime made but this has to rank as one of the best ever animated. Panoramic shots look beautiful. Most fight scenes are fluidly animated and look like real people are fighting. Attention to detail abounds in almost every scene. Backgrounds are animated with grass, trees or snow blowing, and fires flickering. People in the background are really doing things. Not only are all the main characters very distinctive but so are most of the background ones. Not to mention it’s in a 1.78:1 ratio.

Lagging only slightly behind the PQ is the SQ. Though Netflix says it’s in Dolby 2.0 it’s actually in 5.1 for both Japanese and English. Not much in the LFE department but the surround sound is very well done. Both ambient and directional sound effects are constantly being used to complement the scenes w/o being distracting.

This anime is not going to be for those who want non-stop action. There’s a lot of scenes with just dialogue but since most of it is significant to the stories progression and well written/acted it stays engaging . Really the best way to think of this series is as an animated novel.

Highly recommended for anyone wanting a “real” story with “real” people that both looks and sounds great.


http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/moribito-guardian-of-the-spirit/dvd-1
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/21/10 04:30 AM
Thanks for the tip on that. I'll have to check it out sometime.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/21/10 10:09 AM
I just watched the first disk (pilot +2 episodes) of “Sanctuary.” How did this show get renewed for a 3rd season let alone a 2nd. Most of this show consists of bad writing, bad directing, bad acting, bad . . . . “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You” is more suspenseful, hell it bests “Sanctuary” on all counts. It’s one and only bright spot for me is Emilie Ullerup but that’s only because she somewhat resembles a Dutch stewardess I dated when I lived in Ghana.

I like that they are attempting a heavy CGI enhanced show, which may bode well for future shows but even that leaves a bit to be desired. Some pans seem grossly distorted almost as if shot through s “fish-eye” lens. Perhaps it’s intentional or exaggerated by watching it on a very large screen. Also the show is perpetually dark. I’m guess this makes the CGI blend better with the real scenes though it might just be a production choice.

If you want to see this story told much better just watch the “The Initiative” story arc (fourth season) of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Which IMO is the best season of that series.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/21/10 11:43 AM
I agree. A cool concept but poorly implemented in almost every other way.

Amanda Tapping as a brunette with a British accent just doesn't work for me either. But I guess that's what happens when your a character on a show that lasted for 13 seasons, if you count her cameos on the spin offs.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/21/10 01:27 PM
Last night I watched "The Illusionist". I enjoyed this movie for a number of reasons, not the least of which being that it was quite different than the typical cookie cutter Hollywood production. Great acting, esp by Mr. Paul Giamatti as the corrupt Chief of Police...so much different from his usual roles, I honestly forgot it was him throughout the movie, great range. Also a fine job by Edward Norton as Eisenheim the illusionist. A movie supported by solid acting and an interesting story...sigh, who would have thought?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/22/10 04:42 AM
I really want to see Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/22/10 04:58 AM
 Originally Posted By: Murph

Tapping as a brunette with a British accent just doesn't work for me either. But I guess that's what happens when your a character on a show that lasted for 13 seasons, if you count her cameos on the spin offs.


Duh! I was wondering why they would have her doing such a bad English accent. Funny because I think she is English by birth. I got the long black vs short blond hair though. Guess this sinus infection hasn’t completely rotted my brain. ;\)

I do like the fact that the Syfy (just noticed that change too, shows how much TV I watch) gives other work to actors who have been typecast playing scifi roles. Similar to the old studio system methinks. However, IMO you can’t just plug any actor into a series and have it work. The series I’ve loved the most like SG-1, Buffy, Firefly, Babylon 5, Farscape, etc. . . all had a great chemistry between the cast members. Which is why I thought it was a smart move when they brought both Ben Browder and Claudia Black to SG-1 since they already had the chemistry thing going between them, though I still thought the show lost a step later but mostly IMO do changes in the story.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/22/10 05:11 PM
I think they should rename it to Michael Cera vs. The World because he's always the same dude. Fortunately, I don't find him annoying.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/25/10 09:21 AM
I just watched the first disk, 2 episodes, of the 1978/1980 British spy drama series “The Sandbaggers.” Five minutes in and you have no doubt that your not in Hollywood anymore because this show is actually good. Or as one critic quoted on Wikipedia said:

 Originally Posted By: wiki

The Sandbaggers, television critic Rick Vanderknyff also wrote, "is many things American network television is not: talky and relatively action-free, low in fancy production values but high in plot complexity, and starring characters who aren't likable in the traditional TV way"


First what this show is not. As said above it’s not Hollywood. It has zero production value; virtually no action; no scantly clad women; no catchy theme music; no stereotypical characters. . . .

What it does have is; good writing; solid acting; good directing; believable stories; a-typical characters; political intrigue; suspense; . . . in short all the things a good spy thriller should have.

I imagine that most Americans will not like this show, thinking it to slow. However, if you liked things like “I Claudius,” or the political intrigue parts of “Ghost in the Shell” and want to see a well done spy series then this show might be for you.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/28/10 09:08 AM
I just watched all three seasons of The Guild

While I would generally not like the format of this show with the webcam recaps of each episode for some reason this really works for me. Clearly It’s Felicia Day that makes it work. I’ve never been a MMORPG gamer but still find a connection to the show from my paper-and-pencil RPG days.

In short this is a web based series about a group or marginally socially functional online gamers. Each episode lasts about 10 minutes and begins with a recap of the previous episode. However, when the episodes are blended together the still seem to flow quite seamlessly. It’s surprisingly well written and acted. The characters represent a broad cross section of potential online gamers not just the “kid living in his moms basement.”

The production values are low but for a web based series not all that bad. I watched the first two seasons online from Netflix and the third season on the shows website. The fourth season is do to start in July.

If you are or ever have been into gaming in any serious way you owe it to yourself to give this show a try.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/28/10 01:48 PM
Where do you find the time?
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/28/10 06:41 PM
Originally Posted By: CatBrat
Where do you find the time?


No WAF or GF or BF (figured I’d better cover that one too wink ). = huge time saver.

Civil service employee = 11 paid federal holydays/year, 9 day pay period (every other Friday off but 9 hour work days), 208 hours annual leave/year, 104 sick hours/year, work night shift and usually get to leave 1-3 hours early every day so really only 6-8 hour days. 5 hours exercise time a week at work minimizes what I have to do on my time. And to think I use to fight communism. whistle

Low upkeep on house - desert landscape front, don’t water the back, minimal housekeeping (bachelor).

Minimalist cooking - cook all my food for the week in about 2 hours once a week.

In short my life is optimized to maximize “me time.” smile
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/28/10 06:44 PM
Dude, we gotta get you a girlfriend to mess all that up. grin
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/28/10 08:29 PM
Sounds a lot like my life, but I don't seem to find all of the time to watch a lot. I get 200 hours off a year, but no more, I have to take sick leave and vacation out of that, but I rarely get sick. I work 8 hr days. No significant other. Just me any my cat at home. I go to church once a week and to a Wed night pot luck and get together. I have 2 hours a week of yard to mow. A house that needs work, but I've been rather slack with that one. Oh well.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/29/10 05:49 AM
The Guild hardly represents a major time investment. The episodes are way too short. smile I enjoyed the show all right, but I gave my sister the DVDs of the first two seasons when I was done with them. I watched the third season on Xbox Live. I would agree that Felicia Day is what makes the show work, but she also kind of annoys me. I wasn't expecting to see her in the final season of Buffy.

Auto-Tune the News has a nice recap of season 3 to get you ready for season 4. Not as inspired as their normal stuff, but decent enough.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/29/10 08:35 AM
Originally Posted By: CV

I wasn't expecting to see her in the final season of Buffy


Thanks Charles, I knew I had seen her before but just couldn’t remember where.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/29/10 09:17 AM
Jyu-Oh-Sei - Planet of the Beast King

Fairly mediocre short series. Some of it worked for me, but a lot didn't. Too much of it was underdeveloped. I think the ideas have potential, though, if only the writing had been better. Still, it wasn't as crappy as the first episode of Desert Punk, which was recommended to me by a coworker. I'm not sure if I'll try any more episodes from that series.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/29/10 10:08 AM
So “Desert Punk” is sucking? To bad I just started trying to collect it. I’ve passed it by for a long time just not getting a good vibe from it but I’m having to reach farther down the barrel of what Netflix has to offer.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/29/10 05:11 PM
I only tried the first episode. Maybe it's simply a rough start but gets better. I'm debating with myself on whether to give it the benefit of the doubt. smile
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/30/10 09:49 AM
The first two episodes of Monster, another anime show. It has my interest. I definitely want to see how the story unfolds.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/01/10 09:31 AM
The first two episodes of Louie with Louis C.K. were entertaining. I look forward to more. Tomorrow I need to catch up and watch the first two episodes of the new season of Futurama.
Posted By: jhunt17 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/01/10 05:30 PM
Don't know if anyone has posted this or not. I didn't want to have to read 214 pages. If you haven't had a chance to watch the new Battlestar Galactica that was on SYFY you NEED to watch it. I rented the first disk on netflix just to see if I would like it. Then I liked it so much I immediately bought the entire complete set on bluray. I absolutely thought it was the best show I have ever seen. Now I am watching it again.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/01/10 05:33 PM
I'm trying to psych up to watch the last 3 discs of 4.5. It's tough...
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/10 06:38 AM
I just finished watching Noein a 24 episode on 5 disks anime. I almost started a review yesterday at the halfway point because I was so impressed by it, but good thing I didn’t because in the second half it tanked.

Visually this is a pretty good looking anime but not the best. Characters are distinctive looking and the overall visuals are good. Sometimes the CGI is a bit overdone in relation to the cell animation so it doesn’t always look quite right. Some of the backgrounds are lifted from a real town and done up using CGI while other scenes are strictly cell animation. The net effect is a bit disjointed. It is a 1.78:1 image so it’s nice and full looking.

The audio is ok for a 5.1. Not much use of the LFE or surround channels except to use the surrounds for background music which is quite effective early on but becomes overbearing later.

As for the story it completely schizophrenic. The first half is one of the best set of episodes I’ve seen save an annoying character Yuu who whines his way through most of the story. At exactly the halfway point there is a filler episode with some meaningless back-story and it’s all down hill from there. The story descends into meaningless techno-babble and alternate dimensions basically allowing for any ending they wish to serve up at the last minute.

I would rate the first half of this anime 4.5/5 (the whinny kid loses half a point) and the second half a 1/5 (and that might be generous). Overall I’d call it about a 2/5 and wouldn’t recommend it since last half is so meaningless.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/10 06:40 AM
Originally Posted By: kcarlile
I'm trying to psych up to watch the last 3 discs of 4.5. It's tough...


I’m interested to hear what you think of the ending Ken.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/10 09:28 AM
The first episode of the new season of Futurama was funny. I fell asleep when watching the second episode, though. I was too tired. And now I go to sleep for real.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/10 06:54 PM
Originally Posted By: CatBrat
Originally Posted By: CatBrat
Anybody watch the tv series "Twin Peaks"? I start season one next week.

Originally Posted By: Adrian
I vaguely remember the series. An old girlfriend and my mother used to watch it religiously...I recall not liking it, despite my best efforts to score brownie points with the gf.

So far, I've watched the pilot and the first 2 episodes and I'm intrigued by it. This seems to be an interesting series.


I'm about half way through the 2nd season and now I tend to agree with Adrian. It's so different and weird that it's actually making it boring. Besides (now the real reason comes out), it doesn't use any LFE to test my new subwoofer.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/06/10 08:00 AM
I just watched “Crest of the Stars.” It’s a 13 episode (about 25 minutes each) on 4 disk anime.

Both these reviews pretty much sum up my thoughts on this series:

T.H.E.M. Anime

Anime Planet

In a nutshell this is a character driven “boy-meets-girl” drama set in an epic space opera but w/o becoming soap opera-ish. The animation is substandard for today but doesn’t detract from the main point of the series, the story. The audio is nothing spectacular but the music does enhance the space opera setting. Plot progression is slow for those into action/monster of the week fare, however being sourced from a novel shows though in the rich presentation of the story and characters. Despite being a clichéd topic, boy-meets-girl, the way it’s presented lends a whole new life to the old genre.

This series continues with “Banner of the Stars,” “Banner of the Stars 2,” and AFAIK “Banner of the Stars 3,” and a movie. The first two also get high marks from reviewers for the same reasons a “Crest of the Stars,” but I haven’t read any reviews of #3 or the movie. I’ve just stared “Banner of the Stars” and it’s pretty much holding up with “Crest of the Stars.”

Note that if you plan to watch these do it in order or you will miss out on the story progression and character development. Also note that at both the beginning of “Crest of the Stars” and “Banner of the Stars” they start with a battle where it sounds like everyone is speaking Japanese w/o subtitles even if you’ve selected the English dub. However, this is not Japanese and it “is” intentional. It is a made up language of one of the races, appearing again at the beginning narration of each episode (with subtitles this time). Fooled me into not watching it for a long time until I read a review and realized what was going on.

If you like a good dramatic story with interesting and likable characters this is a must try. If you prefer most of today’s Hollywood movies and American TV shows run away very quickly. wink
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/07/10 07:46 AM
I'm still working on Monster. It's pretty good. I wouldn't say it's a classic yet, but there have been some good moments in the storyline.
Posted By: Glitchy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/08/10 11:39 PM
A movie I love ....

I watch "Constantine" again last night, first time on Bluray with HD Audio, bitstreaming..... and with the Axiom setup

I thought the audio was done really well.... lots of surround, but surround as it should be, the LFEs were all there and incredible, but not over done.

Almost a Demo for people who have the time to watch a whole movie!


Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/09/10 04:35 PM
I started watching "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" again last night. I had not seen it since its original broadcast and untimely demise.

What a good show! Very smart writing.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/10/10 01:00 AM
One has to wonder, was it really "smart writing" if it was taken off the air?


I guess it depends on what your definition of smart is. :P
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/10/10 02:17 AM
Oh I think it's pretty obvious that there is not necessarily a direct correlation between "smart" and "marketable"
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/10/10 04:59 AM
I just watched, well tried to watch, the “Halo Legends” Blu-ray. It’s a collection of short stories akin to “The Animatirx” or “Heavy Metal.“

I got through the first to setup pieces “Origins and Origins 2” which are nothing more than narrated information dumps giving the back-story to the Halo universe. The third segment “The Dual” was so badly animated I couldn’t watch it. I only made it part way through the 4th segment before getting so bored I turned it off.

Going back to Netflix I looked at the glowing reviews on the first page. I clicked over to the second page of reviews, something I didn’t do the first time, to see an almost unbroken string of single star ratings. Some reviewers did say that the later episodes were “tolerable,” but I’m not going to bother with any more of it.

Big thumbs down, -1 star (at least). IMO hooking up an old pair of rabbit ears and watching the static would be more entertaining.
Posted By: Anonymous Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/10/10 06:32 AM
I will watch both volumes of Kill Bill today on Blu-ray tonight.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/10/10 06:33 AM
Nice.
Posted By: dllewel Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/10/10 06:48 AM
Avatar for the first time. A visual and audible treat on blu-ray for sure.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/10/10 12:06 PM
I just noticed that the 3D version of Avatar is coming out in November, if anyone is interested.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/10/10 07:45 PM
Ha ha. I'm not a football fan, but this video about Dick Butkus made me laugh.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/10/10 10:29 PM
Ouran High School Host Club

Entertaining anime so far. It's funny.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/11/10 08:13 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
Ouran High School Host Club

Entertaining anime so far. It's funny.


Some of it is already getting a little tiresome, but I'm not quite ready to give up on it yet.

I've mentioned the issue before, where the audio drops out for a couple of seconds and then comes back on when watching different anime shows on Blu-ray, and I'm noticing it's FUNimation anime titles. The issue is very consistent. This is happening on my OPPO, so I think I'll try watching the next disc in the PS3 and see if the issue still occurs.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/11/10 10:03 PM
Charles please update your findings on the audio dropout. I have yet to watch any anime series on Blu-ray only a few movies but never noticed an audio dropout problem, not sure what companies though. I’ve considered ordering some on BD but I already have almost every series I can get on DVD already so it will have to be something new or old but now unavailable on DVD.

I’ve almost watched “Ouran High School Host Club” several times but for some reason just gravitated to another title. It’s been sitting on my shelf for some time so I’m looking forward to you overall impression.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/11/10 10:41 PM
I emailed OPPO about the audio, and it appears to be a problem with the bitstreaming. Here's their reply:

Quote:
Set HDMI to LPCM and not Bitstream when playing back Japanese Animations which use Dolby Digital TrueHD soundtracks. This is a known issue when Bitstreaming which we want to resolve through a future firmware release.

Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/11/10 10:43 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
I emailed OPPO about the audio, and it appears to be a problem with the bitstreaming. Here's their reply:

Quote:
Set HDMI to LPCM and not Bitstream when playing back Japanese Animations which use Dolby Digital TrueHD soundtracks. This is a known issue when Bitstreaming which we want to resolve through a future firmware release.


Interesting that they specified “Japanese Animations.” I wonder if and or why it only effects them or do you think that they were just referring to the specifics of your question?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/11/10 10:45 PM
Originally Posted By: grunt
I’ve considered ordering some on BD but I already have almost every series I can get on DVD already so it will have to be something new or old but now unavailable on DVD.


Amazon.com has some pretty good prices on BD anime right now. The options are still pretty limited, but if you know you like the series and it's out on Blu-ray, just wait for the price to drop, since the prices do tend to drop quite a bit. It's not uncommon to see them going for the same price or slightly less than the DVD versions, which I found surprising and welcome.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/11/10 10:47 PM
Originally Posted By: grunt
Interesting that they specified “Japanese Animations.” I wonder if and or why it only effects them or do you think that they were just referring to the specifics of your question?


I wondered that briefly myself, but I wasn't too concerned about coming up with an actual answer since I haven't had any audio problems outside of these anime titles. I was just glad they were aware of the issue and had plans to address it.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/11/10 10:50 PM
Originally Posted By: CV

Amazon.com has some pretty good prices on BD anime right now. The options are still pretty limited, but if you know you like the series and it's out on Blu-ray, just wait for the price to drop, since the prices do tend to drop quite a bit. It's not uncommon to see them going for the same price or slightly less than the DVD versions, which I found surprising and welcome.


I check out what they have. I am hesitant to upgrade from a DVD version to BD unless I can find reviews that substantiate a marked improvement in SQ or PQ over the DVD version, or rent it from Netflix and see for myself. There are many movies I would love to have a nice BD version of but they just don’t see to be enough of an improvement for me to justify the cost.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/11/10 11:04 PM
Originally Posted By: grunt
I check out what they have.


Here. Not bad prices for some of those full seasons, but yeah, I wouldn't recommend blind buys, even though I risk it myself, and if you already have it on DVD, then yeah, it's hard for me to recommend paying for it again.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/11/10 11:10 PM
Not bad prices at all. “Gunslinger Girl” is $19.99 which is what I paid for just one disk that I couldn’t find through any other source. Sucks I could have had the whole first season on BD for that price. I’ve also had trouble finding good copies of Claymore and Heroic Age which at those prices I might just have to order unless I want to watch them as some AVI DVD rip. wink

Thanks Charles I’ll keep a better eye on what’s available.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/11/10 11:30 PM
Do be aware that most, if not all, of these FUNimation BD releases are upscales of SD content. Granted they're doing non-realtime upscaling, and tweaking a few things by hand in trouble areas. So the quality should exceed what's possible by any upscaler which has to get its work done in 1/30 of a second. But the extra information in the picture is all algorithmically created rather than from an original source.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/11/10 11:40 PM
Nice to know, Chris. I'll say that I'm happy with the stuff I've seen, being sharper and cleaner than any DVD anime I have.

Dean, I liked Claymore pretty well, if you remember my impressions. You're welcome to my copy of Heroic Age if you want it. It was also one of my impulse purchases when the price got low. You can also have season one of Tsubasa if you have any interest in it, since I didn't get into that one, either.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/12/10 01:46 AM
Atonement

Joe Wright is a pretty damn good director. I don't know what took me so long to watch this movie, considering how much I liked his Pride & Prejudice. Overall, the tone and subject matter of this movie aren't what I would normally go for, but it really is a well-made movie, and I did like the ending.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/12/10 05:17 AM
Odd, I have Atonement at my place right now. I'll probably watch it tomorrow.

Watched Shooting Fish tonight. I've seen just about every con flick ever made, this was just one I missed. Only an average movie. I kept looking for twists which never happened.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/12/10 11:54 AM
All my regularly PVRed shows are in the off season right now so I have to admit I set it to record a bunch of "Dr. Who" for some rainy days. Despite liking the books when I was younger, I never got into the original series(s) on TV. I have to admit the newer remakes are not bad. A good balance of keeping the old cheesy aliens and a few key items to keep the nostalgia but modernized the rest just enough to keep you interested.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/12/10 03:46 PM
We watched "The Hurt Locker" a couple nights ago.

Just didn't get the "Best Picture" vibe. Should have been better.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/12/10 06:58 PM
I will be watching "Slumdog Millionaire" tonight from Netflix.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/10 06:52 AM
I agree with you about Hurt Locker, Tom. I enjoyed it, but it was overhyped.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/10 07:36 AM
Remind me to watch The Late Late Show on Thursday to catch Marina and the Diamonds perform. I'll feel like such a loser if I forget.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/10 01:00 PM
CV, don't forget to watch The Late Late Show on Thursday to catch Marina and the Diamonds.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/10 01:10 PM
And on the Late Show on Thursday, Marina and the Diamonds will be on.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/10 01:18 PM
On the other Diamond, don't forget to watch Marina and her hands.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/10 04:57 PM
This is helping. I can feel it helping.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/10 05:33 PM
Want me to put it in the TiVo just in case?
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/10 05:34 PM
No, Mark, he has to learn to be responsible for his own actions.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/10 05:43 PM
and inactions.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/14/10 09:22 AM
Just finished watching "The Sandbaggers." An excellent British Spy Drama series from the late 70s. I really liked this series for it’s dialogue and character interaction. Don’t look to be wowed by production values or any other typical Hollywood fare. Or as the Wiki puts it:

Originally Posted By: wikipedia

The Sandbaggers inverts most of the conventions of the spy thriller genre. In sharp contrast to the "girls, guns, and gadgets" motif established by the James Bond movies, The Sandbaggers features very few action sequences, no flashy cars, and no high-tech gizmos. On more than one occasion, in fact, characters explicitly disparage the fictitious Bond and the romanticized view of the intelligence business that some amateurs and outsiders have. In contrast, Neil Burnside is a harried spymaster who doesn't drink; Willie Caine is a secret agent who abhors guns and violence; and no character is seen to have sex over the course of the series. The bureaucratic infighting is reminiscent of John le Carré's George Smiley novels. The overall style is one of gritty realism. The series is particularly grim (though laced with black humour), depicting the high emotional toll taken on espionage professionals who operate in a world of moral ambiguity.
The plots are complex, multi-layered, and unpredictable: regular characters are killed off abruptly, and surprise twists abound. The dialogue is intelligent and frequently witty. Indeed, most of what happens in The Sandbaggers is just conversation. In a typical episode, Burnside moves from office to office having conversations (and heated arguments) with his colleagues in Whitehall and in the intelligence community. Sometimes his conversations are intercut with scenes of the Sandbaggers operating in the field; other times the audience sees more of the buzzing "Ops Room," where missions are coordinated and controlled, than of the Sandbaggers' actual field activities


One negative about the series is the ending. The last episode leaves you hanging and without closure. That’s the only disappointment I have with the series but it’s still well worth watching.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/14/10 09:31 AM
Also just finished watching season 3.5 of Eureka. Not really sure about the whole .5 numbering convention especially since they aren’t to consistent with it. The series continues to move along in it’s own quirky way. This is another show based on character interaction and dialogue though it does have nice production values. Eureka has it’s ups and downs. When it is trying to be funny the show really works and doesn’t take itself to seriously. However, when they try to dial up the drama it just doesn’t work for me most of the time. Fortunately the 3rd season overall leans more to the funny side.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/14/10 04:21 PM
Originally Posted By: grunt
Just finished watching "The Sandbaggers."


That sounds like a great show. I may have to look it up sometime.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/15/10 05:16 AM
I watched the Eureka pilot and enjoyed it well enough. I'm waiting until my wife has time to watch with me. I think she'd enjoy it, too.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/15/10 06:56 AM
Originally Posted By: pmbuko
I watched the Eureka pilot and enjoyed it well enough. I'm waiting until my wife has time to watch with me. I think she'd enjoy it, too.


Glad you enjoyed it. AFAIR the pilot had a few slow moments but worked well overall. I thought some of the scenes like the opening and looking for the lost boy were real gems.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/15/10 07:43 AM
Right now I'm watching my wife sleep. Since it's nearly 3AM, I think I will join her.

I'm at my parents' house outside Edmond, OK (near OKC) and my internal clock always goes haywire here.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/16/10 08:39 AM
Thanks to Mark I remembered to watch Marina and the Diamonds perform on The Late Late Show, her us television debut. Decent performance. I wouldn't say she's the strongest live performer, but I still enjoy watching her.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/16/10 04:35 PM
Did she have her accordion limbs going?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/16/10 04:41 PM
Nah, but she did have her Mickey Mouse pants.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/16/10 05:41 PM
And since I just had to go see what you meant, I can now also add that she also had the same lipstick color as Grover.

Picture below is not The Late Show appearance but shows her same lipstick.


and Grover.....


and video link for the real thing.
MArina and the Diamonds on The Late Show
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/16/10 06:36 PM
Ha ha, yeah, the look isn't working for her particularly well, but I do like that she will be offering the UV lip paint as part of her official merchandise.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/17/10 12:53 AM
Just upgraded my old Panasonic BDP-30 to a BDP-65 and wow. I don't know if it's the BD player or the Madona Sticky and Sweet blu-ray that I bought, but the sound is fantastic.
Posted By: mpyw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/17/10 02:10 AM
Watched "It Might Get Loud" last night....terrific documentary with wonderful sound
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/17/10 10:44 PM
Just finished watching “Banner of the Stars” a 13 episode (about 25 minutes each) on 3 disk scifi drama anime and the sequel to “Crest of the Stars.”

Anime News Network’s review pretty much sums up my opinion of it.

Banner of the Stars

I would consider “Crest of the Stars” a 5/5 but would only give “Banner of the Stars” a 4/5 manly because the series strong point, character interaction, is sidetracked by space battles which are to long and drawn out for my taste.
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/18/10 05:19 AM
I've heard a lot about Dexter but have never seen it. I put the first season in my Netflix watch instantly queue, so I'll check it out tonight.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/18/10 09:04 AM
Just finished watching “Banner of the Stars II” a 10 episode (about 25 minutes each) scifi/drama anime on 3 disks. T.H.E.M Anime gives a pretty good review:

Banner of the Stars II

“Banner of the Stars II” gets back more to the dialogue driven drama of “Crest of the Stars” but do to some lengthy “recap” scenes and limited interaction of the two main characters it only climes back up to a 4.5/5 for me. And part of that improvement is based on the 1.78:1 aspect ratio and improved animation.

I also finished “Banner of the Stars III.” A two episode OVA which just finishes up the story giving the series a nice ending though there is still room for other sequels using the same characters. I don’t know the original video format for this OVA since I watched downloaded MKV files. AFAIK it hasn’t been dubbed to English so it was subtitles only.

Anime Planet give a nice review of “Banner of the Stars III.”

Banner of the Stars III

Most notable for me was the greatly improved animation and the 1.78:1 aspect ratio. I didn’t care for subtitles only because reading them really detracts from the story for me but it was better than not seeing it at all.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/19/10 06:39 AM
Today, my family watched Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip on Netflix streaming in our St. Louis, MO hotel room (which is two blocks from the Gateway Arch). It felt fitting as we entered the final week of our own month-long road trip. I really enjoyed it. It really put our trouble-free (so far!) drive over paved roads into perspective. smile
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/20/10 04:47 AM
Watched Drag Me to Hell on blu-ray tonight. A good horror flick.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/20/10 04:51 AM
I need to re-watch that. It made me laugh.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/20/10 05:07 AM
It was fun! I laughed quite a bit too. I can imagine some people must've been kinda confused with that movie.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/20/10 07:21 AM
I watched She's Out of My League the other day. It was as crappy as you'd think. There were a couple of funny moments, but the directing was just horrible. The same material probably could have done better if the person at the helm knew what they were doing. As it was, it just felt dumbed down. I like Jay Baruchel, but he needs some better projects.

Otherwise, I've been working on Baccano!. I'm not really sure what I think of it yet, and I'm on the second disc. I'm hoping the story really comes together at some point, because right now it just seems to be skipping around a lot and not having any real wow moments.

I started watching that even though I was in the middle of Basilisk and Ouran High School Host Club. I really need to get back in the habit of watching one thing until I'm done with it.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/20/10 01:41 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
I like Jay Baruchel, but he needs some better projects.

The only thing I know him from is the voice work in How to Train Your Dragon. He's the lead, Hiccup. Until we looked it up on IMDB, my wife and I were convinced that the voice was Christian Slater's.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/20/10 04:42 PM
I'd say his best work is still in the show, Undeclared. Might be Seth Rogen's best work, too. And Charlie Hunnam's. And the other people whose names I don't know. Ha ha.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/22/10 05:29 AM
Another episode of Louie, then more Baccano! I'm liking Baccano! more than I did at first, but I still wish the storytelling was a bit more linear. It keeps jumping around in time, and I'm not yet sure it's helping the story to be told this way. I'll reserve final judgment until I've finished the series.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/22/10 05:33 AM
I got invited to the Hulu Plus preview, on the PS3 (with it's Plus subscription). Watched two episode of the Britcom, Spaced, and the first two parter of the new game show Minute to Win It. Might watch more Spaced, done with the dumb show.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/22/10 05:39 AM
I liked Spaced all right. Bits and pieces, anyway. I did end up giving the set to my sister, but I don't regret having watched it.
I will be watching Avatar to see how my HT set up holds up. Yesterday I watched Percy Jackson and it has been quite a pleasurable experience. Thought the movie was worse than it was because of the movie reviews I have read so far. The surround effects were really nice.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/23/10 07:26 AM
Joan Rivers on the Late Show was pretty good. I'm actually interested in watching the documentary about her now.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/23/10 02:52 PM
Watched Cold Souls on DVD from Netflix last night. Cool idea for a movie, but a little bland in execution, although I'm sure that was part of the intention. Ever watch one of those movies where you're not quite sure what you feel about it? Yeah, this was that kind of movie.
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/23/10 03:44 PM
We finished watching season one of Dexter last night, we really like the show. The scary part is my wife is getting obsessed with it. crazy
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/23/10 04:47 PM
heh heh. Mine was too. Plus, she was heavy into the John Douglas books for a while on his life as the FBI's first profiler of mass murderers. Actually, the first couple of those are an interesting read. It's amazing what those guys can do with just a few visual clues.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/23/10 04:51 PM
Dexter is awesome. Each season has been solid. Can't wait for the new one to start in a couple of months.
Posted By: sonicfox Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/24/10 08:28 PM
I think I'm going to the theater to see Inception tonight. Anybody seen it yet? I heard it's good.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/24/10 08:32 PM
Craig posted on FaceBook last week that it just might be the perfect movie.

Of course, you don't want to set your expectations too high, do you? smile
Posted By: a401classic Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/24/10 09:59 PM
Sherlock Holmes on BluRay tonight. HEard the special effects are pretty good.

Scott
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/24/10 10:37 PM
They are.

I think you'll enjoy the movie Scott ... my only beef with the movie is that the British accent is so strong that it was difficult for me to follow the dialog sometimes.



Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/25/10 01:17 AM
The Invention of Lying

I can see why it got mediocre reviews. I enjoyed it enough, but it certainly didn't do anything outstanding.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/25/10 03:00 AM
Same here. We actually stopped halfway through because, well, I often start falling asleep on the couch if a movie is dull. Either that or I'm sleep deprived. Or our furniture is too comfortable. My wife threatens to line my end of the sofa with tack strips.
Originally Posted By: RickF
They are.

I think you'll enjoy the movie Scott ... my only beef with the movie is that the British accent is so strong that it was difficult for me to follow the dialog sometimes.




Good thing English is not my native language so I find easier to follow other English countries accents. My only problem nowadays is with Aussies. I called to Australia last month and couldn't hardly understand one woman. The first I talked to on the phone I had no problem at all, but the second one for my total disbelief I had to ask her to repeat the sentence 5 times. The thing is that the question was, what's your full name. LOL smile
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/25/10 06:12 AM
I finished watching Baccano!. Not the strongest series, but I would still say I liked it overall. I kind of wish it was redone with better writing and higher production values. Maybe a movie version with fewer characters and a less back-and-forth storytelling method. Or not.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/25/10 06:51 AM
I just finished acquiring “Baccano!” today but not sure when I will get around to watching it as with the couple hundred other series I have backlogged.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/25/10 07:02 AM
Ha ha. I would love to see your queue sometime.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/25/10 07:25 AM
If you’re talking specifically about my Netflix queue I’m digging farther and farther down the ratings suggestions to find things I might like. I even dialed my subscription down from 8 at a time to 3 at a time and dumped Blockbuster altogether.

If you’re talking more generally I’ve got in excess of 4000 DVDs of which I’ve only watched a few hundred. Then there’s the stuff I’ve had to download just because it’s not available for retail or rental anymore. Things like the 200+ episodes of “Sailor Moon” both the English dubs and the original Japanese that hasn’t been edited for the U.S. I were to put all that on DVDs in standard formats it’s probably another 1,000 disks. I need to retire soon and start watching this stuff.

If you ever get around to Phoenix you’ll have to stop by.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/25/10 07:50 AM
Really, over 4000 DVDs? Now I don't feel so behind on watching my own.

Stopping by would be great. I'll warn you if it ever looks likely.
Posted By: a401classic Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/25/10 12:57 PM
Originally Posted By: RickF
They are.

I think you'll enjoy the movie Scott ... my only beef with the movie is that the British accent is so strong that it was difficult for me to follow the dialog sometimes.




Not too bad, actually. The accent that is. My brother in law is Australian, I went to college with a guy from England whose accent was much thicker than any in the movie. And I work with lots of folks from India, each with a slightly different accent depending on where in India they are from and how much British influence there was.

The movie was quite entertaining to me. The Mrs. vote was "so-so".

Scott
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/26/10 03:49 AM
Just watched “Cosplay Complex” a 3 episode (unfinished) hour and 15 minute anime on one disk.

Ok, with a title like this you can guess there is plenty of fanservice. I would definitely categorize this as ecchi though not full blown hentai. Because of this reviewers seem to have a love or hate opinion of this and I fall on the love side because it’s just plain fun to watch.

Here are to opposite reviews:

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/cosplay-complex/dvd

http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=792

There really isn’t much of a plot to speak of. What there is of two story arcs remain unfinished as the show abruptly ends after 3 episodes with nothing resolved. Besides just being funny, well at least if you’re an anime fan it’s also fun trying to identify all the anime and game characters being portrayed throughout the show. One of the DVD’s extras is “Cosplay 101” which identifies all the characters represented so you can see how many you got right. I only got about 1/3.

Not recommended if you want something serious, with character development, a plot, an ending, or w/o an abundance of fanservice. Otherwise it’s a fun way to spend a little more than an hour.


Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/26/10 08:52 AM
Love Actually

I finally got around to watching it. I love Emma Thompson, but for some reason nothing I ever heard about this movie made me want to watch it. Now I know why. Richard Curtis has done some really good stuff, but this is his Avatar. Instead of breaking ground in special effects and movie-making tech, he pulled out all of the stops with his cast of British actors. It should have been, as it's called on the cover, "The Ultimate Romantic Comedy." In a sense, that's what it is. It's love at its most annoying and pretentious. Plenty of people I know have listed it among their favorites. Weirdos.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/26/10 11:35 AM
Originally Posted By: Ichigo_Kurosaki
Good thing English is not my native language so I find easier to follow other English countries accents. My only problem nowadays is with Aussies. I called to Australia last month and couldn't hardly understand one woman. The first I talked to on the phone I had no problem at all, but the second one for my total disbelief I had to ask her to repeat the sentence 5 times. The thing is that the question was, what's your full name. LOL smile


If you want a challenge, try calling Newfoundland Canada. It's English but they have dialects, twist on words, and a few of thier own words not found anywhere else in English North America. Yet somehow, even when you can't make them out, it's fun to listen to. Depends a lot on the area you call. In the City of Saint John's it's mainly just an accent with some unique words and expressions but drive just a few miles in any given direction and it gets multiplied manyfold.

I'm covering for systems engineer in Newfoundland this week while he is on vacation and it's been both a joy and a challenge trying to understand some people and customers.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/26/10 12:00 PM
That sounds like fun, Murph.

I'm going to randomly call them here and there just for goofs!
Originally Posted By: Murph
Originally Posted By: Ichigo_Kurosaki
Good thing English is not my native language so I find easier to follow other English countries accents. My only problem nowadays is with Aussies. I called to Australia last month and couldn't hardly understand one woman. The first I talked to on the phone I had no problem at all, but the second one for my total disbelief I had to ask her to repeat the sentence 5 times. The thing is that the question was, what's your full name. LOL smile


If you want a challenge, try calling Newfoundland Canada. It's English but they have dialects, twist on words, and a few of thier own words not found anywhere else in English North America. Yet somehow, even when you can't make them out, it's fun to listen to. Depends a lot on the area you call. In the City of Saint John's it's mainly just an accent with some unique words and expressions but drive just a few miles in any given direction and it gets multiplied manyfold.

I'm covering for systems engineer in Newfoundland this week while he is on vacation and it's been both a joy and a challenge trying to understand some people and customers.


LOL That must be quite a challenge. Hopefully I might go to Canada someday to check it out! smile
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/26/10 12:27 PM
We watched "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" yesterday afternoon as it was raining all day. Basically a murder mystery where the producer tries to combine a traditional film style with a modern edge. It works for the most part. For me it was a bit slow at times but mystery lovers tend to be OK with a slower pace so it is probably OK for most. Subtitles always bug me for the first ten minutes or so but after that I forget I'm even reading them.

Worth seeing on a rainy day but my personal take is not with the reviewers who claim it is a "Must see". Pretty much every character, is too easily forgotten except Noomi Rapace's. She does a wonderful job of keeping her character intriguing in many ways.
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/26/10 04:58 PM
Quote:
We watched "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"


I watched that last week and really enjoyed it, Imo a movie worth seeing, much different than a lot of the crap that's out now.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/28/10 06:37 AM
Yu Yu Hakusho

It's fairly entertaining and somewhat cute so far. My sister liked the manga, so I figured I'd try the anime out.
Originally Posted By: CV
Yu Yu Hakusho

It's fairly entertaining and somewhat cute so far. My sister liked the manga, so I figured I'd try the anime out.

That used to be my favorite Manga till Bleach.
Posted By: danmagicman7 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/29/10 02:35 AM
Watching "The Wire".

A damn good show if I do say so myself. It's just incredible.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/29/10 04:10 AM
I agree. The Wire ranks right up there with my favorite shows. I need to re-watch it all sometime.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/29/10 03:32 PM
I'm going to watch the first two parts of Pillars of the Earth with my wife tonight. We both really enjoyed the book and the miniseries has gotten rave reviews. With a screenplay by Ridley Scott, I can understand why. smile
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/31/10 08:50 AM
I'm enjoying the new season of Futurama a lot.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/31/10 10:09 AM
Tekkonkinkreet (Blu-ray)

I was impressed. At first, I didn't like the way the people looked, but it kind of grew on me. The animation is gorgeous, and there are some pretty freaky visuals toward the end. The story has some surprisingly moving bits and pieces. Like a lot of anime movies, the audio is exemplary. I'll have to watch it again.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/31/10 11:13 AM
Friday Night Lights again. Only one more episode to go. Looking forward to it.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/31/10 11:46 AM
I watched Terminator Salvation for the first time last night. Lots of deep noise and explosions in that one. I was tired and don't remember how it ended, so I guess I'll have to watch it again tonight.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/31/10 08:49 PM
Big Trouble in Little China

It had been a long time. I know I enjoyed this movie a lot growing up. The directing and acting is a bit dated, never mind that it was intentionally hokey at the time. There was certainly plenty of imagination at work. The Blu-ray has a nice clean picture. I was expecting it to look crappier.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/10 06:50 AM
War of the Worlds (Blu-ray)

I had only watched select scenes since getting the Blu-ray, so I figured I should watch the whole movie again. My mom wanted to watch it, too. The scene where the pods emerge is definitely still a highlight, but there was plenty of deep bass throughout the movie. I still wouldn't rate the movie itself terribly high, but it definitely does its part to appease the senses.

I really don't know what two more EP800s are going to do for me, especially with the doubts Dean has given me with regards to irregular room layout, but I'm still looking forward to getting them. Even if I ultimately decide I don't need all four for my main system, I'll at least be one step ahead when I want to put together my 2.1 channel system. Something tells me I'll find a way to justify incorporating all four into my HT, though.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/10 07:15 AM
Sounds like we had about the same impression of the movie. Certainly some audio demo worthy bass scenes but overall I thought that the movie fell pretty flat.

Maybe your irregular room will play nice with more subs, and trying it is really the only way I think you will know. Are your electrical circuits going to be able to handle everything you’re throwing at them?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/10 07:23 AM
Originally Posted By: grunt
Maybe your irregular room will play nice with more subs, and trying it is really the only way I think you will know. Are your electrical circuits going to be able to handle everything you’re throwing at them?


That's a fair question in the current room. It could very well be an issue. I will definitely have enough dedicated circuits in the basement, but for now my options are more limited.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/10 09:30 AM
Rescue Dawn

It was okay, but I was kind of expecting to like it more.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/10 11:46 AM
I get tired of some of the LFE that just sounds like a sound engineer (or monkey) just added it for effect, but is not in anyway part of the logical sound effects.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/10 11:52 AM
Like in Hot Fuzz?
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/10 12:00 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
Like in Hot Fuzz?


Is that an anti-cat reference?
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/10 04:11 PM
I think it was a microwave cat.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/02/10 07:37 AM
I watched The Bourne Ultimatum again earlier today. I still love those movies. That reminds me that I should get around to watching Green Zone at some point, though I'm afraid of being underwhelmed due to any Bourne comparisons I might draw.

I'm two episodes into Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino. Yes, Dean, I'm finally getting around to it. I'm already enjoying it and wondering where it will go.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/02/10 08:28 AM
I still haven’t watched “The Bourne Ultimatum” though I’ve seen the other two. I keep trying to find time to watch them all together since I barely remember the first two.

Glad to here you are getting into “Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino.” I did think that the second season was a little more accessible than the first though I actually think I liked the first season a little better. Might be because I marathoned it and sometimes if they change the nature of the show it just feels a little off when watched altogether.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/02/10 02:31 PM
Last night we had friends over for our new Sunday tradition, watching True Blood. We had to cancel last week's gathering, so we had two episodes to watch. The gore factor went way up, but not enough to keep us from enjoying our Girardelli's triple chocolate brownies with Edy's Butter Pecan ice cream. Although, now that I think of it, we'd probably do better to have raspberry sauce on our next dessert ...
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/02/10 04:45 PM
Isn't raspberry sauce the stuff that comes out of your mouth when you say *thbbbbbbbbbbt* ?
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/02/10 06:14 PM
Hey, man - say it, don't spray it.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/04/10 06:35 AM
Just watched the “Evangelion 1.11: You Are (Not) Alone” Blu-ray. This has to be the best looking and sounding Anime I’ve seen that otherwise pretty much sucked.

The video quality of this remake is really great. Even in the basically grey city scape scenes the gradation in colours still makes everything look vivid. The blending of CGI and Cell animation are very good.

The audio quality is almost perfect. Dialogue, music and effects are all crystal clear. Both ambient and directional effects are done great. There is also a lot of bass from the explosions but none below 40Hz near as I could tell because my Butt kicker set to pick up everything below that didn’t move. I actually played something later to confirm that it was still working not that I really needed top since I would have still felt the low bass from the EP500 if it was there.

But then there is the story. I was never really endeared to “Neon Genesis Evangelion” despite it’s “groundbreaking” nature. Having not watched the earlier mecha anime there was nothing special about its version of fighting robots to me. I also though it was tad slow. So I had high hopes that this streamlined version would tighten thing up a bit. Boy was I wrong.

In condensing down 6 episodes into just over an hour and a half they managed to both eliminate much of the character interaction that was important in the original series and still manage to make things boring.

I’m not a big fan of mecha battles so even here they dragged on for to long despite looking impressive. At least there is only one long drawn out launch sequence, the first one, unlike the original series. One review I read complemented this on the tension level in the battles which I would agree with if I really cared whether the main character lived, however just like the original series he is whiny and unappealing IMO.

I can’t recommend Evangelion 1.11. I’d be hard pressed to recommend the original series either since IMO much better anime have been produced. Based on this first out of 4 installments I would say that if you really must see an incarnation of Evangelion then watch the original series to get the full story rather than the “Readers Digest” condensed version.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/04/10 06:42 AM
Yeah, I wasn't too impressed with that one. I never watched the original series, and my sister told me not to. She hated Shinji "crying while masturbating over comatose girls," to quote the Uncyclopedia entry.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/04/10 07:11 AM
Must have been a Japanese version since I don’t see how that wouldn’t have been edited out of a U.S. one. I got the original from a coworker who had it on old VCDs but my Oppo played them just fine. Hard to get into any series when you don’t like the main character.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/04/10 07:39 AM
Michael Cera and Rachel Maddow on Letterman is just about the perfect storm.

I'm still working on Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino, too. I really like the piano music throughout.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/04/10 05:39 PM
Watched Astro Boy, the recent big budget DVD, with Mrs. Medic8r and Medic8r Jr last night. I thought the violence was a little intense for a 5 year old, but the 5 year old didn't. I'd give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/07/10 06:33 AM
Ip Man

The video and audio could be better, and it's not the best movie ever made, but I enjoyed it. Donnie Yen always entertains me. I wouldn't even mind if his martial arts permanently scarred me. That would be a great present.

I learned a couple of things from the movie. First, don't ever call Ip Man's wife pretty, and second, beware Ip Man's super-long pole.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/07/10 10:23 AM
Ha ha, Futurama is so good. J.P. and CatBrat, maybe you should watch episode 8 of season 7, "That Darn Katz!"
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/07/10 11:41 AM
Season finale of Friday Night Lights. I'm such a sucker for this show.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/07/10 11:49 AM
Spoiler Alert:
Click to reveal..
The student body of vampires from Buffy eat the football team.

Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/07/10 11:53 AM
Originally Posted By: CV
Ha ha, Futurama is so good. J.P. and CatBrat, maybe you should watch episode 8 of season 7, "That Darn Katz!"


I've never watched much Futurama, so I put Season 1 in my Netflix queue. It's number 237. Netflix only has the first 4 seasons.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/07/10 11:56 AM
Well, there were really only 4 seasons before the current season, so I don't know why they felt like calling the new one season 7.
Posted By: EFalardeau Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/07/10 12:44 PM
It's because, when they get cancelled again, they'll go back and add seasons 5&6 without TV executives noticing anything.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/07/10 04:22 PM
laugh
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/08/10 03:26 AM
Part 1 of Red Cliff

Well, most of it, anyway. I fell asleep toward the end. It wasn't boring. I simply didn't sleep enough last night. I'll have to find where I dozed off and then watch part 2 tomorrow.

I was glad to see Zhao Wei in it, since she was so great in Shaolin Soccer. She was kicking ass in this one, and I like the way she talks.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/09/10 02:41 AM
Watched part 2. It was entertaining. Falls short of fantastic, but I still enjoyed it. Despite being ancient China, there were plenty of explosions. Thank you, John Woo.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/09/10 08:02 AM
Comedy Central's TV Funhouse

I was expecting it to be less funny, so I'm pleasantly surprised. If you can stand offensive humor (precursor to Triumph the Insult Comic Dog), then maybe give it a shot. I've only watched three episodes so far.
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/12/10 03:55 PM
Watched Kick Ass last night and I really enjoyed it, It's like a mix of Sky high and Kill Bill.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/13/10 03:36 AM
I watched Notes on a Scandal tonight. Judi Dench was captivating. The movie was really good but didn't leave me with any kind of good feelings. Which is fine, because it's nice to not always be left with a happy ending.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/13/10 05:25 AM
Working on Scrapped Princess. My friend tried to get me to watch it a number of years ago, but it didn't really grab me. My sister watched it recently and said she liked it, so I thought I'd give it another shot. I wouldn't say it's amazing yet, but I'm interested enough to keep watching. I do like the fact that it's called Scrapped Princess.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/13/10 07:12 AM
I thought that “Scrapped Princess” was an excellent anime and would give it 4/5 stars or an A- and rank it among one of my favorite anime. Seems from reading your posts over time that my anime tastes are more similar to your sister’s than yours.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/13/10 07:36 AM
Oh, she's loved enough of the same series as me. I wouldn't say I'm too far off from her, though she tends to do more manga reading than anime watching.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/13/10 07:40 AM
Meaning that sometimes I watch anime based on her liking the manga, and it's not always the perfect translation.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/13/10 10:39 AM
Originally Posted By: pmbuko
it's nice to not always be left with a happy ending.

Seriously?

Dude, I'm out of the office, on vacation for a few days, and I STILL couldn't let that one go....
Posted By: Tico Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/13/10 11:54 PM
Today I went to see "The Expendables" with my son. The plot was pretty lame - but seeing all of the old action stars of the 80s and 90s was great. The gunfire and explosions sounded incredible (my ears are still ringing).

This movie is going to sound fantastic on the Axiom system when it comes out on Bluray.

Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/14/10 11:32 PM
Friday Night Lights

I finally got around to watching the movie. You can certainly tell where a lot of the TV show came from, but Billy Bob Thornton is no Kyle Chandler, and Connie Britton having a much meatier role in the series helps a lot. Overall, I'd say the movie was decent, but I'd definitely recommend the series in its place.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/15/10 02:52 AM
Burn after Reading. That movie is strange enough to be based on reality.
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/15/10 05:48 AM
Quote:
Burn after Reading.


Brad Pitt's best role! smile
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/15/10 08:05 PM
Select scenes from Kung Fu Hustle. I was only going to watch a couple, but I kept just sitting and watching after I would start a scene. I still think it's one of the greatest movies ever. The escalation of ludicrous was inspired. I wish Stephen Chow would put out another movie already. He was so prolific before.

I do love the movie for audio. It has some great surround, music, and bass throughout. I wouldn't shy away from using it to show off my system.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/15/10 10:38 PM
Fist of Legend

The music still sucks, but it's still an entertaining movie.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/16/10 07:47 AM
I went to the theater with a friend to see Inception. Predictably, I liked it. It was creative and well-done. It's probably not a movie I would want to re-watch too many times, but I will still end up owning it. The visuals are pretty great, and I'm sure the audio will be fun on the Axioms.
Posted By: DaMagicman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/16/10 09:36 AM
Just finish watching "Apocalypto" on my pc and I like it.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/16/10 08:47 PM
Last week saw a new documentary by a Boston Globe writer who spent a year trying to reunite the Kinks.
It's called "Do It Again." I learned a British term I'd never heard.
Naff.

It's kinda the opposite of milf, but can be applied to anything not worth discussing---- or 'not available for (insert f-bomb with suffix).'
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/21/10 07:50 AM
Well, I made it to Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. It was pretty amazing. I'll definitely own it when it hits Blu-ray. I should really read the graphic novels at this point.
Posted By: a401classic Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/21/10 08:27 AM
We're going to see Jay Leno. He's doing a benefit show to raise money for those effected by BP's doings. Thanks to my folks, we also have back stage passes for a meet & greet after the show!

Scott
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/21/10 10:57 AM
If he turns quickly, don't let his chin poke you in the eye....
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/21/10 01:25 PM
They could have used Jay Leno's chin as a skimmer to clean up the gulf.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/22/10 01:38 AM
Kick-Ass

Overall, I didn't really care for it. The tone of the story was getting on my nerves, heightened by the lameness of the original score. The music choices were fine otherwise. I would agree with everyone that Hit Girl was the best thing about the film. Not that the character was that deep or original, but the actress playing her was entertaining to watch. The other characters were all pretty blah. I did enjoy the audio in the gunfights, and feeling the engine in Red Mist's car was good.

I'm really looking forward to hearing Scott Pilgrim on my home system.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/22/10 03:49 AM
I started watching Foot Fist Way yesterday but could not get further in than about 30 minutes. It's rare that I'll stop watching a movie. If it get's better later, then it didn't get better fast enough.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/22/10 04:59 AM
Cemetery Junction

It was decent, but it didn't really grab me.
Posted By: a401classic Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/22/10 01:57 PM
Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
If he turns quickly, don't let his chin poke you in the eye....


It was a close call, but I managed to avoid injury last night during the meet and greet session.

The event raised $90k+. Jay didn't like the number so he added an additional $10k to make it an even $100k! On top of the class act, he's a class act. This is the second time I've seen him in concert and would go again - good clean humor.

Scott
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/22/10 02:03 PM
I saw him way back "when"... he was just a Boston-area comic who hadn't had any success yet... and was years away from the tonight show. He was funny.

Though I always chose Letterman at night and never really got into the Tonight Show since Carson left.

Damn. I'm old!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/22/10 08:26 PM
I finally finished Scrapped Princess. I liked it pretty well. It made me laugh.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/10 12:46 AM
I decided to try the Boxee software. It's pretty slick. Plenty of content, even if it's not everything I want. I'll have to keep playing with it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/10 09:44 AM
Rurouni Kenshin. I like it so far.
Posted By: a401classic Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/10 03:52 PM
Originally Posted By: a401classic
[quote=MarkSJohnson]If he turns quickly, don't let his chin poke you in the eye....


It was a close call, but I managed to avoid injury last night during the meet and greet session.

This was the extent of the meet and greet - 10 seconds on stage for a picture. Still, kind of cool...

Scott
Posted By: sonicfox Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/10 04:19 PM
Last night I watched Paranormal Activity for the first time. I was not at all scared while watching it, but thinking about it after wards made going to bed kinda scary.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/10 04:35 PM
(boo)
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/10 04:43 PM
I hear ya Mary,

One of my brother used to sleepwalk. Having someone stand there and stare at you with an expression seemingly devoid of any consciousness is a very unsettling thing, even when you know there is nothing paranormal involved. I didn't find the movie scary at all either but admit the scenes where she stood like a zombie beside her boyfriends bed brought back some uncomfortable memories.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/24/10 06:49 AM
Originally Posted By: CV

I finally finished Scrapped Princess. I liked it pretty well. It made me laugh.


I thought is had a good mix of many elements, drama, comedy, action and plot twists. AFAIR it also looked pretty good too.

Originally Posted By: CV

Rurouni Kenshin. I like it so far.


Keep us updated on what you think of it. I’ve had it for quite a while but at 22 disks I don’t want to start it until I’m finished with InyYasha on which I’m only about half way through the 56 some disks.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/24/10 06:57 AM
I’ve been watching this season of Eureka on Hulu since having my Direct TV shut off. I really like this show when it’s trying to be funny, and find the action ok but jus not feeling the love for the drama parts. I also have a bad feeling about the big plot twist this season. I think they may have “jumped the shark.” frown
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/28/10 09:21 AM
Originally Posted By: grunt
Originally Posted By: CV

Rurouni Kenshin. I like it so far.


Keep us updated on what you think of it. I’ve had it for quite a while but at 22 disks I don’t want to start it until I’m finished with InyYasha on which I’m only about half way through the 56 some disks.


I have a lot of InuYasha to watch, too. I keep collecting the seasons, but I've only watched the first... 3 or 4? I don't remember where I stopped, same with a couple of other series.

I only have the first season of Rurouni Kenshin so far. I just started disc 5 of 6. I'm enjoying it a lot, really. There's an underlying earnestness to it, even if it doesn't take itself too seriously on the surface. It doesn't mind being silly, but there's also some attention paid to small details. I'm not sure how much forward momentum the overall story has yet. It's hard to tell if the hints of what to come are really what's coming or not. Anyway, I'd still say it's worth the time at this point, whenever you get around to it.
Posted By: a401classic Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/28/10 01:10 PM
After watching the latest Star Trek movie, my boys were interested in the original, so we Netflix'd the first season of the TV series. I forgot how slow paced tv shows were back in the day...

Still a good watch.

Scott
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/28/10 10:04 PM
Watched “Clash of the Titans” (2010) Blu-ray last night. It wasn’t as bad as I remember the (1981) version but then I’ve killed a few brain cells since then.

Video quality was not up to par for a newly released Blu-ray movie. Occasional shots look nice but there was a lot of blurring/smearing of detail in to many scenes.

Audio quality was a little better but nothing great. Scenes which should have been earth shaking barely got the Buttkickers interest. Seems like more and more movies have the what should be a really deep rumble being played up in the midbass region. Maybe they are mixing for the “average consumer” who doesn’t have a good subwoofer. Otherwise the overall presentation was good but nothing demo worthy.

The movie itself was a mixed bag. There were some scenes that worked well and quite a few that just fell flat. Seemed like two different directors were shooting different parts of the movie. Better editing could have help as I found myself getting bored in several areas. I wouldn’t call watching this a waste of two hours of my life but personally I’d rather have been watching reruns of “Teen Titans.”
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/28/10 10:11 PM
Originally Posted By: CV

I have a lot of InuYasha to watch, too. I keep collecting the seasons, but I've only watched the first... 3 or 4? I don't remember where I stopped, same with a couple of other series.

I only have the first season of Rurouni Kenshin so far. I just started disc 5 of 6. I'm enjoying it a lot, really. There's an underlying earnestness to it, even if it doesn't take itself too seriously on the surface. It doesn't mind being silly, but there's also some attention paid to small details. I'm not sure how much forward momentum the overall story has yet. It's hard to tell if the hints of what to come are really what's coming or not. Anyway, I'd still say it's worth the time at this point, whenever you get around to it.


I hate starting a series if I don’t have all the disks to watch the whole thing. I’m looking at what to use for long term viewing after I finish InuYasha and Rurouni Kenshin sounds like it might fit the bill. I want to watch Bleach but I keep waiting for all the disks to come out. I think I’ve collected up to #30 but I haven’t checked to see if there are more or even if the show is still running with even more to come.

I’ve been taking a break for InuYasha to watch some stuff on Hulu before it drops off. But once I get caught up I’ll go back to the disk watching.

I finally cut my Netflix back from eight at a time to 1 at a time since I’m running out of things I really want quality copies of and switched to torrents for most stuff now.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/28/10 10:15 PM
Originally Posted By: a401classic
After watching the latest Star Trek movie, my boys were interested in the original, so we Netflix'd the first season of the TV series. I forgot how slow paced tv shows were back in the day...

Still a good watch.

Scott


I was surprised at how much I liked the new movie. The other parts of the franchise were getting tired but this one is off to a great start.

I’ve been watching a few of the Blu-ray versions of the original series and you’re right about the pacing compared to today. Though in some ways I like the character interaction and dialogue of old compared to the constant action of today. Guess I’m old. frown
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/28/10 11:13 PM
Shogun Assassin

I hadn't seen it before, had only heard the little bits of narration in Kill Bill: Volume 2. It was pretty entertaining. You can definitely see why Quentin Tarantino liked it.
Posted By: casey01 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/28/10 11:40 PM
Originally Posted By: grunt
Originally Posted By: a401classic
After watching the latest Star Trek movie, my boys were interested in the original, so we Netflix'd the first season of the TV series. I forgot how slow paced tv shows were back in the day...

Still a good watch.

Scott


I was surprised at how much I liked the new movie. The other parts of the franchise were getting tired but this one is off to a great start.

I’ve been watching a few of the Blu-ray versions of the original series and you&#146;re right about the pacing compared to today. Though in some ways I like the character interaction and dialogue of old compared to the constant action of today. Guess I’m old. frown


Old shows slower paced or is it because back then they had considerably less commercials interrupting the program and could develop the story line and characters better?

Back awhile ago, I did a little survey and found that in an hour program today due to additional commercials they have approximately nine minutes less in an hour to work with then they did back in the sixties. I would imagine they have to speed up the pace just to fit it all in the allotted time.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/29/10 12:01 AM
Dean. I agree with you on Clash of Titans. The sad thing is that this is very rich source material that could make for a really amazing movie. Disappointing really.

Casey. You are right about the time available for program material. I notice the erosion starting in the 70s already. Amazingly you occasionally get shows that take the time to develop characters and story lines, but then they take multiple episodes to do so.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/29/10 12:03 AM
I don't know, the airwaves were still pretty new back in 66 and life was slower, you didn't have to cram in a bumch of action or extra whatever to keep everyone hooked for an hour like today. We have too many other things to do other than watch TV, ie. Internet, video games, etc.
Posted By: a401classic Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/29/10 12:21 AM
I'd have to agree with that.

Scott
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/29/10 12:22 AM
I think it's wrong to give a slower pace credit for better character development. I think well-written characters are going to resonate regardless of the pace. Pacing is just pacing.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/29/10 12:24 AM
I agree Fred. With “Clash of the Titans” you really need to do a mini-series to do a story like that justice.

One of the reason I liked the early seasons of “The West Wing” was because of the character and story development but like you said it happened over many episodes. IMO that an example of a show that at least early on wasn’t to rushed but managed to cram in lots of content by not wasting time. I like “Burn Notice” for the same reason. Even though they use time in transitions scenes the narration keep the flow going.

I also think that besides just having less time in each episode, writes have gotten lazy and substitute “action” scenes. Add in that I think in general people’s attention spans have decreased. Sort of what Jay is talking about

Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/30/10 08:20 AM
I watched Hot Tub Time Machine last night. I think I'm growing weary of all of these R-rated comedies that start to blur together. You'd think the hot tub time machine aspect of Hot Tub Time Machine would set it apart, but the time travel aspect isn't utilized in an interesting way at all, and the fact that the time travel occurs in a hot tub is incidental at best. This would all be fine if there was something else, anything else, to latch onto. I'm sounding harsher than I really mean to. I guess I just wanted more.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/30/10 01:55 PM
It's on the top of my netflix queue after being highly recommended by somebody else. Guess I'll try to lower my expectation and hopefully I'll be better entertained than you were. smile
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/30/10 02:06 PM
It's number 228 in my Netflix queue. Right now, I'm watching season 3 of 24.
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/30/10 05:46 PM
Quote:
I watched Hot Tub Time Machine last night. I guess I just wanted more.


I watched it again last night with my brother in law and laughed just as hard, at one point he actually spit wine all over himself from laughing too hard. I guess it relates more to us older folks who spent some of our glory years in the 70's and 80's.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/30/10 08:30 PM
Thanks Michael, I've been considering that and now it looks like a must see movie.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/31/10 09:16 AM
I finished the first season of Rurouni Kenshin. I look forward to the second season, but I don't know when I'll get around to it.

I started part 2 of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. It's deviating much more from the original anime series now. I knew it was coming, but I'm already pretty intrigued by the differences, so I can't wait to see where the story goes.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/31/10 01:05 PM
I, too, thoroughly enjoyed "Hot Tub Time Machine." My girlfriend finally caved in and rented it for us one day, more in hopes of quieting my enthusiasm for the movie than any desire for her to want to see it.

It was inane and funny and highly enjoyable! Yes, and she's glad she watched it to, although she still rolls her eyes when I mention the movie.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/31/10 02:47 PM
I'm staring at pictures of Tom's new car.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/01/10 03:58 PM
This one's for CatBrat: Reenactment of the Miracle Max scene from The Princess Bride... with cats.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/01/10 04:11 PM
Hmmm. Different. Looks like there are more episodes by same person. The white haired person reminded me of Alan Alden.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/01/10 04:44 PM
Some Better Off Ted. Still good stuff. Still in love with Andrea Anders.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/01/10 05:37 PM
Me, too. She's a cutie. I think Matt LeBlanc actually left his (real-life) wife for her while they were working together on "Joey", so I guess he thinks she's pretty special, too.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/01/10 06:23 PM
Not that leaving a wife means anything anymore. In fact, I just left all of your wives.

Here's Conan O'Brien announcing the name of his upcoming TBS show to make up for it.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/01/10 08:25 PM
It's too bad that "Oprah" was taken. That might've gone somewhere.

I watched George Lopez's talk show recently and thought it was pretty good. It reminds me of the Arsenio Hall show that I used to watch in college.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/01/10 08:32 PM
Woot-woot-woot....
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/04/10 08:35 AM
More Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. I'm still interested in where the story is going. There have been some nice twists.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/06/10 02:44 AM
Started season 3 of Burn Notice and also watched Ichi.

I can't throw Ichi with full force onto my Recommended pile, but I will say that it wasn't exactly what I was expecting. It's one of those movies with a nice, clean look that's probably too clean, coming across as sterile. The swordfight scenes aren't too wonderful, either. I don't regret watching it, but the pace is a bit slow, and the payoff isn't huge. At least the main actress has a nice face.

I also watched the first episode of Breaking Bad last night, but I fell asleep during part of it. The opening scene annoyed me, too, where he somehow runs over the pants that blew off his RV. Maybe the explanation for that happened when I was asleep, but yeah, I couldn't figure out how it could blow off and then end up in front of his vehicle to be run over. Anyway, I kept hearing such good comments about the show, so I'll give it more of a chance, but I'm honestly not sure it's something I'll be investing too much more time in.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/06/10 06:04 AM
Just finished watching “Claymore,” a 26 episode (23 minutes each) action/drama anime on Hulu.

I found “Claymore” a mixed bag which had huge potential but never quite seemed to hit it’s stride. I liked the premise but as the show progressed it seemed to bog down with another “battle-to-end-all-battles” with clear signs of more to come. It’s my main gripe about Mecha anime that always seem to spend to much time on the fight scenes.

While the first season does have a closing it leave the story unfinished and AFAIK there are no intentions of making anime out of the remaining manga.

I liked the soundtrack but can’t really comment on the video or animation quality since I was watching on Hulu which can’t come close to my Oppo up-converting DVDs.

Which brings me to a separate issue. I like what Hulu offers but don’t think I will be marathon watching to many shows there. A few episodes at a time is alright but after a while seeing the same 10 commercials over and over again is grating. The only reason I marathoned this one was because I was having trouble finding the whole series and it was about to drop off Hulu. Most of the anime series they have I already have on disk so not really a problem.

Speaking of Hulu last week over several days I watched the first season of “Merlin.” Not the greatest show but not terrible either. I imagine if I tried to watch it over the course of a season it might not have held my interest but the characters are likable enough and the twist one the legend is interesting enough I think I’ll stick with it should there be a second season.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/06/10 06:06 AM
Originally Posted By: CV

Started season 3 of Burn Notice and also watched Ichi.


I often catch “Burn Notice” at work and find it interesting enough but don’t think I would make an effort to make sure I’ve seen all the episodes.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/06/10 07:29 AM
I would say I enjoy it just enough to make the effort. There's a general crappiness to the show that will prevent it from ever being a classic, but I'm glad Bruce Campbell found a role that he can play well, hammy as he is. The emotional parts of the show are always a bit heavy-handed. The production values aren't the hottest. Still, the wealth of tricks they cram into every episode is fun, even if they aren't all the most plausible. I'd say my parents definitely enjoy the show more than I do, but I still like it. I'd say it's a stronger show than Leverage, which is in the same Good Samaritan vein. Of course, I only saw the first season of that one, so maybe it's gotten better.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/06/10 07:31 AM
Oh, and when did you move to Nirvana?
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/06/10 07:44 AM
Yeah I like Bruce Campbell. I picked up “The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.” from Amazon a while back but have yet to watch it. I remember liking what I saw of it but never saw all the episodes not that there were very many.

I saw “Leverage” for the first time at work last week. Seemed ok, like a cross between “Mission Impossible” and “The ‘A’ Team.” However, I don’t see making any real effort to watch it.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/06/10 07:45 AM
Originally Posted By: CV
Oh, and when did you move to Nirvana?


When I attained enlightenment a couple weeks ago. wink
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/06/10 07:53 AM
Just watched the first episode of “Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood” on the Funimation Youtube channel. Seemed pretty good with the characters seeming quite like the original which I liked a lot. Hope the little brother doesn’t whine as much in this one.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/06/10 08:02 AM
Originally Posted By: grunt
Yeah I like Bruce Campbell. I picked up “The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.” from Amazon a while back but have yet to watch it. I remember liking what I saw of it but never saw all the episodes not that there were very many.


Hey, let me know how you like it. My impressions of it back when it was on the air weren't great, but who knows how much my tastes have shifted since then. I know people like it, so maybe I just didn't get it back then. I think I only saw 1 or 2 episodes, too.
Posted By: mpyw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/06/10 08:08 AM
Last night watched "Drop Dead Diva" on AXN HD...quite interesting series...

Might watch Hot Tub Time Machine tonight...heard good review of them
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/06/10 08:57 AM
Originally Posted By: grunt
Just watched the first episode of “Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood” on the Funimation Youtube channel. Seemed pretty good with the characters seeming quite like the original which I liked a lot. Hope the little brother doesn’t whine as much in this one.


I finished watching part 2, and now the wait for the next one is going to be loooong. Parts of it might be a little convoluted (just a little--ha), but I'm still impressed with how creative a lot of it is. The Homunculi are a bit different in this series than in the original anime. Some of the characters that weren't in the original anime are pretty entertaining, too. I can't wait to see more. It's so inconvenient when it's not already all out.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/06/10 03:17 PM

If you can’t wait, the Funimation channel on Youtube and Hulu have up to episode 64 (SUB). I’ll probably wait on watching more of it until all the DUBs are released.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/06/10 06:53 PM
I'll have to think about that. I've been enjoying experiencing them first on Blu-ray. Very pretty picture. The bad thing is the Japanese track is only in stereo.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/09/10 07:46 AM
Louie again. It's actually a really good-looking and good-sounding show. You don't expect a comedy show to have that much attention paid to those elements. It's one I would get on Blu-ray, so here's hoping it's released in that format.

I finished season 3 of Burn Notice last night. The conclusion was a bit underwhelming. The writers really seemed to run out of steam. There was still enough entertaining stuff throughout the season to have made it worthwhile. I'm not someone who only cares about the end.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/11/10 09:33 PM
I watched Machete last night. Bits and pieces were entertaining, but it never developed any momentum. In the end, it was too good at being just a bad movie.
Posted By: 1sweetspot Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/12/10 04:35 PM
Resident Evil Afterlife. A guilty pleasure-High body count, lots of explosions, cool "real D" effects, at least 3 times I jumped out of my seat scaring my 2 neighbors at the same time:)

Surprisingly, I don't think there will be any oscars handed out for it though.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/10 04:03 AM
The Other Guys. I went with my best friend/coworker. We both ended up laughing quite a lot. I figured I would be amused, but I really didn't have high expectations. I'm glad to be surprised. This along with Scott Pilgrim vs. The World made for a good summer for comedies. I'll be buying both.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/10 06:51 AM
I'm in the middle of watching Mary and Max. It's very pretty, nice and textured like Fantastic Mr. Fox, as you'd expect, but of course with less color. As far as the audio, it's mostly dialogue at a low level, but then suddenly there will be a loud sound effect. I like it. It really accentuates the power of my system when those moments come along.

I have it paused right now because I wanted to see if a friend was online, and she is, so the ending will have to wait.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/10 08:11 AM
Yeah, I liked Mary and Max all right.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/10 09:34 AM
Suzuka

A 26-episode high school anime. I'm still on the first disc, but I like it so far.
Posted By: DaMagicman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/10 10:36 AM
I just watched Lions on a Lamb and Salt. I liked both movies
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/10 06:40 PM
Another one for CatBrat. My nephew really likes the Parry Grip videos/songs, and he linked this one on Facebook.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/17/10 09:09 AM
I enjoyed some It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia tonight. I finished up re-watching the fifth season and watched the first episode of the sixth season. Always fun.
Posted By: a401classic Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/18/10 08:34 AM
We watched Planet 51 tonight. So many references to other sci-fi movies it's hard to keep up. Good sound and LFE in this film.
Posted By: DaMagicman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/18/10 08:51 AM
Yesterday I watched online episodes of that new tv series The Gates...vampires, werewolves and human living together..so far so good
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/23/10 07:17 AM
Joaquin Phoenix is on Letterman. First time back after his last infamous appearance.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/23/10 05:47 PM
I heard his rap career didn't work out. In fact, I heard it was a joke. Get it, a joke!!!
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/23/10 09:46 PM
Jokeen Phoenix?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/24/10 07:32 AM
Sofía Vergara was pretty funny on Letterman.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/24/10 01:55 PM
All of a sudden I'm thinking about tweeters.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/24/10 01:59 PM
I got caught up on Weeds last night. Nice tweeters.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/10 01:23 AM
NCIS again. I'm in the middle of an episode with a killer who removes the feet from his victims. The feet are being processed in Autopsy, and they just said "toe cheese" too many times in a row. I was about to eat some Cheez-Its, and this did NOT whet my appetite.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/10 06:16 PM
I watched the first episode of Running Wilde, the new show from Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz. It has potential, but it may take a few episodes to really find itself, or for me to acclimate to it.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/10 07:58 PM
I watched "Dark City" the other night on BR...definitely a sleeper movie, great performance by Kiefer Sutherland as well as William Hurt. This one flew under the radar when it came out years ago, but, a very unique and interesting story with plenty of, for lack of a better term, "dark ambiance". Kind of Twilight Zone-ish.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/10 08:18 PM
I watched Step Brothers for the second time. I still like it a lot. The climax is pretty wonderful.
Posted By: DaMagicman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/10 08:58 PM
I watched season premier of Bones and CSI: NY
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/28/10 07:12 AM
Katherine Heigl is showing off her electric cigarette on Letterman tonight. I didn't even know they existed. The end glows like a real cigarette when you take a drag, and you breathe out water vapor instead of smoke. Here's hoping she can quit smoking real cigarettes this way.
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/28/10 04:24 PM
Started watching the Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring with the Wife last night. (FINALLY got it on bluray from Netflix). She actually is really liking it which is surprising to me. We made it about an hour and a half in and got tired and went to bed (we started it way too late.) She wants to finish it and send off for the next in the series (Two Towers.)

Maybe I can convince her to watch Star Wars with me next…
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/02/10 11:17 PM
Iron Man 2. I did like it more this second time, at home instead of at the theater, and I will say that it's a good movie for four EP800s. Certain things still annoy me about the movie, but it's still a nice one to have on the shelf. Predictably, I like Scarlett Johansson's face (liked it way back when I'd only seen her in Ghost World, but who would have guessed she'd be considered such a hottie?), and Sam Rockwell's dancing is always good for a smile.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/02/10 11:40 PM
I plan on buying it next week, along with a clothes washer. (still trying to replace everything that broke in July).
Posted By: prototype3a Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/03/10 01:51 AM
Watching Alabama steamroll Florida. laugh
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/03/10 02:37 AM
Yes Man. Its an OK movie over all, but it has some really funny moments.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/04/10 09:20 PM
I just watched the Blu-ray of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010). I think the NY Post critic sums it up best:

Originally Posted By: Lou Lumenick, New York Post

The movie is too cheerful and earnest to motivate any active dislike toward it, but not good enough to warrant any strong praise. It's the reason shrugs were invented.


Both the video and audio quality are pretty good. The audio has a lot of surround action both ambient and directional. One particularly nice piece is when one guy is fighting with whips that you can hear whizzing around your head.

Other than that not much to write about.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/04/10 10:39 PM
Iron Man 2. Lots of great special effects. Little plot or plot coherence. They even one shot killed the evil bad guy. Glad I waited for the rental.

Coolest thing was where one of the ladies walks away from Stark and just to the right of me out the balcony door of my apartment! It gives a hint of what Surround sound could do if studios chose to use it more effectively.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/05/10 03:19 AM
I just finished watching “The Tudors.” I had been watching a couple of episodes a night at work but decided to marathon it over the weekend.

I watched about 1/4 of it on my phone at work and then the rest on my HT. they were AVI files and only in stereo but the stereo sounded good and PLIIx (DSX wide) pulled some pretty good surround sound out of it so if the DVD versions are already 5.1 I imagine they sound great.

Can’t really comment on the actual DVD PQ but the AVIs look so good I imagine the PQ is awesome. Even on the compressed format the colours, when present, were vivid.

First off I like period pieces, “I Claudius,” “Rome” and such so this was a natural. Overall I liked it quite a lot but felt that it started loosing some appeal toward the end. That might have been the fault of marathon watching which some shows, like “Rome” IMO are more appropriate for. So I did use the mouse to start clicking through some of the longer pageantry and visual setup scenes toward the end. However, liking the beginning more than the end also had to do with it’s generally more youthful and progressive tone.

So all-in-all a nice watch but IMO not suited for more than a few episodes at a time.
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/05/10 03:38 AM
Finished the fellowship of the ring with the wife the other day and moved onto the two towers bluray. We finished an hour and a half of it and have about that much more to go. We are enjoying them, but with our busy schedules it's been hard to devote 3 solid hours to each movie. Return of the King will be here tomorrow from netflx so hopefully we will finish two towers tomorrow. Overall I'm very impressed with the sound on the LOTR blurays.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/05/10 06:12 AM
I finally (last night) got around to watching my Blu-ray of Dirty Harry that I got a long time ago. Now I just need to make time for the other four.

I hadn't watched the movie in forever. It was certainly a different era of filmmaking. There's an aesthetic to it that you just don't see anymore. Unfortunately, I still wasn't that into it this time around.
Posted By: DaMagicman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/05/10 10:44 AM
I just watched Predators...I like it and Laurence Fishburn almost cameo appearance is not bad too.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/05/10 12:25 PM
Originally Posted By: fredk
They even one shot killed the evil bad guy. Glad I waited for the rental.


I need more coffee. For whatever reason, I read this as "Glad I waited for the musical".


I honestly have no idea why.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/05/10 01:31 PM
Maybe that's your artsy-fartsy side trying to come out, Mark.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/05/10 05:14 PM
Was "coming out" a slip? smile
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/05/10 05:22 PM
Artsy-fartsy side my ass ... that's just one of the numerous little indications that old age is creeping up on you Mark! laugh
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/05/10 05:34 PM
I think we shouldn't continue with this fartsy, coming out, my ass talk.
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/05/10 05:37 PM
Good idea Adrian.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/06/10 09:13 AM
Beauty and the Beast on Blu-ray. I'd only seen it once back during its theatrical run. The animation is still impressive, and the audio is fun, too. The actual movie is a bit clumsy, which surprised me. A lot of the stuff just kind of happens with no real weight behind it. I still liked it, don't get me wrong. I just expected more since it's such a classic. I remembered not liking one part of the ending. I just don't think the prince's human form looks as cool as the Beast. It feels like Belle got a downgraded version.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/07/10 05:54 AM
Just watched episode 10 of “Caprica” on Hulu. As I watched the first half I was thinking that they had made some improvements, “tightened up the plotting” as one Syfy rep said they would but then it started showing signs it might wander off again. Still nothing to really grab me about this show, but I did figure out one of the things causing me not to care so much about it. It’s that there are really no likeable characters in it. I’ve read a couple suggestions that they brought it back early to try to generate interest before the end of the year when the actors contracts run out.



Also had watched and episode of SGU last night. Fell asleep. I never fall asleep watching TV. shocked
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/07/10 12:22 PM
Thanks for the tip. I wasn't keeping track and had no idea Caprica was back on the air.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/07/10 02:07 PM
The only reason I found out was from having it selected for notification if it dropped into my Hulu queue.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/07/10 09:32 PM
I just watched “The Adventures of Robin Hood” (1938) on Blu-ray. I forgot how much I liked it, not to mention it’s tempo is so shockingly more subdued than the recent “Prince of Persia. . .” movie I watched a couple days ago.

I hadn’t read a review of the BD prior to watching this but expected the transfer to be good based on “Casablanca.” It doesn’t disappoint. The PQ is mostly stunning. I love the look of old Technicolor films with their over-the-top colours popping off the screen. There were a few “outdoor” scenes which were distractingly noticeable that they were shot indoors due to the vividness of the foreground and muted nature of the background. There was also some inconsistence in the grain between some scenes. Blu-ray.com says that this wasn’t noticeable but I saw it quite easily.

The SQ wasn’t much to speak of. I think the second biggest thing next about HT next to convenience that’s spoiled me is multi-channel audio. None of the DSP selections save “All Channel Stereo” send anything to the surround channels and of course no LFE. Other than that the SQ was fine from a listening perspective.

If you like old movies and don’t already have this one or want a PQ improvement then this is a good deal. It will be interesting to contrast this one with the new one that just came out.


Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/07/10 10:32 PM
I didn't know until fairly recently, that Basil Rathbone(THE Sherlock Holmes) played one of the baddies in that movie...Sir Guy of Gisbourne.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/08/10 06:28 AM
Trying out Community. I'm laughing enough so far. I've always liked Joel McHale in his interviews with Letterman and Conan, but I'd never seen him in his own shows. He's good.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/09/10 07:21 AM
The Social Network

Really good movie. I swear. I will be owning it.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/10/10 12:01 AM
I just finished watching “Darker Than Black” a 25 +1 OVA episode story arc based anime series on 6 disks, though I watched streaming on Netflix.

The PQ and animation are pretty good most of the time but nothing to win any awards. 1.78:1 aspect ration of most anime these days is nice for filling up the big screen thus enhancing immersion. For the most part the animation is fluid and characters all drawn distinctively w/o resorting to bizarre cloths or hair styles to distinguish them. Action scenes are also well animated.

The soundtrack is only 2.0 but comes across loud and clear. Despite only being 2.0 there’s lots of ambient stuff being pulled out and sent to the other speakers. So it’s often quite enveloping. Not much in the way of LFE however. The soundtrack was composed by Yoko Kanno which is almost immediately noticeable though probably not her best work.

The story, set mostly in modern Japan, is about people called “contractors” who’ve developed special powers after the appearance of two “gates” (not ever really explained) on the earth. Similar to Full Metal Alchemist it’s based on story arcs each lasting a couple of episodes which ensures they are not rushed but also not bogging down the overall plot progression. Most major and even some minor characters get some focus with the lead even changing in some of the arcs. One odd but nice thing for me is that most all the characters are likable, even most of the bad guys. Far from making this lame it actually fits with the main focus on the “contractors” who are just really doing their jobs.

The interesting thing about the powers of the “contractors” that sets this apart from all the other magic power anime is that the “contract” involves each of them having to pay a sort of penance for using their power. On character has to dislocate his fingers, another smoke cigarettes, another write poetry and so on. Makes for some interesting moments in the show.

This show won’t be for everyone but for me it has just the right balance of action/drama and intrigue. The atmosphere is dark but not broodingly so. Overall I’d rate it a 4.5 out of 5.

Side note this is the first full series I’ve watched on Netflix. Have to say I loved the experience. Not having to get up and change disks right after a cliffhanger was nice. And not having to watch Hulu commercials was a blessing for marathon watching this series. As Netflix adds more series to there instant watch list I will be visiting a lot more. Between instant watch and Blu-ray rentals it’s the best $12 I’m spending on entertainment a month.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/11/10 03:48 AM
My sister sent me this. Disturbing.

Watch A Cute Girl Morph Into Jared Leto
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/11/10 05:09 AM
I just watched “Ergo Proxy,” a 25 episode existentialist/Scifi (for lack of a better term) anime on six disks.

Ok this one is not for your mecha, high school, or magic girl crowd but rather a more cerebral existentialist cyberpunk group. While it can often become fairly obtuse it seldom becomes as distractingly surreal as something like “Serial Experiments Lain.”

Despite it’s often overall darkness and muted colours it’s combination of 2D cell and 3D CGI looks quite good. Although Netflix lists this as a 1.33:1 aspect ratio it is in fact 1.78:1 which goes a long way to pull you into the well crafted world. There are many shortcuts taken in the animation like having half the characters be expressionless androids who’s mouths don’t even move when talking, and often not showing human characters faces when they are talking. However, for the most part the PQ is very good.

The SQ is even better than the PQ. Both Netflix and some reviews say it a 2.0 audio track but the disks I got also have both Dolby 5.1 and DTS 5.1 English tracks. The SQ is very good with lots of ambient surround sound and at least some directional stuff with some pretty good LFE added in. The music also does a good job in helping the mood.

While this is mostly suspense and drama there is some action mixed in though don’t coming looking for much comedy here. For the most part the story flows smoothly w/o any real story arcs except the main plot. There are some episodes that break from the main plot to fill in some back-story but otherwise it’s fairly linear. However, there are two episodes that just don’t fit. One is a game show and the other a “cartoon.” Both distract from the feel of the show quite a bit. I found both episodes very annoying but the game show one does fill in a lot of back-story in places, but I just didn’t care for the cartoon one.

All in all I’d give this anime a 4/5 stars as very mature, cerebral and somewhat philosophical story. If those description don’t make you want to rush out and see it then I highly suggest you don’t. OTOH if you like that sort of stuff it’s a very good watch which can be done over time or marathoned.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/11/10 05:26 AM
I started that series but got distracted by other things after a few episodes. I need to try it again. My friend recommended it to me. I do remember liking the audio.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/11/10 07:43 AM
Still working on Community. Señor Chang is the highlight.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/11/10 10:35 AM
Originally Posted By: CV
My sister sent me this. Disturbing.

Watch A Cute Girl Morph Into Jared Leto

She REALLY knows her makeup.... and she really is cute.

It was funny to watch this, as I looked up Jared Leto yesterday on IMBD.

Joyce had Panic Room on HBO in the kitchen yesterday, and I walked by and said "that guy looks like Jared Leto", and so I looked it up to see if I was right....
Posted By: sonicfox Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/11/10 11:02 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
My sister sent me this. Disturbing.

Watch A Cute Girl Morph Into Jared Leto


I wonder who said to her, "Hey, you look like Jared Leto", to inspire her to do this. Disturbing, but fascinating.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/11/10 11:34 PM
Why am I seeing this everywhere online today?
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/12/10 03:03 AM
Because I saw it yesterday?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/16/10 07:17 AM
I have to forgive David Duchovny his transgressions because he's hilarious when he's on Letterman. And Amy Sedaris is about to be on. Talk about a one-two punch.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/16/10 09:28 AM
How to Train Your Dragon on Blu-ray.

Very fun audio on this one. Whether it's the huge wooden doors moving, the dragon rumblings, the wind, the thunder, or the blasts of fire, there's a lot to excite your subs, and there's also plenty of use of the surround channels. I'm sure I'll be using this one to show off my system. Gorgeous visuals throughout as well.

The movie itself is pretty decent, too.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/16/10 09:17 PM
Community and Bored to Death.

Community is becoming more consistently funny. I like it.

Bored to Death isn't doing a whole lot for me. It has brief moments of okay, that's kind of funny, but overall, I'm not terribly impressed, despite liking plenty of the people involved.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/17/10 04:01 AM
Behind Enemy Lines

This doesn't feel like a modern movie. I'm not saying this in a bad way... or in a good way... but it just seems likes it would have been more at home in the '80s, from the actual look of the film to the writing and directing. It was entertaining enough. As far as the audio, there were some intense explosions.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/17/10 06:04 AM
Horton Hears a Who!

Another good one for bass. Also, the movie wasn't as annoying as I thought it would be.
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/18/10 02:36 AM
Just finished watching 9 . Co-produced by Tim Burton with voice acting of #9 by Elijah Wood. This movie is full of SERIOUS surround and LFE goodness. Picture quality is top notch as well. Highly recommend this movie. Not a bad plot for a short animation style movie as well.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/18/10 02:52 AM
re. Behind Enemy Lines

This movie's been on cable a few times lately...some parts of the movie were OK, but I agree with you on the 80's assessment, Charles. The ending in particular had a whiff of 80's fromage, typical Hollywood superhero BS, not unlike the silly Stallone/Schwarzenegger movies of the time.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/18/10 03:49 AM
Originally Posted By: CV
Horton Hears a Who!

Another good one for bass. Also, the movie wasn't as annoying as I thought it would be.

If a date ends similarly, that's a good sign, too.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/18/10 06:08 AM
Just finished watching RahXephon, the TV series, not to be confused with the movie. It’s a 26 episode (about 23 minutes each) action, drama, mystery, psychological, romance, science fiction, mecha anime. Or, as T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews says “Rah is Eva done right.” Here read the reviews for your selves:

http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=335

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/rahxephon/dvd-7

IMO this is a great series and I can’t believe I took this long to get around to it.

BTW, watch the series not the movie which is just a condensed version of the series and doesn‘t do it justice.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/18/10 06:36 AM
Sounds promising. I'll have to check it out.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/21/10 07:04 AM
I've been working on season three of The Big Bang Theory. The writing has never been the greatest, but it seems like the writing for this season has been especially lazy. There's still some good stuff, but it's getting harder to stomach the more uninspired jokes when the characters are getting less likable. I still like Kaley Cuoco, at least. She reminds me of one of my friends in a couple of ways.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/21/10 07:37 AM
South Park still makes me happy.
Posted By: prototype3a Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/21/10 11:17 PM
LotR -- RotK has some serious BASS laugh
Posted By: DaMagicman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/22/10 01:53 AM
I watched Steven Seagal Born to Raise Hell... I liked it..the guy can kick ass without dropping a sweat..it makes me want to learn Akido
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/22/10 02:16 AM
A Clockwork Orange. A timeless classic.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/22/10 05:47 AM
Just finished marathon watching “Planetes” a 26 episode (about 23 minutes each) action, comedy, drama, romance, scifi, slice of life anime about garbage collectors. That’s right it’s about a group of space debris collectors that happens to be surprisingly good considering the theme.

Here are a couple of reviews:

http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=713

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/planetes/dvd-2

Even though it begins as just a slice of life story about space garbage collectors this show works, right from the beginning. The characters are likable and well fleshed out in the early to form a foundation for a broader plot that develops later on. A couple of things I really liked about it are that it’s character based so there’s lots of interest in what’s happening to them throughout the story. Also nice is that there are no filler episodes and much of what seems tangential early on comes back later.

The video quality is very good especially the CGI enhanced space scenes. Also nice is the 1.78:1 format for a nice involving picture. The audio is only 2.0 and doesn’t really seem to have much to pull out for the surround channels nor much LFE but it still sounds good for what it is.

Don’t let the lack of lots of intense action, fanservice, or fantastical premise fool you, this show is really good. I easily give it 5/5 stars finding it a very fast marathon watch, seeming to end way to fast. Note that the full set actually has 9 disks but 3 of them are bonus material, so if you don’t care about that you only need order the 6 episode disks.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/25/10 03:45 AM
Just finished watching “Stellvia of the Universe” a 26 (about 23 minute) episode action, adventure, comedy, drama, romance, scifi anime. Here are a couple reviews:

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/stellvia/dvd-8

http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=505

As one review says don’t let the cutesy character design or the fact that it’s a “high school” anime in space detract you into thinking this isn’t a good science fiction story. IMO it’s strongest point is that it’s character driven and with all the characters being likable the show just sort of draws you in.

The PQ is good especially the CGI stuff and the bright colours of the cell animation which both make this a pleasure to look at. Only drawback is the 1.33:1 aspect ratio though because the characters are drawn a little on the skinny side it looked good on “stretch” filling up the 1.78:1 screen.

The SQ is good to start but clearly improves over time along with the English voice acting. The soundtrack is only 2.0 and not a lot of ambient stuff for the surrounds or any LFE at all but there is lots of side to side panning and other audio queues up front. Another bonus, for me anyway, is that the open music, “Asu e no Brilliant Road” performed by Angela is one of my favorite of all amine openers. Especially nice since the song works both at a fast and slow pace so it also gets a lot of use throughout the series.

Overall the story progresses quickly through 2 major and 2 minor story arcs. Unlike many anime Stellvia doesn’t bog down in the middle or end up with an unfulfilling or rushed ending the entire story moves along smoothly. Only real story issue I had was the main character getting a little whiny a few times near the end but other than that it’s quite solid in presenting a positive view of the future ala “Star Trek.” I rate it a little better than the reviewers above and give this 5/5 stars because it just plain worked for me.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/25/10 04:54 AM
I’ve watched a few more episodes of “Caprica” and the second half of the season is becoming more of a mixed bag. Two of the story arcs are interesting and generally seem to move along at a good pace but the Amanda Graystone arc is still boring. It’s almost like each story arc has it’s own director they are often so different.

In the interesting parts the story is progressing in interesting ways, however in the boring one there’s just to much time being wasted on imagery and setup scenes that don’t really have any payoff. I’m sure I couldn’t keep watching “Caprica” if I had to sit through the whole thing but being able to skip the boring parts is keeping it alive so far.

Looks like Syfy channel is set to decide on another season by mid November. Based on what I’m seeing I wouldn’t count on it unless they just don’t have anything better in the bullpen.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/25/10 05:27 AM
I watched the first episode of the new Sherlock Holmes show on PBS. It was decent. I would watch more episodes.
Posted By: sonicfox Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/28/10 04:43 AM
South Korean movie, Mother. A mystery about a mentally challenged teen who gets accused of murder, and his overprotective mother who takes matters into her own hands to prove his innocence. VERY good movie!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/28/10 04:48 AM
I saw a couple of reviews of that. It definitely sounds interesting. I'll have to put it on my list.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/28/10 07:17 AM
I'm watching the very gradual progress on creating a volume on my new NAS (Synology DS210+). I want to start playing with all of the features, but I'm stuck because I opted to check the drives for errors. The fun will have to begin tomorrow.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/29/10 06:57 PM
Caprica has been canceled. I'm not surprised, or all that bitter. I enjoyed it, but it was a little too slow for my tasted.

Now we get to look forward to Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/29/10 07:38 PM
We can only pray they won't use the young Adama actor from BSG.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/30/10 05:01 AM
RED

I enjoyed it. It was fun. I would have liked more at the end, but it's not like great endings are a dime a dozen. It was decent. Karl Urban can do badass well enough. I'd like to see him in more lead roles. Of course, Mary-Louise Parker makes great faces. I like Helen Mirren a lot, too. Bruce Willis is Bruce Willis. Do I even need to mention him? I'm required to be a lifelong fan after all of his dorky appearances on Letterman. I can see why people call it Space Cowboys, but with spies, but I found this one much more palatable.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/30/10 05:42 AM
Ha ha, the Halloween episode of Community was great.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/31/10 07:51 AM
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's Halloween episode was even greater.

I've been working on Trigun. It's entertaining. Not the greatest writing ever, but still fun. I'm curious to see where it goes. It kind of puts me in the mood to hurry up and get back to Rurouni Kenshin, though.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/03/10 06:28 AM
I watched the first ten minutes of Toy Story 3 on Blu-ray, but now I'm trying to get some writing accomplished. I can tell it's going to be a fun showcase Blu-ray, though. Thank goodness for Pixar.
Posted By: a401classic Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/06/10 09:54 PM
My Dad picked up a BD copy of The Pacific and my boys started watching it last night. By the time we got up, they were in the middle of the 2nd disc. I watched a few minutes of one of the episodes and it seemed pretty good. Good LFE, good surround management, good graphics (as in the gory stuff)... what's not to like?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/10 03:59 AM
I haven't bought a copy yet, but it's one that I definitely want. I'm sure the audio is amazing if it's up to the quality of Band of Brothers.

Tonight I watched Toy Story 3 and Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl with someone I've been talking to online recently. It was our first time meeting. She seems sweet and doesn't mind just chilling and watching stuff, so that's a relief.

I still got choked up at the end of Toy Story 3.

I fell asleep during Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl. I like the face of Vampire Girl, though.
Posted By: DaMagicman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/10 04:21 AM
Originally Posted By: CV
I fell asleep during Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl. I like the face of Vampire Girl, though.


If she didn't mind you sleeping in one of the movies you were watching..she might be a keeper.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/10 04:30 AM
Ha ha, she said it was pretty funny. I didn't know I was funny when I was asleep! Good to know.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/10/10 03:12 AM
Just watched Toy Story 3 for the first time. Really great movie. I shed more tears at the end than I can ever remember a movie getting out of me before. Felt great, and cleansing. smile
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/10/10 07:34 AM
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Even though I couldn't crank it, I still had to watch it. The audio was really great in the theater, and I can tell it will be as fun at home when I can turn it up. My coworker is going to come over and watch it sometime, so I'll watch it properly then.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/10 05:59 AM
Finally working on the first episodes of Conan. Conan O'Brien, not the Cimmerian. I'm glad they have the full episodes available for online streaming.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/10 06:04 AM
Toy Story 3, very good audio and picture even if it was only in SD. I can't imagine it looks/sounds a whole lot better on BR. Some very good LFE in this one too, the sub got a pretty good work out smile
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/14/10 10:52 PM
I watched “Blue Gender” a 26 x 23 minute episode adventure, drams, horror, romance, scifi anime on the Funimation Channel on YouTube. Here’s a review:

http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=486

Visually this anime is sub par. The animation is weak with lots of shortcuts and the 1.33:1 format just looks unimpressive. The 2.0 soundtrack is weak with the dialogue sounding muted which results in a rude awakening every time the mid episode commercial pops up.

I really started out liking this show despite the typically wimpy male lead at the beginning. Problem is that about half way through the character driven story gives way to mecha dominated battles. When it finally gets around to wrapping things up the ending is rushed and a bit confusing as to what happened in a couple of the main story arcs. Overall I’d only give this a 2 out of 5 though the begging was much better than that.

Watching on the Funimation Channel is relatively painless. So far everything I’ve watched has one very short commercial half way through and then a second commercial just before the closing credits so it can be skipped w/o missing any of the show. The Funimation Channel is a great place to check out a series but be careful since very few of them are listed in their entirety. Often 24 of 26 episodes of a season are present and more than half of them are subtitled only but even then one can still get a feel for a show to see if it’s worth ordering from Netflix or Amazon.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/14/10 10:52 PM
Just finished watching “Project Blue Earth SOS” a 6 x 45 minute episode action, adventure, scifi anime on the Funimation YouTube channel. Here’s what AnimeNewsNetwork has to say:

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/project-blue-earth-sos/dvd-1

This is a very good looking anime with a style resembling Johnny Quest with more fluid animation. As far as I can tell it’s all cell animation w/o any CGI. Although Netflix lists it as a 1.33:1 what Funimation is showing is 1.78:1 so I’m not sure if they modified it, however I have found that Netflix is sometimes incorrect in listing video and audio formats. The audio is only 2.0 but there is a lot of stereo effect up front but they don’t hardly translate to the surround channels at all.

Like the review above says this is a very retro story based along the lines of a 50s scifi serial. However, there are a huge (lost count) number of references to all sorts of scifi movies and shows from Flash Gordon, War of the Worlds, Star Wars, Sky Captain etc. . . .

If you like that sort of campy mostly feel good story this makes for some great quick and light entertainment. If you want something more serious than a Saturday morning serial/cartoon then look elsewhere. I give it a 4 out of 5 just because it was a cool blast from the past.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/14/10 10:53 PM
Earlier I also watched “Moon Phase” a 26 x 23 minute episode action, comedy, drama, romance, supernatural anime on 6 DVDs. Here’s a review:

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/moon-phase+artbox/dvd-1

Visually this one is above average looking in animation with the 1.78:1 format making it even more enjoyable. The 5.1 audio format ok but nothing to special. Mostly just ambient surround effects but not to much directional or LFE stuff.

The most notable thing about this series is that it is cute. The girl vampire carries the show because as far to often with anime the male lead is a wimp at least to start. It’s not the strongest plot in the world but IMO the likableness of the characters makes up for that. I give this one a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/15/10 02:46 AM
I finished the first season of Modern Family. I didn't like the show, but it's grown on me. Being another documentary-style comedy put me off, I think. It also takes a while to like some of the characters since they can be pretty annoying if you only see them in small slices.

Community and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia are still making me happy. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has to be my favorite running comedy show at the moment. They have mastered being asses in the funniest ways possible.

I've also been re-watching Band of Brothers, this time with my mom. She hadn't seen the series. The audio still blows me away. We just watched the "Bastogne" episode today. I really like that episode.

One of my online friends highly recommended Cougar Town, and I was trying out some episodes of the first season, but it's just not seeming like my kind of show. Something that really bugs me is the music. The rest of the show could probably appear better than it is if the music wasn't drawing so much attention to itself as the music of a safe, inoffensive show.

As far as movies, I watched Green Zone yesterday. It was decent, but definitely not a must-see.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/15/10 03:25 AM
I didn't think I'd like "$h*! My Dad Says" but I watched a couple of episodes and it's pretty funny. Definitely helped by a couple of MadTV former regulars but Shatner, despite his advanced weirdness, is quite humorous too.
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/17/10 12:34 PM
Received my bluray copy of the Pacific series yesterday. I'm planning on starting to watch it this weekend if time allows. Has anyone watched this yet and any first impressions on this series compared to "Band of Brothers"
Mel
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/10 12:35 AM
I just finished watching “School Rumble” a 26 x 23 minute episode comedy, romance, slice of life anime on the Funimation Network on YouTube. Here’s a review:

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/school-rumble/dvd-6

While the animation in this is a bet crude and lazy the characters look good and not being to action oriented fluidity of motion isn’t that important. The 1.78:1 aspect ratio is also nice. The SQ is ok with lots of panning across the front and a good amount of ambient stuff like background noises and birds chirping pulled out by PLIIx so that not everything is coming from up front.

I liked the start of this story and had it continued would rate it better but with the only premise really being the failed attempts to find love by the main characters it starts to wear a little thing toward the end. They do keep things alive by expanding from a love triangle to something closer to an octagon but so even up to the end it’s all setup and no payoff. The last few episodes seem the most lacking and only seem to serve as padding while awaiting the inevitable second season. By all accounts the second season gets off to a better start but the last part of this first season didn’t leave me wanting to rush into the second.

Have to give this a 3/5 for right now.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/10 12:37 AM
Originally Posted By: onn
Received my bluray copy of the Pacific series yesterday. I'm planning on starting to watch it this weekend if time allows. Has anyone watched this yet and any first impressions on this series compared to "Band of Brothers"
Mel


Any word on how you’re liking “The Pacific.” I’ve read some very mixed reviews of it so far.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/10 03:47 AM
I've only seen one episode of Pacific on cable. It didn't seem much different to BOB to me, just a different setting although I thought BOB had more action where Pacific seemed a bit more personal afa the characters were. As I watched Pacific(again, just one episode), I felt like I've seen this before(BOB) and since BOB was such a groundbreaking series, I kind of wish they had of left it alone.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/10 03:48 AM
Originally Posted By: onn
Received my bluray copy of the Pacific series yesterday. I'm planning on starting to watch it this weekend if time allows. Has anyone watched this yet and any first impressions on this series compared to "Band of Brothers"
Mel

Is this based on the short stories by James Michener, Tales of the South Pacific, by any chance? Exceptional book!!
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/10 10:36 AM
I liked the Pacific, and watched the whole series off HBO HD when it premiered.

I don't have anything to compare it too, though, because I never got back to watching BoB after the third episode or so...
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/10 05:33 AM
Regina Spektor - Live in London (Blu-ray)

Hooray, it's finally here! I've only watched her perform maybe four of the songs so far. So far there hasn't been any conversation with the audience, so I'm hoping it's not all cut out. That's half the fun. Looks decent and sounds nice so far. Maybe not the best out there, but it's not embarrassing itself, either.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/10 03:31 PM
My wife was watching an HGTV show (G, there, fellas) about auctioning off stuff in your house to buy something new. The couple in this one wanted a new BIG SCREEN TV for $2000! So they were getting rid of a bunch of stuff, including this gigantic old RP set. And the wife gives up her grandmother's jewelry box and a collection of fine jewelry. Which sells for $50.

Yeesh.

Then I saw the BIG SCREEN TV they got at the end. Couldnt' have been more than a 46", which means not only did she give away a family heirloom to buy a frickin' TV, they got ripped on buying the TV, too.

Mmm. Values.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/10 04:59 PM
I've been selling stuff on Craigs List that I don't use around the house in order to buy stuff to fix up my house, like new ceramic tile and the vinyl I put on the kitchen floor. But, I didn't need the corner shower enclosure, nor the 55 gallon fish tank and stand. Now, does anyone out there need a slightly used wedding dress? grin
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/25/10 01:32 AM
I bought "The sound of Music" on blu-ray today and I'm going to watch it tonight. Made in 1965 and I've never seen/heard it before.
Posted By: DaMagicman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/25/10 01:50 AM
Started watching Dexter season 1..never seen before...its actually a good show..I don't know if the show was cancelled or not
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/25/10 04:26 AM
The blu-ray "The Sound of Music" has 7.1 audio. I'm listening in 3.1 and it sounds very good from this perspective.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/25/10 07:11 AM
I gave my wife the DVD of Sound of Music a few years ago and I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the soundtrack.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/26/10 12:40 AM
I have to get around to watching my copy of The Sound of Music, too. I'm sure I watched pieces of it as a kid, but I don't remember anything very well.

Just watched In Bruges. It was decently entertaining, had some good moments, and I don't even particularly like any of the actors. Also, most of the movie is mixed fairly low, then the music at the end overwhelms. I kind of liked that.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/10 07:48 AM
Black Dynamite

Pretty funny, given its limitations as a parody. The audio was actually pretty good.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/10 07:51 AM
I watched The Expendables tonight. Gah, what an awful movie. Avoid.

My friend and I agreed we needed a palette cleanser after that. She had never seen Abre los ojos, so I put in that DVD. Much better.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/10 10:07 AM
The Blind Side

It's nice to watch an uplifting movie every once in a while. Now I need to think about my life a little bit to balance it out. Ha ha.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/10 10:07 AM
Originally Posted By: ClubNeon
I watched The Expendables tonight. Gah, what an awful movie. Avoid.


Poor Jet Li.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/10 04:30 PM
I swear Jet Li was the easiest person to understand in that movie. Everyone had intelligibility issues, either an accent or mumbling, or both.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/10 05:15 PM
Ha ha, that's great.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/10 10:27 PM
Watchmen: Director's Cut

I hadn't seen it before. I liked the ideas. Worthwhile, even if I find some of the tone off-putting.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/28/10 03:49 AM
The Good, The Bad, the Weird

Funny as hell.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/28/10 03:51 AM
I enjoyed it.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/10 09:22 PM
The guy at Blockbuster told me "The Crazies" was pretty good. It was not.

"Get Him to the Greek" was fairly amusing, Ya gotta like Russell Brand or no go. He sings all the featured tracks (pretty well, too) and the lyrics to the tunes are worth the price of admission.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/04/10 12:45 AM
My 7 yr old son play basketball smile
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/05/10 03:36 AM
Knight and Day

It would be a stretch to call it a classic, but I enjoyed it more than the trailer led me to believe I would. Fluff, for sure, and no truly outstanding moments, but yeah, it passed the time.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/05/10 03:37 AM
Originally Posted By: jakewash
My 7 yr old son play basketball smile


For a second I thought it said 7 foot son.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/05/10 04:09 AM
Oh, oh, and I picked up The Pacific at Costco today, so I watched the first episode of that. Should be an experience.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/11/10 05:55 AM
Conan from last night was funny. Watch this clip of him visiting Warner Bros. Animation where they discuss some of your favorite DC Comics superheroes.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/11/10 02:23 PM
That was funny, CV! Thanks for sharing that clip. laugh
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/12/10 02:34 AM
smile

Watched my Inception Blu-ray today. Some nice low bass moments. Which is worrying me. I also got the Pulse Blu-ray simply for the scene at the end with the waves of bass (still haven't watched the rest of the movie), and the extreme low bass is making something rattle. So far I can't decide if it's the subs themselves or stuff near the subs. Anyway, the sound was there, though to a lesser extent, with Inception, and these two are the first movies I've watched that have flushed out this rattling.

I've also watched some of both Imogen Heap's Everything In-Between: The Story of Ellipse and Lang Lang: Live in Vienna. Imogen Heap seems to be a very determined and upbeat person. I'll have to watch the rest since it hasn't gotten too deep into the music yet.

Lang Lang is a goofball when he's playing piano. He could be enjoying it a little too much. Ha ha.

But yeah, I think any future classical purchases by me are going to be concert Blu-rays. It helps me appreciate the music more when I can actually see it being performed, as opposed to simply listening.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/12/10 11:18 PM
I finally got around to watching the Blu-ray of “Ironman 2.” I’ll save the audio/video quality review and just say read what Blu-ray.com has to say:

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Iron-Man-2-Blu-ray/13501/#Review

As for the movie itself I liked it much more than it’s predecessor. They thankfully gave us the back-story during the opening credits like “The Incredible Hulk” (2008) did instead of dragging it out like the original “Iron Man.” The only thing I really didn’t like about the movie were Hammer’s monologues which seemed to frequent and to long. Still don’t see much replay value save the scenes with Scarlett Johansson. wink

When I watched this I realized that I hadn’t actually seen a movie in my HT for several months since I’ve been mostly gaming and watching various TV series. Nice to have a feature film playing again.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/13/10 02:20 AM
I'm just the opposite. I like the Iron Man 1 much better than 2. To me 1 was interesting, whereas 2 just seemed to drag most of the time.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/14/10 04:07 AM
I bought A Bug's Life on blu-ray today, and just finished watching it for the first time since it came out in 1998. All I can say is it was FANTASTIC! The sound was the best part with plenty of LFE to go around.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/17/10 07:15 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
Conan from last night was funny. Watch this clip of him visiting Warner Bros. Animation where they discuss some of your favorite DC Comics superheroes.


Please watch the sequel to this segment.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/18/10 12:00 AM
I did, thank you!
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/18/10 12:28 AM
I didn't; I don't like being told what to do by The Man.
Posted By: mazzum Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/18/10 01:47 AM
Originally Posted By: DaMagicman
Started watching Dexter season 1..never seen before...its actually a good show..I don't know if the show was cancelled or not

Dexter is fantastic and far from canceled. It is in season 4 now and rolling.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/18/10 05:22 AM
I'm interested, but if it's as gory as, say, CSI, I don't think I want to watch it.
Posted By: Henry66 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/19/10 02:23 AM
This evening I had to "babysit" five boys aged 9 to 14. We watched The Goonies. It must be one of the best movies ever for this age group.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/19/10 04:46 AM
Ha ha, great movie!

On a side note, the pirate ship seen at the very end of the movie is a 1/3 scale replica of a galleon that you can take on a tour of Big Bear Lake in California. Swashbuckling is frowned upon.

Tourists prefer their safety.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/20/10 07:40 AM
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole

It was okay. Visually stunning, especially in certain scenes, but the story didn't blow me away. The dialog was pretty bland. I'll have to watch it again when I can really blast it, though. Maybe it's better louder. smile

I've also been getting caught up on Friday Night Lights. Sad that it's the final season, but five seasons is pretty decent, and I'd rather they went out strong.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/10 12:54 AM
After watching “Iron Man 2” I realized I hadn’t really been using my system to anywhere near it’s full potential in a long time watching anime and tv shows on Hulu so I have started tonight throwing in some “real” stuff.

First up was Within Temptation “Black Symphony“:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr-skSQjp74

Only I’m seeing/hearing the Blu-ray. . . smile.

Next up was:

http://www.amazon.com/Toto-Live-Amsterdam-Anniversary-Blu-ray/dp/B000I5XDXS

Then I put in a Mannheim Steamroller 5.1 DVD sampler with an awesome video of an ancient Greek party with a belly dancer who’s cup size I’m sure didn’t exist back then at that level of body fat. wink

Still have about 3/4 a bottle of Patron Tequila Gran Platinum, and a whole buttload of Bud Ice (5.5%, best I could find) left and going strong.

Did I mention I get a stupid amount of time of around the holidays. wink
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/10 01:09 AM
Party at Dean's, everybody!!


Toga! Toga! Toga!
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/10 01:32 AM
I wish I had a scanner so I could post the picture of me at a toga party going as “D-Day.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4EPw-Mm2Uk&feature=related

“That’s my other dog imitation.” Oops! Wrong movie. Well at least Donald Sutherland was still in it.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/10 01:37 AM
Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
Party at Dean's, everybody!!


Toga! Toga! Toga!


BTW Sean you are more than welcome to come over right now.

It’s the house with the loud noise coming from it. wink
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/10 01:48 AM
I'll just look for the angry neighbors!

Hey, it's been AGES since we've had movie night. How does next week sound? This week I've got work, travel, and Christmas.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/10 01:52 AM
Except for Saturday night all looks good to me. If you have a particular request let me know and I’ll see if I can get it in my Netflix Queue, or we can just wing it. wink
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/10 01:54 AM
Cool beans! I'll PM you.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/10 02:00 AM
Yes I much prefer the PM to the AM. wink

That is unless it involves Mary Jane. cool

Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/10 02:06 AM
LOL!
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/10 07:21 AM
As part of rediscovering my HT’s capabilities I watched parts of “2001 a Space Odyssey” and “The Fifth Element.” Very different take on how flight attendants would be dressed:

http://costumeholic.blogspot.com/2009_07_19_archive.html
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/10 02:11 AM
Just finished watching my 4th anime series for this week, did I mention I get a lot of time off on the holidays. wink

In order of preference they were:

Noir

I liked the story and the way it was told. Having few main characters there was great characterization w/o to much back-story to slow things down. The video format is 16x9 which I like plus it really was in 5.1 unlike some titles that just have music coming from the surround speakers and nothing from the sub. Surround sound was used both for direct and ambient effects. A couple of time it really sounded like there was heavy traffic on my street and an ice cream vender. Gunshots also go zipping past from time to time.

Overall a 4.5/5

Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi

Very fun sometimes off the wall parody of anime, TV, movies and video games. Much of the humor could be lost on those not familiar with what is being parodied at a given time, but their enough mainstream stuff to engage most people. Also a 16x9 format but in this case the 5.1 didn’t amount to much.

Overall a 4/5

Solty Rei

Another story I liked despite what seems like a slow start things start moving as the plot lines start developing. Another 16x9 presentation but lackluster 5.1 audio except for the music.

Another 4/5

Sasami: Magical Girls Club Season One

I watched this one on the Funimation Channel on YouTube. They presented it in a 16x9 2.0 format though I’m not sure that’s what it would be on DVD. This one is geared more toward kids so if you don’t like slightly sweet magical girl anime avoid it. I liked it and the fact that Funimation makes these available but watching the same commercials over and over again suck during a marathon session.

Overall a 3.5/5

And I still haven’t made a dent in all the stuff I have yet to watch.
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/10 05:49 PM
Finally got a chance to watch Crossroads 2010 blu ray last night. There's 4-1/2 hours total on 2 discs. It's the best of the 3 I have now. I've had this disc sitting around for over a month now along with "The Pacific" which I still haven't gotten a chance to start watching yet. Between work and pemmi making there's no time for it.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/10 05:59 PM
Hey, Mel. Happy HoliD's. HTH are ya? What is/are "pemmi?" And how many did you make?
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/10 06:06 PM
Originally Posted By: BobKay
Hey, Mel. Happy HoliD's. HTH are ya? What is/are "pemmi?" And how many did you make?


The pemmican I make is dehydrated Buffalo meat mixed with rendered Buffalo fat. I was eating one at the Axiom party at Ian's place and you thought I was eating cake/fudge or something. I've been making these latest batches since the end of November. So far I've made 28 lbs of the stuff with another 7 lbs being finished of today. Then I rest for a week and start again in the new year.
I'm not much of a holiday celebrator so today is my house cleaning day.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/10 07:53 PM
Someone probably posted this a million years ago, but it was new to me. Better than I'll ever be at anything.

Inspired Bicycles - Danny MacAskill April 2009 (YouTube)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/10 01:25 AM
Despicable Me

I couldn't get into it. At least the rocket launch had some nice deep rumble.


Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

My mom wanted to watch it again, and she had my dad watch it this time, too. Still fun.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/10 04:46 PM
Received the special edition Avatar box set for Christmas and watched it last night; definitely a reference movie for HT.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/10 05:13 PM
Finally got around to Tim B.'s Alice. He rarely disappoints, however...

Not Depp at his best. Kind of "Jack Sparrow does Mad Hatter."

Alice is forgettable. It's Bonham Carter's movie and she's her usual awesome.

The 2nd half of the film becomes absurd (not absurdist, that'd be OK) and has not much to do with any previous "Alice(s)."

Though there's a lot to simply gawk at, we've all seen better. And nothing about the soundtrack (music or effects) will grab your attention.

Glad I got it used @ 1/2 price.

On deck: Inception
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/10 05:19 PM
Originally Posted By: onn
Originally Posted By: BobKay
Hey, Mel. Happy HoliD's. HTH are ya? What is/are "pemmi?" And how many did you make?


The pemmican I make is dehydrated Buffalo meat mixed with rendered Buffalo fat. I was eating one at the Axiom party at Ian's place and you thought I was eating cake/fudge or something. I've been making these latest batches since the end of November. So far I've made 28 lbs of the stuff with another 7 lbs being finished of today. Then I rest for a week and start again in the new year.
I'm not much of a holiday celebrator so today is my house cleaning day.


Mel, I would say that prepping 35 lb. of Buffalo could very well be construed as a Holiday celebration, of sorts.

I'll still think of you eating cake or fudge.
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/10 08:14 PM
[quote=BobKayMel, I would say that prepping 35 lb. of Buffalo could very well be construed as a Holiday celebration, of sorts.
I'll still think of you eating cake or fudge. [/quote]

Bob, the real scary part is, when I'm finished eating all the drying meat in my fridges, which is currently 50 lbs worth, I will switch over to eating pemmican exclusively. That will probably be the end of January.
Cake or fudge....Bah Humbug! smile
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/10 10:52 PM
I just watched “Aquarion”

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/aquarion/dvd-season-1/by-theron-martin

As usual this is a 16x9 format with 5.1 surround sound. It does an excellent job on both counts especially with the music. I’ve been mostly watching only 16x9 and 5.1 material here at home since I bought a portable DVD player which lends itself more appropriately to the 4x3 2.0 format since that doesn’t take as much advantage of my HT.

I generally agree with everything in that review except I give it a little higher score say a B- or 3.5 stars because I liked the characters and how they interacted.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/27/10 01:35 AM
Mel, I think being alone in that room, surrounded by shiny, shiny rosewood as far as the eye can see, has had an affect which is severe and profound.

Really, nothing other than pemmi? Were you raised on a wagon train?

I, mean, I've been on the TCH, so I know you guys are really attached to the past and all, but...

Really? No fruits, nuts, veggies?
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/27/10 02:56 AM
Originally Posted By: BobKay
Mel, I think being alone in that room, surrounded by shiny, shiny rosewood as far as the eye can see, has had an affect which is severe and profound.
Really, nothing other than pemmi? Were you raised on a wagon train?
I, mean, I've been on the TCH, so I know you guys are really attached to the past and all, but...
Really? No fruits, nuts, veggies?


Are you saying my speakers are having a hypnotic effect on me and I'm losing whatever I have for a mind?
Don't think I was raised on a wagon train.
TCH? I don't know what that is.
I've been eating only meat and fat for the last year and a half. Going to straight pemmican won't be a problem.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/27/10 03:15 AM
Wow! That's a committment. I was joking about the wagon train. Ya know, not many people these days on such a "hominid heritage" sort of diet. You don't even have to ask a realtor, "How close is the nearest supermarket?" That IS cool!
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/27/10 03:54 AM
Originally Posted By: BobKay
Wow! That's a committment. I was joking about the wagon train. Ya know, not many people these days on such a "hominid heritage" sort of diet. You don't even have to ask a realtor, "How close is the nearest supermarket?" That IS cool!


Don't need a supermarket but I do keep 3 local butchers that I visit regularly very happy. smile
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/27/10 07:56 AM
I watched Micmacs, pretty good, very good if you like Jean-Pierre Jeunet's stuff.

There seemed to be a part written for Audrey Tautou, but alas someone else got the role. So I followed it up with Hors de prix, which I had not seen since it's US release.

Oh, finally saw this year's Doctor Who Christmas special also. Can't wait for the new season to start.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/27/10 08:38 AM
I still need to watch that Audrey Tautou movie, and I definitely plan on checking out Micmacs at some point. I just got the Canadian Blu-ray release of Amelie, so I need to check that out, too.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/27/10 09:35 AM
Hors de prix (Priceless) isn't my favorite Audrey Tautou movie by a long shot, but it's still worth watching just to see her. smile

I've been waiting for Amelie to show up in this country, I may have to go Canadian if it doesn't happen soon.

Wish City of Lost Children would hit Blu-ray also.
Posted By: prototype3a Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/27/10 06:54 PM
Gundam 00: A wakening of the Trailblazer

Japanese DTS audio and no english subtitles so I'm not totally sure what is going on but, all the same, WOW!
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/27/10 07:16 PM
How’d you end up with a copy with only Japanese DTS and no English Sub/Dub? They don’t usually release those here in the states.

I’ve found that a lot of the DTS and Dolby 5.1 anime sound pretty good like they took some time to master or remaster them that way.
Posted By: prototype3a Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/28/10 12:27 AM
If you have to ask, you probably don't want to know. :^D I will however, probably purchase it on bluray when it is available in the US in a few years.

I wouldn't expect the english dub to be complete for another year or so. The english dub of the last portion of Gundam 00 season 2 *just* came out a few days ago even though the show aired years ago in Japan.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/28/10 01:31 AM
No worries about how you got it some titles are only available that way. I’ve had the first season of Gundam 00 for some time but I hate to watch Anime a season at a time so usually wait for the series to finish before watching them. Though eventually I will run out of complete titles in my library but it should take a year or so. wink
Posted By: mpyw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/28/10 03:21 AM
Katerine Jenkins : Believe Live in O2 London

Very good PQ & AQ
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/30/10 06:46 AM
Since the wave of depression caused by the last viewing had finally ended, I watched Dancer in the Dark again. The first time in five years. The movie is horribly brilliant, one of my absolute favorites. Even if I've only dared to watch it three times.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/30/10 07:06 AM
I've still only watched it once. I should give it another try sometime. I'm not sure I really like Lars von Trier's sensibilities, and I also kind of hate David Morse, but Catherine Deneuve is cool, and of course I'm a big Björk fan. Peter Stormare can be entertaining as well.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/30/10 07:09 AM
I think you're always supposed to hate David Morse.

This is the only Lars von Trier film I like. I bought Antichrist by a big mistake. But Dancer is a masterpiece.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/30/10 08:38 AM
Trying to finish up season two of Breaking Bad so I can start working on part three of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and after that I have The Norm Show to watch.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/31/10 02:49 PM
So I finally got around to watching Valkyrie last night. Much like the reviews I'd read about the movie, I have to agree on the main slag against it which is the lack of either German or German-sounding actors in the movie. The whole story here is about how the GERMANS wanted to assassinate another GERMAN(well, Austrian) so the movie stumbles with a bunch of what appear to be traditionally British trained actors. Where was the Nazi arrogance? the Nazi brutality? it was in fact, well acted and an excellent story to be told with some great opening effects where the allied planes attack, but this good movie could have been a VERY good movie if the Nazi threat was more "genuine".
Posted By: prototype3a Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/31/10 09:27 PM
I watched a bit of Aquarion on Youtube last night. That is a strange but also interesting series.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/01/11 12:47 AM
Those opening anti-aircraft shots in Valkyrie practically launched me out of my seat, btw. laugh
Posted By: merchman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/01/11 01:05 AM
Watching The Outlaw, Josey Wales tonight.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/01/11 01:25 AM
Originally Posted By: prototype3a
I watched a bit of Aquarion on Youtube last night. That is a strange but also interesting series.


I ended up liking Aquarion more than I expected based on the reviews probably because of all the character interaction.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/01/11 04:10 AM
The Expendables

I wasn't expecting much, and it met expectations. No reason to care about any of the characters, and the action was nothing special.

Other than that, I watched the first episode of The Norm Show, which I just got on DVD. Norm Macdonald is such a dork. Ha ha.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/01/11 05:00 AM
That was a pretty good show....uhhh, The Norm Show not The Expendables.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/11 03:50 PM
Last Thursday Sean came over and we watched the new “Robin Hood” Blu-ray. Rather than write my own review of the video and audio quality Blu-ray.com sums up my thoughts:

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Robin-Hood-Blu-ray/12967/#Overview

As for the movie I have to go against the critics and say I liked it. Despite watching the 2:35 long directors cut the movie seemed to move along very quickly. I liked the re-imagining of the story which helped keep things interesting since it’s not like I haven’t seen it before.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/11 03:55 PM
I agree with Dean. I had heard and read middling reviews about the movie, but I found it enjoyable and it didn't seem long at all.

I guess the tale of Robin Hood is so iconic and the characters so familiar that it is somewhat hard to either take the movie seriously or accept the characters following a plot different from what we expect.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/03/11 09:21 PM
I just finished watching “Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE” a 52 episode Anime. This review pretty much sums it up.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/tsubasa-reservoir-chronicle/dvd-1

The format is 1.78:1 and the English dub is in 5.1 but not the original Japanese. Overall I liked the story and the characters but as the reviewer above says it’s “Gastropod slow.” something worth noting is the reviewer also thinks that the English dub actually improves the story over the original Japanese.

This is not something you are going to watch in one day, or likely even one weekend but I enjoyed it and would rate it a 3.5/5.
Posted By: Henry66 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/04/11 12:38 AM
City Island. Both my wife and I really enjoyed it. Recommended.
Posted By: mpyw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/04/11 01:18 AM
Watched NatGeo Wild on Giant Squid last night....very interesting :p
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/04/11 05:18 AM
Originally Posted By: mpyw
Watched NatGeo Wild on Giant Squid last night....very interesting :p

That is the one thing I miss about cable.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/04/11 11:12 AM
Originally Posted By: fredk
Originally Posted By: mpyw
Watched NatGeo Wild on Giant Squid last night....very interesting :p

That is the one thing I miss about cable.


Squid programming?
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/04/11 05:05 PM
Watched Toy Story 3 and Inception over the weekend.

TS3 is amazing and beautiful. One can't imagine the CGI geting "better," but it does. The texture mapping is beyond belief. So many inconsistentsies are gone. Who cares about the story, the sountrack, et al. It's for staring at w/ your mouth open.

Inception has everything I had hoped for. Great visuals, top rate cinematography (some awesome night scenes), plenty o' special effects and a superior soundtrack. It's pretty loud throughout, which only makes the bombs, explosions and gunfire (ton's of gunfire, multiple weapons/mult. angles simultaneously) more startling.

Storyline is confusing on first watch, as most of the action takes place in peoples' dreams and on muptiple levels of dreams. You'll figure it out on subsequent viewings. And I DO think you will have at least a couple.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/05/11 01:48 AM
I just finished watching “Sakura Wars TV” a 25 episode mecha anime.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/sakura-wars/dvd-complete-collection-thinpak

http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=351

Maybe I’ve watched enough anime now that “I think I’m turning Japanese” because I didn’t mind the “Japanese-ness” of this show as much as both the above reviewers seemed to.

Screen ratio is only 1.33:1 but it does have 5.1 sort of. Mostly just ambient sounds as all the directional stuff is up front. The animation looks a bit dated, late 90s style which seemed very retro when I first started watching it after so many more recent titles but I quickly got use to it and stopped noticing.

Though the flow of the story and the characters are common for mecha anime the basis for the characters I interesting. Rather then being junior high students or a bunch of angst filled loners the pilot’s cover is to perform as a theatrical company. Makes for some interesting twists with what would otherwise be fairly typical characters and interactions.

I liked this enough to breeze through it in one day so I’d give it a 4/5.
Posted By: mpyw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/05/11 04:50 AM
Watched "The Great Migration" last night
beautiful PQ only if the narrator can be better
it's PQ is much better than that 1 episode I saw on TV in HD.
so...so says who all 1080*1920 is the same??? laugh
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/05/11 09:07 PM
Just watched “Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue” Blu-ray. Here’s what Blu-ray.com has to say about it.

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Tinker-Bell-and-the-Great-Fairy-Rescue-Blu-ray/10547/

With this, like the first sequel “Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure,” neither the video or audio quality live up to the first one but they’re still a pleasure to watch and listen to. I have to say I like this the least of the three not because it’s a poor story or anything, but because it mostly takes place in the human world so there isn’t as much of the weird fun stuff to look at in the fairy world. This leads to less vibrant colours and generally less impressive look.

AFAIK the last two have been direct to video releases and I think it shows that not as much quality was put into the productions as the original. Although I find this the least interesting of the three I’d still give it 4/5 and imagine some kids might like it more than the first two because it’s a story about fairies interacting with a little girl.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/06/11 05:39 AM
I just finished watching “Blue Drop” a 13 episode drama, mystery, science fiction anime on Netflix.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/blue-drop/sub.dvd-complete-collection

Netflix lists this as only available in Japanese with English subtitles but I went ahead and gave it a try only to find out it’s actually an English dub. The screen format is 1.78:1 as listed

Boy am I glad I watched it because it’s one of the better stories I’ve seen in along time. This is mostly a drama with some mystery and yuri leanings with the science fiction only being a vehicle for carrying the story.

If you go into this expecting the story to be about aliens invading you’re going to come away disappointed. The real story is about the characters and the relationships that develop between them. I think that the most impressive thing about this was how tight the story was. There’s a lot going on and some of it is never fully explained but at the same time there isn’t a scene wasted on filler. In that respect it stands apart from most other series which usually have some filler if not entire episodes of it but not here.

If you want action and adventure look elsewhere but if you want a nicely told story with interesting characters that are easy to care about this is a must watch. Another put off for some people might be that not all the story arcs are fully explained or resolved but then the real point of this was to tell a character drama and since the rest of it is all just backdrop for that I have no problem calling this one a 5/5.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/06/11 12:37 PM
I watched U-571 for the first time since I've had a subwoofer and it's an amazing movie. I kept wanting to mistake Harvey Keitel for Robert De Niro. They looked and sounded much the same.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/06/11 06:52 PM
The effects in U-571 were good but I wish they had of told the REAL story behind the breaking of the Enigma code and the British capture of the first unit which I believe would have been more interesting and historically accurate. Hollywood needs to give it's audience more respect, imo.

I watched the Hurt Locker the other day and thought it was quite a good movie and to me it "seemed" quite realistic until I read a review by an Iraq veteran who pointed out the many flaws and miss-truths in the movie. The overall "feel" of the movie was ok(accoring to him) but he felt it was too far from the reality of the actual situation in Iraq. I know little about modern weapons and warfare so I wouldn't have noticed the flaws in the details(except the US military using flashlights at night....are you kidding?) Private Ryan, on the other hand(for me) lost much of it's appeal once I got past the special effects. I used to be a bit of a WW2 armour buff, so it was hard to look at the German "Tigers" and "Panzers" with any seriousness. I don't expect full size working Tigers, but in this day and age(and budget), can't the build a 1/6 scale model and cgi?
Posted By: RickF Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/06/11 07:05 PM
Adrian I don't know if you've seen 'Restrepo' or not but if you haven't, you may want to check it out ... Restrepo
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/07/11 03:04 AM
The trailer looks interesting, thanks Rick.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/08/11 12:36 AM
I just finished watching “Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles” a made in U.S. animated series consisting of 40 (really 36) 22 minute episodes based on the movie of the same name which had the same name, though only loosely based on, the book “Star Ship Troopers” by Robert Heinlein.

Netflix carried this on 8 disks each one containing one “campaign,” or story arc, representing a group of related battles. If you were to buy it from Amazon now it’s condensed down to 4 disks but with the same material. I mentioned it’s really only 36 episodes and that’s how it plays out if you just pop the disks in and hit play. 4 of the episodes are on the “Trackers” disk and are all filler that reused previous animation due to production problems which caused them to not be able to complete the whole series. To access these episodes you have to go into the special features submenu, but since they don’t do anything to further the story and just rerun what’s already been seen you might as well just watch the one 22 minute “Trackers” episode and move on.

Also note that the final story arc “The Homefront Campaign” was never finished so the series concludes 3-4 episodes short without the originally intended ending. According to what I’ve read there is not intention of ever finishing it.

I’m usually not a big fan of constant “shoot-em-up” action type series but although the battles did rage on endlessly that is what you are lead to believe is supposed to actually be happening. And at least the way the fight the bugs and the bugs that they encounter vary enough to keep it fairly interesting.

Both the video and audio quality are a mixed bag. On one hand not bad for 1999 CGI but due to production problems different companies worked on different story arcs and it shows. For the most part the animation is ok however there are a few episodes where it’s just terrible. The sound quality is also inconsistent. 7 of the disks are in Dolby Digital 5.1 with widely varying degrees of quality. While one disk is only in Dolby Surround. At least when they do get the 5.1 right the surround portion sounds pretty good but there’s never much .1 to speak of.

There are also some glaring continuity errors, the worst of which is an officer who is variously referred to as a lieutenant or a major though he is always wearing the rank of major. In another part they are going to flood the bugs out to give them a choice of surfacing or drowning, However, in the very next episode the bugs are invading through the water. Just have to ignore these or you will keep spotting more of them.

On the plus side there are more parts of the book included here than in the movie(s) but it’s still not what I would have hoped for. Maybe some day?

Overall I like the series but can only give it a 3.5/5 for just getting so many things wrong.

P.S. If you order this from Netflix check Wikipedia to get the campaigns in the right order.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/08/11 07:57 AM
The A-Team

Fairly entertaining, and Jessica Biel is always drug rep hot. I think I want to watch some episodes of the original show, though.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/08/11 02:59 PM
If Jessica Biel is representative of drug reps, I'm either going to Medical School or simply start taking drugs.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/08/11 07:14 PM
Who says you can't do both, right JP? whistle
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/09/11 02:09 AM
The International

Not the greatest movie, but I can see why the shootout at the Guggenheim got mentions. I didn't realize it was a Tom Tykwer movie until seeing his name in the credits.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/09/11 02:33 AM
I watched "Heart: Night at Sky Church" earlier today. It was a very good, relatively recent performance. Sky Church is a small but cool venue within the Experience Music Project (EMP) in Seattle; it holds a few hundred people standing. Amazing guest appearance by Allison Krauss. Replay on Palladia next Friday. Ann and Nancy Wilson seem very comfortable but still passionate and excellent at this point in their careers.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/09/11 02:40 AM
I might have seen that a few months ago, but I don't recall seeing Alison Krauss. The girls have still got it, no doubt.
Posted By: mpyw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/09/11 08:27 AM
Just finished watching "despicable me", awesome picture quality and great audio as well. My son loves the minnors and laughing all along the movie especially during the short film on them.

Also, found " the evil bank" formally known as Lehman Brothers funny and that Gru-ray ... Haha
Posted By: mpyw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/09/11 08:29 AM
Just finished watching "despicable me", awesome picture quality and great audio as well. My son loves the minnors and laughing all along the movie especially during the short film on them.

Also, found " the evil bank" formally known as Lehman Brothers funny and that Gru-ray ... Haha
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/09/11 09:46 AM
Micmacs

I enjoyed it a lot. I still need to watch some of Jean-Pierre Jeunet's other films.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/09/11 11:16 AM
After you watch the rest of his films finish up with Alien: Resurrection, and puzzle to yourself why he was given that movie to direct.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/09/11 06:37 PM
Ha ha. I have seen that one, and yeah, what in the heck?
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/09/11 08:03 PM
I figured you had. But it's even better* when you're familiar with the rest of his work.


*Even more puzzling, but also funnier.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/09/11 08:34 PM
smile I'll give it another go after I've watched his other stuff. I do plan on getting the Alien Anthology Blu-ray set when it drops to a lower price.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/10/11 08:11 AM
I finished watching Norm, and now I'm finally on to part three of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. It's keeping up its momentum.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/14/11 10:45 PM
Last night I finished watching Inu Yasha a 167, 23 minute episode, adventure , comedy, drama, fantasy, romance anime on 55 disks that span 7 seasons. Nope this one is not for marathon watching.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/inu-yasha/dvd-1

http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=744

http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=301

The video format is 4:3 and audio only 2.0 but there is enough ambient stuff in the sound track to keep the surrounds busy if using DSP. Not any LFE though. As the reviews mention the animation is overall very good. There is a lot of re-use of some action sequences and many of the female characters seem to have the same looking face and are mainly distinguishable by there cloths. Probably why Kagome is always in her school uniform throughout the series. However, the colours are vibrant and the world lush and nice to see.

This is a character based story above all else and it does a very good job of making you want to care about the characters even one of questionable ethics. While there are many minor story arcs there is one main arc that flows through the whole series holding everything together. My only real quibble with the story is that after 167 episodes the ending seemed a bit rushed and anti-climatic. Other than that I give it a solid 4.5/5.

I still have 4 Inu Yasha movies left to watch so I hope to get to them this weekend.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/14/11 11:07 PM
To take the place of Inu Yasha for a long story run I’ve started watching “Bleach” a (so far) 308 episode, action, comedy, drama, supernatural anime that appears to still be airing since the original air date listed for episode 308 is 11 Feb 2011.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/bleach

Only a 4:3, 2.0 presentation but overall it still looks and sounds good. The characters are very distinctive, some with unique personalities. The first episode is one the best first episodes I’ve seen and the way the characters are being introduced quickly blends well with the storytelling. I’m up to episode 5 now and the only thing really bothering me it the propensity for the “bad guys” to expound at length about themselves, mainly their abilities and motives. Kind of lazy story telling but the rest of the show more than makes up for it so far.

Normally I wouldn’t start watching a series until all the episodes were releases so as to maintain continuity throughout the story but although I’ve already collected over 30 of the DVDs I wanted to make sure I like the story enough to keep making the effort to collect the rest as they are released. Or get the Japanese versions which I think are up to 55 disks now.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/15/11 01:14 AM
I just bought 'Shrek, the Whole Story' on blu-ray. I've seen the first 3, but not the 4th one yet. Will probably watch them this weekend.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/15/11 07:49 AM
I got home late, and had two BDs from which to choose, Resident Evil 4, or The Social Network. I figured the latter would be quieter. It was, except for a club scene, which had some rather booming bass.

Other than the sound (which was excellent throughout, mostly leading to ease of understand the immense quantity of dialog), the movie was pretty much all I was hoping it would be. David Fincher is one of my three favorite directors (the others being David Lynch and David Cronenberg. OK, I really like Darren Aronofsky, and Quintin Tarantino too), and Aaron Sorkin can really turn a phrase.

It's worth watching.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/15/11 10:20 AM
I liked it a lot in the theater. I still have to watch my BD copy at home.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/16/11 12:00 AM
I just finished watching the four Inuyasha movies:

Inuyasha Movie 1: Love That Transcends Time

Inuyasha Movie 2: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass

Inuyasha movie 3: Swords of an Honorable Ruler

Inuyasha movie 4: Fire on the Mystic Island

All four movies are 16:9 format and Dolby 5.1. Much nicer to see the larger image especially since the animation is better than the series which was actually not slouch itself. The fight scenes are more fluid and backgrounds are more developed.

However, the biggest improvement it the 5.1 soundtrack. Though not up to the quality of something like “Appleseed” it does a pretty good job. Plenty of ambient and direct sound effect for the surrounds and respectable LFE including some below 40Hz which got my Buttkicker going. I think the most impressive thing about the 5.1 is how well both the surround sound and LFE blended with and enhanced the movie w/o being overpowering. I was very impressed that the dialogue followed the on screen action even better than most mainstream movies, in other words it flowed with the characters position including behind the seating rather than anchored to the center channel. Also, the LFE was appropriate to the scene. Explosions had punch while when the Earth moved there was rumble, not the one size fits all LFE the many movies suffer from.

There aren’t really any major spoilers in the movies so they shouldn’t ruin watching the series. And as far a how the movies stand up I agree with the ratings in the reviews above.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/16/11 02:00 AM
I watched my copy of The Social Network. Very nice presentation all-around.

Also watched The American. Beautiful film. Tip: Don't watch it with your parents. Ha ha. Also, the story didn't really say anything that interesting. Any enjoyment is going to be derived from the mood and cinematography. Had some nice audio moments, too.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/16/11 09:43 PM
Cannibal! The Musical

Took me long enough to finally watch it. Entertaining enough, and sure, the songs are catchy.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/11 12:48 AM
Inside Game of Thrones

Sneak peek of the HBO series based on George R.R. Martin's series. I've still only read the first book. While I thought it was well-written, it didn't totally grab me, though I do plan to read the later entries SOMEDAY. In any case, I'm curious to see HBO's adaptation of it.
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/11 01:03 AM
I watched Rashomon the other day, and highly recommended.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/11 09:16 AM
I finished Eden of the East. It was pretty decent. I like the concepts, though I think there was more potential for it.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/11 12:36 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
Inside Game of Thrones

Sneak peek of the HBO series based on George R.R. Martin's series. I've still only read the first book. While I thought it was well-written, it didn't totally grab me, though I do plan to read the later entries SOMEDAY. In any case, I'm curious to see HBO's adaptation of it.


I did read the books that are out for that series, although it is still not finished. I found it very engaging and somewhat different from most fantasy series. Saw a preview a while back for this program and while I do want to see it, I'm a little unsure as, usually, these types of things don't translate so well to live action. Hopefully, that can change?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/11 07:34 PM
Yeah, the only reason I hold out any hope is because HBO is doing it. However, I'm sure it's a tall order even for them.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/17/11 09:44 PM
I just finished watching “Popotan” 12 x 23 minute episode comedy, drama, supernatural anime. Be warned this is a very ecchi anime heavy on fanservice a good half of which is lolicon. If you can’t deal with that then skip this title.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/popotan/dvd-2

http://www.denbeste.nu/Chizumatic/reviews/Popotan.shtml

This is probably the most reviewed anime I’ve ever looked up on the internet. And boy does it run the gamut. It goes from getting 7/10 and a “B” on and A-F scale to a .5 on a 1-10 scale. All the reviews marked it down for excessive fanservice the poor ones more so than the good ones. I think one of the best commentaries about this show is the addendum at the end of the second review linked above.

The format for this show is 16x9 2.0. The drawings are colourful and characters distinctive but the actually animation is . . . well not very animated. Very heavy use of still shot pans and not showing character’s mouths when they are talking. However, since there’s not a lot of action it doesn’t seem to matter.

Ok, the fanservice. The reviews above describe it in enough detail but not until reading the addendum to the second review above did it click that the fanservice was the necessary price for getting this story told. Since it’s primarily a drama with a good amount of comedy there needed to be something to catch the young male audience and because of the story it couldn’t be action. Also, since much of the story is told by the characters sitting around and talking what better way to keep they guys tuned in than to have the characters always sitting around in the bath talking rather than around say the dining room table. In many ways like the review above comments this is like “Divergence Eve” an interesting, even unique, story that wouldn’t otherwise have been told if not for the fanservice.

So what about the story. Well it’s surprisingly good if a bit confusing at first. Unlike “Divergence Eve” “Popotan” in the end seems much more coherent and makes since. Even though some things don’t get fully explained you don’t mind because by the time it’s over you realize they were just a vehicle for telling the real story. This is also a rare series in two ways. There is absolutely no filler, though you might think so if you’re not paying attention. It’s also a series that gets better as it goes along probably because the mystery deepens as more of the plot is revealed.

Being only 12 episodes and having a tight plot this was a breezed to marathon watch. I give it a “B” or 4/5 overall.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/18/11 04:10 AM
Originally Posted By: CV
Yeah, the only reason I hold out any hope is because HBO is doing it. However, I'm sure it's a tall order even for them.


Did someone post a link to it here?

I remember seeing a behind-the-scenes snippet and it looks like the author is involved in the filming. To what extent, I do not know?
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/18/11 04:55 AM
I just finished watching “Stratos 4” a 13 x 23 minute episode action, comedy, science fiction anime. And also the 2 episode OVA that takes up where the series leaves off.

http://www.denbeste.nu/Chizumatic/reviews/Stratos4.shtml

It’s only a 4x3 presentation but it is 5.1. Most of the 5.1 in the series is just music but there is a lot of it going to the surrounds. In the OVA there is actually some LFE even below 40Hz.

Over all the animation is pretty good. And the backgrounds look very much like the real places depicted which are shown in some of the extras on the DVDs.

The story is fairly familiar with the young underdogs saving the day, but because the characters are so likeable the show is just plain fun to watch. One character of note is the cat which has to be the fattest cat real or animated I’ve ever seen. The cat, whose thoughts and communications with other cats get subtitled, plays the straight “man” for some of the best comedy in the show.

There is also a bit of an X-Files type mystery to the show that is slowly exposed. It goes so far as to have it’s own version of “The Lone Gunmen” one of whom can be seen holding a folder marked “X File” on it at one point. Another reoccurring character is patterned after “The Smoking Man.”

Like the review mentions there are also some fun extras worth watching on the series DVS including a filming of the Japanese voice actresses vacationing on Shimojo Island were the story is based. However, the best extra is a short animation of a stand-alone comet intercept where the animators go pull out all the stops and even parody an anime genre. The best part of this clip is the very end where the punch line to a joke running through the whole series is delivered. Well worth watching and good for a laugh. \

Like “Popotan” I watched earlier the science fiction and mystery aspect of this show is more of a vehicle for telling a story and not really the story it self. I’m glad they did it this way rather than try to do to much. It seems from the ending that they may have planed to flesh out the hard core part of the story in a follow up series but never got to it.

As much as I like this show I can only give it a B- or about 3.5/5 because there are a few to many filler scenes.
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/18/11 01:03 PM
I watched a Nuremberg Trial Documentary: U.S. Army Version (1950) . It was pretty interesting. There's lots of excellent videos on thefilmarchive Youtube channel.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/19/11 03:21 AM
I went to the theater tonight with my sister and watched "The Dawn Treader - 3D". I was impressed with this movie. Very well done. Similar to book, but it didn't follow the story exactly. I think the movie was better. Now that's something you don't hear everyday. I watched all of the Narnia movies made back in the 80's and they were very poorly made, but followed the books very closely if I remember correctly. This is one Blu-ray I'm looking forward to. I think the 3D added a lot of visual impact to it as well.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/21/11 08:15 AM
Kaley Cuoco on Letterman is always a good time. I really like her, but she needs to star in a better show. Sheldon can be entertaining, but does anyone even like Leonard?
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/23/11 05:37 AM
I watched Kiss Kiss Bang Bang last night and really enjoyed it. It's a murder-mystery-comedy with Robert Downey, Jr., Val Kilmer, and Michelle Monaghan (who is quite a looker).
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/23/11 08:22 AM
Yeah, I liked her whole attitude in that role. It was the first thing I'd seen her in.

I made my cousin watch episodes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia with me last night and tonight. He's been loving it. So far his favorite was the one where they take a road trip with the U-Haul.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/24/11 04:32 AM
Watched The Lives of Others with my wife today. Really good German movie set in East Berlin in the 1980s.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/24/11 07:23 PM
A Very Long Engagement

Another Jean-Pierre Jeunet film. I liked it all right, but I wouldn't say to run out and buy it. Also, it was odd to see Jodie Foster in a small role in the middle of a French movie.
Posted By: mpyw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/25/11 02:46 AM
Crossroad - Festival of Guitars 2010

Watched the 1st 3 songs, very good audio and picture too
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/11 08:18 PM
Just watched the documentary "Catfish" (link is the trailer on YouTube, so don't read the comments as they will spoil the movie). It's an amazing, riveting film, that is definitely a must see.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/11 10:55 PM
Remember that Night, David Gilmore, A Night at the Royal Albert

Highly recommend this one for a reference Blu Ray.

http://www.davidgilmour.com/remember/index.htm
Posted By: merchman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/26/11 11:01 PM
Originally Posted By: jakewash
Remember that Night, David Gilmore, A Night at the Royal Albert

Highly recommend this one for a reference Blu Ray.

http://www.davidgilmour.com/remember/index.htm


I very much enjoyed this one Jason.

Definitely highly recommended. smile
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/27/11 06:37 AM
Originally Posted By: wheelz999
Just watched the documentary "Catfish" (link is the trailer on YouTube, so don't read the comments as they will spoil the movie). It's an amazing, riveting film, that is definitely a must see.


I do plan on seeing that one, and yeah, I'm trying to avoid reading anything about it before seeing it.
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/27/11 03:31 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
Originally Posted By: wheelz999
Just watched the documentary "Catfish" (link is the trailer on YouTube, so don't read the comments as they will spoil the movie). It's an amazing, riveting film, that is definitely a must see.


I do plan on seeing that one, and yeah, I'm trying to avoid reading anything about it before seeing it.


Definitely DON'T read anything about it, Charles. The movie will have you on the edge of your seat. I'd suggest not even watching the preview....
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/27/11 04:31 PM
What's so suspenseful about a former American League pitcher?
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/27/11 04:55 PM
Must be the 'stache.

In which case, I vote for a sequel, "Rollie".
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/27/11 05:19 PM
Can't put my finger on that one, JP.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/27/11 06:22 PM
But you could for Freddy, apparently.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/27/11 07:55 PM
Had such a love/hate thing for Tom Green. Evidently, so did Drew.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/27/11 08:03 PM
BB has "How to Train your Dragon" on BD/DVD combo today for 17.99, so I bought one and probably watch tonight for first time.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/27/11 08:37 PM
This recent innovation in drug smuggling makes me think of Monty Python's The Holy Grail.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/27/11 09:54 PM
I saw the video on the new last night with that in action......Killer Rabbits indeed.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/27/11 10:09 PM
Damn! When I lived 15 miles from Naco (the dinkiest, scuzziest, and loosest border crossing I know of), we used an ultralight or tunnels. (Konk!) Trebuchet, trebuchet.

Guess mi amigos either didn't' know French, or were not aware of Medeival siege warfare.
Posted By: mpyw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/28/11 02:27 AM
On sick leave yesterday, finished the whole "Weeds : Season 5" bluray

nice drama...
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/28/11 03:51 AM
Originally Posted By: medic8r
Must be the 'stache.

In which case, I vote for a sequel, "Rollie".


Interesting tidbit--Rollie Fingers went to my high school in Upland. He was a few years ahead of me, though.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/28/11 01:18 PM
At least!
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/28/11 01:24 PM
laugh

I remember seeing pictures of him on the cork board in the boy's locker room.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/28/11 03:06 PM
mmm hmmm ... interesting placement by staff ...
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/29/11 03:09 AM
I just finished watching the “How to Train Your Dragon” Blu-ray.

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/How-to-Train-Your-Dragon-Blu-ray/10819/

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1194522-how_to_train_your_dragon/

My first impression is WOW! It’s a visual and audio feast and a damm good movie to boot. Absolutely no filler, just one scene after another that moves the story forward while dazzling the eyes and ears. Highly recommended if you want to get the most out of your HT.
Posted By: cb919 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/29/11 03:15 AM
Yup! Took my kids to see it in the theater and we have it on BRD. Good stuff.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/29/11 04:38 AM
I agree, I watched it sometime back with my family back in California. Highly enjoyable!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/29/11 10:03 AM
I finally got the second and third seasons of Rurouni Kenshin, so I'm working on that. Also caught up with Community, which I'm still enjoying. Oh, and my cousin has been visiting, so I got him started on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. He can't get enough.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/29/11 01:39 PM
Last night I watched the new BD release of "Dances with Wolves". Even though is just under 4 hours long, it wasn't tiring to watch. The extra and extended scenes really added to the movie experience. I really want to watch it again. It's been many moons since I've seen this movie and my memory of it was almost gone. One thing that was a little unsettling was seeing the woman president of Battlestar Galactica as she played the white woman that was adopted into an Indian family when they killed her parents many years ago.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/11 09:05 AM
More Rurouni Kenshin. Still wanting to know what happens in the next episode each time. While it looks a bit dated, there's a thoughtfulness, an artistry in the way it's animated. I didn't really think anything of the animation at first, but now I'm fairly impressed.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/11 03:49 PM
Today is Pizza and Shrek day. Company coming over and we're going to watch the 1st 2 movies of Shrek. Then another day, watch the last 2 movies.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/03/11 05:17 AM
I just watched the Blu-ray of “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (2010). Quite the video and audio feast. Here’s what Blu-ray.com had to day about it:

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Sorcerers-Apprentice-Blu-ray/15764/

Overall I found the movie entertaining but nothing worthwhile that’s memorable. About the only memorable part is how annoying the apprentice is. Worth the watch just for the video and audio if you have an HT but I wouldn’t bother otherwise.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/03/11 06:21 AM
I had watched the blu-ray of Back to the Future last week. Did both the sequels tonight. The third one is still my favorite, then the original. The second one has always felt a little rough.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/03/11 12:55 PM
Originally Posted By: ClubNeon
... The second one has always felt a little rough.


A little emery cloth should take care of that.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/10/11 08:50 PM
A few of the TV shows that I've found 'interesting' lately.

"Wildboyz" on CurrenTV.

Think: Jackass goes to the jungle.
Two guys, frequently dressed as Tarzan, do things like trying to tongue-kiss a monitor lizard and bringing a juvenille Orangutan back to their hotel room and filming him trashing it.

Also on Current, "Kill it, Cook it, Eat it." Explan. not nec.

And if you're missing "1000 Ways to Die" on Spike TV, you're missing out on some big fun--- if you find that sort of stuff side-splittingly amusing.
They have some pretty good quality CGI renderings of the anatomical consequences. Great TV to snack by.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/11/11 08:18 PM
Quote:

The film is an unmitigated disaster, a putrid patchwork of the original series stitched together by wretched performances, bad creative decisions and a story that's all exposition, no depth.


Quote:

It's a nice movie to look at, as long as you ignore the characters, plot, and action.


Quote:

A big ol' mess of atrocious acting and terrible scripting,


Quote:

Unspeakably bad dialogue delivered by excruciatingly bad actors in a plot so illogical and stupid it kills unicorns.


Quote:

An amateurish mess.


If you haven’t guessed yet I watched the Blu-ray of “The Last Airbender.” Yes it really is as bad as the reviewers linked at Rottontomatoes.com say:

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/last_airbender/

It does look pretty good and sound great as long as the actors aren’t talking. wink

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Last-Airbender-Blu-ray/15626/#Review
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/11/11 08:30 PM
C'mon, Dean. I know you're a busy guy, but you coulda come up with way better slice and dice comments yourself. I started reading and got excited that you were really gonna get mean. Then I realized that you weren't quoting yourself. You rarely disappoint when you are displeased.

I can wait for the next one.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/11/11 08:48 PM
Originally Posted By: BobKay
C'mon, Dean. I know you're a busy guy, but you coulda come up with way better slice and dice comments yourself. I started reading and got excited that you were really gonna get mean. Then I realized that you weren't quoting yourself. You rarely disappoint when you are displeased.

I can wait for the next one.


Bob it was so bad that my brain was to numb from watching it to come up with anything creative enough to do it justice.

Maybe next time I’ll wait and write my own review after I’ve recovered. wink
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/11/11 08:56 PM
Well, OK. But, being completely selfish about this, I hope something inspiring pisses you off sooner rather than later.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/11/11 09:14 PM
Originally Posted By: BobKay
Well, OK. But, being completely selfish about this, I hope something inspiring pisses you off sooner rather than later.


Glad to see someone likes what write from time to time. I usually find panning bad movies a cathartic experience. Given the quality of movies being made these days I’m sure another one will be along soon enough.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/11/11 09:17 PM
Pan away, friend. Pan away!
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/12/11 01:37 AM
It seems I only buy a new movie when something I think is really good comes out, or I find something I want on-sale. Today wasn't one of those days. I bought "The Lion, Witch, Wardrobe" and "Terminator 2" in blu-ray even though I already had it on DVD, just because I like the blu-ray quality better. They were on-sale for cheap at Target. I wonder how may others waste their money this way.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/12/11 06:04 AM
Originally Posted By: grunt
If you haven’t guessed yet I watched the Blu-ray of “The Last Airbender.” Yes it really is as bad as the reviewers linked at Rottontomatoes.com say:


Did you ever watch the animated series? I hope this hasn't scared you away from it.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/12/11 06:20 AM
Originally Posted By: CV
Originally Posted By: grunt
If you haven’t guessed yet I watched the Blu-ray of “The Last Airbender.” Yes it really is as bad as the reviewers linked at Rottontomatoes.com say:


Did you ever watch the animated series? I hope this hasn't scared you away from it.


No I haven’ t seen the series but I have it in my Netfix queue so I will get around to watching it eventually.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/12/11 09:52 AM
First episode of Deadwood. Starts out well enough.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/12/11 07:58 PM
I got the Deadwood blu-ray box set when Amazon had it as the daily special. I've seen the entire series (on DVD), really looking forward to going back through it again. Good stuff.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/12/11 08:05 PM
Yeah, that's the day I bought it. I was too tired to make it through the second episode last night, but I'll work some more on it today. smile
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/12/11 11:27 PM
Never Let Me Go

It was okay. Pretty, decent enough story. Still, the overall tone of the movie is one I don't tend to get into. I'm more into throwaway entertainment, and this is one of those ones that aspires to something a little higher. If I wanted to learn something about life, I'd go live it, not sit inside and watch movies all day. Ha ha.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/13/11 12:12 AM
Now I am starting to understand why you are single wink
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/13/11 12:38 AM
Was there ever any mystery?
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/13/11 01:26 AM
laugh , well, to be honest, actually yes.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/13/11 07:58 AM
I put off watching the season premier of Justified, because I had doubt about how this season would go after an excellent freshman effort. Turns out there was no justification for the worry. Looks like this will be another good one.

Charles, check it out after you're done Deadwood. That is, if you wanting more of the Seth Bullock character. I like to imagine that Raylan Givens in Justified is a descendant.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/13/11 08:13 AM
It must be the time of year to watch western stuff. A friend came over and chose to watch Unforgiven.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/13/11 04:17 PM
I'm with you, Chris. But I had more confidence, since Elmore Leonard is still Executive Producer. Justified is solid TV.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/14/11 12:19 AM
Getting back into my BSG box set. This is the first time I've heard the taiko (drum) score with my M22s. They definitely present more punch than my old Sony floor standers.

Actually, I'm so impressed with how how these drums sound on my system that I'm thinking about seeking out some taiko performances.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/14/11 12:27 AM
Heh. I watched most of BSG on my laptop with headphones (from the DVD, but still). I recently watched part of "The Plan" (the BSG movie from the Cylon perspective), and was floored at how much bass my speakers/sub were putting out. Incredible that a pistol would have that much bass... wink
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/14/11 06:27 AM
I watched Buried. The girl with me went home angry, saying she was going to have nightmares, and was generally pissed about the movie. I liked it.

Highdef digest says, "The majority of the picture is consumed by blackness, and for the most part it remains richly deep and inky. Occasionally the darkened areas can be so vast and overpowering that the swells give off more of a dark brownish appearance. Shadow delineation is affected somewhat and there is a bit of crushing in the presentation." They lie. The black levels are clipped at about 5% gray. We watched the first 30 minutes of the movie before I had enough and set the Brightness level on my TV to -4. That made the blackness black instead of a gray that obviously brighter than the Scope letterbox bars.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/14/11 02:59 PM
I finally got around to watching Terminator 2 on blu-ray. This is one aggravating BD. I don't have an internet connection on my BD player. Something on this disk is trying to connect to the internet and takes it's sweet time in doing so. Then pops up with a retry or cancel message. I cancel of course, then if you don't hit play and try to move the cursor to a different setup category, it tries to re-connect to the internet all over again.

Has anyone else experienced this problem with this movie?
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/14/11 03:13 PM
Which version do you have? The Skynet Edition? That one has a worse picture than the original release (which didn't have the best picture either). You can still find new copies of the original for under $10.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/14/11 03:27 PM
I didn't realize there were different BD releases. Yes I have the Skynet Edition then. I guess I should chuck this and look for the other one. I gave $10 for it at Target last week.

I picked up The 5th Element BD yesterday at walmart. I looked at the Star Trek 6 movie boxed set and was thinking about getting that for $90. Maybe in a couple of weeks. I read that they may release a better re-mastered set sometime later.
Posted By: Craig_P Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/14/11 09:47 PM
Watched Mesrine: Public Enemy #1 last night, after watching Mesrine: Killer Instinct last week. Great work from Vincent Cassel and a really interesting crime drama for those who dig that kind of thing (Bonnie and Clyde, Public Enemies, etc)

Next on to the Carlos mini-series, and I should be done with international crime biopics genre for at least a little while.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/22/11 04:01 AM
Ok this is the last time I order a Blu-ray based on the video and audio quality recommendations on Blu-ray.com w/o reading the actual movie reviews first.

So what was the waste of time this weekend . . . Imagine “The 300” meets “Salo” done by a troupe of owl thespians from the UK and Southern Australasia. Oh yeah it‘s called “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole.” Note that’s “Ga’Hoole” and not Goa’uld, ala “Stargate SG1” cause that might fool you into thinking it could be interesting, with you know chemistry between the characters or something.

Ok it is a visual extravaganza despite the mostly dark scenes and muted colours. Also the audio is very good though I was not so impressed with it as the Blu-ray.com reviewer. Yep that sums up the good parts.

I’ll stop beating around the bush and tell you what I really thought of LOTG . . . Boring!!!! So boring in fact it made me wish I hadn’t sent back “The Last Airbender” because at least it’s horrible acting gave me something more than eye candy to pay attention to and at least feel something to feel sorry for, the actors, if not the characters. Whereas LOTG left me caring about nothing. Well not true. I cared about listening for the kitchen timer ticking away waiting for my lasagna to finish cooking.

Some might like the fight scenes but for me it was to much like “The 300” with the same slow motion crap that looked like cut scenes from a video game. Then there were the obvious 3D shots that looked really forced in 2D on a big screen.

As for the story there were to many characters to keep track of, most of whom were unimportant anyway. Also there were to many things going on to create one coherent plot other than the good guys vs the bad guys. Besides being boring this thing is dark, story-wise not lighting though it’s often that too. Even with it’s PG rating I don’t know that I would let little kids watch it both because of the violence and the dark theme. Which is another problem with this film, that it has no sense of humor.

Well I’ve rambled long enough so let me recap. LOTG is a boring, dark, humourless, violent, pretty (sounds like art) movie that deserves to be on some ones worst list near “The Last Airbender.” Here’s a thought, lets swap directors for the sequels I’m sure their planning for each of these. Meanwhile I’ll go refill my prescription for Prozac.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/22/11 04:04 AM
*moves LOTG to the top of Netflix queue*


Boy, I'm not sure about this movie. I wish someone would come along with a review about it.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/22/11 04:08 AM
Re-reading that maybe I was to harsh. There was one scene that was almost funny where the little sister owl upchucked her first pellet. Ok, ya had to be there.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/22/11 04:12 AM
That takes me back to 5th grade when we carefully picked through our own assigned owl pellets for the bones of whatever unfortunate little critter got eaten and tried to reconstruct it's skeleton.
Posted By: SBrown Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/22/11 04:16 AM
You sure Jean Van Damme wasn't in it? Yes, you gotta hate those dark movies.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/22/11 04:19 AM
Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
That takes me back to 5th grade when we carefully picked through our own assigned owl pellets for the bones of whatever unfortunate little critter got eaten and tried to reconstruct it's skeleton.


You’re description of that was more exciting than LOTG.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/22/11 06:10 AM
Yeah, I wasn't impressed with the story of the movie at all. There just wasn't anything to it. Zack Snyder isn't my favorite director, either. The slow-mo and general look of his movies does get a bit tiresome for me. I also ordered this one based on the audio/video ratings. I'm keeping it for the demo material aspect of it, but I haven't yet been tempted to put it back into my player.

I started watching Undeclared again. It's still one of my favorite shows. Just really fun and easy to watch. It's obvious the cast was having a great time making it.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/11 10:49 PM
Ok in the last week I’ve watched:

Kurau: Phantom Memory

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/kurau-phantom-memory/dvd-1

Easily the best story of these. 24 half hour episodes in 4x3/5.1 audio though the 5.1 is a bit thin. I give it 4 stars.

Legend of Himiko

http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=175

Very retro looking animation with the feel of a Saturday morning cartoon except for the violence and mild fanservice. 12 half hour episodes in 4x3/5.1 again the 5.1 is thin. I give it 3 stars.

Burst Angel

http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=749

No a mecha show but some of the best mecha combat even though I’m not a big fan of it. Lots of violence and fare amount of fanservice. 24 half hour episodes in 16x9/5.1. Great 5.1 track with both direct and ambient surround sound and plenty of LFE even below 40Hz. 3 stars for the story but I bump it up to 3.5 because the audio is very good.

Chobits

http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=215

Less lame male lead than most anime but if you don’t like Chii you won’t like the show. 24 half hour episodes in 16x9/2.0. Nothing special just a good show 3 stars.

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/magical-girl-lyrical-nanoha/dvd-box-set

If you can’t get past the age of the main characters or the fact that this panders (not parodies) to about every anime cliché out there then skip it. I found it easy to ignore the age of the characters since they acted like adults most of the time. Starts out as typical magical girls stuff but eventually turns into some interesting scifi before falling flat on it’s face at the end. 13 half hour episodes in 4x3/2.0. I give it 2.5 stars.

I’m actually making a small dent in watching my anime collection. I’d say about 15% or so. I have to be careful not to watch all the highly rated one first which I started out doing or only the crap will be left at the end. Right now I’m prioritizing the 16x9 and 5.1 stuff to watch on my HT and been focusing on the 4x3/2.0 stuff to watch at work on my portable players. Right now it’s Bleach:

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/bleach

This has to be the anime that I most love and hate. When the characters are interacting and the story is actually being told “Bleach” hits it out of the park, but then there are the fights.

I’m not talking about two people just standing there bitch-slapping each other either. No it usually takes at least half an episode or more to get that far. First we have the posturing and taunting. Then if we’re lucky a digression to something else to come back later and find the taunting continues, sometimes into the next episode. Then there’s a little action followed by hearing the inner monologues of both characters as each realizes something critical about their opponent that could determine the outcome of the fight. Then more digression followed by more taunting as each opponent reveals to the other that they’re really holding back but will now “bring it.” Usually meaning they’re just turning it up a notch but not all the way, cause why the hell would we want to end the fight before it’s lasted 3 episodes.

Also almost all these fights are man to man (beast) or babe to babe taking place with the opponents alone or due to some point of honour engaging in only single combat while everyone else stands around and watches picking their noses or picking their own single combats.

However, if you can get past that “Bleach” has one of the most interesting and odd group of character I’ve ever seen. Yachiru Kusajishi, the 11th Division’s Lieutenant has to be one of the strangest character choices I’ve seen. But the writing and character interaction are so good that all this diversity works w/o becoming overwhelming.

So far I’m on disk 16 or 17 Ito lazy to look which is around episode 50 or so.

http://www.quiztron.com/tests/bleach_character_quiz_10083.htm

Ichigo Kurosaki

And the description really does fit me:

You act weird compared to everyone else around you as if you dont give a care
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/25/11 07:13 AM
I just watched the Blu-ray of “The Expendables.” I have to go against the grain on this one and say that I really liked watching it.

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Expendables-Blu-ray/12797/#Review

There was no real plot or meaningful story arcs. Precious little character development. Not much that was close to believable. In other words it was an 80s era feel good action flick and parody of them and at that it worked.

The video quality was pretty good but the audio quality especially the ending fight was great. Not much real low LFE but the surround sound was all over the place. Bullets whizzing past my head ricochets from all directions. One of the most aggressive and enveloping uses of surround sound I’ve ever heard.

One thing I really liked was that for the most part, except at the end, fights were quick, dirty and over, the way they should be. Their were only a couple of times that characters had to behave stupidly to advance the story in a particular direction. Surprisingly there were several time when the opposite of what I expected happened. Most of the dialogue was mediocre but there were a couple scenes and a few lines that had me chuckling.

Don’t go into this expecting anything more than to be entertained assuming you like retro action movies. I’ve you’re a big fan of the present gritty and “realistic” styled James Bond movies you probably won’t like this one. But then I’m not a fan of them at all. wink
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/02/11 10:35 AM
Started watching the BBC series Skins. It's interesting to see the actor who played the boy in About a Boy advanced a few years, playing a promiscuous, partying teen. I can't quite get into the show so far, but it has its moments.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/07/11 07:04 AM
Today I went to a local production of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Gondoliers. It was decent, at least to someone without a refined palate for culture like me, but I have to admit I was fighting sleep through a lot of it. I could also blame my lack of sleep lately. Yes, I went because a girl invited me. No, she's not available.

Last night I got another female friend hooked on Freaks and Geeks. We watched three episodes of it. It had been a while for me, so I think we'll have to watch the rest of them. I also had her watch the first two episodes of Red Dwarf, but I'm not sure it has her attention yet. Not that I blame her. I fell asleep during the first episode the first time my friend had me watch it. There's still hope.

I tried watching the first episode of The Middle, but it seemed like just another sitcom that tries too hard. Maybe I should let it develop a little before I dismiss it, but I'm not inclined to give it the time right now.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/07/11 09:31 AM
127 Hours

Pretty good. Danny Boyle knows how to make a movie. Visually arresting, creative composition. James Franco isn't always the best fit for the roles he plays, but he did really well in this one.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/07/11 12:39 PM
I watched 127 Hours this weekend, as well. I thought it was very well done. First time I've seen James Franco in a performance that I liked.
Posted By: SRoode Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/07/11 01:33 PM
I watched the Les Miserables 25th Anniversary concert on PBS last night. It was really well done, and the sound was great (Dolby Digital since it was a high-def TV broadcast). I'll probably pick up the Blu-Ray edition.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/07/11 06:11 PM
On Saturday.....I watched the Tar Heels beat DOOK like a drum. I wanted to listen to Woody Durham but alas, the synch is so far off between the radio and tv these days that it just does not work.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/08/11 04:01 AM
Originally Posted By: Argon
On Saturday.....I watched the Tar Heels beat DOOK like a drum. I wanted to listen to Woody Durham but alas, the synch is so far off between the radio and tv these days that it just does not work.


AHA!!...I knew Dook fans would be in short supply this week. The ones at work were whining about the refs or quoting scores from last year....First time ever that the regular season champs from the ACC did not place a man on the all conference team. DOOK placed 2 - Singular (or whatever his name is) and Nolan. Whatever....just fans the flames a little for the tournament...
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/08/11 02:41 PM
Last night we got to see the space station orbiting directly overhead. Seen that before, seen the shuttle. But not one "chasing" the other on the same path. It was tres cool.
Posted By: Henry66 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/08/11 10:33 PM
Yes, very cool Bob, the kids and I watched them too. They were VERY bright! And we spotted another satellite that seemed to cross their path slightly behind them, much dimmer.
Posted By: Henry66 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/08/11 10:36 PM
This weekend I watched Cemetery Junction . Best movie I have seen in a long time. Depressing and hilarious at the same time. Very British. Written and directed by Ricky Gervais (and Stephen Merchant).
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/11/11 08:04 AM
I wanted to love it because of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, but I couldn't quite get into it. Maybe I'll give it another chance sometime.

I've been trying out Being Human, a series about a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost sharing an apartment. Not quite getting into this one, either.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/13/11 04:22 AM
I just finished watching “Fruits Basket” a 26/24 minute episode comedy, drama, romance, supernatural anime.

http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=275

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/fruits-basket/dvd-4

The reviews cover it pretty well. If you’re looking for an interesting anime drama with lots of character development, interesting and not very stereotypical characters at that, then you will probably like “Fruits Basket.” Easily a 4.5 out of 5. The only reason I don’t give it a perfect 5 is that there’s a lot more story to tell even though it does have a satisfying ending.
Posted By: Lampshade Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/13/11 04:28 AM
Spartacus Blood and Sand.

Lots of boobs and naked gladiators wrestling.

It started off kind of silly but it turned out to be excellent.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/13/11 04:34 AM
Boob wrestling? wah?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/13/11 09:55 AM
Just watched the first episode of The Walking Dead. I don't usually go for zombie stuff, but this seems like a really well-made show. I'm drawn in.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/13/11 02:30 PM
CV, I thoroughly enjoyed The Walking Dead. Really well done with attention paid to the characters. I am eagerly awaiting the second season.

Heck, I may even pick up the graphic novels.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/13/11 10:24 PM
Let Me In

Good remake of the Swedish film, Let the Right One In, but I wouldn't say there was a compelling enough difference to watch this one if you've already seen the original. In the same vein, if you haven't seen either and would rather watch in English, I see no reason not to go with this one. It's beautifully shot, like the original was. Nice understated music and audio, too. I still can't get into the overall tone of the film. Call me a twisted sicko, but I tend to prefer movies that are a little more uplifting. Ha ha.

Sean, if you end up with the graphic novels of The Walking Dead, let me know how they are.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/14/11 07:10 AM
Originally Posted By: grunt
I just finished watching “Fruits Basket” a 26/24 minute episode comedy, drama, romance, supernatural anime.


I watched this a while ago after my sister recommended it. I liked it okay, then liked it a lot more toward the end. I think I need to re-watch it sometime, as I've forgotten a lot of it.

I finished the first season of The Walking Dead. Good stuff. Then I put in my copy of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind on Blu-ray just to see how it looks and sounds. Certainly the best I've seen it, but you can certainly tell it's an older film they could only do so much with. I look forward to watching the whole thing again when I can convince a friend or two to watch with me. It was one of the first anime movies I watched.

I've started Easy A, but so far it's not grabbing me.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/14/11 07:18 PM
Originally Posted By: CV

I watched this a while ago after my sister recommended it. I liked it okay, then liked it a lot more toward the end. I think I need to re-watch it sometime, as I've forgotten a lot of it.

Not trying to sound sexist but it would be IMO an excellent choice for introducing a woman to anime, as it seems much less geared to an adolescent male audience like most of them. Better not mention what I’m watching right now. wink
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/31/11 09:29 AM
Treme

First off, gorgeous visuals and wonderful sound. Remember when TV shows were always inferior products to movies? I sure am glad that's not the case anymore.

I was too impatient to wait for a better price on this show. After the excellence of The Wire, I was already sold on this one, even though I didn't know why I should be interested in New Orleans culture. The first episode had to do a lot of character introductions, but I look forward to seeing where it all goes.

Peter, I thought of you when Lucia Micarelli's name was in the opening credits. It was your mix that included a track by her, right? She wasn't in the first episode, but apparently she's in the second, so I have that to look forward to.

I've also been exposing my new friend, Jen, to Freaks and Geeks, as well as my cousin. They've both been enjoying it a lot. Sean, you said you hadn't seen anything you'd liked James Franco in until 127 Hours. Have you not seen Freaks and Geeks? I still think it's his best work. Your only option is to agree. Ha ha. Seriously, though, if you haven't seen it, give it a try.

In other James Franco news, I'm actually kind of really wanting to see Your Highness. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be ashamed or not, but I like Danny McBride a lot. Of course, Natalie Portman's presence helps a lot, too.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/31/11 12:40 PM
No, I haven't seen Freaks and Geeks but it is in my Netflix queue. I've heard so much about it, is it worth buying?

I will give James Franco a fair shake in it, too!
Posted By: mpyw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/31/11 01:58 PM
Watching Metalica Live In Seoul now on a 16:9 Samsung CRT TV now....in 720p .... not bad actually
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/31/11 06:03 PM
Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
No, I haven't seen Freaks and Geeks but it is in my Netflix queue. I've heard so much about it, is it worth buying?


I would say YES. It's a really well-done show all-around. I'll tell you what, if you buy it and don't care for it, I'll buy your copy off of you. My copy's still fine, just some slight wear on the packaging, but I wouldn't mind taking the opportunity to pass this copy on and getting a new one.
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/31/11 06:19 PM
Baseball, baseball and more baseball.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/31/11 07:06 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
I'll tell you what, if you buy it and don't care for it, I'll buy your copy off of you.

Sounds like a familiar deal! smile
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/31/11 07:42 PM
Hey Charles, you know he is just going to rip a copy and then pretend he didn't like it. Snicker.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/01/11 12:11 AM
Okay, I've added it to my Amazon cart. . . . plus a whole bunch of blank DVDs. . . .
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/01/11 03:55 AM
Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
Originally Posted By: CV
I'll tell you what, if you buy it and don't care for it, I'll buy your copy off of you.

Sounds like a familiar deal! smile


You're an inspiration!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/01/11 03:55 AM
Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
Okay, I've added it to my Amazon cart. . . . plus a whole bunch of blank DVDs. . . .


Ha ha, sounds good.
Posted By: cb919 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/06/11 07:44 PM
Tron Legacy - has anybody picked up the BRD or DVD yet? Curious if the audio and visuals are as good as I remember from the theater? I remember thinking it could be an HT show off piece - even though the movie itself could be debated. Thanks!
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/06/11 07:56 PM
I've not seen it yet, but from what I'm hearing it's definitely demo material, especially on the audio side.

"Best B&W film since Young Frankenstein."
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/07/11 07:20 AM
I may end up getting Tron: Legacy for the audio, but the movie itself underwhelmed me.

I've been watching the fifth and final season of Friday Night Lights. I think I have one episode left. Truly one of the great TV dramas.
Posted By: cb919 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/07/11 03:18 PM
Just found a $5 off coupon for TRON, so think I'll pick it up today - my son wants the movie anyway, so I'll use him as my excuse! whistle
I'll let y'all know if there's any really noteworthy scenes in there for demo material.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/09/11 06:53 PM
Last night I watched Your Highness with my friend, Jen. This afternoon, I'm watching it again with my friend, Tiana. I kind of told them both how I wanted to see it, so now I get two viewings. While the movie isn't the greatest ever, I enjoyed it enough to be going again, so that's good. I think Danny McBride just needs to find the right person to smooth out his writing a bit, and maybe another director would have been better suited to the task. Still, I look forward to any future Danny McBride projects. Ha ha.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/11/11 02:10 AM
Originally Posted By: animienewsnetwork

take scantily-clad, generally full-figured female characters from a variety of fantasy backgrounds and put them through their paces in a fantasy RPG-styled setting that is a mix of classic Western and Eastern fantasy elements, with every opportunity for fan service exploited along the way.


http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/queen-blade/the-exiled-virgin/dvd-2

And what do you have . . . “Queen’s Blade,” a three disk 12 half hour episode anime about as close to hentai as you can get without actually being there. Available on Netflix as an instant watch. Ok previously my best pick for gratuitous fanservice was “Misaki Chronicles” but this one slays it.

I won’t bore you with the details since the review above just about covers it all, certainly covers more than the characters clothes. But like the review I found that this was actually a very good series and give it a 4 out of 5. However, if you are offended by the gratuitous display of massive (in some cases massively massive) mammaries battling each other then give this one a pass.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/11/11 02:47 AM
Dean, you and CV have got me back onto an anime kick. I just recently purchased the first season of Fullmetal Alchemist and am thoroughly enjoying it so far. Still only one the second disk, but it's a very compelling series.

Also, picked up the reworked Evangelion: 1.11, but have yet to watch it.

Ha ha, I'll have to add Queen's Blade to my Netflix queue.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/11/11 02:57 AM
Glad to see we’ve turned you to the dark side. Did you get the new version of FMA or the old one. I’ve watched the first few episodes of the new one on the Funimation Channel on YouTube but that’s all they have in English dubs right now so I’m waiting on the rest to come out. I liked the original series and the second one seems just as good from what little I’ve seen.

Never liked Evangelion myself. I gave 1.11 a try by renting the Blu-ray but I liked it even less than the original. Just to much angst in the main character for my taste, even in the original.

They’ve finally laid fiber optic cables in my neighborhood so I’m upgrading my internet connection which means I’ll be watching even more online stuff finally, even in HD, though for animation SD isn’t so bad.

Let me know if you want to watch anything I have. I probably have at least 100 full titles right now, if not more.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/11/11 03:11 AM
It's the old version I got. Once I get through it I want to check out the new version. It's Brotherhood, right? I caught a review of it, I think, on Anime News Network and decided to start from the beginning.

Dean, let's do another GTG! It's been too long. Watching movies on my little TV just doesn't cut it. laugh
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/11/11 03:34 AM
Sounds good to me. I might be free this Friday if that works for you, and the Friday after that for sure. I should know in a couple days at the most if I’ll be off this Friday.
Posted By: danmagicman7 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/11/11 03:39 AM
I am watching the downfall of pinball: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJtj7D_yCJU
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/11/11 03:48 AM
Watched The Last House on the Left, 2009 re-make. Pretty good horror flick, some pretty gruesome and disturbing scenes though. Double checked that all my doors were locked before bed...
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/11/11 04:17 AM
Speed Racer

I was scared to watch it because I don't really like Emile Hirsch... or Christina Ricci... and I'm fairly ambivalent toward the Wachowskis. I was surprised when I was decently entertained by it. The insanely vibrant colors were fun, though I was actually expecting even more. The audio was good, too, though part of it is probably just that it's the first movie I've watched completely since hooking up my ButtKicker. I liked feeling the tires on the track whenever the cars would speed by.

Sean, that's cool that you're trying out Fullmetal Alchemist. I have part 4 of Brotherhood to watch, so that should be fun.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/11/11 04:47 AM
I watched the third Chronicles of Narnia movie, Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It's just OK, has the big important elements of the story. I'll keep buying them in hopes that they'll one day make The Magician's Nephew, my favorite book in the series (because it finally explains a lot of Narnia's secrets, and it should absolutely not be read first).
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/11/11 05:49 AM
Originally Posted By: grunt
Sounds good to me. I might be free this Friday if that works for you, and the Friday after that for sure. I should know in a couple days at the most if I’ll be off this Friday.


Sounds good, Dean. This Friday works for me. Let me know when you find out in a couple days.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/11/11 12:01 PM
I bought an watched The Dawn Treader and Tron Legacy.

I read rumors that The Dawn Treader may be the last one of the Narnia Chronicles to be made because of a general lack of interest. Disney made the first 2, then 20th Century Fox made the 3rd. I can only hope that this is a rumor.

Now Tron Legacy I'd rate in the Great Movie category myself. I really liked it because it was different and fast paced. Not a great story line but interesting movie anyways. I didn't realize that Jeff Bridges played in both of the Tron movies. Now I want to get the first one too.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/11/11 02:52 PM
My brother insisted I play the starting scene of "Valkyrie" for my sister-in-law who'd never heard my HT before. I told her it would make her jump, so you have to expect some loud effects when the anti-aircraft guns fire, I told her...."Don't worry, now that you've told me, it won't make me jump"...."You sure? it's pretty loud"......"No, I'll be expecting it so it won't"..."O-ka-yee".....Guns go off...BAMM!! BAMM!! BAMM!!....scrapes sister-in-law off the ceiling and shakes finger at her..."I told you so"....brother laughs.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/11/11 03:47 PM
I'll have to rent that one.

My favorite jumper is the ol standby, Master and Commander, for the first cannon fight. It fools you with the feint muffled guns off in the fog then BOOM! Impact and you heard lumber flying all around your head. If people don't jump, they duck.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/12/11 01:11 AM
Watched "9" the other day...LFE lovers will like this one along with excellent comp animation.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/13/11 05:26 AM
The Incredibles on Blu-ray. I only watched a couple of scenes, and not at normal movie-viewing volume levels. I'll have to wait until the weekend for a full viewing at proper volume. Still, very fun. I'm glad it's finally out.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/13/11 05:37 AM
I watched Never Let Me Go. So much for being thought provoking sci-fi. The trailer gave everything away to me. I guessed everything along the way, and the ending almost exactly. Just missed one prediction about the gallery by a tiny bit. I was even saying lines that the actors soon repeated, even though I had never heard them before.

So maybe it's fun for someone who hasn't consumed a constant diet of sci-fi since the age of five. But a by-the-book story for anyone who has.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/13/11 05:55 AM
I agree that it wasn't very engaging, but I'm sure you've consumed a lot more sci-fi than I have. Your new nickname is Unicron.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/13/11 06:45 PM
Originally Posted By: CatBrat
I read rumors that The Dawn Treader may be the last one of the Narnia Chronicles to be made because of a general lack of interest. Disney made the first 2, then 20th Century Fox made the 3rd. I can only hope that this is a rumor.


Here's an article that says "The Magician's Nephew" will be the next Narnia movie made by 20th Century Fox.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/14/11 03:53 AM
Watchmen

I never even heard of this movie until I watched it tonight. Can't remember how it got into my Netflix queue. It was really, really, good. Lots of good sound, lots of LFE. Definitely worth a watch.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/14/11 05:06 AM
I saw Watchmen in theaters (and own the Absolute Edition graphic novel), I bought the BD when it was first released, and then rented the Black Freighter disc. I own the ultimate cut that has the Black Freighter content integrated into the movie, but have yet to watch it. I do really like Watchmen. I even have a black shirt that has the phrase "quis custodiet ipsos custodes" written in bright yellow down one side.

Anyway, I watched Aliens tonight, from the BD Anthology (which is a tetralogy, because -logy is from the Greek, where as quad- is Latin). I'm going to watch Alien³ tomorrow, but just for the David Fincher commentary.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/14/11 05:24 AM
Quadrilogy really bothered me as a word. How was the Aliens transfer? I keep waiting for the box set to drop in price.

And I liked Watchmen more than I thought I would. I can't seem to get into Zack Snyder's stuff.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/14/11 05:52 AM
The transfer is wonderful. Tons of detail. The audio is a little light in areas, but the bass is pretty well mixed (I find a lot of modern movies over do the bass) and realistic (except for some of the big guns--they're too light).

I find Zack Snyder succeeds about 50% of the time.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/15/11 05:07 AM
I backed out of Alien³, and watched a Netflix rental of Date Night. I'm wishing now that I had watched Alien³.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/15/11 03:26 PM
Yeah, I thought that Date Night sucked. As in, sucked the funny out of both Steve Carell and Tina Fey, each of whom I really like in just about everything else they've done.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/15/11 04:14 PM
Swooooosheee. Ha ha ha. He he. Ha.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/15/11 11:42 PM
I just got back from Sam's Club with the new Harry Potter movie. Prolly watch it in about 20 minutes. Haven't seen it yet.

I spent $99 on a movie, beer, and some cheese and chips. What a rip.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/17/11 05:47 AM
Let's see, today I watched:

Panic Room's director commentary. I think I appreciate the movie more now.

Primer, and then I watched it again with the directory commentary. I had only watched the movie once, and that was back in 2003 or so. Probably one of the best time travel movies I've see (that and Time Crimes). The commentary did flesh out the couple things I still had questions about, but wasn't needed for me to understand the film. I did like the commentary to remind me what a first time film maker goes through.

Just finished up listening to the commentary for Zodiac. Fincher again.

I also watched a few YouTube tutorials camera tracking techniques for integrating CG objects with live footage. Amazing what today's software can do.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/19/11 09:03 AM
I started White Lion, but I got distracted. I can't say much for the storytelling so far, but if you want gorgeous footage of lions, this is a good Blu-ray for that.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/19/11 11:55 AM
I watched "Knowing" for the first time. Yup, I'll have to buy that one. I loved the suspense.
Posted By: Jc Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/19/11 01:41 PM
Hi,
When I first watch it it was the first time I stopped a movie to watch a scene a second time (plane crash). It was phenomenal.

Some recent Blu-ray movies have incredible sound track; some of them are making real noticeable progress at delivering stellar performance.

I recently watched Burlesque and it was outstanding as it should be especially for this movie genre. Just a few nights ago I watched Black Swan and I was blown away by the sound track - you would normally not expect such a performance for this movie type but what a nice surprise. I loved it.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/23/11 11:59 AM
Now that I have Netflix streaming up and running I remembered that Jakewash used to watch all of that anime stuff from time to time, so I thought I'd try it out. So I watched the first episode of Spice and the Wolf. A rather strange cartoon about a trader and a goddess who is either a little naked girl with wolf ears and a tail or a giant wolf. She befriends the trader and rides with him on his horse drawn wagon.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/23/11 03:27 PM
I think you have me confused with grunt or possibly CV, I don't watch anime very much other than Pokemon with my 7 yr old.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/23/11 11:24 PM
Oops. It's Grunt.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/27/11 07:29 AM
I've been trying out Dollhouse, despite my deep-seated issues with Joss Whedon. Ha ha. It's a decent enough premise, so here's hoping they take it somewhere AMAZING. If not, at least I got it when it was cheap.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/30/11 06:31 AM
Source Code

I enjoyed it a lot, even with Jake Gyllenhaal not being my favorite. I'm liking Duncan Jones's work. Here's hoping he keeps them coming.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/30/11 07:05 AM
I'm looking forward to renting Source Code.

I watched 3 Idiots tonight, a movie from India. It's pretty good. As usual, I predicted the big surprises well in advance, but still enjoyed the 3 hour ride. I got it on Vudu HDX, I still can't get over how good the picture looks on that streaming service.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/02/11 06:47 AM
Saturday I watched season 1 of Community.

Sunday I watched season 2 of Community (up to the current episode, 22).
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/02/11 07:26 AM
Ha ha, nice. You're a Changed man. Community is one I feel the need to stay up on. I thought it was going to be crap at first, but now I love it.

I finished season one of Dollhouse. They did put some imagination into where they took it. I'll have to check out season two at some point.

Now I'm trying out The Vicar of Dibley. Richard Curtis is a bit hit-or-miss with me, but I figure it's worth a shot. He seems to do better with TV shows than movies. Not that all of his movies are bad, but Love Actually made me want to vomit, even though I like so many of the actors.
Just watched Drag me to Hell on DVD. That was a very nice movie with lots of scare parts. LOL For the ones that like this kinda suspense/terror genre I would recommend this movie!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/02/11 07:32 AM
I enjoyed Drag Me to Hell, but I'd characterize it more as a gross-out movie than a scary movie. Maybe my lights weren't low enough. Fun, though. I need to watch it again.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/02/11 01:48 PM
I like the second season of Dollhouse more than the first. You did watch Epitaph 1, right?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/02/11 06:25 PM
Yes, I did.
Posted By: sonicfox Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/11 01:57 AM
Just watched Black Swan. I liked it a lot, but I'm not sure it deserved all the hype. I thought Natalie Portman's performance was great, however...and I'm not a big fan of her.

What I've been watching the most is not tv or movies at all, but the 24/7 live feed of the eagles in Decorah, Iowa. It's fascinating having a nest view of the daily lives of an eagle family. I just started watching it last week, and I'm addicted. It's amazing how fast the eaglets have grown in such a short amount of time.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/11 02:48 AM
My youngest son and I watch this eagle web feed all the time.
Posted By: sonicfox Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/11 03:11 PM
Awwwww...now I'm attached to TWO eagle families! smile
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/04/11 01:55 AM
Today, I went to BB and bought The Green Hornet.

Then I went to work and read some of the reviews. I thought about taking it back and exchanging it for some other movie after reading the reviews. This movie was made out to be a real stinker. But fortunately I didn't. It turned out to be a really good movie. It kept me in on-the-edge-of-my-seat suspense and action through out. I don't get the reviews. Sure, some of what they said was true, but that's part of what made it a good movie. Being a bit different was fun, not boring.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/04/11 03:57 AM
I liked it well enough. I'll pick it up sometime.
Just watched Ninja Assassin. Kinda cool movies, much better than I expected even though the story does not hold true to the real ninjas. Well what could be expected, this is a movie for god's sake. smile
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/04/11 06:03 PM
Watched some Cee Lo Green performances over lunch. My favorite was the uncensored version on The Colbert Report. I now have a crush on Theresa Flaminio, the keyboardist in his backing band, Scarlet Fever.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/04/11 08:40 PM
BTW, my first exposure to that song was when pmbuko used it in the A/B testing at the 30th Anniversary bash last September. We each felt it sounded slightly better over the Axioms than over the B&Ws. Good times.
Posted By: 2x6spds Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/04/11 09:02 PM
Most recently:

Justified on FXTV in 5.1 - great intro sound track. Based on Elmore Leonard's work. Terrific.

Game of Thrones on HBO in 5.1. Great and great sound.

Fringe - totally loopy SciFi, 5.1.

Stargate Universe
Originally Posted By: 2x6spds
Most recently:

Stargate Universe


Finally found someone that watched Stargate Universe! smile
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/05/11 01:32 AM
My wife and I quite enjoy Fringe and it really is on the fringe, I kind of liken it to be this generations X files.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/07/11 08:07 AM
I haven't seen Thor yet, but I will. How could I not after these great promos?

Promo 1
Promo 2
Promo 3
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/07/11 08:08 AM
Tonight I'm just catching up on Community and South Park.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/07/11 08:10 AM
Originally Posted By: Ichigo_Kurosaki
Just watched Ninja Assassin. Kinda cool movies, much better than I expected even though the story does not hold true to the real ninjas. Well what could be expected, this is a movie for god's sake. smile


That movie entertained me. I liked how I could feel the bass from one of the throwing stars.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/08/11 12:28 AM
I can't seem to get into The Vicar of Dibley. I think I'm going to give up.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/08/11 12:35 AM
One of my friends always talks about how much she liked it. I tried a few episodes, I'm with you on this one.
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/08/11 05:41 PM
Tron Bluray with the boys, while mommy on mommy's day makes lunch.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/09/11 03:06 AM
What a dad. smile
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/09/11 03:16 AM
Starting the BBC's Life. How can these nature programs not put you in awe of what's out there in this world? Crazy, beautiful, harsh stuff. I would be such a goner without civilization.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/15/11 12:41 AM
I've been working on season 2 of Dollhouse. It's entertaining. Olivia Williams and Fran Kranz are great at their characters. Not that anyone else really sucks, but I seem to enjoy them when they're on the screen. Enver Gjokaj as Victor did a pretty good Topher Brink in an episode, I'll admit.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/15/11 08:37 AM
One thing I do hate about Dollhouse is Paul Ballard. I hate the way he talks, walks, his whiny smolder.

I've been making one of my friends watch Red Dwarf. She seems to be enjoying it, but I'm enjoying it less than before. For all of the classic moments that I love, I find a lot of it rough and not up to par anymore.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/15/11 02:55 PM
I just finished the final miniseries. It's pretty good. I know what you mean about the regular episodes not being all that funny any more. I think it's because I've seen them so many times, though. the miniseries was pretty funny. Still haven't finished season 6 or 7, either.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/16/11 12:54 PM
Went to see Thor on the weekend. It was better than I expected. I figured Asgard was going to turn out pretty tacky but actually it presented some of the most spectacular scenery I've seen since LotR. Lot's of humorous references to the other Avengers characters that were lost on my wife and one of the funnier cameos by Stan Lee. For once, I didn't see it coming.

I'm still not a big 3D fan but I think they must be getting better at it. This movie didn't seem to have anywhere near the motion blur of previous 3D films lately. For once, I forgot it was 3D most of the time.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/16/11 02:01 PM
I bought "Flight of the Phoenix", 2004, on BD and watched it last night. The sound was some of the best I've heard. Really impressive.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/16/11 07:17 PM
Been meaning to buy or rent that one again. I saw it in the PreAxiom period.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/20/11 06:29 AM
I saw Thor, too, on Tuesday. I agree that Asgard looked pretty. I want to eat a piece of rainbow bridge.

I finished season 2 of Dollhouse. Overall, I liked the show, but the last episode could have been stronger. Maybe I'll watch it again sometime and see if it grows on me.

Also watched The Cove, the documentary about the dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan. Messed up stuff, as you'd expect.

Tonight I'm catching up on Conan a bit. I've been without my computer this week because I ruined the HDMI to mini-HDMI adapter I had. It still makes me mad that my video card has a mini-HDMI port instead of normal HDMI port. I could have been up-and-running sooner, but the only adapter I could find locally was too wide considering where the port is on the card.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/20/11 01:57 PM
Yeah, I opted for the hotrodded 560 Ti, which has a mini-HDMI instead of the full one because of the larger cooler. I did notice that it would take a very specific adapter to fix next to an in-use DVI port.

Anyway, for the last three days I've watched a Twilight Zone (I bought the first three seasons on Blu-ray when Amazon just had a special) episode before bed. I used to get that treat as a kid from time to time, and always enjoyed the dreams they inspired. So far I've recognized the first three, I'm hoping I come across one I've not seen before sometime soon.

My project for next month is to watch the Vudu offered $0.99 rental on each of the 30 days. I'm sure I'll see a rather interesting collection of movies for less than $30.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/22/11 03:20 AM
Starting to re-watch Samurai Champloo. I think I'll enjoy it more the second time, even though it won me over by the end of the first time through.

I also watched about half of Road to Perdition earlier. The first big gunfire and the train going by sounded pretty great. I hadn't watched the Blu-ray since I got it. For some reason I don't have the attention span for movies I used to have, yet I can watch episode after episode of certain TV shows. I think part of it is it's hard to know if you're going to like a movie a lot of time, whereas if it's a show you've already seen episodes of, you know what to expect and can settle in more easily.
Posted By: mpyw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/23/11 05:06 AM
Watched "a-ha: Ending on a high note, The Final Concert" last night..

Brings back my youthful memories, very good PQ & AQ too but they do aged...so do their voices....

but still enjoying their music....

touch me...how could it be..believe me....the sun always shine on TV....
Posted By: sonicfox Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/23/11 09:27 PM
Originally Posted By: mpyw
Watched "a-ha: Ending on a high note, The Final Concert" last night..

Brings back my youthful memories, very good PQ & AQ too but they do aged...so do their voices....

but still enjoying their music....

touch me...how could it be..believe me....the sun always shine on TV....


Cool! I need to check this out. Thanks...I didn't even know it existed. smile I've got the Live at Vallhall DVD and it's great. They may have aged a bit, but Morten Harket is STILL hot! OH MY!!! crazy
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/25/11 08:11 AM
Childrens Hospital

The episodes are too short, of course, but they fit a lot of great stuff into the 5 minutes. I'm only a few episodes in, so here's hoping it stays fresh. Terrific so far.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/11 03:25 AM
In June, I'm going to use the Vudu service and take advantage of the 99¢ that they offer each day. It doesn't matter if it is something I've seen before, or something I'd never watch. I'm going to video every single one.

I'll also rate each title, and report that on Twitter (@ClubNeon if you care). I tried out the service last night, with a full priced viewing of Chinatown. Somehow I had missed that movie all these years. I'm glad I fixed that. It is well deserved of all the praise heaped upon it. I think I'm going to watch the less well received sequel, The Two Jakes, soon too.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/11 05:12 AM
I'm almost caught up with Game of Thrones. Man, it's such a great show. I love Tyrian (The Imp). Here's only a small reason why. smile


Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/11 05:32 AM
I've been watching GoT with one of my friends, but she has a job where she has to be at work at 5 AM on Monday, so we can't watch it on Sunday nights. I'm about to tell her, "too bad," and watch the show without her.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/11 07:05 AM
I have to wait until it's out on disc. I'm lame.

I finally re-watched my copy of Drag Me to Hell. It still cracks me up. I just have this image of the Raimis giving each other high-fives as they made the film.

I already want to re-watch Childrens Hospital. Someone at work wants to borrow it, but I'm not quite ready to let it go. Ha ha.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/11 01:57 PM
I'm looking forward to seeing that when it comes out on DVD. Really enjoyed the book series, so far.

I had worries the adaptation would be on par with the horrid "Legend of the Seeker." And as far as the books go, the earlier ones are way better than the later. What a shame they couldn't stay the same throughout the series. frown
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/11 07:48 PM
A new friend I've been hanging out with lately was just marathon watching Legend of the Seeker. She enjoyed it, but she's been a big fan of Xena, Hercules, and the like. I never did get into those shows.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/31/11 11:12 AM
Sean, I can assure you the TV adaptation of Game of Thrones is far better than Legend of the Seeker. Much more maturely done. I agree with CV, they really cheapened and dummied down Seeker to the point I couldn't watch it.

I am thoroughly enjoying Game of Thrones. Tyrian is definitely one of my favorite favorites for his wit and his outlook on life but Maisie Williams who plays Arya Stark is winning me over also. She is really nailing the little girl's feisty spirit. A lot of really good acting in this one actually.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/31/11 12:25 PM
That is good to know! Thanks, Andrew and CV.

I feel those two book series are relatively more adult-oriented than other fantasy series and was thoroughly disheartened when I watched "Legend of the Seeker."
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/01/11 07:03 AM
Trying out The Legend of Bruce Lee on Drama Fever. I'm not sure what I think of it yet, but I'll keep watching and see how it develops. I like the star a lot, Danny Chan from Stephen Chow's movies, Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle. The goalkeeper he played in Shaolin Soccer wore a Bruce Lee outfit, and he pulled it off well, so it's fitting that he'd actually play Bruce Lee in something. My sister wanted me to watch this series because she's too lazy. She laughed when she saw Ray Park plays Chuck Norris.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/04/11 12:24 PM
Amazing bike feats but also beautiful cinematography and score. Usually this stuff is just shot and edited by kids. Take a couple of minutes to watch this.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/04/11 06:24 PM
Hey, you're right, put together amazingly well.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/04/11 07:02 PM
Absolutely beautiful countryside.
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/04/11 07:32 PM
Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
Amazing bike feats but also beautiful cinematography and score. Usually this stuff is just shot and edited by kids. Take a couple of minutes to watch this.


Thanks for posting that, Mark! Danny is extremely talented. For those who don't know, the majority of the riding he was doing is called "trials riding", which is what I was doing when I broke my neck.

You would actually be surprised to know that almost all of the biking videos produced have excellent cinematography. It all really started with the movie "The Collective", and now there's big competition to make the videos more pleasant to watch, if you will.

I have a lot of mountain bike movies, and I think The Collective is still the most stunning. Here's the trailer, you'll see what I mean.

And here's ere's my favorite clip from The Collective, which is of Ryan Leech, whom reinvented trials riding and is arguably the best rider in the world. This is wicked!
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/04/11 07:45 PM
Here's two more clips from The Collective-

Red Bull Rampage

Final scene . This clip really shows just how much effort is put into the cinematography. Absolutely amazing and beautiful camera work (watch the credits, too); it's quite stunning.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/09/11 06:12 AM
I've been trying out Parks and Recreation. Entertaining enough so far. I'll keep watching.

Also, it's Drum Solo Week on the Late Show. Here are the first two.

Anton Fig

Sheila E

Makes me wish I could drum!
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/09/11 11:55 AM
Tonight, it's Solaris with George Clooney.
Thursday, next week, it's the Russian version of Solaris.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/17/11 06:40 AM
Yeah, Parks and Recreation is actually pretty damn awesome. I wasn't expecting that.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/17/11 01:57 PM
I watched the Russian version of Solaris last night.

My opinion? It sucks.

It was interesting only as an example of how Russia and USA would perform the same movie, beyond that not much of an entertaining value. There was some music only in about 2 short parts of the film. The rest of the movie was either silence, talking, or some soft background noise. Mostly silence.

They took a lot of short cuts in this film. About half of it was done in black and white. I tried to find some meaning to this, but it was too random to mean anything. It started out seeming that color was the here and now and B/W was referring to some past event, but then that meaning got blurred. There was a car ride with just the street noise for audio for about 5 minutes straight, then a 20 second rocket ride to the space station immediately afterwards. The actors would peer out the space station window at the sights below, but you were only left with your imagination at what they might be looking at.

Overall pretty cheesy. A good movie for the guy with the 3 robots to make comments, but even then, about the funniest thing they could do is snore.

edit: Oh yeah. This movie was supposed to be full of "artistic" shots. There were a few at the beginning before a word was spoken. Then 1 or 2 during the rest of the movie.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/17/11 07:14 PM
My wife loves it. It's basically The Office with different characters. My wife can't stand The Office, though.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/22/11 08:16 AM
Finished season 4 of Burn Notice. Still equal parts fun and annoying, but overall worthwhile.

I'm not sure if I should work on season 3 of Breaking Bad or season 4 of Mad Men now. They both fill me with trepidation.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/22/11 01:30 PM
I think season 4 of Mad Men is ultimately more fulfilling. So watch it first if you want something good right away, or second if you like to finish with desert. Season 3 of Breaking Bad is worth watching, but not as powerful as the first two.

The Raining, er I mean The Killing, left me disappointed, actually disappointed me throughout. First AMC original to do so. I guess their streak of perfection had to end at some point.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/22/11 06:08 PM
I'm starting with Breaking Bad. The first episode was promising enough, but I won't get my hopes too high.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/24/11 05:02 AM
Louis C.K.'s Hilarious. Already has me bowing to the screen. Also have the first season of Louie on Blu-ray to re-watch.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/24/11 12:15 PM
I bought the audio CD of Hilarious and thoroughly enjoyed it. Not only have I always liked Louis C.K., I also got the CD to help make my drive to California seem a little shorter when I go back to visit family. It worked!
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/24/11 10:00 PM
Ok I’ve watched a lot of stuff over the last couple months and not posted any reviews but I now have to break my silence because I just watched “The Green Hornet (2011) on Blu-ray. Please save the wear-and tear on your player not to mention the environment (electricity, shipping, packaging etc. . .) and don’t watch (read support) it. How the hell it got 44% from the critics and 50% from the audience at Rotten Tomatoes is beyond me. The only remotely interesting thing in this movie is the bad guy other than that it’s a total waste of talent.

If you want a move with a green hero try “The Muppet Movie,” far superior in every detail. Hell even Miss Piggy is better looking than Cameron Diaz these days, which reminds me I didn’t see it in 3D. However, even double D (no we don’t actually get any of those) fanservice wouldn’t keep this piece of crap afloat in the toilet.

Better yet you could just order the old TV series off Amazon (Batman was better IMO) and then you would at least have 13 hours of something that was moderately entertaining.

BTW skip “Gulliver’s Travels (2010) too unless you are just a huge Jack Black fan.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/24/11 10:52 PM
A Steaming Pile of Cinema, eh, Dean?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/26/11 11:18 PM
I like Christoph Waltz, but I still didn't see anything interesting about his character in The Green Hornet. For me, the best part of the movie is the cup of coffee.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/26/11 11:19 PM
Oh, and I just watched True Grit. I enjoyed it. Makes me wish I had some character.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/27/11 04:39 AM
Originally Posted By: CV
I like Christoph Waltz, but I still didn't see anything interesting about his character in The Green Hornet. For me, the best part of the movie is the cup of coffee.



The most interesting thing for me was the woman he woke up with, at least we got a shot of her in a bra though I’ve never met a woman who wears a bra to bed. Guess I lead a sheltered life. wink
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/27/11 04:46 AM
Curse you PG-13 rating!

*shakes fist at sky*
Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
I bought the audio CD of Hilarious and thoroughly enjoyed it. Not only have I always liked Louis C.K., I also got the CD to help make my drive to California seem a little shorter when I go back to visit family. It worked!


Funny guy. You try the new comedy streams on Pandora. Love it. Who needs satellite radio now? I even have the paid stream, worth the $32/year.

Also, I'd recommend giving a listen to comedy podcasts. Marc Maron's WTF has some great interviews w/ Gallagher, Carlos Mencia, Amy Poehler, Dave Attell, Robin Williams and a bunch of others. Doug Benson's Doug Loves Movies is also good. He's the guy who did Super High Me and Marijuanalogues. Bill Burr's rants (Bill's Monday Morning Podcast) is also quite amusing as he rants about Boston and all kinds of East Coast stuff. I have become quite the comedy nerd.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/27/11 06:01 AM
DOA: Dead or Alive

It was as crappy as I was expecting. Still, it was nice to see Lloyd's crush from Undeclared has done something since then. Looking her up on IMDB (Sarah Carter), she's done quite a lot of stuff I'm just not interested in seeing. I guess she's in that Falling Skies series now. Anyone think that's worth watching?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/27/11 09:29 AM
Oh, yeah, I also watched Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. I hope Michael Bay hates himself. Even with all of the eye and ear candy, still hard to sit through. I fell asleep during part of it.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/27/11 01:27 PM
I saw that "Falling Skies" was on after "Leverage". I didn't check it out yet, but I'll give it a shot and report back.

EDIT: I'll tack on here. Has any anime fan watched either The Girl Who Leapt through Time, or Summer Wars? I'm thinking about give each of them a rent.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/27/11 06:18 PM
I think Dean mentioned watching The Girl Who Leapt Through Time? I haven't seen it yet.
Falling Skies is on the Tivo, haven't watched it yet.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/28/11 03:43 AM
Originally Posted By: ClubNeon
I saw that "Falling Skies" was on after "Leverage". I didn't check it out yet, but I'll give it a shot and report back.

EDIT: I'll tack on here. Has any anime fan watched either The Girl Who Leapt through Time, or Summer Wars? I'm thinking about give each of them a rent.


Chris, Charles is right that I watch “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.” I didn’t write my own review here but just liked to this one since I mirrors my opinion of it.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/the-girl-who-leapt-through-time

In a nutshell I like the first 2/3s a lots but thought it lost a step toward the end with a fairly under-whelming ending. I haven’t seen “Summer Wars.”
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/28/11 04:10 AM
I final got around to marathon watching “The Pacific” that Sean loaned to me what seems like ages ago. I have to say liked it more than I had expected since I had read some poor reviews of it. Rather than go into the BD details Blu-ray.com has an excellent write-up:

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Pacific-Blu-ray/10488/#Review

First one big caveat, I did fast forward though some parts, mostly some of the home front stuff, and liberty time in Australia. Some of the home front stuff was quite relevant to the story but other parts were just separate story arcs I had no interest in. In fairness I’ve have never watch “Band of Brothers” in its entirety since my first watching.

What I did like about it? Well it’s about the Corps for starters. Though I have also served in the Army it’s different, at least now days. You join the army whereas you become a Marine, really now better way I can put it. I’ve also spent a lot of time in the Pacific on Okinawa (been to some of the battlefields) and other places mostly not shown. Much of the movie also looked very familiar because when I was in the Corps a lot of our equipment dated to WWII and/or was still the same design as used then (this was the early 80s mind you).

I also liked that fact that they didn’t start each episode with a real person relating their story. That sort of ruined some of the suspense in “Band of Brothers”(BoB) since you know for sure certain people live. In “The Pacific” I only knew whether 2 of the reoccurring characters lived or died because of learning Marine Corps history. Another thing I liked is that although there were story arcs that didn’t interest me there were no stand-alone episodes, BoB had a couple of them which IMO detracted from the main storyline.

I also liked that “The Pacific” is told from a Grunts POV as opposed to and Officers POV in BoB.

Well I did it and mentioned BoB which brings up the inevitable is it as good. Well IMO yes it is. I won’t say better since I skipped some of the boring parts but I would tend to lean in that direction. Be warned that they are however, very different stories. Whereas BoB probably leaves most people feeling a bit uplifted or at least patriotic, “The Pacific” is more of an anti-war show in the sense that the only good thing about it is not being in one. However, from a purely storytelling perspective I would say I prefer “The Pacific” to Bob.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/28/11 04:10 AM
I guess I'll place them about 25% of the way from the top of my queue, and let them trickle up.

Finally watched Evangelion 1.11 tonight. I have 2.22, and will get to it soon.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/28/11 04:45 AM
I couldn't get into 1.11, but I wonder if I should still try out 2.22 with all of the positive things I've read.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/28/11 11:10 AM
Originally Posted By: grunt
I did fast forward though some parts, mostly some of the home front stuff, and liberty time in Australia.

But that's where the cute girls were.....!
Posted By: davidsch Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/28/11 11:41 AM
Women's World Cup soccer. Go USA! Go Canada!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/30/11 04:47 AM
Bruce Lee vs Chuck Norris (while a cat looks on)
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/30/11 04:50 AM
I finished season three of Breaking Bad last night. Chris, I certainly wanted it to keep going and resolve some stuff, but I'm okay with waiting. I was still engaged through the season as a whole. Now I'm onto Mad Men.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/11 04:13 AM
I just watched the BD version of FOTR. My overall impression was that it looked pretty good and noticeably better than the DVD version in some scenes. In the scenes I’ve demoed a lot I could tell that the audio was remixed so the voices weren’t drowned out by the music however, there were still several scenes where that still happened. There were only a couple scenes that looked abnormally blue mainly in the snow and in a few dark scenes. But otherwise it wasn’t distracting even though I was looking for it. OTOH the image sharpness seemed very inconsistent. Some scenes look crystal clear while the next one might look a little soft or hazy. IMO this was far more noticeable than any blue tinting. I felt it was downright distracting at times.

Afterwards I popped the DVD version in my other Oppo and chaptered through doing an A/B comparison. For picture quality there is no comparison, the BD strikingly superior in every way both on my 134” screen and 46” HDTV, more noticeable on the screen of course. OTOH I didn’t notice nearly the same improvement in the audio quality. LFE and surround sound seemed the same. As I already noted there were some scenes where the music was toned down a bit on the BD version so that it didn’t overpower everything else but there were still a few places where it did.

So based on what I saw and heard I would certainly upgrade for the picture quality alone but don’t do it if you’re looking only for a better audio experience.

Now on to The Two Towers
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/08/11 07:13 AM
I've only watched select scenes from Fellowship so far, but they were enough to remind me how much the movies annoy me. I think I'm regretting my purchase. Ha ha.

I finished season 4 of Mad Men. There sure are some compelling TV series these days. It's getting harder and harder to sit through movies when it feels so much more rewarding to watch shows that have the opportunity to develop the characters that much more.

I can't remember what show I was going to work on next. Hmm....

I got my friend to start watching Friday Night Lights and Curb Your Enthusiasm with me, so it will be nice to revisit those. It's nice to be able to alternate between Larry David being a dork and the amped up drama of Friday Night Lights.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/08/11 12:10 PM
I watched "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole" last night. I was very impressed with the quality of this movie. The reviews had said that this movie had the best quality ever seen in both video and audio. I was a little reluctant to buy it because others had said that the story sucked, but I disagree. The story wasn't bad at all. I got this movie yesterday for $9.66 after store discount and using $10 worth of BB rewards coupons.

I made a gmail spreadsheet of all of my movies.

Posted By: sonicfox Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/08/11 03:32 PM
Originally Posted By: CatBrat
I watched "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole"


I liked this movie a lot as well. It's way underrated in my opinion.
Posted By: julian_y Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/11/11 04:11 AM
Originally Posted By: ClubNeon
I saw that "Falling Skies" was on after "Leverage". I didn't check it out yet, but I'll give it a shot and report back.

EDIT: I'll tack on here. Has any anime fan watched either The Girl Who Leapt through Time, or Summer Wars? I'm thinking about give each of them a rent.


I've watched both and like them both. The Girl Who Leapt through Time is funny at the beginning but a little bit sad in the end while Summer Wars is about family and love. Neither of them is for children. Highly recommended if you like Japanese anime.
Posted By: bdpf Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/11/11 01:32 PM
Talking about animes, I used to love them when I was younger but then haven't watched any in like 10 years. So a couple of weeks ago I decided to look on the net for a few recommendations. I ended up buying Evangelion 1.11 and Afro Samurai. I watched both this weekend. I really liked Afro Samurai. I's a 5 episodes movie that lasts about 2 hours. The story is very good with the development of both the main character and the plot so are the video and audio. As for Evangelion, I was expecting more. While the Video and Audio are top notch (a little more LFE wouldn't hurt), I found the story a bit confusing and not that rich. Given that I am not familiar with the older show, I might not understand everything and it seems that the whole story will be developed throughout 5 movies. I will most definitely buy Afro Samurai Resurrection and will probably download Evangelion 2.22 before buying it. Another that I just bought on Ebay is Paprika, supposedly a good scifi anime, I'll let you know.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/11/11 02:52 PM
Originally Posted By: bdpf
Another that I just bought on Ebay is Paprika, supposedly a good scifi anime, I'll let you know.


If you have any LSD make sure to take some before watching Paprika.
Posted By: bdpf Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/11/11 03:40 PM
laugh
Posted By: davidsch Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/11 11:17 AM
Today I will be watching the US Women's Soccer Team play France in the World Cup semi-finals. It just so happens to coincide with my lunch hour. Go USA!
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/11 12:49 PM
That was an amazing finish the other day.

Good thing Ray wasn't there or he would have made everyone in the stadium leave with two minutes to go. grin
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/11 02:58 PM
Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
That was an amazing finish the other day.

Good thing Ray wasn't there or he would have made everyone in the stadium leave with two minutes to go. grin


That's pretty mean, Mark. Are his braps really that bad?!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/18/11 04:36 AM
Rango

It looked very nice. The writing didn't do a lot for me.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/18/11 05:07 AM
I thought it was a bit more adult oriented than for kids. The animation was excellent.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/18/11 05:50 AM
It felt like it was trying to be both without succeeding at either. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood. I'll keep hoping for the computer animated feature that hits all the right notes for me. It has to happen at some point, right?
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/18/11 07:53 AM
New Breaking Bad aired tonight. It's almost 4 AM, but I think I might watch it before I go to sleep. I don't have to work for another 5 hours...
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/18/11 09:13 AM
Don't be crazy.

I just watched Jennifer's Body. It was okay, but it never really gained any momentum. I was hoping for more, despite the mixed reviews.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/18/11 09:16 AM
What are you talking about? I'm fueled by crazy, Redbull and crazy.

It was a pretty good start to the season, and now I'm going to sleep.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/21/11 07:58 AM
Horrible Bosses

I really liked it. Good comedies are fewer and further between these days. I'd go see it again in the theater.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/22/11 05:06 AM
Robotic Cow Tongue
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/22/11 01:55 PM
From the San Diego Comic Con:

Trailer for new Beavis and Butthead film: Holy Cornholio. My favorite part is the Jersey Shore commentary they provide starting at 3:10.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/22/11 03:30 PM
When it was current, a co-worker of mine only had to say "TP" and we would have to stop what we were doing to laugh. Loved B & B.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/25/11 05:33 AM
Just started watching The Whitest Kids U'Know. Hit or miss, but this is one of the best comedy sketches I've ever seen.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/29/11 05:51 AM
Michael & Michael Have Issues. Not the greatest, but I did just enjoy the bunny stomping sketch.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/30/11 10:39 AM
Cowboys & Aliens

Everything kept taking too long to happen, and Jon Favreau isn't a good enough director to make the slower pace work. Also, the lines that were supposed to be clever just weren't. Disappointed, and it's not like I had high expectations going in.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/30/11 11:50 AM
Dang. I really wanted to like this movie.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/30/11 12:11 PM
I'm gonna wait for "Indians vs Predator".
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/30/11 05:14 PM
Speaking of Daniel Craig, I keep thinking about how good the trailer for David Fincher's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is. More impressive on the big screen than on YouTube, but still. I've been out of the loop and still don't know anything about the books/movies, which is probably a good thing. I can let David Fincher's version be my first exposure. Anyway, I liked the way they did the trailer. Just music and a lot of cool shots. Karen O sings the song well.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/30/11 05:28 PM
I turned it up and liked the YouTube version enough, too. My ButtKicker agreed with the music.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/30/11 07:32 PM
Original movie in 2009, remake in 2011???

Was the original not that good?

CV, I agree. Good trailer.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/30/11 08:04 PM
It was foreign language. We're too dumb for that.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/30/11 08:32 PM
OK, makes sense. I think I'll rent a foreign film tonight. grin

No Mark, its not one of those '60s italian films...
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/30/11 11:06 PM
Blu-ray version of Forbidden Planet. Much improved over the DVD version.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/31/11 02:07 AM
I've watched the Swedish trilogy, and have the English adaptation of the book on my Kindle, although I've only started the first one. The movies were OK, but what I've read of the book, blows the Swedish films away. Fincher hasn't seen the Swedish films, he's only read the English versions of the novels. So I'm hoping he does his usual amazing job.

I even ended up liking Panic Room after going back nearly a decade later. Maybe I just wasn't ready for it at the time.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/31/11 07:12 AM
That's cool that he hasn't seen the Swedish films. Yeah, I've been out of the loop. I didn't know he was the director. When I was watching the trailer, I was thinking there was no way the movie was going to live up to it. Then I saw it was a David Fincher movie and thought, okay, there's hope. I still don't like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, but I'm still impressed with how non-crap The Social Network turned out to be.

I liked Panic Room well enough back when I saw it in theaters. I haven't watched it in quite a while.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/31/11 02:09 PM
I've heard so many people say they didn't like Panic Room that I was hesitant to watch it for the longest time. Turns out, I though it an excellent movie and ended up buying it. Is it just Jodie Foster? Do people not like her?

CV, I agree, The Social Network was also very good. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was creepy and tried too hard to be something it wasn't--a deep and important story.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/31/11 02:28 PM
Last night, instead of rewatching Panic Room I rewatched the last James Bond movie Quantum of Solace. I want to like this movie more than I did, but it's missing something. One of the major problems I have is that the action scenes are hard to follow. The opening car chase scene has all the right elements and a fantastic build up. . . . unfortunately I have no idea what actually takes place because the editing is way too fast and choppy. This kind of filmmaking really bugs me--it feels cheap. Just about the time I figure out what I'm looking at with the extreme close ups and jerky hand held cameras the next frantic and jerky picture is up on the screen, but there is little continuity and/or visual cues to help me piece together what is occurring.

I can tell exciting stuff is happening, but I am left more bewildered than exhilarated. It's like someone going into the kitchen and throwing all the pots and pans onto the floor while turning the lights on and off really fast.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/31/11 06:12 PM
Ha ha, nice comparison. Yeah, that kind of filmmaking CAN be effective, but you're right, you still need to be able to make sense of it. I only watched Quantum of Solace once, but I may give it another try, too, just to see if I get the same impression. I just remember thinking "so what?" at the movie.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/11 05:49 AM
Captain America

I liked it pretty well. The villain bored me a bit, but otherwise I was entertained. Hayley Atwell has a good face.
Posted By: bdpf Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/03/11 01:01 PM
Originally Posted By: grunt
Originally Posted By: bdpf
Another that I just bought on Ebay is Paprika, supposedly a good scifi anime, I'll let you know.


If you have any LSD make sure to take some before watching Paprika.


laugh laugh laugh
I watched it last night and now I understand what you meant!
SciFi is my favorite type of movies, I really enjoy movies like the Matrix, Dark city, Blade Runner, Inception and the likes but I have to admit that this one was very weird even for me!
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/03/11 01:51 PM
Have you watched The Adjustment Bureau? Or Source Code? Watched both of them this past weekend, and found them to be enjoyable. Oh, and Limitless about a week ago, and it too was good enough to recommend.
Posted By: mpyw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/03/11 02:03 PM
Watched part of "Rango"....

reference picture quality and audio as well
Posted By: bdpf Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/04/11 04:06 AM
Not yet Chris but I'll put them on my watch list, thanks.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/05/11 06:19 PM
Dane Cook on last night's Louie was good to see.
Posted By: mpyw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/08/11 12:56 AM
Revisit "Police: Certifiable" last night
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/08/11 12:42 PM
True Blood continues to be fun and exciting. They're doing a good job of keeping it fresh.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/08/11 01:48 PM
Originally Posted By: medic8r
They're doing a good job of keeping it fresh.
I was going to post a funny image in response to this and discovered a curious phenomenon. Using Google image search, the difference between the results for "keeping it fresh" and "keepin' in fresh" could not be greater.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/19/11 06:14 PM
Have you seen this trailer for Bill Paxton Mustache Movie? OMG!
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/19/11 07:03 PM
Haywire is a Bill Paxton movie?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/20/11 08:43 AM
I guess you didn't see him in the trailer?
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/20/11 02:07 PM
It looks like Antonio Banderas got in on the mustache action too.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/20/11 06:10 PM
I hope this doesn't mean I'm going to be growing a mustache after watching the movie.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/20/11 08:11 PM
Screw the 3D fad. . . . . .MoustacheVision is on the way!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/20/11 08:36 PM
Like people who have to wear 3D glasses over their normal glasses, people with mustaches will still have to wear a mustache over their existing one.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/21/11 10:25 AM
Super

Didn't like it, just like I didn't like Kick-Ass. I simply couldn't get into the tone of either movie.

Caught up on episodes of Louie and Childrens Hospital. Both shows are still knocking them out of the park.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/21/11 06:06 PM
Nothing.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/21/11 07:39 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
Nothing.


Well at least give us a review of it. wink
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/21/11 08:01 PM
Ha ha. It looks like I'm going to a movie with a friend, so so much for nothing. I actually already saw the movie with my sister when we were in Chicago, but this friend had wanted to see it with me, too. I liked it enough to go again. 30 Minutes or Less. The story isn't going to win any awards, of course, but I liked the performances a lot. I've liked Michael Peña when I've seen him in stuff, but this is my favorite role of his so far. Jesse Eisenberg, Danny McBride, and Aziz Ansari make me laugh, too. If you don't like the performers, don't bother with the movie.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/21/11 08:06 PM
I watched GI Joe yesterday. This is probably the first movie I've seen that I got bored with, because there was too much action. Has this ever happened to anybody else before?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/21/11 08:09 PM
I heard that complaint about 2012, but I didn't see it. Michael Bay seems to be a big target for that kind of criticism, too.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/21/11 08:26 PM
Originally Posted By: CatBrat
I watched GI Joe yesterday. This is probably the first movie I've seen that I got bored with, because there was too much action. Has this ever happened to anybody else before?


Transformers, Transformers 2, Casino Royal (newer one) . . . probably a lot more but I tend to put boring things out of my mind unless I find them really bad, like I just wasted 1.5-2 hours of my life I will never get back bad.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/11 06:44 AM
Making a little progress in my re-watching of The Wire. Such a good show, worth the re-watch. I don't know what's taken me so long. Oh, yeah, the ever-increasing backlog of other material to view.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/11 05:13 PM
Originally Posted By: CatBrat
I watched GI Joe yesterday. This is probably the first movie I've seen that I got bored with, because there was too much action. Has this ever happened to anybody else before?


I don't know if that was the reason but I too got seriously bored with that movie. Didn't even bother to finish it.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/11 05:22 PM
I didn't like the previous seasons or maybe I just never got into them but for some reason I find myself watching this season of "Torchwood" in which they named the entire season "Miracle Day".

It may still not be super quality television but the whole growing concept of how the world would spiral horribly out of control if all humans became immortal is pretty interesting. Everything from the effects on hospitals to the increased spread of diseases (carriers don't die) and now, right down to extremes of reverting to concentration camps for the 'once' critically injured and the government endorsement of Nazi style ovens to burn the people who are so horribly sick or injured that they are unconscious but the body refuses to die.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/28/11 04:35 AM
I didn't like Adventureland. Extract had its moments.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/28/11 06:41 AM
We're a weird country.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/28/11 01:51 PM
I wish I could drive like that.


On purpose.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/28/11 01:54 PM
I can't believe I watched the whole thing.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/28/11 05:35 PM
Dude knows how to shed some serious rubber... but yeah.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/08/11 10:10 AM
I gave my re-watch of The Wire a rest tonight to start watching the third season of Parks and Recreation. Good stuff.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/10/11 10:52 PM
Hanna

A little pretentious, but overall, still pretty entertaining. I agree with my friend who thought the ending was a little weak. It wasn't the most satisfying conclusion for me, either. I wanted it to get a little deeper. The audio was pretty good, though, and it included some very nice low-bass moments. I'd say it's worth a watch.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/11/11 01:27 AM
X-Men: First Class

I couldn't get into it. I think prequels are hard to do well. Like most, there's too much winking and nudging about stuff that's to come. Nothing else about the writing was anything to write home about, either. It just seemed to drag, and it didn't have anything to say that wasn't already said by the other X-Men movies.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/11/11 01:28 AM
Watching X-men: First Class on Blu-ray for first time. (Not done yet). Started out fairly slow, but 3/4 of way through is very good. It kept bothering me where I'd seen the actor that played the young Xavier before. I had to cheat and look it up on imdb.com. Of course, Mr. Tumnus from Lion, Witch, Wardrobe movie.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/12/11 02:15 AM
Naruto

I just started watching. I had read the beginning of the manga, so what I've watched so far is familiar. I'm pretty sure it's one I'm going to enjoy. So far it's really easy to look forward to the next episode. It's just a fun story. I seriously need to figure out how to do that with my own writing.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/14/11 07:03 AM
Contagion

For this kind of movie, I thought it was pretty well-done. Nothing that will wow you, but it's a nice look at how things might realistically play out in an epidemic. More realistic than other movie attempts, I should say. I'll probably end up owning it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/16/11 09:48 AM
Thanks goodness for new It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. My life just got a lot brighter.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/16/11 12:22 PM
I get it. Because it's always sunny.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/16/11 02:19 PM
Yesterday I bought "Gone with the Wind" on blu-ray, single disk, 70th anniversary edition. Then looked at the reviews on Amazon. I couldn't decide on whether to keep it, or return for a different edition. All of the reviews were so confusing. I eventually just opened the package and decided to keep it. I think I made the right decision.

Has anyone else watched the 70th anniversary edition? Does it have decent sound and picture quality for a blu-ray?
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/16/11 02:34 PM
I'll be interested in any replies. I have the 3 disc set and haven't even taken the shrink wrap off yet. frown
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/16/11 02:36 PM
No, but my barbecue cover appeared to be "gone with the wind" this morning. We have a bit of a breeze blowing as Hurricane Maria flows by. It's way out to sea for us so it's not even close to storm winds for us but I forgot to secure the cover after grilling some corn last night.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/16/11 07:50 PM
Finally caught up with "Sons of Anarchy". TuttleHaus approved.
Posted By: Jc Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/17/11 07:29 PM
It is going to be "Thor". It came highly recommended: "Best Spectacular Blu-ray Sound Track" so far.

I hope that it will be!
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/17/11 11:10 PM
Guess!
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/18/11 04:33 AM
I just finished “Star Wars” (I can’t bring myself to call it VI or “The New Hope) on BD. And it was spectacular.

The video quality is vastly superior to the DVD version at least on the big screen, I didn’t check it out on my LCD. In all scenes the picture is noticeably sharper showing more detail. The black levels are much better and going along with that so is the colour saturation. Shadow detail is better as is contrast. There is simply no comparison between the two versions on the big screen. For reference if you have them the BD version of this is a bigger picture improvement than between the DVD and BD versions of the Lord of the Rings movies.

The only issue I have with the video quality is that it is noticeably inconsistent. Outdoor scenes like on Tatooine feel like you are standing there, whereas the indoor scenes tend to have noticeably softer look though not always. Most CG and special effects scenes are also outstanding.

Just for reference I did pop in the opening battle scene from “Star Wars III” BD, since I practically have the DVD version memorized since I use it for demo material. If you are going to try to compare the video quality of the BD version of the original “Star Wars” movie to this one then you will certainly be disappointed. The picture is so perfect it felt like being there. The sharpness of the picture gives it a 3d quality. It looks so real there were a couple of times I felt slight vertigo or like I was actually moving.

The audio does seem better but since audio memory is so short it’s harder to compare. In general the BD audio seems cleaner and more defined. Although there is limited discrete surround action when it is there it’s very precise. Ships flying past really sound like it. When Han shoots the blaster in the garbage room the shot bounces all around the room. Mostly there’s lots of music always coming from the surround speakers. So much so that it shut my 3007 down 3 times before I finally had to put a fan on top of it to keep it cool, and that was at -5 off reference.

There are some changes I picked up on in the audio. They got rid of most of the fake “radio” distortion when the rebels attack the deathstar, and I think some of the sound effects like explosions were changed some even deleted.

I can without any doubt say that if you are a “Star Wars” fan and have a big screen/surround system this is a must have.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/18/11 09:45 PM
I just finished the BD versions of “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.” Both of these are similar upgrades in PQ and SQ from the DVD versions.

The PQ improvements aren’t always as noticeable in Empire since a lot of the scenes are filled with mist, snow or other things that would naturally obscure clear viewing.

Though the PQ of “Return of the Jedi” is improved this one seems to show the limits of its special effects technology the most. In many of the “Blue Screen” shots the actors stand out like sore thumbs, their colours being drab and washed out against the vibrant background.

A couple comments on the audio. Though my made sure all my speakers were level matched by the middle of the Empire I had bumped up the rear speakers +3dB each to get them to blend correctly with the surrounds. I also bumped up the low pass filter on the Buttkicker to 50Hz to get any meaningful rumble out of it, but it’s pretty standard to have to put it around 50Hz or so to get anything much out of most movies.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/18/11 10:21 PM
I've been watching my TiVo consistently fail to properly load program information.

It's frustrating.

I'm curious about the changes Lucas made on the new versions. Anything particularly egregious, other than the scream?
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/19/11 06:40 AM
Quote:

I'm curious about the changes Lucas made on the new versions. Anything particularly egregious, other than the scream?


The only one that jumped out at me was how the audio of the radio transmissions in the ending battle of the original Star Wars movie sound cleaned up. However, I wasn’t really paying attention for changes just trying to enjoy the movies.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/19/11 06:55 AM
I finished watching Star Wars 1-3.

There is no doubt that the PQ of Revenge of the Sith is on a whole different level from the other movies. It also seems like there is more going on surround sound wise in these three than in the originals. Maybe it’s just because there is more action going on in a lot of places but there.

After watching all of them I realized that this was the first time I ever marathon watched the Star Wars saga. Viewing them back-to-back really made me realize how much more I like the original three over the recent one. The story flows through all three of the first movies whereas in the recent three there’s not much holding them together. Eye candy aside I prefer the original ones.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/20/11 09:17 AM
I'm working on the second season of Eastbound & Down. I like Danny McBride, so I find it easy to like. I really like the way they use music in this show, too. Always interesting choices, and it's a big part of the feel of the show.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/20/11 04:27 PM
I like "New TV Show" season.

We watched CBS Two Broke Girls and the reboot of Two and a Half Men last night (but not in real time because commercials suck).

Both were awful. Just stupefyingly unfunny.

I was absolutely delighted that Margo Martindale won the Supporting Actress Emmy for her role as crime family matriarch Mags Bennett on Justified. Her performance throughout season 2 of that show was simply riveting. Honestly, some of the best acting I've ever seen anywhere.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/20/11 05:14 PM
Originally Posted By: tomtuttle
I like "New TV Show" season.

Me, too. It's like a bunch of my friends went on summer vacation and now are back to hang out with me.

I also did the CBS comedy thing on delay via DVR. I was pretty concerned by the first 15 minutes or so of HIMYM, as if all the good writers had left, but the final 45 minutes had some pretty good moments. I'd give it a B-, whereas their typical episodes are solid B, B+ or A- even.

Two and a Half Men handled a funeral about as well as a comedy can, I guess. But, yeah, I agree, it was nowhere near the usual level of humor. I chalk it up to "Pilot Syndrome", since they were essentially having to reboot the show, and we all know that pilot episodes are typically pretty lame compared to shows in their prime. Give 'em a chance to get back on their feet. I'll bet you're laughing heartily again in a few weeks.

Didn't DVR the new show about the waitresses, so can't comment.

I am really looking forward to the return of Big Bang Theory in a couple of days. I hope they haven't messed up the formula too much by having Raj and Penny hook up. That was a weird season finale last spring - made me think that the writers had been reading fan fiction off of the dark corners of the internet.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/20/11 05:21 PM
The only thing I'm really looking forward to is the return of "Boardwalk Empire".
Posted By: J. B. Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/20/11 06:15 PM
Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
The only thing I'm really looking forward to is the return of "Boardwalk Empire".


I haven't taken the time to even have a look at the series; if it is as good as they seem to imply in the ads on TV, i'll watch it.
what do you think?
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/20/11 06:43 PM
I generally don't like any tv comedy, and am not real fond of most comedy movies, either. I'm more into drama, good sci-fi, fantasy, adventure.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/20/11 06:51 PM
Originally Posted By: J. B.

what do you think?

Well, like I said, it's the only returning series that I'm looking forward to!
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/20/11 11:08 PM
Originally Posted By: tomtuttle
I like "New TV Show" season...

I gots no cable. Guess I'll just have to stare at your avatar.
Posted By: J. B. Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/21/11 12:31 AM
Originally Posted By: fredk
Originally Posted By: tomtuttle
I like "New TV Show" season...

I gots no cable. Guess I'll just have to stare at your avatar.


when you're tired of looking at his avatar,
have a good look at mine.

good night!
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/21/11 03:48 AM
Tom's avatar is must see TV!
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/21/11 04:28 AM
I always change my avatar for Oktoberfest.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/21/11 04:32 AM
I'm a fan, too.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/21/11 08:59 AM
I finished season two of Eastbound & Down. I actually got choked up. Ha ha.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/21/11 11:45 AM
Of Oktoberfest or his avatar? I like both, myself.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/21/11 12:37 PM
Here's a larger version:



And, as a bonus, a relevant demotivational poster:


Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/21/11 01:24 PM
DUCKFACE!
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/21/11 01:52 PM
Oooo-La-La.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/21/11 02:23 PM
Originally Posted By: medic8r
Here's a larger version:

Got any that are larger yet? Like, maybe, life-size?
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/21/11 04:48 PM
Yeah, Ken, I know. I forgave her because there's just so much FUN going on in that picture.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/21/11 09:29 PM
I may be watching "The Broadway Melody" made in 1929 tonight. I ordered it from Amazon and it arrived today. It is a musical that won the very first academy award for best picture.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/21/11 09:46 PM
Of course, there were only 2 movies that year.

And the other one was WaterWorld.

Bazinga!
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/22/11 12:18 AM
*neither of which Mark has seen.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/22/11 12:26 AM
ka-ching!
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/22/11 01:20 AM
Originally Posted By: CatBrat
I may be watching "The Broadway Melody" made in 1929 tonight. I ordered it from Amazon and it arrived today. It is a musical that won the very first academy award for best picture.

Fun Movie if you like old movies. However, it won the second best picture award. "Wings" won the first for the years 1927-1928 in a ceremony held May 16, 1929. Broadway Melody won for the year 1929 in a ceremony held April 3 1930.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/22/11 02:31 AM
Originally Posted By: Ajax
Originally Posted By: CatBrat
I may be watching "The Broadway Melody" made in 1929 tonight. I ordered it from Amazon and it arrived today. It is a musical that won the very first academy award for best picture.

Fun Movie if you like old movies. However, it won the second best picture award. "Wings" won the first for the years 1927-1928 in a ceremony held May 16, 1929. Broadway Melody won for the year 1929 in a ceremony held April 3 1930.


How confusing. I just remember the website I was using said Broadway Melody won the 1st place. Now, I'm going to have to buy Wings too.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/22/11 02:50 AM
Brian, believe Jack.


He was there.
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/22/11 11:46 AM
Originally Posted By: CatBrat
How confusing. I just remember the website I was using said Broadway Melody won the 1st place. Now, I'm going to have to buy Wings too.
Maybe that website meant Broadway Melody was the first talkie to win the award. Wings was the only silent movie to win the best picture award. No biggie either way and I'm delighted you are interested in these old movies. They have been around so long, and the acting styles can be so different from today's, that younger folk, understandably, can find it difficult to identify with them.

Wings is pretty cool for a silent movie. For all the excellent flying stunts, battle scenes, and explosions, it was quite fortunate that there were only two accidents. Regrettably, one was fatal.
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/22/11 11:48 AM
Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
Brian, believe Jack.


He was there.




Not so! Not so! mad Although, the way I feel this morning, I could believe I was there frown.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/22/11 01:54 PM
I haven't watched old movies like this in a long time. I didn't watch it straight through. I took a few breaks because I'm not used to the style. But overall, it was interesting seeing how people acted back then. Very hammy. All of the acting looked so fake. That one girl went into a crying fit for like 2 minutes straight, which didn't look all that real. Then the stuttering man, you just wish someone would shoot him after a while to get him to shut up.

I was also surprised at the amount of partial nudity for a film in that era. One woman wore a dress that fit her body tightly and was skin color. They kept showing her from the backside that made her look nude down to her waist.
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/22/11 03:28 PM
Yeah, that is exactly what I meant in my previous post. The acting style seems exaggerated by today's standards.

It's not easy to do, but if you can try to imagine yourself back in the same era, and judge the movie as if you were, it helps.

Also, it can help, as you pointed out, if you are able to look at the movie with a historical eye ("ah, this is how they acted back then," look at the style of dress, look at what they considered "handsome" in a male and "beautiful" in a female, dig the cars, the slang, etc.).

RE: The nudity. Broadway Melody was made "pre-Motion Picture Production Code (scroll down far enough to click on the photo from "Sign of the Cross"). There were some pretty zesty movies made pre-code.

Turner Classic Movies has two pre-code collections:

Forbidden Hollywood, Vol. 1
Forbidden Hollywood, Vol. 2

Vol.2 has a documentary that sounds interesting. "THOU SHALT NOT: SEX, SIN AND CENSORSHIP IN PRE-CODE HOLLYWOOD (2008): Over seventy years later, they've lost none of their power to shock, entertain, and titillate. So-called pre-Code movies remain among the most vital films America has ever produced. But why were these films so much more sexually free and socially critical than what came before or after? Who created the Code, and what did it forbid? And why did it finally become a Hollywood commandment? The answer is a fascinating mix of scandal, big business and social history - a unique collision of events that resulted in one of the most dynamic - and delicious - periods in Hollywood history."


Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/22/11 04:59 PM
Romancing style today is nothing like these movies. In the movies, it is the man saying, "Darling, I want you, I need you.". If you said that today, it would be the kiss of death to the relationship.

Also, most of the men are using a higher pitched and effeminent voice.

The women seemed to have more masculine qualities, and one of them was named Henry in this movie and she kissed another woman on the lips.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/23/11 06:40 PM
Fixed.

Link to Best Picture awards list.
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/23/11 08:58 PM
Absolutely FABULOUS job. Bookmarked and saved.

This might help you round out the information for the year 1930.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/11 01:38 AM
True Legend

Not a very well-told story. The action scenes were fine, but they couldn't save the film for me.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/27/11 05:54 AM
I started watching the current season of Breaking Bad. I've always waited for the discs, but I guess I got impatient this time. The second episode has Jesse turning up his sound system at the end, and he sits down in front of his huge subwoofer. It's nice to have a system like mine that can do that scene justice. Ha ha. Fun stuff.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/01/11 10:18 AM
Yeah, Breaking Bad is one of the best shows ever for sound. I'm impressed. One of the episodes had some of the coolest-sounding gunshots I've heard.
Posted By: Jc Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/01/11 03:37 PM
Hi CV,
Have your heard the gun shots from the movie "Open Range" ? For North Amrica the movie is not available in Bluray but even in plain DTS 5.1 or Dolby Digital 5.1 they sound unbelievebly good. It is my demo material for gun shots. I wonder how they sound on the European Bluray version which is in DTS-HD Master Audio?
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/01/11 06:42 PM
Open Range is what Harman used for their CEDIA 2011 demo.
Posted By: Jc Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/01/11 07:26 PM
Did you like it ? Was it impressive enough ?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/01/11 07:57 PM
Originally Posted By: Jc
Have your heard the gun shots from the movie "Open Range" ?


You know, I bought the DVD, but I still haven't made the time to watch it. If I just want to pop it in for a specific scene, what chapter or time should I be going to?
Posted By: Jc Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/01/11 08:30 PM
Chapter #14 !
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/01/11 08:49 PM
Thanks, JC!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/01/11 09:11 PM
Yeah, those gunshots have quite a kick to them. Very nice.
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/01/11 09:16 PM
Open Range is full of great sound. Plus, it is a very good movie. Don't cheat yourself. Watch it fromt the beginning. The thunderstorm in the opening scenes is terrific.
Posted By: Jc Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/01/11 09:32 PM
I second, Jack !
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/02/11 12:20 AM
Transformers: Dark of the Moon

The audio's as fun as you'd expect. The story's also as broken as you'd expect. It's too bad these recent Transformers movies couldn't have writing to do the special effects justice.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/02/11 05:05 AM
i wil be watching it tomorrwo with my oldest sone while the rest of the family is out, I hope to at least have fun listening to the effects smile
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/02/11 06:01 AM
Oh, you will. There's plenty to enjoy in the picture and sound.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/02/11 07:33 AM
Limitless

Entertaining enough. More could have been done with the idea. I was anticipating too any of the little details, but I wouldn't say I was bored or anything. The audio was fun, too. Maybe I'm just really enjoying my system today.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/06/11 02:23 AM
Watched Transformers 3 on the weekend with my oldest son and it is a great demo disc, lots of surround effects and LFE.

I had a good chuckle when Sentinel Prime talks about .."the needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few..", of course my son didn't get it and just gave me a strange look.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/07/11 08:12 AM
Working on season 4 of The Wire.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/11/11 05:58 AM
Season finale of Breaking Bad was great. I really have to keep giving props to the sound and picture. It's nice to see a show that's done so well in the writing AND in the technical details. I wasn't sure if I'd keep watching when I first started, but I do have to say it's rewarding to keep watching. It's impressive where they've taken the story, the characters.

And now I have the last episode of season 4 of The Wire to watch. I'm glad I'm finally making the time to re-watch this series. Another great show, well worth the time investment.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/16/11 08:47 AM
Scream 4 (or SCRE4M)

It's been a long time since I've seen the first three, but I remember liking them all enough. I'm not much for horror, but at least the series does what it can to poke fun at itself while still being decently scary (for wusses like me). I'll have to give the first three a re-watch to see how they stand up.

Finished The Wire. I'm going to let a coworker borrow it, so here's hoping she gets as much enjoyment out of it as I do.

Also watched my copy of Horrible Bosses. Still funny.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/16/11 11:31 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
Working on season 4 of The Wire.

I'm waiting for golf season to end before I get into that series. It sounds really good.

Watched Thor last night. Meh.

Got the latest X-Men for tonight.
Posted By: mpyw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/17/11 06:35 AM
Finally watched "Transformers : Dark Of The Moon"

story wise so-so, but as a pop corn flick, it's a feast to the eyes and wow-wow-wow for the fabulous 7.1 TrueHD sound track.

The sound ae so envoloped and moving seemlessly all around you. and lots of LFE action as well. The sound of a gun shot boucing back from wall that I never heard in the cinema caught me by surprise and I thought something hit from the back of my wall

However, I've some problem, the soundtrack become noisy from the surround speakers when enter 1:26 time, was using TrueHD direct b4 that and have to change to THX setting than the noise go away....but I found that pure 7.1 truehd without processing from the AVR sound better and more detail to me.....

A true demo quality for PQ & AQ I must said..
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/17/11 06:40 AM
I tried out the first two episodes of American Horror Story after my coworker and sister mentioned it. Again, horror isn't really my thing, but I like to give it a chance once in a while. Yeah, I don't like the constant state of unease. Ha ha. I love Connie Britton, so it's nice to see her in something new after Friday Night Lights, but other than that, there's nothing about the show I want to revisit.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/18/11 11:12 PM
I've watched the first 3 episodes of Dollhouse, season 1, so far. Tonight, will be episode 4. I liked Fireflay, which is another Joss Whedon tv series. But, I'm finding I'm just not liking Dollhouse very much, so far. Maybe it'll get better. I'm not sure why I don't like it. Poor acting, maybe? Poor storys? They just don't hold my interest.

Anyone else like or not like Dollhouse?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/19/11 05:00 AM
I liked Dollhouse more as it developed. The story definitely got more interesting. I couldn't really get into Firefly, on the other hand. I liked Buffy more than Firefly, really. In any case, I've liked Dollhouse more than any other Joss Whedon project, enough to make me actually look forward to the upcoming Avengers movie.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/19/11 08:19 AM
Finally working on season three of Rurouni Kenshin. Still entertaining.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/19/11 07:46 PM
I was planning on watching, the..., you know the movie, ah.. the one with the actors and actresses in it, and they went and did things... and they showed it at the movie theater... ah, what was the name of that movie?

Similar to a real conversation I heard today.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/20/11 09:16 AM
Bridesmaids

I really enjoyed it. I'm glad it was way better than the trailers made it look.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/23/11 02:19 AM
Black Swan

Finally got around to seeing it. Not bad, but not particularly up my alley. There were some fun audio moments, though.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/23/11 05:17 PM
I finally watched my copy of Pulp Fiction last night. I still enjoy it a lot. I was really impressed with the quality of the picture. I expected the sound to be great, and it was, but I was uncertain how the picture would fare. It looked really good most of the time. There was some softness to the image in a few scenes, but they were few and far between.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/24/11 02:22 AM
Hey, it actually got a good review. I think I'll get it.

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/27/11 08:39 AM
Originally Posted By: CV


Watched it tonight. It was decent. Nice twist on Santa Claus. The pacing is kind of slow, but it was well-acted and well-directed.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/27/11 09:45 AM
IRT: Deadliest Roads

Thought I'd try season one out. I haven't seen any Ice Road Truckers, but this variation sounded too good to miss. Only one episode in, but wow. I can understand the people who live there needing to use these roads, but for drivers from our country to leave our safety standards behind and put themselves into such harrowing conditions is pretty crazy. I get nervous driving in relatively small communities with reasonable amounts of traffic. I can't imagine being on a road with so many craaaazy drivers and then amplifying the danger by being in such physically precarious locations. So yeah, entertaining stuff, but it doesn't really make a case for their sanity.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/30/11 06:21 AM
Started watching Six Feet Under. The first episode wasn't a home run for me, but I'll keep watching and see where it goes.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/31/11 06:05 AM
Fast Five

Of this series of movies, I'd only seen The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, and I didn't particularly care for it, but after seeing a couple of reviews of this one and hearing about it from a coworker, I thought I'd give it a chance. It sounded like they were taking themselves less seriously and going completely over-the-top with it. While it was over-the-top, they still seemed to be taking themselves too seriously for my taste. None of the drama had any impact for me, and the action wasn't mesmerizing enough to distract from the lackluster story. At least Vin Diesel and the Rock almost kissed.

I also watched my copy of Captain America: The First Avenger. I still liked it, though like before, I thought the villain was really boring, dragging the movie down a bit. I still like how they presented the Captain America character, and Hayley Atwell has such a good face in it, so it was worthwhile to watch again.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/31/11 03:04 PM
If you don't get hooked on Six Feet Under during the first season, I think you're slightly broken.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/31/11 03:55 PM
We have the box set for Six Feet Under but haven't had a viewing in a while. It's sitting there, dead on the shelf.

It was a great show ... *sniff* ... so many great memories ...
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/01/11 12:19 AM
Electra on Blu-ray. High volume.

I think this is the first time I've watched the blu-ray version of Electra at high volume with all the lights off.

All I can say is this is an exceptional movie. Very high quality Audio and Visuals.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/01/11 11:54 AM
Ya Ya,
We all know the Real reason you have the lights off while watching Jennifer Garner run around in a red body suit.
Posted By: davidsch Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/04/11 12:48 PM
Last night I was watching (in the stadium, not on TV) my Houston Dynamo beat Philly and move on to the conference finals. Go Dynamo!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/11 07:39 AM
Nothing wrong with watching Jennifer Garner.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Overall, not the most emotionally involving movie, but it had some good performance moments, and it may be the epitome of lavish and ornate costumes and sets. Soooo pretty to look at in high-def. I'd recommend the double feature Blu-ray set (Elizabeth and Elizabeth: The Golden Age) which is going for $10.99 on Amazon.com right now based on the visuals alone. The audio was actually pretty decent as well. A lot of the time quieter period pieces can seem more impressive just because it's not beating you over the head with the sound. Nice atmosphere throughout, and when the cannons on the ships got to firing, it was appropriately jarring.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/11 07:49 AM
Originally Posted By: pmbuko
If you don't get hooked on Six Feet Under during the first season, I think you're slightly broken.


I'm slightly broken. There are moments, but the characters tend to exasperate me. This could be mitigated with better direction, but I have problems with the heavy hand. I find the device of having the characters converse with the dead a bit tedious, and it's never quite as profound or funny as it wants to be. Still, I'm going to continue watching for a while and see if my opinion changes. My friend, Jen, really likes it, and after she's liked all of the shows I've subjected her to, I feel the need to react positively to one of her favorites.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/11 01:03 PM
Thanks. Placed my order for the Elizabeth double set. I've got both of them on dvd, but have been wanting it on blu-ray. I've seen the first movie in bestbuy's 7.99 bin, almost bought it a couple of days ago, when I replaced my blu-ray player. Seems I replace this thing about once a year. I'm on my 4th blu-ray player now.
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/11 01:50 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
Nothing wrong with watching Jennifer Garner.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age

...or Cate Blanchett, for that matter. grin
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/11 07:24 PM
Of course! Cate Blanchett is pretty awesome.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/11 07:28 PM
Apparently, I'm broken in some of the same ways as Charles, whose insightful review of Six Feet Under was marvelous.

I recorded the Rush Time Machine 2011 special on Palladia this weekend. Looking forward to watching it.

Chuck used to be amusing. I'm not sure what their shark-jumping moment was, but it happened.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/14/11 05:05 AM
A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas

Pretty entertaining. I'm glad they fully embraced how hokey 3D is. It made it more fun.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/18/11 01:47 PM
I watched "Atlas Shrugged, Part 1" last night. Movie was a bit hard to follow what was going on in places. Mostly a slow paced movie. The train noises were good and loud though (not a total loss I guess). The ending left me wondering what happened and why.

It's been a good 20 years since I've read the book, so I really don't remember what I read that long ago.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/26/11 07:23 AM
Super 8

I saw it in the theater with my sister a while ago. I thought it was decent, but not really a jaw-dropper. My opinion hasn't changed terribly, but I do think I liked it more this second time around on Blu-ray. Maybe the better audio at home makes a difference. The kids did act well, had good chemistry.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/26/11 04:08 PM
I thought it was good, but it could have been better. It was missing something. Never really came together for me.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/26/11 04:23 PM
It was missing the "duper."
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/26/11 04:26 PM
Ha! laugh

I was excited when I learned the gas station attendant had my last name.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/26/11 04:29 PM
You must be happy you're the more successful one in the family.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/26/11 04:37 PM
I had a party.


Right after cleaning out the slurpee machine.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/26/11 04:38 PM
laugh
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/28/11 06:39 PM
I finished season 1 of Dollhouse, and it won't be a series I'll be buying any time soon.

I'm on disc 3 of season 1 (the only season) of Surface (originally titled Fathom). It's a series of unbelievable tales within unbelievable tales about sea monsters. My favorite kind of story.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/30/11 10:26 PM
Yes! I love Shakira Videos. Shakira: En Vivo Desde Paris Blu-ray. December 6.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/01/11 09:10 AM
Re-watching episodes of The Sarah Silverman Program. Still classic.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/01/11 12:47 PM
Sharon and I have started watching the early seasons of "Sons of Anarchy." It was her pick but I have to admit, I'm hooked.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/01/11 04:47 PM
We really enjoy Sons of Anarchy. I think the current season is only #3, which is coming to a wild close.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/01/11 11:47 PM
Been watching a couple of episodes from the original Twilight Zone series...always good entertainment.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/11 12:07 AM
At the signpost up ahead!
Posted By: Henry66 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/11 03:24 AM
Watched the three episodes of 'Sherlock' on Netflix streaming.
It is very good, I highly recommend it.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/11 08:37 AM
Originally Posted By: Henry66
Watched the three episodes of 'Sherlock' on Netflix streaming.
It is very good, I highly recommend it.

Hmm... Wonder if it will get released to DVD. I've always had a soft spot for British productions of Sherlock Holmes.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/11 08:45 AM
It's already on DVD and Blu-ray. I'll buy it one of these days.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/11 08:54 AM
Fair Game

Pretty good. Makes me want to read the books of the two real-life people, or at the very least, watch it again with their audio commentary on.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/11 01:27 PM
I've got Season 1 on DVD. Haven't watched it yet. Too much of a backlog... especially during the racing season.
Posted By: J. B. Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/11 01:33 PM
Originally Posted By: Ken.C
I've got Season 1 on DVD. Haven't watched it yet. Too much of a backlog... especially during the racing season.


what? world championship lawnmower racing?

;-)
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/11 01:34 PM
Snail, actually.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/11 08:17 AM
Tucker & Dale vs. Evil

Entertaining premise, but it didn't quite pull itself together enough.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/11 11:22 AM
That reminds me, the other night it was "Chip vs. Dale: We've Had It With Each Other!"
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/04/11 05:53 PM
We watched the first four episodes of "Breaking Bad" last night. I think I'm going to really like it.

We always try to give all the new network shows a chance. I'm now ready to give up on "Unforgettable", "Revenge", "Ringer" and "Two Broke Girls" (although Kat Dennings is delicious). Still enjoying "Up all night", "Happy Endings" and "Once upon a time".
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/04/11 05:59 PM
I honestly didn't know that early on that I'd keep watching Breaking Bad. It could have gone either way for me for quite a while. I'm glad I kept watching.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/05/11 05:27 AM
Finally got the 8th season of NCIS, so I'm working on that. Oh, yeah, and I watched The Muppets a little earlier. It was all right, but I guess I never truly connected with them growing up. I wanted to see what Jason Segel did with it, though.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/08/11 07:31 PM
I watched Up in the Air last night. It was decently entertaining, but it did drift into pseudo-intellectual indie movie mode sometimes. Not nearly as off-putting as a lot of movies that try for "real" characters. Just felt like it could have been a little more. Still worth watching.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/10/11 02:37 AM
I got my $20 Jurassic Park blu-ray trilogy pack today. I just finished watching the 1st movie for the 1st time since it hit the theaters, so I didn't remember any of it from before. Lot's of good LFE, but at times it felt like too much and overpowering my sub. A sub bigger than EP350 would probably do this movie more justice. This was one of the few times I thought this. The EP350 normally does an excellent job.

It had the daughter from Blue Velvet in it. I love it when I see someone I know from another movie, but hate it when I have to ponder in what movie I saw them before.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/11/11 03:06 PM
I think that the 2nd Jurassic Park movie was as much fun as the first one.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/12/11 03:38 AM
Watched Home Alone on Blu Ray tonight. Nice picture and a surprisingly good 5.1 mix. The scene where Kevin is in the church has some really good low tones which I will guess are from a pipe organ, the house was vibrating pretty good.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/12/11 03:49 AM
I finally got around to watching The Darjeeling Limited last night. It's hard to get excited about Wes Anderson movies anymore, though I'll admit Fantastic Mr. Fox was pretty great. For whatever reason, I thought The Darjeeling Limited was going to annoy me. It did in some ways, but I may have liked it more than The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. At least Anderson makes pretty movies.

Today I re-watched the recent True Grit. Still very entertaining.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/12/11 04:15 AM
I agree with you, CV. While Rushmore remains one of my favorite movies, I find some of his other movies entertaining, but somewhat lacking. I don't know what it is. Almost like he is trying to be too thoughtful and/or off-beat. I imagine film majors ooh and aah over his movies while general audiences scratch their heads.

I think I need to rewatch his movies.

And, yes, I've got True Grit waiting to watch and Blu-ray. Wanted to save it for my vacation during Christmas break.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/12/11 04:16 AM
Augh, I finally did it.


A double post.


So many buttons and my big ham hands.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/12/11 04:24 AM
Congrats on your transformation into a monster!
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/12/11 04:36 AM
It's been a long journey, but I finally made it!


Raaaarrrrrr!
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/12/11 01:00 PM
Watched the 3rd Jurassic Park movie. All 3 of them were good.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/17/11 07:20 AM
I've been trying out It's Garry Shandling's Show. It's not bad, but it's dated. Shandling has some good material, but the acting isn't great, and the overall writing and directing can't compete with modern fare. Still, I'm going to keep watching. So far there have been a couple of moments that definitely feel out-of-place these days. Slight anti-gay bias, and the riff on Asians was pretty lame. Both were pretty mild, really, but it still felt weird given where we are now. I also have The Larry Sanders show to watch, but I want to finish this whole series before I start that one.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/18/11 04:02 AM
Cars 2

Decent. I can see why people weren't bowled over by it. It did kind of drag. Very pretty, as usual.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/18/11 01:58 PM
CV, I saw that in the theater and felt the same way. While still good, it felt like it was missing something.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/18/11 10:36 PM
Re-watched The Social Network. I still really enjoyed it. I just got freaked out by the credits, though. I didn't realize the girl who played Erica Albright is Rooney Mara, the actress playing Lisbeth Salander in the about-to-be-released The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Talk about a transformation. I'm looking forward to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo even though I haven't read the books. The trailer was one of the coolest trailers of all-time. The Social Network had a really great trailer, too.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/18/11 11:05 PM
I just finished reading that book and am looking forward to the movie. I like David Fincher's directing and am interested to see how he handles The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/19/11 12:21 AM
My coworker just read the book, too, so I'm going to the movie with her. Maybe I'll read the book after seeing the movie, and then we'll compare how we view both.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/19/11 03:28 AM
Kung Fu Panda 2

Pretty good. Overall, it was comparable to the first, but there were some weird moments that felt a little hollow, like they weren't quite finished. In the writing, not in the animation. The art was gorgeous, just like the first one was. Definitely a showcase Blu-ray.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/24/11 06:04 AM
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Yes, the new American David Fincher version. I hadn't read the book or watched the Swedish film, so it was all fresh for me. I enjoyed it. David Fincher is such an artist when it comes to the look and feel of the movies he makes and how it all moves. Really impressive just as a study on how to do that. The story kept me engaged, too. I'll be watching the sequels. Not sure yet whether I'm going to try out the books, but it's possible.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/24/11 09:31 AM
Warrior

I can see why it got good reviews. For what it is, it's pretty good. I enjoyed it.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/24/11 04:21 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Yes, the new American David Fincher version. I hadn't read the book or watched the Swedish film, so it was all fresh for me. I enjoyed it. David Fincher is such an artist when it comes to the look and feel of the movies he makes and how it all moves. Really impressive just as a study on how to do that. The story kept me engaged, too. I'll be watching the sequels. Not sure yet whether I'm going to try out the books, but it's possible.


Recently I finished The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo book. I liked it quite a bit. It's very detailed and precise.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/11 09:20 AM
I love Blackadder's Christmas Carol.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/11 01:28 PM
Oh man, I only have that on video. It's pretty cool, though. He's also good in Doctor Who: The Curse of Fatal Death, which was a Xmas special that came out before the new DWs started.
Posted By: SBrown Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/11 05:06 PM
Rise of the Planet of the Apes, really good movie!
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/11 05:39 PM
Green Lantern. Was much better movie that I expected.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/28/11 07:54 AM
I finally watched David Mamet's The Spanish Prisoner over the last couple of nights. I fell asleep the first night and had to finish yesterday. Not his best work. I actually like his dialogue a a lot of the time, even with the annoying repetition, but this one didn't work quite as well for me. The con was also way too convoluted. It was impossible to take seriously, and it wasn't enjoyable enough to let the ridiculousness go.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/30/11 11:00 AM
Crazy, Stupid, Love.

I had my doubts, but it was actually pretty entertaining. I'm tempted to contrast it with my own romantic situation, but that's probably too much right now.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/30/11 01:03 PM
I watched Thor last night. I couldn't help thinking that it reminded me too much of a reworked version of Hercules in New York with Arnold S(howeveryouspellhisname).
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/30/11 01:54 PM
post deleted by me.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/30/11 07:30 PM
Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
post deleted by me.


Ha ha, no need to delete comments about my right hand.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/30/11 09:05 PM
I saw it before he deleted it. He said it's time to give that hand a haircut.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/31/11 02:36 AM
laugh
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/31/11 04:14 PM
Charles, it's great that you're always so good natured about all the ribbing, but, in truth, JP is jealous of anything that requires a haircut.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/12 01:17 AM
Just watched Super 8. I don't know about super, but at least it was swell.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/12 02:28 AM
The Drummond Will

I was looking for something quirky and funny and the movie really delivered.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/12 06:17 AM
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

About what you'd expect. I was hoping for more of an improvement from the previous installment. I still enjoyed it enough. It had its moments.

I need to see the new Mission: Impossible still.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/12 10:27 PM
Watched the first 2 LOTR movies in BR last 2 days, seem slike the PQ is set up a little darker than on DVD but the detail is better when you get a chance to see it. The audio is outstanding.
Posted By: Lampshade Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/12 11:20 PM
I watched Return of the King on Saturday. It may be a new subwoofer reference disk.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/03/12 03:00 AM
I have RotK loaded in the BR player and so far I am enjoying the extended edition except for the fact you hvae to change discs part way through the movie. It would have been nice if they just made 2 seperate discs, one with English and French or Spanish and one with the other languages on it, then again the break in the middle to change the disc is a nice intermission.
Posted By: Lampshade Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/03/12 03:05 AM
Hmm. I watched a Netflix copy. It was only three hours and twenty minutes.

Sean Astin was the second best actor in those movies behind Ian McKellan.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/03/12 06:01 AM
I have the latest and greatest BR extended limited edition
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/03/12 10:00 AM
I started watching The League. I guess I'm Eskimo brothers with all of the guys at work since we all talk about having slept with Tyler's mom. Entertaining show.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/03/12 02:01 PM
Originally Posted By: BobKay
Charles, it's great that you're always so good natured about all the ribbing, but, in truth, JP is jealous of anything that requires a haircut.

Now that's funny! And well-deserved.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/07/12 10:10 AM
I'm on season three of The League, getting to the end. Lots of great stuff. I didn't know what to expect since I hadn't read too much, only saw that reviews were mixed when it first started. I'd say it's one of the most solidly entertaining comedies going right now. I have no interest in fantasy football, so thankfully I don't actually have to know anything.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/07/12 01:48 PM
Cowboys & Aliens. I was hoping I was going to like it better the 2nd time I saw it. Naa.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/07/12 01:50 PM
Aren't those always the kind of movies that you desperately want to be good and they never are?

Such a waste of the talents---like Star Wars.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/09/12 03:34 AM
I found Cowboys vs Aliens entertaining enough but to watch it a second time......I don't think so.

Just watched Shark Tale, the VP160 handled the vocals and music with great dexterity.
Posted By: SBrown Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/09/12 04:37 AM
Quit teasing! cry
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/09/12 07:05 AM
Re-watching series one of the BBC's Sherlock after finally getting it on Blu-ray. I sure wish I was able to watch the currently-airing episodes.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/10/12 06:02 PM
Started watching the 2010 Spartacus series. A few too many 'man parts' showing for my personal tastes but they balance it out with more than enough boobies so that I can endure. whistle

There, I finally used my single emote allotted to me by Bob to celebrate the holidays. Of course the holiday's are technically over so I hope there was no expiry on that condition.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/10/12 06:18 PM
Murph, what happened to your avatar? I'm unsettled.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/10/12 06:45 PM
I watched Sucker Punch a couple of nights ago. This movie must of been made because of a video game I'm thinking. It had reminiscences of the movie Inception. I'm also thinking that they are thinking that most viewers don't know what a lobotomy is.

I also watched the trailer for the new Spider Man movie. I don't think I'm liking the 1st person viewing perspective of this movie. It also reminded my too much of a video game. I hated seeing just the hands reach in and out as the spider man was moving along.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/10/12 06:46 PM
This from a guy who posted a video of people eating spiders? No sympathy for you!!
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/10/12 06:48 PM
Originally Posted By: tomtuttle
Murph, what happened to your avatar? I'm unsettled.


Christmas is over so I retired the Murphshine toting reindeer. Never had time to look for something new and for some reason my link to our Simpsons style family portrait is broken.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/10/12 06:48 PM
Originally Posted By: Murph
This from a guy who posted a video of people eating spiders? No sympathy for you!!


Now if it was a Spider Man movie with people eating spiders, that would be a different thing altogether.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/11/12 10:26 AM
Moneyball

Hey, I liked it a lot. I'll probably watch it again soon.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/12/12 07:46 PM
Don't waste your time on Apollo 18. Unless you enjoy wasting your time. smile
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/13/12 01:02 PM
I hate when new Sci-fis come out and they totally suck. Because I know at some point I'm going to give in and try and watch them anyways. My goal will be to try and save this one for a bad hangover day. They are few and far between but at least I will be wasting my time regardless.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/13/12 02:30 PM
If it's a really bad hangover, Andrew, you could also watch Lost in Space with the Joey guy from Friends.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/13/12 05:59 PM
Ack, I did see that and I'm pretty sure it was a hangover day. Matt Leblanc was so 'Joey' it should have been named "Friend in Space". I did watch the whole thing though, I just kept concentrating on Heather Graham in the tight space outfits. I'm pretty sure some other stuff happened too.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/20/12 02:34 PM
I watched Green Lantern with company last night. This was the 2nd viewing for me, only this time, I cranked the volume up quite a bit. We were blown away by all the excellent sound in this movie. I should of measured it, but I'm guessing it was around the 95db range or more for the loudest noises. Even the 2nd viewing for me didn't lower the appeal.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/20/12 02:49 PM
But do you have one of these chick magnets?
.

Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/21/12 08:04 AM
The Ides of March

I liked it pretty well. Not very uplifting, though.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/21/12 09:59 AM
Trying out Coupling. It has some pretty funny moments so far. I'll keep watching.
Posted By: sonicfox Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/23/12 05:02 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
Trying out Coupling. It has some pretty funny moments so far. I'll keep watching.


I used to watch "Coupling" all the time! It's hilarious! It's like the British version of "Friends". They made an American version, and it sucked SO bad, I don't think it made it past 2 episodes.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/23/12 07:32 PM
I remember that (the American version), but I didn't watch it. Yeah, I always heard Coupling was like Friends with sex. Yes, Friends had sex, but certainly not like this. It's pretty sharp and still seems fresh (I'm two episodes into the second season), but do the storylines ever expand into other territory?
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/23/12 09:29 PM
Over the past couple says I watched the six-episode first season of Pioneer One, (http://vodo.net/pioneerone). It's free to download and pretty well-written "plausible" sci-fi. I really liked it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/25/12 07:42 AM
I'll have to remember to check that one out, Peter.

Tonight I went to see Haywire, the new Steven Soderbergh movie. It had a bit of a different feel because of how it was shot and paced, and the soundtrack felt like a throwback to the '70s. I'm not sure it was the most successful combination, but I still kind of liked it. The star pulled off her role well. It's always more convincing when the female action star isn't super-skinny. Her low voice and badass face helped, too. It's also apparent they didn't want her to come across as unbelievably superhuman. I thought they did a decent job making her seem more real in that aspect. In any case, it's one I'll probably have to watch again before I decide how much I like it in the long run.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/28/12 09:07 AM
Still working on Coupling. Plenty to like.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/12 04:20 AM
I watched my Blu-ray of Contagion yesterday. I liked it well enough in the theater, and I'm glad to find I still liked it at home. It looks and sounds good, and for the type of movie it is, it's well-done. It doesn't feel like it's trying too hard to manipulate your emotions, at least in comparison to other virus movies.

Today I watched 50/50. I've always liked Seth Rogen despite several ill-conceived projects he's been largely responsible for. It was nice to see him take part in something a little more serious, in a role similar to one he played in real life to writer Will Reiser. On the other hand, I'm not the biggest fan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I never did like 3rd Rock from the Sun, and more recently, I really hated his character in 500 Days of Summer. That being said, I did find him more relatable in this movie, despite my misgivings. Also, Scott Pilgrim's sister is super-cute. While I'd still have a hard time recommending this movie to anyone unless I thought it was right up their alley, there's some good stuff in there, and it can stay on my shelf.

I also watched Real Steel today. First, very nice picture quality. It opens with one of the cleanest dark scenes I remember seeing. The image throughout the entire movie doesn't disappoint. Audio was strong, too, but nothing made my jaw drop. The story was hard for me to get into. I never did care much for the characters. I guess I don't have a lot to say about that.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/12 04:24 AM
Originally Posted By: CV
Still working on Coupling. Plenty to like.


Coupling was a bit off after the Jeff character left. The character they dropped in, Oliver, really wasn't a worthy substitute. While it still had some great moments, it never reached the great climax I think it deserved. I'd still recommend the show, however. Some of the writing is too good to overlook.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/12 06:09 AM
Snow & Ashes. Excellent movie!! On of the best I've seen in a while.

Two jounalists are covering war in eastern Europe (Chechnia?) One comes out.

The movie gradually goes through what happened bouncing between present and past.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/12 01:09 PM
I tried to watch Red Riding Hood twice last night and fell asleep both times. Hmmm. I'm just going to send it back to Netflix and rate it poorly.
Posted By: BrenR Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/12 03:37 PM
Tried watching White Irish Drinkers last night. Made it an hour in.

Bren R.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/12 05:20 PM
CV, I appreciate the prompt on Coupling. I'm only a few episodes in, but like it well enough, although I find the laugh track (real or otherwise) a little off-putting for some reason.

We started watching Treme. Wow. Very interested to see where this goes, and how it gets there. Fantastic music.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/12 05:21 PM
Oh geez, it has a laugh track? Pass.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/12 05:43 PM
Ken, my friend, Tom, is the same way. You both despise laugh tracks, yet you both like Red Dwarf. Weirdos.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/12 05:59 PM
That was the one show I could think of off the top of my head where that applied.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/12 05:59 PM
Oh, and Fawlty Towers.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/12 06:03 PM
See, and they're both British, just like Coupling.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/01/12 11:02 PM
Drive

Pretty well-done. Like Haywire, the soundtrack choices were a bit different, giving it a similar strange feel. The picture was pristine, shot really well. The storyline was simple enough. It's one of those movies that might be more about the filmmaking than telling the best story possible, but I still enjoyed it for what it was. There were some pretty sudden moments of extreme violence, so be prepared for those. This type of suddenness also occurred in the audio. Great audio. Pretty restrained most of the time, and then boom, you're overwhelmed. I like when movies can do this well. It reminds me of dynamic range in classical versus pop music. Something like Transformers would be akin to the pop in the comparison.

I thought there'd be more driving.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/02/12 01:15 AM
I've been looking forward to seeing that movie.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/02/12 07:36 AM
Adaptation

I love this movie a lot. It's been a while since I've seen it. The Blu-ray finally came out, so it was time to revisit it. I'm as impressed with the screenplay as I ever was. Charlie Kaufman has such a vivid imagination, and I appreciate that he isn't content to let that be enough. The story is grounded in real human passion and a fair helping of gritty detail. It's quite the balancing act when you consider the ridiculousness of the concept. If you've never taken the time to check it out, you should.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/05/12 04:57 AM
I already watched Drive again. The sound is still impressive. Definitely some good showcase scenes.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/05/12 10:45 AM
The Notebook

I know, I know.

I hadn't seen it before because I was pretty sure I was going to hate it. One of my online friends wanted to me to watch it, so I finally got around to it. I actually didn't hate it as much as I thought I would, though parts of it did bug me. Guilty of being a little too convenient, a little too obvious at times. But some of the stuff was done pretty well, too, so at least now I understand the appeal, even if I don't consider it one of the classic love stories.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/05/12 07:11 PM
Metropolis (the complete version).

I bought this at the nearby Best Buy store that's having a going out of business sale. I didn't know anything about this movie when I bought it, other than it's a 1927 German Sci-Fi film.

I watched it last night. What I didn't know until I watched it, is it's a silent movie, although I don't think silent is the proper word for it. They redid all the music, so it was first class sounding. I don't remember watching any silent films in the past, so this was like a first time experience for me. It's odd how their lips are moving during conversations, but they rely upon expressions and gestures to get the message across. There was a little conversation printed on the screen that was redone in english.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/05/12 07:16 PM
Besides it being a little odd and different, did you like it, Brian?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/05/12 07:17 PM
Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
Besides it being a little odd and different, did you like it, Brian?


Sounds like what I ask women, only they aren't named Brian.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/05/12 07:36 PM
Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
Besides it being a little odd and different, did you like it, Brian?


Some parts of it were interesting, most of it was boring. It'd be a real no-go if it wasn't for the music. I'll probably only watch this again with any company that would like to see it. It's definitely worth at least one watch.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/05/12 11:46 PM
I tried out the first two episodes of Eureka since a couple of guys at work were talking it up. I couldn't seem to get into it. Now I'm trying out Nikita. Maggie Q is cool, but I'm having trouble getting into this one as well. Maybe I'm old and crotchety.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/06/12 01:34 AM
First ep of Season 6 of Doctor Who. Could they make this show more awesome?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/06/12 08:15 AM
Trying out Downton Abbey. Seems to have potential. Fingers crossed.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/06/12 02:31 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
The Notebook

I know, I know.

I hadn't seen it before because I was pretty sure I was going to hate it. One of my online friends wanted to me to watch it, so I finally got around to it. I actually didn't hate it as much as I thought I would, though parts of it did bug me. Guilty of being a little too convenient, a little too obvious at times. But some of the stuff was done pretty well, too, so at least now I understand the appeal, even if I don't consider it one of the classic love stories.


Dear C.V.

I pass on this message from all of the married men and men with girlfriends of the world.

STOP! STOP IT NOW!!!!
For every man who somehow likes this movie and has the balls to defy the Bro-Code and admit it in public, 10 others are dragged kicking and screaming by wives and girlfriends as they are held hostage by your example.

Consider the consequences Man!!! What you post online effects us all.

P.S.
Watch your back. While I can forgive you........someday....... there are others who are watching you now. I hope your alligator pit under the stairs is well stocked.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/06/12 03:28 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
I tried out the first two episodes of Eureka since a couple of guys at work were talking it up. I couldn't seem to get into it.


Interesting. That was one of my favorites.

Kind of like I couldn't get into Doll House and others said they thought it was good.

Different strokes...
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/06/12 04:25 PM
Originally Posted By: Murph
While I can forgive you........someday....... there are others...


My union brother Bren used to have a sig line - which I have quoted often - that read "all I ever needed was a hammer and a quiet pair of shoes".
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/06/12 07:29 PM
Originally Posted By: Murph
For every man who somehow likes this movie and has the balls to defy the Bro-Code and admit it in public, 10 others are dragged kicking and screaming by wives and girlfriends as they are held hostage by your example.


I don't know if it's related, but today I have my health screening at work. Last night, I dreamed about the screening, and they listed two minerals I was deficient in. I forget what the second one was, but the first one was "guyamin."
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/06/12 08:13 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
[

I don't know if it's related, but today I have my health screening at work. Last night, I dreamed about the screening, and they listed two minerals I was deficient in. I forget what the second one was, but the first one was "guyamin."


I'll tell ya, Charles, if one of 'em was the "guyamin," I'd sure as hell wanna know what (and where) the other one was.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/07/12 05:58 AM
I think the other one was an actual mineral, but I can't remember which one.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/11/12 05:39 AM
One of my coworkers invited me to the midnight showing of The Phantom Menace in 3D last night. While I don't like any of the prequels at this point, it had been a while since I'd seen any of them, and I like hanging out with him, so I said okay. Staying awake shouldn't have been a problem since I'm usually up until after 2 am, but man, my eyes were wanting to close almost the whole time.

The 3D was actually pretty decently done, even though it still doesn't add real value for me. The extra strain on my eyes isn't worth the fake-looking extra dimension.

There's not a lot to say anymore that hasn't already been said. Star Wars just doesn't have the same magic anymore. Lucas had way too much time to work on the storyline for the prequels for them to turn out that half-baked. I really hope Lucas lets the rights go to someone else at some point, someone that can revitalize it. There's still a lot of great stuff about the universe that can be explored. Here's hoping.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/11/12 09:46 AM
Originally Posted By: CV
Trying out Downton Abbey. Seems to have potential. Fingers crossed.


I just finished the first season. It got pretty good by the end. The characters were done well. There's still a lot up in the air, so I'll have to watch the second season at some point.
Posted By: Kruncher Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/12/12 07:03 PM
Amazon delivered my new copy of Adele Live At The Royal Albert Hall on Friday, and I watched it last night.

I don't have either of her CD's, but thought that I'd give the concert a try. Good choice.

Good if not always great video. Nothing wrong with the video, really, just some style/editing decisions. It's mostly crystal clear, but there are a few grainy bits.

Great audio. I just need to decipher her dialect a bit more. wink And ignore the bits of British potty-mouth here and there, where she's just being herself, as though she were hanging out with some friends in a pub.

And there's no denying the talent. She can really belt it out. Nice that the package includes a CD (which sounds great, BTW - listened to it this morning) without the possibly objectionable language so that the music can be shared with all of the family.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/12/12 08:45 PM
Krunch, I bought that B-D the other day, though I haven't watched it yet. The fact that the CD was $14 but I could get a B-D that also included the CD for $19 made it a no-brainer.

I love Adele's 21. It might be the audio equivelant of a chick-flick, but I don't care. She's talented but, to me, more importantly, she sings with emotion. Her music is considered Pop in that it's popular, but I honestly think of it as almost anti-pop in the lack of drum machines and auto-tuning.

Take away my man point, but I was going to watch that B-D tonight before she (hopefully) wins some Grammys. I'd much rather see her win than a talentless one-pop wonder.
Posted By: Kruncher Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/12/12 11:30 PM
Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
She's talented but, to me, more importantly, she sings with emotion. Her music is considered Pop in that it's popular, but I honestly think of it as almost anti-pop in the lack of drum machines and auto-tuning.

Take away my man point, but I was going to watch that B-D tonight before she (hopefully) wins some Grammys. I'd much rather see her win than a talentless one-pop wonder.


I'm right there with ya Mark. This was a major discussion point with the family earlier today, about supporting people with genuine talent and abilities.

Her cover of Bonnie Raitt is virtually dripping with emotion. I'm mean, just the fact that this young lady is covering Bonnie Raitt was enough for me.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/13/12 05:46 PM
Originally Posted By: Ken.C
First ep of Season 6 of Doctor Who. Could they make this show more awesome?

Only if they use this Craig Ferguson introduction as the opening theme sequence.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/14/12 09:03 AM
The Walking Dead from last night. It was an okay episode, but this season just hasn't kept me interested like the first season. One of the main characters has reached a turning point, though, so I really hope that breathes more life into the story.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/15/12 10:04 AM
Once Upon a Time

One of my friends wanted me to watch this one. She really loves it. I watched the pilot. The production values are pretty decent, and I like the main actress's face. The writing is pretty ho-hum so far, though, and the directing doesn't do anything to make up for it. It doesn't do much to compel me to watch any more, but I probably will at some point just to give it a fair shake since my friend wanted me to.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/15/12 10:31 AM
Tried out the first episode of New Girl, too. So far it's trying too hard, but maybe it gets better.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/15/12 01:12 PM
I thought the same thing for the first few episodes of New Girl. I'm enjoying it a lot more now, in mid-season. I think that the writing got better and the actors developed some real chemistry.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/15/12 02:00 PM
We watched Warrior last night.
Turned out to be much better than I expected. I picked it up without expectation to watch the MMA scenes but ended up enjoying it as an excellent drama instead. It brought tears to Sharon's eyes on more than one occasion.

If you passed it over thinking it was just another action movie, try it anyways. You will be very pleasantly surprised.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/15/12 11:30 PM
Charles, both "Once upon a time" and also "New Girl" earned our continued viewing.

"Chelsea Lately" on the other hand, seemed like an R-rated formula Disney show. Cancel series.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/16/12 05:31 AM
Originally Posted By: Murph
We watched Warrior last night.
Turned out to be much better than I expected.


Yeah, I really liked it. I'll have to give it another viewing soon.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/16/12 05:32 AM
Originally Posted By: tomtuttle
Charles, both "Once upon a time" and also "New Girl" earned our continued viewing.


Good to know! I'll watch more episodes of both, then.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/18/12 08:28 PM
Gonna go to a theater this afternoon and watch Star Wars Episode 1 in 3D.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/19/12 02:10 AM
The King's Speech

I finally got around to watching it. I enjoyed it. It may not have engrossed me as much as I hoped, but it was solid and satisfying. Why did I have to word it like that? In any case, it was worth letting my cousin buy it for me.

I really like Jennifer Ehle's face. It was more awesome in Contagion, but I was glad to see her again.

Timothy Spall, who played Winston Churchill, has been in stuff, but I'll always remember him from the Red Dwarf episode, "Back to Reality."
Posted By: Lampshade Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/19/12 02:14 AM
I liked that movie too. I have been engrossed in Boardwalk Empire for that last couple of days. I hope the sound guys get an award. The dialog is perfectly intelligible.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/19/12 02:27 AM
I want to watch that sometime. One of these days.... I'm so behind on everything.
Posted By: Lampshade Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/19/12 02:33 AM
I love it. Good characters and acting and it looks and sounds beautiful.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/19/12 06:03 AM
Bryan, how was SW in 3D? I just can't justify the cost to see it yet again for more money than when it was first released, maybe if it was half price.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/19/12 01:35 PM
Star wars #1 was definitely worth the price of admission. It added a lot of fun to the movie. I even laughed at the funny parts again. It didn't add much value to the pod race, but the extra dimension added a lot to just the overall feel of the movie. The space shots in 3D were probably the best parts. The very fast moving parts were hard to watch. I can't wait to get my 3D tv.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/20/12 06:01 AM
Safe House

I was disappointed, and my expectations weren't even that high. There was nothing about the central conflict to make it all that engaging, and the action wasn't executed well enough to allow the story to sag. The premise had promise, but they simply couldn't find an interesting place to take it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/12 07:45 AM
How I Met Your Mother

I have to admit I've been enjoying it a lot more than I did when I first tried it as a new show. I'm over my ambivalence toward Ted, and it's not as hard seeing Jason Segel in a straight-up sitcom versus what he did in Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared. I still like his characters way more in those shows, but I can get behind what he's doing here.
Posted By: mpyw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/12 09:30 AM
Sex & Zen in 3D

funny movie comes with big boobs
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/12 12:29 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
How I Met Your Mother

I have to admit I've been enjoying it a lot more than I did when I first tried it as a new show. I'm over my ambivalence toward Ted, and it's not as hard seeing Jason Segel in a straight-up sitcom versus what he did in Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared. I still like his characters way more in those shows, but I can get behind what he's doing here.


I've always enjoyed the humor on this show although I recently gave it up as I just couldn't get into this season. However, I did always get a bit annoyed with the overly repetitive pattern of it being very funny for the first 25 minutes then gets super mushy, every time, for the last five. The mush is indeed "it's thing" and absolutely necessary to give it an ongoing plot but could they not just mix up the formula a bit?


Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/12 12:44 PM
I watched the original TRON last night. Got both versions for Christmas and have been waiting on a couple of buds to do a TRONathon. That has proven tough to arrange so we finally decided to split the "thon" so to speak. Prolly should have taken a trip out to California for some medicine first - although if you think about the release date of the movie it puts it in a little better perspective.
Posted By: cb919 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/12 02:09 PM
Hey Argon,
I know I am in the minority on this, but I am a huge TRON fan. I appreciate the original for what it was given the time of it's release - way ahead of its time. I also like TRON Legacy both as an AV show piece and I really just plain enjoyed the movie and the story and the extras on the Blu-Ray disc. Hope you enjoy with or without medication!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/12 05:33 PM
Originally Posted By: Murph
However, I did always get a bit annoyed with the overly repetitive pattern of it being very funny for the first 25 minutes then gets super mushy, every time, for the last five. The mush is indeed "it's thing" and absolutely necessary to give it an ongoing plot but could they not just mix up the formula a bit?


Yeah, that part is annoying. I'm only a couple seasons in, but it's not like the ongoing plot is anything you can really make out. It's still vague. You can tell they didn't have a real plan for how to get where they're going and just trying to make it up as they go, which makes you wish they wouldn't have tried for that whole gimmick in the first place.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/12 06:49 PM
Originally Posted By: cb919
Hey Argon,
I know I am in the minority on this, but I am a huge TRON fan. I appreciate the original for what it was given the time of it's release - way ahead of its time. I also like TRON Legacy both as an AV show piece and I really just plain enjoyed the movie and the story and the extras on the Blu-Ray disc. Hope you enjoy with or without medication!

Dan,
I am a TRON fan from way back too. I have not seen the movie in years and it was very entertaining to me last night even if my wife kept poking fun. I was especially impressed with the Desk screen where our antagonist was typing on the screen and not a keyboard. There were also multiple windows showing at one point. Way ahead of its time......Rob
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/12 11:45 PM
I saw that whale movie "Big Miracle", the one with Drew BoreMeMore the other day...kind of seemed like an extended, after school movie or a made-for-tv Disney movie. Not terrible, entertaining to a point but nothing special either.

Also watched "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" recently. Lots of holes and lack of continuity in this one, too many characters many of which had little or nothing to do with the story.
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/26/12 05:13 AM
We watched Lion King 3D last night and king fu panda 2 3D tonight. First movies we have watched in 3D on the new TV. Pretty impressive actually, and not as Gimmicky as I thought it would be. I think I can get into this 3D thing on occassion.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/27/12 05:15 AM
I re-watched Kissing a Fool and Dodgeball last night when my friend from Spokane visited. It had been a while since I'd seen either. They both still make me laugh. Mili Avital from Kissing a Fool has a great face, so I should look up more stuff she's been in. I think the only other thing I saw her in was Stargate, which I really didn't like.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/28/12 05:33 PM
Via Netflix streaming, I watched "Elvis Costello: Spectacle - Diana Krall (with special guest host Sir Elton John)". I didn't know I could like Diana Krall MORE, but what an incredible singer and pianist. She is just amazing. And don't get me started on bassist Christian McBride. Recommended.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/28/12 05:36 PM
Tom, I'm sensing early signs of a Charles-like Diana Krall obsession.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/28/12 09:05 PM
Going to watch "Another Earth" tonight for first time.
Posted By: cb919 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/28/12 09:37 PM
Picked up the BR copy of Real Steel last night (found it for cheap finally - $12). I sampled a few scenes today just for fun until I can sit down and watch the whole thing again with the family. Wow, who knew robot fighting could sound so real? Great bass, great clarity, serious thunk of metal on metal and immersive surround field. The DTS-HD 7.1 mix is a winner.

Just an FYI if you're looking to find some new demo material for your system.
Cheers,
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/29/12 04:18 AM
I don't recommend "Another Earth". Boring. Was expecting a good Sci-Fi movie. Instead I got a slow draggy drama with a poor ending.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/29/12 04:29 PM
I watched Real Steel a couple of nights ago as well. I got it pretty much for the touted audio effects but once again I was surprised by a 'fighting movie' that actually had a good story line. Not as good as Warrior but very watchable.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/29/12 04:31 PM
Thanks for the heads up on Another Earth, Brian. I'm a sucker for anything sci-fi but it can be tough to get a good one.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/05/12 02:11 AM
Showed the kids their first full length movie tonight--Toy Story.

Very, very unfortunately, our disc was damaged and we had to dig up the last 5 minutes on YouTube, quickly. Yeesh.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/05/12 04:11 AM
So how long until E1 is blowing up toys in the back yard?
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/05/12 01:16 PM
Minutes.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/05/12 01:42 PM
Originally Posted By: Ken.C at 8:16am EST
Minutes.


8:42am EST: "boom"
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/05/12 01:44 PM
Staying home with a sick kid watching Pickers on History channel.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/05/12 02:31 PM
Originally Posted By: pmbuko
So how long until E1 is blowing up toys in the back yard?


Don't know about E1, but D3 might.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/05/12 03:54 PM
Cool story, Ken.

Over the weekend, showed my 6 year old his first Star Trek movie. Went with IV, figuring it'd not be too violent/scary - KHAAAN! will have to come later. Also, I didn't want to subject him to the boredom of, say, I or V. I also hoped he'd find the whales interesting.

Fail. Overall, he found it boring - he's too used to the faster pacing of the PIXAR and Dreamworks animated films. Also, I remembered that the movie had a few "colorful metaphors", but I didn't remember how many.

He did laugh when the harpoon hit the Klingon ship. And, he's curious to see a Next Generation movie, since he has a Geordi La Forge action figure. Hmm.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/05/12 04:07 PM
Hmm indeed. First Contact is definitely too violent/scary, but I don't think Generations is tooooo bad.


Still, better to warm him up on the series first.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/05/12 04:12 PM
Yeah, I can get out my old VHS tapes from when I taped it off TV back when it ran. Should be a hoot to see the old car commercials.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/05/12 04:17 PM
JP, do you also still have your mix tapes on cassette? grin
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/05/12 04:18 PM
So far, I've watched 3 of the 9 movies nominated for 2012 best picture.

The Tree of Life
Hugo
Midnight in Paris

I thought Midnight in Paris was boring. It might have a niche that liked it, but I wasn't included in it. So far 3 of 3 that I would not have wanted to see win the best picture.

Yawn.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/05/12 04:22 PM
Sorry, they don't count if you didn't watch them on VHS.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/05/12 05:30 PM
Dude,
Net.
Flix.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/05/12 06:21 PM
This is not really on topic - One thing my wife and I run into - we will have the daughters in for a movie night - playing an older movie that we saw "back in the day" and remember as a "good movie". We hype it up and then when we watch, we are appalled by the language or certain scenes. When I say appalled, I mean you don't watch it with your daughters. I guess it is just selective memory.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/05/12 10:23 PM
Originally Posted By: medic8r
Cool story, Ken.

Over the weekend, showed my 6 year old his first Star Trek movie. Went with IV, figuring it'd not be too violent/scary - KHAAAN! will have to come later. Also, I didn't want to subject him to the boredom of, say, I or V. I also hoped he'd find the whales interesting.

Fail. Overall, he found it boring - he's too used to the faster pacing of the PIXAR and Dreamworks animated films. Also, I remembered that the movie had a few "colorful metaphors", but I didn't remember how many.

He did laugh when the harpoon hit the Klingon ship. And, he's curious to see a Next Generation movie, since he has a Geordi La Forge action figure. Hmm.


Both my kids loved ST IV when we all watched it last year. I can't get them to sit down for even one episode of TNG though. Not enough space action, I guess. They're both complete Star Wars addicts.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/06/12 12:42 AM
I'm getting ready to watch the 2011 version of The Thing. I loved the other 2 versions. I can't wait to see how appealing this one turns out.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/06/12 12:54 AM
Originally Posted By: medic8r

Over the weekend, showed my 6 year old his first Star Trek movie. Went with IV, figuring it'd not be too violent/scary - KHAAAN! will have to come later.



Those things that crawled into their brains scared the you-know-what outta me in "The Wrath of Khan."
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/06/12 03:42 AM
The Thing 2011. Good movie. I liked it about the same as the 1981 version.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/07/12 02:08 AM
TNG: JP, don't show your son the episode "Night Terrors."

It's actually pretty freaky.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/07/12 10:10 AM
I'm finally watching the first season of Game of Thrones. Good stuff so far at two episodes in. I only read the first book, which the first season covers, so I should probably read more before the next season makes it to disc. It's a brutal world with a colorful cast of characters, but the story obviously didn't grab me too hard if I didn't continue reading the series. I imagine the story expands quite a bit, though, so I should dig in to reading the sequels.

As far as epic fantasy, I find it more engaging than Lord of the Rings... at least as far as screen adaptations. I still haven't read Tolkien's work. I'd love to see the Wheel of Time series adapted, but I have absolutely no idea how they'd pull it off. I forget who optioned it, but I don't have much faith in anyone BUT HBO doing it justice. But I kind of would like to see someone try to do it simply because they'd have to pare down the story into a tighter version of itself, which would be good for it. In the meantime, I'm glad one huge fantasy series is being done justice.

I still want to see the Pixar of more adult-oriented fare emerge. That level of computer animation being brought to bear on serious science fiction and fantasy would be something to behold. Here's hoping a studio like that comes around.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/07/12 12:47 PM
I've been thinking of picking up the first season of Game of Thrones. I appreciate the feedback, CV.

I have yet to read the latest book that came out in the series.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/07/12 01:38 PM
Long but I'd love to know if anyone agrees with me.

I loved The Game of Thrones, both the series which I saw first then the book. I have read all of the books and if an expanding story is what you are hoping for, fear not. I don't recall any book series scattering it's story so wide in a very long time. It is continually bringing in new characters and side plots. Also, without giving a direct spoiler let's just say, "do not try to convince yourself that ANY main character is safe from death."

By book four and five, when you are expecting some story lines to get wrapped up, he pulls an unusual writing strategy. Book four deals only with about half of the main characters (and introduces even more new ones) and you wonder what the hell happened to the rest. I finally read a blog indicating that his intention was to split the stories and he resets the timeline in book five to deal with the other half (and again introduce more characters).

My personal experience was that the first three books were super enjoyable and highly addictive. They are very long but I read them quickly. The final two are not quiet as enjoyable and left me with more than a hint of disappointment. They are still a "must Read" if you read the first three but they are weaker in that it's obvious intent was to leave you wanting more but I believe it over reached. Even in an epic series each book usually ties up 'just enough' loose ends to satisfy you somewhat. These do not.

I think somewhere along the line he decided that his books were popular enough that he could attempt a Wheel of Time style epic but I don't think he has quiet yet mastered what Robert Jordan seemed to do very naturally.

All that being said, I can't wait to see the next series on TV and if he writes a sixth, I'm sure I won't be able to resist reading it. Let's just hope that it doesn't turn into a new "Lost."




Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/07/12 05:04 PM
When she was younger, Vanna White was really hot on "Wheel of Time".

What? oh. nevermind.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/07/12 10:04 PM
I've actually never heard of Game of Thrones. What channel is it on?
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/07/12 10:09 PM
HBO
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/07/12 11:03 PM
Originally Posted By: CV


I still want to see the Pixar of more adult-oriented fare emerge.


PiXXXar?
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/08/12 12:13 AM
Originally Posted By: pmbuko
HBO

I guess that splains it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/08/12 05:12 AM
Originally Posted By: BobKay
Originally Posted By: CV


I still want to see the Pixar of more adult-oriented fare emerge.


PiXXXar?


Wow, I wasn't even thinking of that kind of adult. I need to ramp up my perversion.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/08/12 02:19 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
Originally Posted By: BobKay
Originally Posted By: CV


I still want to see the Pixar of more adult-oriented fare emerge.


PiXXXar?


Wow, I wasn't even thinking of that kind of adult. I need to ramp up my perversion.


You have come to the right place, my good man. Where would you like to begin?
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/08/12 02:21 PM
Charles has the creepy / stalking thing going on. I'd say, build from there.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/08/12 02:48 PM
I'll try, but I'm way too aggressive to have acquired any stalking skills. For other reasons, I've never devolped any stocking skills, either.

If you can help in that area, Mark, I can then take over with the hands-on perv stuff. Ha! Hands-on!
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/08/12 03:20 PM
To make a pervert, it takes a village.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/08/12 03:32 PM
FYI, there is XXX for just about any cartoon character(s) imaginable (The Incredibles are quite popular) you just need to know where to look. shocked

Nope! It’s a family forum . . . not gonna do it or I’ll be following the Shout Box. eek
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/08/12 04:30 PM
There must of been something I missed in the shout box, because I never saw anything offensive there myself.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/08/12 04:39 PM
Mark: As much as I'd like to take all the credit for myself, yes, yes it did.

Dean: You're knowledge of things that interest me is astounding. That should concern you greatly.

Brian: lol!
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/08/12 04:44 PM
Originally Posted By: grunt

Nope! It’s a family forum . . . not gonna do it or I’ll be following the Shout Box. eek


Until I see Vatican Dumpster posts from Ken's kids, I'm not quite seeing this as a family forum. I'm here, so that's a disqualifier right there.

Dean, I'm reticent to say it, so I'll write it:
Shhhhh. I think family values helped kill the Shoutbox.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/08/12 05:48 PM
Originally Posted By: BobKay

Dean, I'm reticent to say it, so I'll write it:
Shhhhh. I think family values helped kill the Shoutbox

“The Incredibles” XXX demonstrates all sorts of family values. As does “The Simpsons,” “Family Guy,” “The Flintstones,” “The Jetsons”. . . .
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/08/12 05:49 PM
I've seen some of the Simpsons stuff. Some of it is well done technically.

It's really kind of a bizarre experience to watch, though.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/12 12:37 AM
Family Guy doesn't demonstrate any family values except by counter example. The Incredibles, The Simpsons, I'll agree on. I tend to see the Simpsons as pretty dysfunctional, but (at least in the older episodes, don't know about the new ones), they very clearly all love and support each other.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/12 01:01 AM
ACC Tourney Round 1. My team plays tomorrow at 12
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/12 02:42 AM
Originally Posted By: Ken.C
Family Guy doesn't demonstrate any family values except by counter example. The Incredibles, The Simpsons, I'll agree on. I tend to see the Simpsons as pretty dysfunctional, but (at least in the older episodes, don't know about the new ones), they very clearly all love and support each other.


Ken, you realize I was sarcastically referring to the internet porn versions (the context of the conversation between Bob and I) of said cartoons not the actual cartoons themselves, most of which I’ve never watched?
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/12 02:46 AM
Ah. No. I guess I missed that bit.

Um.

Yeah...

Uh..........
Posted By: SBrown Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/12 02:57 AM
Doh!
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/12 03:13 AM
That's pretty funny. I wasn't really "getting" Ken's response!
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/12 03:16 AM
Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
That's pretty funny. I wasn't really "getting" Ken's response!


If you’ve see some of the XXX cartoons and read Ken’s response in that context it’s actually a pretty funny response.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/12 03:50 AM
Ken, I was gonna *face palm* you on that one, but thought, "Surely, he must get it?"

You were so thoughtful in your answer, I couldn't do it.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/12 03:52 AM
But Sean wanted to.


He really did.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/12 03:54 AM
Damn you, restraint!
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/12 03:58 AM
Drink one of Scott's growlers and you won't have any restraint to worry about! smile
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/12 04:00 AM
Ha, I'm pretty sure my posts would be illegible due to my head hitting the keyboard?
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/12 05:00 AM
Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
Ken, I was gonna *face palm* you on that one, but thought, "Surely, he must get it?"

You were so thoughtful in your answer, I couldn't do it.

Be happy for the this new Ken. Work has been sucking his brain dry and he's barely got any left for processing forum posts. laugh
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/24/12 11:36 PM
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

I just watched the Blu-ray that I got on Tuesday. I had seen it in the theater. I liked it just as much the second time around. Immaculately shot, and I really like the audio on my home system. M80s and EP800s are still wonderful, and the Buttkicker adds some satisfying extra sensation in key moments. I had to leave the room a couple of times, though, since I had my mom watching with me. Ha ha. Awkward.

With the M80s still impressing me, the LFR1100s have their work cut out for them. I'm optimistic, though, that they'll increase the dimensionality enough to be a worthwhile upgrade.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/25/12 12:16 AM
I love Fincher, and own everything he's made, except Dragon Tattoo. I just don't want to buy the BD, and find he's going to finish the series, and end up having to double-dip to get the ultimate box set.

I did get an e-mail from Vudu saying it's on up streaming now. So I guess that's how I'll watch it tonight.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/25/12 03:44 AM
I've seen the Swedish trilogy, and read the first book. They're OK. I was actually disappointed that David was doing this film, as I figured I'd had enough of Lisbeth. I'll say that Fincher's version is the best of the group, and I'm actually looking forward to the next two.

Trent's score was amazing too; really complimented the film, just as he did with The Social Network. I think David Fincher has found his Danny Elfman.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/25/12 03:50 AM
I'm eagerly looking forward to the film. Finished reading the first two of the books and have the third one on the shelf.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/25/12 08:49 AM
Legend of Korra

The first two episodes of the new series based in the Avatar: The Last Airbender universe are online. So far, so good.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/26/12 04:13 AM
Off to watch the season premiere of Mad Men!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/26/12 04:29 AM
Lucky.
Posted By: Rock_Head Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/26/12 08:03 PM
My wife and I watched the BD (the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) the other night. I read the first book and 1/2 way through the second. The movie is very good. You'll never cover all the detail of a novel in 2-1/2 hours of film. The actress that played Lisbeth Salander was exactly how I imagined her in the book.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/27/12 11:58 AM
We all love to tell how we just watched something great. Time to turn it around for a change and save you some wasted time.

"Son of No one." In summary, don't bother.

A plot with potential but in perhaps the biggest writing/directing flaw for a drama I have ever seen, you figure out the 'secret' advisary in the first quarter of the movie. Channing Tatum is completely unbeleivable as a cop, even a damaged one. Even his mustache somehow stands out as misplaced. Katie Holmes brings absolutely nothing to her role but then again, a life with Tom Cruise can do that to you. I can't complain about Ray Liotta in his role except that his character is so steriotypical Ray Liotta that you tend to see Ray instead of the character he potrays. I don't have the heart to complain about Al Pacino. He was good but he doens't get to shine in this role as his character is pretty melodramatic with a lean to the melo side. That's the character, so he did it pretty well, but like I say, he needs more depth to shine.

To end on a posative, Jake Cherry, the kid who plays the young version of the main character, was actually quiet good. For a change, I actually found myself thinking "Yay, another flashback!" In fact, all the kids in this movie far outshone thier adult counterparts. I just hope they weren't taking notes from 'the pros'.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/27/12 09:52 PM
Going to watch "Water for Elephants" with a friend for about the 4th time tonight. I think it's a good movie that's able to support multiple viewings.

Watched "The Thing from another world" last night. This is the original 1951 version of this film in black and white, that was later remade into "The Thing" in 1982 and 2011. I remember watching this and being scared a bit because it was spooky. Well, last night, it was just silly and a little funny, not spooky or scary at all. Strange what time can do to a movie.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/29/12 01:38 AM
My sister has been having me watch episodes of the new sketch comedy show, Key and Peele, and it's terrific.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/29/12 11:38 AM
Unless it's a cruel April 1'st day joke, the second season of Game of Thrones starts on Sunday !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/01/12 03:36 AM
Just finished Inception. Thanks for the reminder Chris.

I saw season 1 of Game of Thrones when I was picking up Inception today. Hmm... books first or series first?
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/01/12 08:29 PM
On Palladia this weekend - Joe Bonnamassa live at the Beacon. Includes an appearance by John Hiatt. Goosebumps. Highly recommended.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/02/12 04:15 AM
I've got Mad Men, Game of Thrones, Californication, Mythbusters, and The Killing, but only 1.75 hours to bedtime. Which to watch?

I think I'm going with Mad Men, and Californication. Will pick the rest up tomorrow.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/05/12 10:33 AM
Eagleheart is pretty entertaining.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/09/12 02:53 AM
I've been watching first episodes of shows that Amazon.com was offering for free. Happy Endings has potential, but a lot of that is because I love Casey Wilson so much. Bent seems like it could be okay, too, but again, part of it is because it was nice to see J.B. Smoove and Jeffrey Tambor and Jesse Plemons.
Posted By: Lampshade Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/09/12 03:16 AM
I watched Tower Heist. It's an ok movie. Mathew Broderick, Alan Alda and Eddie Murphy all look old.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/09/12 05:22 AM
I saw The Adventures of Tintin on the flight from LAX to IAD tonight and thought it was good, though the screen was tiny and the sound sucked. smile
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/09/12 11:38 AM
Someone brought over a bunch of episodes of BBC's "Mrs. Brown's Boys" over the weekend. Previously, I only saw clips on Youtube and thought "meh." However, after watching three full episodes, my lungs are sore from laughing so hard.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/11/12 04:48 AM
Wainy Days. I know I started watching it before, probably with my friends in Chicago. It's pretty funny, and it has a lot of guest appearances. It's also really horrible, as you'd expect from David Wain.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/11/12 02:30 PM
Originally Posted By: CatBrat
I don't recommend "Another Earth". Boring. Was expecting a good Sci-Fi movie. Instead I got a slow draggy drama with a poor ending.


I've re-watched "Another Earth" twice since I made this comment, and I liked the movie for "what it was". On the first watching, I was expecting a Sci-Fi movie, which this wasn't. There's nothing like being disappointed in the type of movie your watching at the time and this skewed my enjoyment of it. But, just throwing away all expectations and watching it for what it is, is an entirely different experience.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/11/12 08:52 PM
Watched Rango the other night. Wasn't really expecting to like it much, but it was quite entertaining and had it's funny moments.
Posted By: Lampshade Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/12/12 02:25 PM
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy:

a little hard to understand, harkens back to movies from the 70s. I liked it.



Contagion:

this movie got terrible reviews on Netflix by members. They said it was pointless and boring with bad acting. I really enjoyed it. I have always liked soderbergh's movies. This movie is slow but I never get bored and I just thought this movie was really interesting.
Posted By: Lampshade Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/12/12 02:27 PM
Rango: I liked Rango mostly. Animation was very good and it was very funny a couple of times. My only issue with the movie is the religion bashing. I am not religious but I don't like these kind of messages aimed at children which might be against the parents wishes. Happy Feet did the same thing.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/15/12 04:57 AM
Tonight I'm watching a continuous series of 'Titanic' documentaries that I recorded on my PVR over the past week.

As I'm watching, it is roughly the same time 100 years ago in 1912 that the Titanic, its passengers & crew were foundering in the cruel North Atlantic.

An amazing story that still resonates with people the world over a century later...

TAM
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/16/12 04:15 PM
I watched Titanic 3D last night at the cini. I have this movie on DVD, but plan on purchasing it on blu-ray 3D when I can. The 3D effect adds quite a bit to this presentation.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/22/12 07:35 AM
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

I actually liked it more this second time around, and of course the audio experience at home is more impressive than the local theaters. I sure can't wait to have the LFR1100s and a better room, though.

Also watching the first two episodes of the new season of Eagleheart. Bought the season pass on iTunes. I'd rather have them on Amazon Instant Video, but they're not available there. Funny as hell.

I'm pretty surprised, but my dad has been watching Mad Men and Breaking Bad. Two excellent shows, but I thought he would be way too uptight for the more questionable content. My sister always thought he would get a kick out of parts of The Wire, but we never recommended it because of some of the sexuality and violence. Maybe we were wrong and he'd actually make it through it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/22/12 09:29 PM
Winter's Bone

Good movie, well done, but talk about a world I would never survive in. Harsh and scary.
Posted By: a401classic Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/22/12 11:18 PM
The first season of Treme. Watched the first two episodes last night. Having lived through some of what is presented in this series, its a good reminder of how far we've come - but in the same breath a not so good reminder of what it was like after Katrina. I don't think we could have watched this any sooner than now; some things take longer to heal than others. So far we can chuckle through a lot of it.
Lots of great music and true to fact story line.
Posted By: Lampshade Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/22/12 11:27 PM
On you tube, I watched the Rankin Bass 1977 animated Hobbit. Make fun of all you want (Bob). I love it.
Posted By: Lampshade Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/26/12 03:51 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6D6cw8Ob2sk&feature=related


For the guitar players.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/28/12 05:37 PM
Thursday's Community was a pretty great stab at a Law & Order episode. They got the format down really well. I still miss the original Law & Order. They ended it in a season that I thought was shaping up to be really good.
Posted By: J. B. Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/28/12 06:25 PM
Law and Order is my preferred "detective" series, for the script and the music.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/29/12 12:25 AM
I watched a chic flick called "Monte Carlo". Was pretty good, actually. I can't remember why it was in my Netflix queue.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/29/12 12:27 AM
Cats do the darndest things don't they?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/29/12 04:09 AM
I really liked The Five-Year Engagement. Pretty long runtime for a romantic comedy, but it didn't drag for me. I thought they kept it interesting the whole time. Jason Segel has a long career ahead of him as a screenwriter if he keeps putting this much thought into what he makes. Great comedic performances by tons of people I like, too.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/29/12 04:25 AM
CV, was this a date-night movie?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/29/12 04:28 AM
For the two couples I went with, yeah. Ha ha. At least there was another single guy in our group, so I wasn't the only loser.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/29/12 04:31 AM
No, you guys made a good couple. Ha ha.
Posted By: HomeDad Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/29/12 05:43 AM
Seeing the previews of Johnny Deps new movie Dark Shadows reminded me of an old soap of the same name I used to watch and get scared out of my wits back in the 60's.

I found the series on Netflix and have been watching a few episodes. My wife and I had to laugh because now it seems so corny, but back then we weren't exposed to the realistic gore and violence that is so prevalent in movies and for that matter the news that has so desensitized us to really being scared or shocked by anything that is thrown at us.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/29/12 06:20 AM
Just finished watching 'The A-Team'. Much of the scenery looked very familiar - many of the 'European scenes' were filmed mostly around Vancouver & VR Island. There were some fleeting shots of our giant Martin Mars water bomber that is based 30 miles from me on Sproat Lake near Port Albernie.

I recently picked up this Blu-Ray at Future Shop for $5.00 where I traded in that dark, horrible 'Watchmen' DVD that I couldn't sit through. 'The A-Team' is a typical over-the-top action film with lots of quite good visual & sound effects. Overall it was OK, I guess - certainly worth the $5.00 anyway...

TAM
Posted By: J. B. Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/29/12 11:10 AM
yesterday, i finished watching "The Pacific" from Fox.

WOW! for everything: image quality, sound quality, acting, story, etc...

it's a "must see".
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/29/12 07:39 PM
Currently watching "Rush Time Machine 2011: Live in Cleveland"
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/12 04:02 AM
I've been watching "The B* in Apartment 23", it's better than it aught to be, and pretty darn funny.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/12 04:58 AM
I watched the first episode when it was free on Amazon Instant Video. I may have to look into watching more episodes at some point.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/04/12 08:01 AM
Eagleheart is still making me way too happy, even when the episode is about the blues.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/06/12 03:35 AM
Haywire

I liked it enough in the theater to get it on Blu-ray. Looks and sounds very nice. Not a perfect action movie, but at least it has a different feel from most.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/07/12 06:49 AM
The Avengers

As fun as you'd hope. Plenty of good moments, and I look forward to a sequel.


Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1

I hadn't kept up on it, so I didn't know Aqua Teen Hunger Force had undergone a rebranding. Besides the new opening, there's nothing to alienate the loyal viewer. As in, it still has plenty to alienate people of good taste. Yay!
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/12 12:50 AM
Harry's Law. Excellent episode tonight. It's finally getting close to being as good as Boston Legal.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/12 05:14 AM
Yes, Jack, I've enjoyed that show. Unfortunately, I think NBC canceled it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/12 05:18 AM
I watched We Bought a Zoo last night. Certainly not Cameron Crowe's best work. Not horrible, but it seemed half-baked.

I watched The Five-Year Engagement again with my sister and brother-in-law since they were visiting. I liked it just as much the second time.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/12 01:31 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
I watched We Bought a Zoo last night. Certainly not Cameron Crowe's best work. Not horrible, but it seemed half-baked.

But I bet the soundtrack was great, right? smile
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/12 02:31 PM
Originally Posted By: tomtuttle
Yes, Jack, I've enjoyed that show. Unfortunately, I think NBC canceled it.

Yep. Article in this morning's paper had the list of NBCs shows for the coming season. Harry's Law was listed under the "Gone" heading. Too bad. As I said, it was just getting good.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/12 02:40 PM
RE: We bought a Zoo.
If it wasn't for the young actress who played Rosie stealing the show, I would easily rate this movie as terrible. She made me smile on so many occasions that it was worth sticking it out. The animals, of course, are a hook but even they don't reel you in. The other actors fail to make you care and the story never strays from the all to predictable formula used in romantic comedies.

It really only has one redeeming quality and this is that Maggie Elizabeth Jones was so luvable in her role that I just can't bring myself to call it a terrible movie for fear she might be somehow be listening to me.


Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/12 03:51 PM
And then what? She won't date you though she's been pining for you all these years?
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/12 04:27 PM
Dude, she is only seven years old.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/12 04:31 PM
Originally Posted By: Murph
Dude, she is only seven years old.


Don't be freaked out, Andrew. There's a lot a stuff like that goes on in Nah Hampshah.

Really, guy!! Until the late 80's, the age of consent there was 14!! No lie!
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/12 04:33 PM
LOL....

You can't be shocked that I haven't seen the movie, can you? I just thought you were talking about a cute girl. Not a cute girl! smile
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/12 04:43 PM
Or it's all a carefully planned ploy to pretend you have not seen the movie, four times.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/19/12 07:05 AM
Chronicle

I enjoyed it. While some of the effects don't quite work, I was impressed with how much they did accomplish. Definitely some fun audio in it, too. I'll have to invite some friends over and really blast it.

Also, three episodes of Community at once was nice.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/20/12 06:26 AM
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

It felt like it was trying too hard, but it could have just been bad direction. I also didn't like the kid. I don't know how much was the character and how much was the performance, but the whole movie ended up getting on my nerves, even more so when I would still have emotional reactions.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/23/12 01:10 PM
Since Sean was so good to find me a copy of The Devils that was NOT $100, I bought it. Well...

When I opened it I was a bit freaked to see that all of the text was in Korean! (I'm not kidding). Bill saw it on the dining table and was all, like, "Bob, if this has Engrish subtitles, I'm not watching it!" I checked it out. English or Spanish were the language choices, w/ or w/o Korean subtitles, so I was relieved.

We were holding out to watch it until a college friend of mine could come visit, as all of us had seen it in the theatres (1971) and were knocked out (or knocked about) by it.

I had already put it in the br player to make sure it would work and all was cool.

So, after dinner, we sat down to watch. I should have suspected something fishier when I noticed that the box said it was in "latter" format. The imagage was about 12 x 24."
It was hardly the restored version I was suposed to be ordering. The voice track and the lips were not in synch, ever, through the entire film. It didn't have any deleted scenes in it, either.

So it was an original version of the dvd that had visited a Korean copy mill and was riding on the attention given to the re-released (a month ago) and restored version.

Caveat Emptor, indeed!!!!

Disappointed? Yes. Pissed? No. We got to see a film none of us had seen for forty years for $40 instead of $100. It must have really rattled us when we were young, as we all recalled each and every scene as though we had just seen it a couple of years ago. It was still great fun.

And I do not blame Sean for this in any way. There are so many other shitty things about his personality to focus on.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/12 03:34 AM
Well, geez, Bob, you never specified you wanted a GOOD copy of the movie.

Pfffft!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/12 04:03 AM
Originally Posted By: BobKay
And I do not blame Sean for this in any way. There are so many other shitty things about his personality to focus on.


Like the part of him that traded Rancho Cucamonga for Arizona?
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/12 04:14 AM
I miss saying Rancho Cucamonga. frown
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/12 04:20 AM
Yeah, Glendale just doesn't rocket off the tongue in the same way.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/28/12 03:12 AM
Well, I did buy Rome, so I've been enjoying the first season of that. Good stuff.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/28/12 03:59 AM
I got Rome not long after the BDs were released. I've never watched more than the first couple of episodes, and that was on DVD. I remember liking it, but just having too many other things to view. Now that we're in the summer lull, I should go back.

Watching Game of Thrones tonight, though.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/28/12 05:51 AM
I hear it was battles galore. Can't wait to watch it.
Posted By: Lampshade Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/28/12 03:28 PM
The Secret World of Arrietty:

Beautiful video. Very entertaining soundtrack. Simple well told story. Studio Ghibli is a little strange but I usually enjoy their movies. I liked this one.

If you are an animation lover this is a must see.
Posted By: Henry66 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/28/12 07:56 PM
Season 2 of Sherlock. The whole family is really digging this series.
Posted By: mpyw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/29/12 02:36 AM
Watched "Sting - Live in Berlin"
Great orchestra, nice songs by Sting as usual and very good video as well.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/01/12 05:48 AM
Finished Rome tonight. Great stuff. I wish they'd been able to do more. The Blu-ray box set dropped briefly to $42.99, but now it's back up to $48.99, or I would have posted about it again in the Deals thread.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/01/12 06:48 AM
I also like Rome a lot. When I first watched it I just picked up the first disk from Blockbuster and then freaked out when it was over because I couldn’t wait to see the rest, of the first season (second wasn’t out yet). Luckily they had all of them so I rented and marathon watched the whole first season.

I loved the PQ of the original DVD on my old DLP so I will look up the review on Bluray.com to see if it’s worth the upgrade.
Posted By: steave Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/01/12 11:20 AM
today i have watsh the post mottem video ooo yaaakh
i dont like it i have a dare to do this there i do this
i want to say that dont ever be want to do this or to watch these type of movies its preteculous
thanks
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/01/12 09:08 PM
Originally Posted By: steave
today i have watsh the post mottem video ooo yaaakh
i dont like it i have a dare to do this there i do this
i want to say that dont ever be want to do this or to watch these type of movies its preteculous
thanks
You're welcome, and I totally agree with you.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/03/12 01:09 AM
Summer Wars

Pretty good movie! Even if you think you dislike anime, you might give it a chance. It centers around a big family, and it has a nice family message, if you care about that. Fairly creative, too, even if you have to just go along with the implausibilities.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/03/12 04:50 AM
I bought the Sports Night complete collection a long while ago. Now that we're in the summer lull for all my regular series, I figured I'd check it out. The only sports I watch are auto racing, which isn't covered on the show, but really the baseball, basketball, and football stuff that is mentioned, is only in passing. Sports Night isn't about sports, it's about the people who host and run a sports show, and the great writing of Aaron Sorkin.

"If you are dumb surround yourself with smart people. And if you are smart, surround yourself with smart people who disagree with you."
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/03/12 09:18 AM
I never gave it that fair of a shake back when it was airing. For some reason the tone of what I saw didn't do much for me, but I should give it another try sometime.

In the meantime, I've really been wanting to marathon watch all of the seasons of Breaking Bad. I've still only watched them each once, and I think I'd get a lot out of a second viewing.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/03/12 07:30 PM
Originally Posted By: Henry66
Season 2 of Sherlock. The whole family is really digging this series.


I absolutely love this series. Probably one of the most clever shows I've ever seen.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/03/12 08:12 PM
Wet Hot American Summer

I don't know why, but I've owned a copy of this for a while, but I never got around to watching it until now. What an odd coincidence, though. Both this and Summer Wars involve spacecraft falling from the sky, and people trying to alter the trajectories rather than evacuate.
Posted By: Lampshade Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/09/12 04:59 AM
I LOVE this..........


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFzXaFbxDcM&feature=g-logo-xit
Posted By: Lampshade Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/09/12 05:09 AM
This is amazing too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXEuEUQIP3Q
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/09/12 01:05 PM
Originally Posted By: Lampshade


What a horrible thing to do to a dead man.
Posted By: Gary Vose Sr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/09/12 04:43 PM
Originally Posted By: Lampshade


Yes it was, thanks for the flash back Chris, to a time where caring, and a sense of strong family values were prevalent for the times.
Posted By: Lampshade Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/09/12 04:49 PM
Gary,
I was mesmerized by the second clip. I had never heard about it. What an incredible human being.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/14/12 07:04 PM
Anyone else see Prometheus yet?
I went with mild expectations of just getting a 2 hour diversion from life and a bit more optimism in hoping that it would follow Ridley Scott's old direction style.

I was not disappointed in the above, plus I was actually thinking that this was a good return to old fashioned science fiction writing. Yes it was spooky in parts and had enough gore to satisfy the modern audience but the whole creationism vs. Darwinism vs. engineered by aliens theme had me feeling like I was reading a good old fashioned, sci-fi novel.

Only the mildest of spoilers below. Probably not worth hiding but Ill' mention it.

I also was impressed that despite being billed as a 'sort of' prequel to the Ridley Scott's 'Alien' movies, that it didn't feel at all like a prequel. It stands completely on it's own. However, as the movie progresses, you do start to see very recognizable, visual references to 'Alien #1' and the end leaves you with an interesting and rather ominous speculation as to the reason behind the origin of the 'Alien' aliens and why they were such perfect killing machines.

This movie won't be in my top ten but I definitely recommend that you see it if you liked the ominous film style of Alien and the added bonus of a storyline that goes a lot deeper than just man vs. beast. Or if you just want scary, my wife was pretty scared by several scenes and she is a horror movie addict. I don't personally classify this as a horror film but it has it's moments.

Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/22/12 06:43 PM
Jeff, Who Lives at Home

It really wanted to be something, and accomplish it with a light touch, but it just wasn't anything. I was hoping for more after the positive reviews I'd read.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/25/12 04:23 AM
Today I had a most wonderful movie experience. Whilst visiting my daughter in Victoria, BC, we went to the Royal British Colombia Museum's IMAX Theater's showing of 'Rocky Mountain Express' that is explained here:

http://www.imaxvictoria.com/now-playing/index.cfm#MO_20120213171531822978

I had long forgotten that the IMAX system is a Canadian invention from 1960s. Our particular theater has a 61' high by 85' wide screen (largest in BC) with 12,000 watts of audio power. Despite its many years in service, IMAX is still an impressive format.

For train buffs, especially those who worship steam locomotives like me, this movie is a must. Spectacular mountainous scenery abounds as an IMAX Camera-equipped helicopter skillfully follows a beautifully restored CPR Locomotive & its train from Vancouver through The Rockies to The Prairies.

The seating & sound in this theater is superb. This soundtrack is phenomenal but not overdone as in many productions. Before the movie starts, the large speakers behind the screen are lit up by spotlights so that they can be seen by the audience. It would take a large HT to house these beasts, ha!

After learning of the sacrifices of the toughest of our countrymen in the late 1800s who drove this railway through some of the most despicable terrain & unforgiving climate in the world, I came away with a distinct sense of pride in being a Canuck. I wonder if we would have the fortitude & resolve to accomplish this today.

So, if you have access to an IMAX Theater near you, I highly recommend this outstanding 45-minute documentary when it is showing in your region. I am eagerly awaiting the release of this DVD or Blu Ray as I imagine that it will shake a HT with authority...

TAM
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/25/12 05:35 PM
Excellent recommendation!

I try to enjoy an IMAX movie at least once a year or so. They spoil me for all other theaters (except the one at home).
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/25/12 05:59 PM
We have (uncharacteristically) watched a few rented DVD's lately.

Neither my brother-in-law nor my daughter are allowed to autonomously select titles for group viewing anymore.

50-50 - Joseph Gordon Leavitt gets spinal cancer. Hilarity does not ensue.

The Grey - Survivors of an arctic plane crash are incrementally eaten by wolves. Liam Neeson is an internally tormented badass.

Inception - Liked it. Need to see again, though. Probably won't get the chance because Julie hated it.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows - I really liked it. The pace, cinematography and sound editing were worth the price of admission. I am amused by Robert Downey.

I think I have now seen every episode of The Big Bang Theory. I still enjoy it. Re-watching Arrested Development. Still working my way through Rescue Me.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/25/12 06:38 PM
Thanks for those, Tom. That's a lot of hours you can't get back. Were you wasted during any of the screenings?
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/26/12 06:43 PM
We are working on Weeds now that all the newer series we were watching are in between seasons. We are into Season 3 and I am enjoying it. I like that it's not just about the main protagonist. Many of the relatives and neighbours have their own equally interesting and quirky story lines going on in parallel.

Also, Mary Louise Parker is very easy to watch. Both for her character and yes, her cuteness.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/26/12 06:56 PM
Just wait till she gets naked.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/27/12 02:26 AM
Watched a Dutch movie the other night called the 'Black Book', about an attractive Jewish singer who becomes a spy after losing her entire family to the Nazis. Based on a true story apparently, I thought it was quite a good movie.

Next up was 'Iron Man 2'. Can I have my two hours back? for an "action" movie, there was way to much filler in this one, not what I expected.

'True Grit', excellent movie and a very convincing Rooster Cogburn played by Jeff Bridges, really enjoyed it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/30/12 11:57 PM
21 Jump Street

I thought it was entertaining. The guy playing Eric kept looking and sounding familiar, but I couldn't place him. Then I saw the name "Dave Franco" in the credits, and I thought, Ohhhhh, he must be James Franco's brother, which he is. I didn't even know James Franco had a brother in the business, but as soon as I saw "Franco," it made sense.

Certain aspects of the R-rated comedy are played out for me, so I'd actually like to see a PG-13 comedy or two come out that don't suck. But for what it is, the movie's pretty decent.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/01/12 11:28 PM
Bought season passes for and caught up on Futurama and Louie. I was disappointed to see Louie only seems to be on iTunes now and not Amazon Instant Video.

I also finally finished watching the final three episodes in the first season of The Legend of Korra, the new series based in the universe of Avatar: The Last Airbender. There was some cool stuff in the story, but they haven't hit their stride yet. It took me a little while to get into Avatar: The Last Airbender, too, so I'm hoping they find their rhythm. The attempts at humor fell a little flat, which was disappointing, since there were so many genuinely funny moments in the first series. In any case, I look forward to seeing where they take the story. They obviously put time into developing the world and the characters, so it should pay off with more time.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/12 12:18 AM
I'm going to be watching the second episode of HBO's new show, The Newsroom, written by Arron Sorkin (I'm a sucker for his dialog). The first episode was great. My biggest problem is after watching it I wished there was an actual news program that had the integrity of what the characters on the show are trying to build. My hope is the show becomes a hit, and real news shows take the hint, but I'm not holding my breath.
Posted By: J. B. Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/12 01:33 PM
For the french speaking people on this forum;

if you haven't seen it, there's an excellent french tv series named: Un village Français.
it is a 5 season series, the fifth and last to come next spring (2013);
one season for each year of the German occupation in a small town in France, with all the inherent problems.

a must see.

**************************************

si vous ne l'avez pas encore vue, il y a une excellente série télé française nommée: Un village Français.
la série comporte 5 saisons, la 5ième et dernière sera diffusée le printemps prochain (2013).

Faut la voir.
une saison pour chaque année d'occupation allemande dans une petite ville Française, et tous les problèmes que ça cause.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/12 07:18 PM
Woohoo. Just got delivery of the movie Deliverance to watch tonight.
Posted By: J. B. Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/12 07:24 PM
a very good movie. :-)
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/12 08:22 PM
Quote:
Just got delivery of the movie Deliverance to watch tonight.


Delivery of Deliverance?
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/12 09:39 PM
I prefer "Deliverance delivered." grin
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/12 11:56 PM
Either way, there are creepy people and banjos! smile
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/03/12 12:46 AM
Are you referring to us?


Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/03/12 12:48 AM
Originally Posted By: Ajax
Are you referring to us?



Gee, Jack, we never get tired of seeing that picture.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/03/12 02:55 AM
I have now been delivered! from watching Deliverance.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/03/12 11:33 AM
Originally Posted By: BobKay
Gee, Jack, we never get tired of seeing that picture.


Agreed. The Wolverine hairdo is what really makes it. Must be hard to play the banjo if your knuckle fangs pop out though.
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/06/12 02:31 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KTnLVzI2q4
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/06/12 09:18 AM
I've been re-watching Dollhouse. I still think they do a good job with the concept, even if the science gets a bit fuzzy and impractical quite often. That's probably impossible to sidestep in science fiction.

While I agree with CatBrat that most of the characters are a little flat, I disagree about the characters in Firefly being any better. I do think Fran Kranz as Topher Brink and Olivia Williams as Adelle DeWitt are great, though. They tend to steal the show. I still absolutely hate Tahmoh Penikett as Paul Ballard. Every bit of his body language just seems to rub me the wrong way. While his character isn't the greatest, I think I'd be a lot less bothered by it if it had been another actor.

I'm about a third of the way through the second season. I've forgotten how it all plays out, so we'll see if I like it as much the second time through. I seem to remember Topher Brink's character having some more great moments....
Posted By: sonicfox Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/06/12 04:41 PM
I'm a fan of some Japanese movies. Well...since I'm sort of Japanese (half Okinawan actually), I take an interest in their culture in general. Anyhow, some of the weirdest movies come from Japan...and I love them! grin Recently, I watched, Confessions. A grieving mother gets revenge on her daughter's killers in way you'd never expect. Wow! Next up is Battle Royale...sort of Japan's version of The Hunger Games.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/06/12 04:53 PM
I've seen Battle Royale, and I liked it more than the tepid Hunger Games movie (haven't read the books, though). I haven't seen the sequel, but I did just get the collection on Blu-ray, so I'll have to do that soon.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/06/12 05:49 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
I've been re-watching Dollhouse.

While I agree with CatBrat that most of the characters are a little flat...


It's been a while since I've studied their chests.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/09/12 04:41 AM
I still really love the sound of "the disruptor" in Dollhouse. Very satisfying subwoofer fun. I really need to remember to use it as demo material.

I finally watched The Shining. There are a lot of classic movies I haven't seen, so at least that's one to scratch from the list. I did like the way it was made, even if I didn't find it scary. I think it's simply been referenced way too many times to seem new to me, even though I hadn't seen it. In any case, I did think the picture looked good, considering the years, and the sound was decent, too. Some nice touches with the camera-work.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/09/12 06:05 AM
Originally Posted By: sonicfox
I'm a fan of some Japanese movies.

Have you seen Audition? One of the few movies to creep me out in recent years. And I just looked, of course it was directed by Takashi Miike.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/09/12 07:08 AM
Originally Posted By: ClubNeon
Have you seen Audition? One of the few movies to creep me out in recent years. And I just looked, of course it was directed by Takashi Miike.


I watched that one once. For some reason, I haven't felt the need to watch it again. Ha ha.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/09/12 07:20 PM
I've recently took notice of Hayao Miyazaki as a famous Japanese Animator, after buying Ponyo and The Secret Work of Arrietty. I've also rented Howle's Moving Castle a couple of times. Now I'm interested in purchasing all of his full feature animations that I can find. Unfortunately, only a few are on blu-ray, most on DVD, or worse. So far, my list is as follows:

The Secret World of Arrietty - 2010
Ponyo - 2008
Whisper of the Heart - 2006
My Neighbors the Yamadas - 2005
Porco Rosso - 2005
The Cat Retuns - 2005
Howle's Moving Castle - 2004
Spirited Away - 2001
Princess Mononoke - 1997
Pom Poko - 1994
Kiki's Delivery Service - 1989
My Neighbor Totoro - 1988
Grave of the Fireflies - 1988
Castle in the Sky - 1986
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind - 1984
Space Adventure Cobra - 1982
Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro - 1979
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/17/12 05:55 AM
CatBrat,

I love Lupin III, and Miyazaki's Castle of Cagliostro is still my favorite Lupin movie. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind was my first exposure to Miyazaki, though, and I still have a soft spot for that one. There are still several on the list that I haven't gotten around to watching.

Caught up with the first episode of the new season of Breaking Bad tonight. I'm very excited to see how this whole season plays out. Strong start. And Mark, it still makes me smile every time I see your name in the credits.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/17/12 03:23 PM
I watched My Neighbor Totoro last night for the first time and it didn't disappoint. Typical Miyazaki stuff. It's a little juvenile perhaps, but it makes for reliving childhood experiences palatable.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/20/12 10:23 AM
The Dark Knight Rises

Worth seeing.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/20/12 11:11 AM
I hope you were not in Aurora. What terrible news!
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/20/12 02:48 PM
I saw that that whenI woke up today. Crazy. I wonder what the guy's motivation was. Not that anything could justify his actions.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/20/12 03:16 PM
It's one reason I'm against 1st person shooter games. Not that THAT was his reason (programmed response, etc), but it just seems like they could/would/etc contribute to this kind of sick-o activity.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/20/12 03:26 PM
Me, I'm against platformers. Do you know how many people get hurt every year trying to jump on trees like they're solid? Not to mention sidewalk related injuries. Appalling.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/20/12 04:01 PM
How about something more light hearted?

The most exclusive cat video on the Internet. Shot with a Red Epic-X video camera, and featuring a previously unreleased Deadmau5 track.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeHW01Pz6FE&hd=1
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/20/12 06:41 PM
Originally Posted By: CatBrat
It's one reason I'm against 1st person shooter games. Not that THAT was his reason (programmed response, etc), but it just seems like they could/would/etc contribute to this kind of sick-o activity.


I hope you're joking?

I think a frustrating puzzle game would contribute more than a super-easy first-person shooter. Murder is still a stretch, but I'm definitely more physically aggressive (urge to throw controller, even if I never do--hey, that could be even more dangerous if you're playing a Kinect game, since you're the controller) when the game is difficult, regardless of the content of the game. Who knows what kind of genocide could have taken place if I'd continued playing Geometry Wars.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/20/12 08:48 PM
LOL. Good one. Hadn't thought of it that way. Perhaps I should quit my job. Society might be safer.
Posted By: dakkon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/21/12 04:43 AM
I watched Hanna for the first time tonight...


I think this movie had one of the best lines of any movie i have seen recently.


This is the line i am referring to, the way it came across ect...

Q) Hanna, what did your mom die of?
A) three bullets..........
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/21/12 04:44 AM
I need to re-watch Hanna sometime. I liked it overall, even if the end kind of just happens.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/21/12 04:52 AM
Originally Posted By: ClubNeon
The most exclusive cat video on the Internet. Shot with a Red Epic-X video camera, and featuring a previously unreleased Deadmau5 track.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeHW01Pz6FE&hd=1


Another track that really takes advantage of my subwoofers and Buttkicker. Good stuff.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/22/12 05:03 AM
Rio

There's not a lot to say about it, really. Too much of it seems familiar. The setting is beautiful, but all of the characters are pulled out of Animated Features 101.
Posted By: Lampshade Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/22/12 05:09 AM
Yeah. I had no desire to see that one.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/30/12 05:32 AM
I watched Jekyll (BBC series) recently. It was entertaining enough, but not what I'd call a classic.

I'm trying out Bob's Burgers. It's better than I thought it would be, but the jury's still out.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/30/12 06:34 AM
Bob's Burgers makes me laugh.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/30/12 08:09 PM
Me, too. The wife and I had it on our season pass list. The kids are just crazy/funny.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/31/12 01:30 AM
I never paid it much attention at first, but, thankfully, another I'm-too-lazy-to-reach-for-the-remote night let me discover it.

The show has a very specific sense of humor.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/03/12 04:50 AM
Yeah I'm enjoying it. I don't think I can get enough of Kristen Schaal's voice.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/03/12 07:52 AM
Last weekend I snagged 'Super 8' Blu Ray at Future Shop for 5 bucks on their DVD trade-in deal.

Watched it tonight with my daughter who hadn't seen it before. Even at -10 Db, my couch & the house shook convincingly even though I have just a modest system. I think that my QS4s got as much of a workout as my M22s & twin Velo subs.

Great movie the second time around for me & well worth $5...

TAM
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/03/12 11:26 AM
Yup, that train wreck scene is incredible!!!
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/03/12 05:47 PM
Yup, my daughter exclaimed - 'Dad, that was a helluva train derailment', ha!

Actually, there were many more very impressive LFE passages throughout the movie as well...

TAM
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/03/12 09:50 PM
I think I'll go home and watch one of my anime's made by/with Hayao Miyazaki. So far, I've collected the following:

The Secret World of Arrietty.
Ponyo.
Castle in the Sky.
The Cat Returns.
Spirited Away.
Kiki's Delivery Service.
My Neighbor Totoro
Howle's Moving Castle.

With these on order for next week.
Whisper of the Heart.
Princess Mononoke.
Posted By: a401classic Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/05/12 12:20 PM
Originally Posted By: exlabdriver
Yup, my daughter exclaimed - 'Dad, that was a helluva train derailment', ha!

Actually, there were many more very impressive LFE passages throughout the movie as well...

TAM

Just got it in from NetFlix and the train wreck was all that - my daughter had her hands over her ears.
Pretty good movie all in all.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/07/12 06:47 AM
Originally Posted By: CatBrat
I think I'll go home and watch one of my anime's made by/with Hayao Miyazaki. So far, I've collected the following:

The Secret World of Arrietty


I finally watched my copy of this one. My friend was visiting, and he likes Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli movies, so he chose this one to watch out of the pile I had out. Very cool movie. The animation is always thoughtfully done, and I liked the delicately beautiful audio to go with it. My friend, who had said before that he couldn't really tell the difference between TV speakers and my sound system back in the day, kept commenting on how real it all sounded.

I've also started watching Archer, which is pretty funny.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/14/12 08:20 AM
I'll keep saying it. Breaking Bad has such phenomenally good audio. Also, I'm way more scared of tarantulas than the kid at the beginning of the most recent episode.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/14/12 09:00 PM
I probably won't get to watching it for a year, but I skipped around and took a few nibbles of the newly restored BD of Jaws that was released today.

Picture quality is very, very good.

Edit: I previously referenced a video on the restoration for those interested. I liked the third, 8+ minute video.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/16/12 03:00 AM
Been watching season 6 (earliest season available on Amazon Prime) of Top Gear and am absolutely loving it. Very entertaining show.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/16/12 03:24 AM
Yes! We love Top Gear.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/16/12 03:55 AM
I haven't watched a lot of Top Gear, but it certainly is entertaining. Some people have really, really cool jobs.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/19/12 04:17 AM
The Raid: Redemption

A coworker told me this was a great movie and showed me a clip. I take his opinions with a grain of salt since they tend to be pretty different from mine, but I also read a pretty good review of it, so I figured it was worth a shot.

It's brutally violent, so be prepared to cringe. I knew the story was going to be a little shallow, with the focus on the action, but I was still hoping for more after my coworker said he was surprised by how good the story was. While the writing's better than in a lot of action movies, I still didn't feel very invested in the action. I think you really have to be able to like the action for the action's sake. I can do that on occasion, but in this case, I don't think it was quite at that level. Anyway, not a bad movie, and it had its moments, but it's not going in my favorites.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/20/12 04:03 AM
Jaws

It had been forever since I'd seen it. I bought the Blu-ray because I figured, if nothing else, at least the soundtrack should be a winner. It looks and sounds really good, though I'll admit wanting to fall asleep. The pace and general tone of a lot of the movie actually reminded me of The Shining, which I just watched for the firs time not too long ago. Not because it's the same type of story or anything, just the strange feel because of the way they were made. Everything's more slow and deliberate, like they don't want to interrupt the acting, but the acting's not quite natural enough, so yeah, it just gives both films a similar strangeness. I'm sure if I re-watched more films from the era, I'd see more of the same. Kind of like the current over-use of shaky-cam (which I still think can be effective), there are just certain ways of doing things that persist for a while.

While I don't find it at all scary anymore, I can respect what it did at the time. I know it freaked me out enough as a kid.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/20/12 05:29 AM
I also re-watched the previous week's Breaking Bad at closer to reference level. Very fun. You can really feel that train.
Posted By: a401classic Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/21/12 08:49 PM
My 15 year old talked us into watching Scott Pilgrim vs the world. Interesting movie. ...
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/22/12 02:25 AM
Didn't have to go to work, so I watched 3 movies today. At a local theater, I watched the new version of Total Rekall. Interesting how it was much the same, but at the same time, much different. A totally engrossing action movie. Well worth the watch.

Then I went home and watched 2 of my latest acquisitions.

From Up On Poppy Hill. This is the latest one from Studio Ghibli. Voiced in Japanese with English subtitles. It'll get an English dub over by next Spring. Not as engrossing a movie as most of the Ghibli line. It's Hayao's son's 2nd attempt at directing an anime. I hated the panning. Isn't as smooth as his dad's movies. All panning motions were in big jerky movements. Quite distracting. The scenery and sound was typical Ghibli. Sound was better than the other movie's English versions. Somehow I think the voice dub over takes quality and volume away from the sound track, but it shouldn't.

The other one was Journey 2: Mystery Island in 3D. I liked this movie. I though I'd be disappointed in it from reading some of the reviews, but it was much better than I expected it to be. Lots of action all the way through.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/12 04:09 AM
My brother-in-law posted the link to this video on Facebook. It's cool, but it makes me feel dumb.

This beautiful video about parabolas will 100% blow your mind
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/12 04:24 AM
That brain of hers. WOW.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/12 06:51 AM
I corrected someone the other day when he said parabola, when the shape was indeed a catenary.

I really should subscribe to her channel. I've had enough Math classes that I don't learn anything new, but just the way she describes the things I think I know really makes them click.

In one video she's talking about Pythagoras' theorem, and just does something as simple as turning each of the sides of a triangle into one side of a square, and saying the area of the two smaller squares added together equals the area of the largest square. I was like "what?!" why didn't my teachers just say that. It makes so much sense!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/12 07:09 AM
I wish I had an understanding of math like she does. She's too fast for me with a lot of it, but she's very entertaining besides.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/12 07:52 AM
I'm trying out Boys over Flowers on Netflix, a Korean show, after my sister mentioned it a few times. It's pretty entertaining so far. It's not competing with the best in television, by any means, but it's got characters with heart. It almost seems like a live action version of a high school anime show. The female lead's over-acting is pretty funny. She could teach Shatner a thing or two. I'm curious to see how things develop.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/12 03:41 PM
I'm finishing up Season 3 of "The United States of Tara".

I hate it when shows stop being quirky/funny.
Posted By: Rock_Head Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/28/12 07:19 PM
The Dark Knight Rises. My wife and I found some time in our busy schedules to go to the movies. Really enjoyed this movie.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/28/12 08:44 PM
Battleship. It's out on blu-ray for 19.99 today. No 3D release.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/29/12 12:28 PM
So how was Battleship Brian?
Friends of mine didn't like it at all but I know I'll be watching it. I can never resist a sci-fi with a focus on special effects.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/29/12 01:41 PM
Originally Posted By: Murph
So how was Battleship Brian?
Friends of mine didn't like it at all but I know I'll be watching it. I can never resist a sci-fi with a focus on special effects.


I thought it was a good movie. It was fun to watch, lots of action after it got started. It took a bit for the character build up of the 2 brothers involved, but overall an entertaining movie. For some reason, I thought it was another installment of the transformers movies, only with different actors. The Hasbro connection was the only connection. No transformers here.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/07/12 06:20 AM
Human Giant

Pretty funny sketch comedy show starring Aziz Ansari from Parks and Recreation, Paul Scheer from The League, and Ron Huebel from Childrens Hospital. Recommended.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/12/12 01:55 PM
The music video for Alabama Shakes song, Hold On.

Good stuff!
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/12/12 04:56 PM
New season of "Sons of Anarchy" started last night. Yes.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/12 12:18 AM
Originally Posted By: pmbuko
The music video for Alabama Shakes song, Hold On.

Good stuff!


I like it.


I want to eat her voice.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/13/12 07:53 AM
BBC interview with the first female President of Ireland. Impressive woman.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/17/12 01:47 PM
Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror turned out to be a good Japanese anime. A bit on the juvenile side though. Made by the makers of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.

Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/21/12 08:15 PM
I'm watching Mike Dawes play the heck out of his acoustic guitar. The amount of control he's got is breathtaking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LYksCAhjthk
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/21/12 10:31 PM
I like that!
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/21/12 11:20 PM
Loved both versions. I posted it over on facebook but, much to my shame, I failed to give you credit blush.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/21/12 11:28 PM
The Cabin in the Woods

Fun movie. Not that much of a horror fan, but at least it wasn't straight horror. Even though I enjoyed it, it's not something I could watch often. It was nice to see Fran Kranz again.

This one will definitely shake your house. It turns out ancient evil is very bass-heavy. Maybe the most LFE I've felt in a movie. Okay, not a maybe. Definitely the most I've felt.
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/22/12 03:22 AM
We tried to rent cabin in the woods but it was sold out. Maybe tomorrow?
We watched woman in black... It was ok
Posted By: Boltron Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/22/12 03:28 AM
Battleship == eye and ear candy.

Snow White and the Huntsman was quite good.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/23/12 09:18 PM
Season 3 of Modern Family. Still enjoyable.
Posted By: davidsch Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/24/12 05:31 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
Season 3 of Modern Family. Still enjoyable.


I usually watch that with my wife, as we both find it very well written. She decided to go back to college, though, and we have not yet had time to see any of season 3. It is waiting on the DVR.
Posted By: Bayne Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/12 10:26 PM
Tonight I begin 22 days of James Bond.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/27/12 01:51 PM
I did that once, but not once a day, more like 2 a week with Netflix. Watching them all in order.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/28/12 06:50 AM
I finally finished watching Boys Over Flowers the other night. It was actually surprisingly good. The characters were well-done, and the story stayed fresh. I thought they found the perfect actors for each role, too. All in all, a nice introduction to Korean TV dramas for me.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/29/12 09:36 AM
Caught up with Louie and Parks and Recreation. I also started watching The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.. I watched the first couple of episodes back when it first aired, but I didn't stick with it for whatever reason. I figured I owed it to Bruce Campbell to give it another go. I will say it's nice to see him younger again after seeing him more aged on Burn Notice, even though I think Sam Axe is a great role he found for himself.

Tomorrow I need to watch my copy of The Avengers and The Game. Oh, and Attack the Block, if I have time.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/29/12 09:54 AM
You haven't watched The Game yet? For shame. I've not watched mine either, but I figured I'd invite a girl over that hasn't seen it before. So it could be some time. I'd like to think that's because so many girls have already seen the film.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/29/12 10:04 AM
Would you rather they hate the player or The Game?
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/29/12 03:56 PM
We watched cabin in the woods last night. My wife didn't like it, I thought it was ok (but not what I expected). As previously mentioned, holy cow this movie has some serious LFE at times. It isn't through the entire movie , but at times I heard bass I've never heard from my ep500 and thought my Sheetrock was going to explode.
Posted By: duckman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/30/12 03:36 AM
I've been watching The West Wing lately, again.

Watched it when origanally aired, sat through the commercials and everything, pity the fool that dared to call me during WW.
Taped it on vhs and watched again sans commercials.
Bought the dvd sets and watched 3 (three) more times, in peace.
Recently saw some WW clips on utube and got sucked in.
Now into season 2 for the sixth time.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/01/12 02:56 AM
Originally Posted By: ClubNeon
You haven't watched The Game yet? For shame. I've not watched mine either, but I figured I'd invite a girl over that hasn't seen it before. So it could be some time. I'd like to think that's because so many girls have already seen the film.


I watched it today. It was all right, but I had higher expectations. Overly elaborate, relying too much on the main character making specific choices and getting through all of the dangers intact. A funny story idea, but I'm just bothered by the sheer impracticality is all.

Also watched Attack the Block, which was pretty decent. Not amazing, but the dialogue was entertaining, and some thought was put into the details.
Posted By: real80sman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/03/12 04:19 AM
Just finished watching Rock Of Ages with my lovely wife, and 4 even lovelier beers. Definitely a "B" movie, but the soundtrack was killer. (If 80's rock music is your thing) Great trip down memory lane.

Sound Quality was excellent even without the sub.
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/03/12 03:02 PM
We watched "paint dry".
The power was out for a bit.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/03/12 03:12 PM
I watched The Avengers in 3D at home last night. Was a little slow for the first 2/3 of the movie, I thought. Last 1/3 was good.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/03/12 03:48 PM
I'm pretty sure Sons of Anarchy is the best show on network TV at the moment.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/03/12 03:57 PM
Technically, Sons of Anarchy is on FX, which is cable. smile

I've not started this new season yet. Probably watch the first episode of it tonight.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/03/12 04:14 PM
laugh Yeah, I guess I'm not sure what a "network" is, any more. Somewhere in time, I drew the line at premium channels, so I have DVD-delay on all the HBO and Showtime content.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/03/12 04:50 PM
The network channels are those that can be pulled in over the air (provided you don't live in the middle of nowhere like I do). They are ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and The CW (which came about after the merging of UPN, and The WB). Since these channels are broadcast over the air their content is under regulation of the FCC.

All other channels are delivered via cable. There are the basic cable channels, expanded, and premium (this is where HBO, Showtime, etc. reside). The content of cable channels is not regulated by the FCC, but usually by the sponsors (traditionally people wouldn't pay for ad spots during shows with language, violence, nudity--times have changed*). That's why the premium channels were known for more "adult" programming, because they didn't have sponsors to which they had to answer.


*Comedy Central made a big deal about an episode of South Park that would feature the word "sh-t", a first for non-premium cable, and asked who wanted to run ads during this break-through in entertainment. The advertisers couldn't get in line fast enough.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/03/12 04:52 PM
Oh, and FX was created because Fox was seeing what was happening on cable, and felt the FCC guidelines were keeping them from making competitive, edgy shows.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/03/12 05:09 PM
Yeah, that makes sense. I hadn't thought of the structure in that way for a while. We've been on DirecTV for so long that I stopped analyzing the regulatory and native transmission perspectives.

I guess PBS would fit into Network/Broadcast in some/most markets, too?

I think some of the shows on FX are really very good (Justified, SOA, The League, Louie).

Not sure how to feel about digital broadcast, really. I live in the Seattle metro market, but I am 30+ miles from the transmitters, which makes the idea of capturing content over-the-air not so trivial. When I get particularly fed up by my many information services utility bills, I sometimes fantasize about an antenna and a Silicon Dust HD tuner.

Then, I remember that solution doesn't solve my need for Root Sports, FX, TBS, TNT, etc.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/03/12 06:28 PM
I have an outdoor antenna in a corner of my bedroom that I use exclusively for TV.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/04/12 03:49 AM
You have an outdoor antenna in your bedroom?

This explains a lot.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/04/12 03:56 AM
Actually it's barely noticeable. A vertically flat UHF outdoor antenna, that's black wire mesh, mounted on an old black pole lamp with the lights removed. Sitting in a corner of the room.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/04/12 04:01 AM
picture?
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/04/12 04:05 AM
Originally Posted By: pmbuko
You have an outdoor antenna in your bedroom?

This explains a lot.

Yeah, but its the sturdy kind, so it holds the trapeze quite well.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/04/12 11:32 AM
Went to see "Looper" in the theater last night. Great movie. It is the type of movie where there is nothing I can tell you that won't be a significant spoiler.... except that you should go see it.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/04/12 03:45 PM
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/14/12 01:56 AM
Prometheus

I can see why it got a lot of criticism for certain story/character elements. There's definite room for improvement there. Ultimately, it's really hard to care about them when they're being that dumb and annoying. On the other hand, I can also see why it got praise for its visuals and audio, and I did like some of the ideas in the movie, even if they don't dig too deep into any of them. I don't mind the lingering questions, but it does put pressure on the sequel to really deliver something mind-blowing.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/14/12 06:34 AM
I dusted off the 'Crimson Tide' Blu Ray tonight. I hadn't seen it for a long, long time so it was like watching it for the first time as I'd forgotten most of it.

Still quite a good story & the remastering for Blu Ray was good both in audio & video.

TAM
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/14/12 02:50 PM
Watched Bill Burr the other night, lol! I usually don't appreciate comedians who use so much colourful language but this guy was both hilarious and enlightening on his subject matter.
Posted By: Boltron Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/15/12 01:52 AM
Watched the Avengers (again). Man what a treat, had the volume up to about +1 and thoroughly enjoyed it. Cat sat on the couch next to me and stuck it out to the end. I just love to watch her face when her ears twitch back when the splosions happen and there lots in this movie. This movie really is audio/video nirvana.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/21/12 09:46 PM
Moonrise Kingdom

If you like Wes Anderson, this is one of his best efforts. Lots of fun in the story, and his attention to detail in the look and feel of his movies is always notable, this being a prime example. The audio was also very good, culminating in a terrific thunderstorm at the end. He's also one of the best at choosing the perfect music to carry you into his worlds.

My love for Wes Anderson had fallen off over the years, but after Fantastic Mr. Fox and this, I'm back to anticipating his work.

I've also been watching Rules of Engagement. The promos never did a lot for me, and it's guilty of being just another formula sitcom that bludgeons its audience with stereotypes and political correctness, but there's still plenty of enjoyment to be had from the lines and the performances. The guy who plays Adam surprised me and actually owns his role as a doofus.

As far as comedic performances, though, I don't know anyone can hope to deliver lines like the cast of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The new season is off to a strong start. They're all so good at their roles, but Charlie and Dee have really made me laugh with the delivery of some of their lines.

Key & Peele is still funny. Still not the most classic sketch comedy, but it has some truly inventive moments, and they fully embrace being clowns.
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/22/12 04:50 AM
I haven’t posted here in this thread lately mainly because I’ve been mostly playing video games and watching anime or TV shows, but today I watched a few movies which just deserve some comment. I rented the Bluray versions of Prometheus, The Avengers and John Carter.

First was Prometheus which is best summed up with two words predictable and dull. I won’t give any specifics lest I spoil things for those who can turn off their cognitive functions and not realized when their being slapped in the face with what’s going to happen later in a movie that’s trying to be suspenseful, but I will beat around the bush. Lets predict who’s going to survive . . . probably the characters who get backstory because giving a lot of backstory on a character so we actually gave a crap about them might surprise us or at least care one way or another when they get offed. Another way to put it is things are about as surprising as a firefight in a first person shooter when you walk into a new area and the game auto-saves while you look out over rows of chest high walls, there’s gonna be some shootin . . . methinks.

I checked out Bluray.com and they give it 5 out of 5 for both audio and video quality which I guess I can’t argue with on a technical basis. However, reference movie IMO this aint. The colours are often shades of monochrome to suggest bleakness which doesn’t inspire much in the way “wow” factor. There was nothing really memorable about the audio track either no matter how “good” the quality was. However, I could forgive all of this if the movie had at least been interesting.

So back to more of why the movie sucked. The characters are flat. They do stupid things (I really hate this) to advance the “plot” which are often out of pre-established character traits. Really annoying is when they get to another planet and find something which may indicate not only other life in the universe but life forms which may have some relevance to life on earth and some characters are about as awed as someone opening their mailbox to see a bill inside. Actually more irritating and probably why (besides it being dull and predictable) I really dislike this movie is that it starts out with some promise of being a later day (read pop) version of 2001 but turns out to be nothing but a B grade scifi thriller on steroids. So overall I’d have to give this movie 2 out of 5

Next up was “The Avengers” which is yet another movie I can sum up in two words, totally awesome! This is by far the best of the “Avengers” movies so far and the best part is you could see this without having watched any of the previous movies and not really be missing much of the story though you’ve would miss out on heaps of characterization. However, if you were to only watch one of the prequels this should be “Thor.”

Unlike Prometheus this one doesn’t give any hint of trying to be something it’s not. It’s an action adventure movie interspersed with good humor. Best of all the humor is based on the character interactions which I say rather than dialogue because one of the best moments is just when The Hulk punches someone. A movie scene hasn’t made me laugh in as long as I can remember and this one made me laugh out loud it was just so appropriate.

Bluray.com only gives this a 4.5 for PQ but a 5.0 for SQ, and to that I say to Bluray.com piss off. I couldn’t give a crap it the PQ isn’t pristine because it’s simply a joy to look at. However, I really loved the audio track. This audio track has HT reference movie written all over it and best of all it matches what happening on and off screen giving a real sensation of being there including the LFE track. Unlike many movies where if you really pay attention the LFE is just some rumbling or booming but here when the Hulk walks you feel each footstep in sync with what’s on screen. Things fly by to the left and right both near and far away along with directly overhead. During several shooting scenes you here shell casings plinking on the floor despite all the other audio candy taking place around you. Both the frequency range and the dynamic range of this audio track are spectacular. In short this is exactly the audio track that M80s were made for.

There’s not a lot to say about the story since it is a comic book on the big screen. But how the story unfolds is well done even giving some backstory to the characters without resorting to flashbacks. The dialogue is great as is the interaction between the characters. Joss Whedon can really bring out the chemistry between actors. Even the action scenes which in most action movies would wear on me are interspersed with banter between the characters to keep you engaged with them.

Another part of the movie that deserves mentioning are the special effects. You just have to see it to believe it, there that good.

I could go on-and-on about this movie but instead of wasting your time reading this just go out and rent it, hell no buy the damm thing even if just for the audio track. You guessed it 5 out of 5.

And then there’s John Carter, the darkhorse in today’s race, for which the two-word summery is surprisingly entertaining. OK I know that’s not a ringing endorsement but what the hell this is really nothing more than a scifi action adventure based on very dated books and I had just gotten done watching The Avengers.

Bluray.com gave John Carter 5 out of 5 for PQ and SQ both of which are well deserved. No one thing about this movie stands out in these areas which in a way is praise in itself. It just looks and sounds great.

There’s a fairly long lead-in sequence which unlike most is quite entertaining so even though the main plot takes a while to get going you’re not left waiting for it. Overall the characters are interesting with the princess being the least so but not terrible. However, the best character, probably the best of the day, is the dog . . . thingy.

I’ve already dragged these reviews on for too long and it’s hard to follow up The Avengers so the best thing I can say about John Carter is that any movie that can keep me entertained after just watching The Avengers has to be a pretty damm entertaining movie. Overall I’d say this is 4 out of 5.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/23/12 01:44 AM
Dean, agree with you on "The Avengers." It's just plain fun. Going in I was afraid this type of movie would struggle and implode with too many characters and individual plot lines. But, you nailed it, the interaction and chemistry of all the characters is the heart of the movie. Genuinely funny moments, witty dialogue, and great action sequences = lots of entertainment.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/23/12 01:59 AM
Sounds like a Joss film, all right.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/23/12 02:32 AM
It's in my queue, but Jess keeps putting her picks in the #1 spot. frown
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/23/12 09:57 AM
Jess, get on the Joss wagon!
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/23/12 01:55 PM
Hey, she loved Firefly. I'll try that angle. smile
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/23/12 05:11 PM
An American Crime. Watched this over the weekend. Leaves one feeling very sad and disgusted that such cruelty exists. A true story from the 1960's. The parents of 2 pre-teen girls leave them with a woman stranger who has 6 kids of her own. Only she has mental problems that causes her to severely abuse them.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/23/12 11:28 PM
Halloween street lights, Gangnam style. Watch in HD fullscreen and turn it up!
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/24/12 04:51 PM
Meh.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/24/12 07:24 PM
Oh, don't be like that. You boys be nice.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/24/12 08:32 PM
laugh

OK, Dad.

(But he did it first)
Posted By: DanielBMe Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/24/12 11:11 PM
Homeland the Showtime TV series on Blu Ray. What a fantastic show!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/03/12 07:12 AM
Argo

Pretty entertaining. Some of the tension-building made me say, "Oh, come on," but I was amused. Ben Affleck can direct, and his acting, while pretty flat, didn't ruin the movie.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/04/12 07:41 AM
The rest of the family was out so I decided to watch the Return of the King on BR, I forgot how much of a workout this one is for the sub.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/12 07:05 AM
I picked up the 'Terminator Anthology' at Costco last week. It has the 3 original movies on Blu Ray plus 'Salvation'. I just watched all 4 over the past week.

The video transfer to BD is really quite good & the upgraded sound tracks are wonderful. Most impressive was the brutal & unrelenting sound in 'Salvation' - my house is still shaking.

Lots of good entertainment here for $33...

TAM
Posted By: J. B. Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/12 10:58 AM
"Salvation" is the "noisiest" movie i have; and the only one that caused my hearing sensitivity to decrease for around 1 hour after viewing it.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/12 02:54 PM
Yeah, Salvation is the only movie the neighbors have complained about.

Good choice, by the way. The Terminator franchise is one of my favorites. Learn from them, a robot uprising is much more likely than a zombie apocalypse. smile
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/12 06:55 PM
Originally Posted By: ClubNeon
a robot uprising is much more likely than a zombie apocalypse


Pure gold, Chris. laugh
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/12 07:06 PM
I like being prepared for either.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/12 07:41 PM
That's sad to hear. A zombie apocalypse is much cheaper to survive than a robot one.

I'm working on a portable EMP device powered by a modded Axiom 1500 series amp for the robot apocalypse but for the zombies, I was just planning on cleverly disguising myself with my Jocelyn Wildenstein mask left over from halloween.
Posted By: J. B. Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/07/12 08:05 PM
your dog just told me what he thinks of that...
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/08/12 02:53 AM
Watched the 2010 movie called Monsters. Some alien DNA came crashing to earth in upper Mexico and lower USA. They've been fighting them creatures now for years and they still manage to keep spreading. At least it solved the border crossing problem.
Posted By: Eno Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/09/12 11:12 PM
Originally Posted By: ClubNeon
... a robot uprising is much more likely than a zombie apocalypse.

It's only a matter of time.

Skynet is closer than you think
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/10/12 06:15 AM
The Amazing Spider-Man

It felt long at parts, but I was actually really entertained. I didn't really know what to expect, as I'd avoided reading about it until skimming the High-Def Digest review. I'm glad they decided to start over, even if I never did watch the third Sam Raimi entry, which I always heard was the crappiest. Tobey Maguire bugged me a lot. Emma Stone usually bugs me slightly, but I didn't mind her so much in this one.

They've really gotten good at making Spider-Man move cool, too.
Posted By: Kruncher Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/11/12 04:16 AM
I discovered the old BBC TV show MI:5 on Netflix and if you like the spy game, it's fantastic. The writing and acting is top notch. I'll admit to being a 24 fan too, but MI:5 is much more believable. I've watched the first two seasons now and hopefully the rest of the run was just as good. I'll find out.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/11/12 04:44 AM
Originally Posted By: Kruncher
I discovered the old BBC TV show MI:5 on Netflix and if you like the spy game, it's fantastic. The writing and acting is top notch. I'll admit to being a 24 fan too, but MI:5 is much more believable. I've watched the first two seasons now and hopefully the rest of the run was just as good. I'll find out.


I haven't seen it yet, but I was just trying to think of what this show was called yesterday. Thanks for reminding me, as I'd been meaning to watch it a while ago, but I got sidetracked.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/11/12 05:10 AM
Watched "The Lorax" with the family tonight and it makes good use of the surround channels.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/12/12 08:19 AM
Season 9 of NCIS.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/19/12 07:57 PM
If any of your are into family, emotional, boo-hoo-ing, cry in your beer kind of a movie mood, The Lamp from 2011 was a good one to watch.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/19/12 08:03 PM
Thanks for the warning. Adding it to my "Do not watch or recommend Sharon watch it some night I'm away, list."
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/26/12 01:44 AM
Originally Posted By: Kruncher
I discovered the old BBC TV show MI:5 on Netflix


I started watching it, and I'm in the middle of the second... volume, it looks like they're calling it. I'm used to the US calling them seasons and the UK calling them series. I like the actors who play Tom and Zoe.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/26/12 09:28 AM
Homeland

I like Damian Lewis and Claire Danes, but after a few episodes, I'm still looking for reasons to like their characters in this show. I couldn't place Morena Baccarin until I looked her up. She was in Firefly. The prince's escort also looked really familiar, and I finally remembered she was the first cheerleader you see in the opening of the pilot of Freaks and Geeks. She's looking really good these days, and I'm glad to see she's working.

The show is compelling enough so far. I want to see what happens. Claire Danes's character, Carrie, drives me a little up the wall, though, continually using bad judgment and showing little patience.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/26/12 12:37 PM
Been watching that as well Charles. Mostly because of my crush on Morena Baccarin since Firefly and don't foget TV's failed attempt to revive "V". She was one shapely lizard.

There is a reason, revealed a bit later since it sounds like you are early into it, why Carrie acts the way she does. Still I agree. Sometimes she reminds me of an angry duck. I keep watching because I'd like to see how they play it all out but the feasibility of the plot has been suffering in current episodes, I feel.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/26/12 08:25 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
I couldn't place Morena Baccarin

I hereby confiscate your geek card and your man card.

You can have them back if your defense is that you were distracted by Kaylee (Jewel Staite).
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/12 07:54 AM
Originally Posted By: pmbuko
Originally Posted By: CV
I couldn't place Morena Baccarin

I hereby confiscate your geek card and your man card.

You can have them back if your defense is that you were distracted by Kaylee (Jewel Staite).


Hey, I'll go with that. Jewel Staite is adorable.
Posted By: Amie Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/12 06:04 PM
I love MI-5! One of those shows that meets the boy/girl watch-ability test.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/30/12 12:41 PM
EDIT: Deleting my post as I was commenting on (OK making fun of) a post wayyyy in the past. Somehow the board opened to an older page instead of the most current and I hadn't noticed.

Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/30/12 12:44 PM
I guess I have finally forgiven Battlestar Galactica for the worst ending in the history of... well.... anything!

Last night I watched the first six webisodes of Battlestar Galactica - Blood & Chrome. Pretty good stuff. The focus is on Adama in his cocky, rookie days as a pilot during the war against the Cylons. Definitely more of an action series vs. the previous.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/30/12 06:25 PM
This awesome time lapse work of the NYC fall colors.

"This gorgeous time-lapse by filmmaker Jamie Scott starts off like any other video capturing the change of the seasons with the movement of the sun, but then around :30 something pretty remarkable happens. To create the effect Scott filmed in 15 locations around New York City’s Central Park, two times a week, for six months using the exact same tripod and camera lens settings resulting in the footage you see here."

I figure MarkSJohnson can tell us what went right and what went wrong. wink
Posted By: FireGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/01/12 02:25 AM
Elf. Gets better every year.

Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/12 05:00 AM
Joe Bonamassa live at the Beacon.

I really like his voice and "where he goes" with his guitar work, in addition to the stunning virtuosity. Yay, PBS.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/12 11:19 AM
Interesting, Tom. I really like his "blues with leanings toward rock" guitar work, but I don't own anything by him because I can't get past his singing. To me, his vocals sound like he's imitating how he thinks a "blues singer" should sound.

Yes, when I used to watch Idol, Simon would call that a "Karoake Performance". smile

I really wish I could get past it, because I enjoy his guitar work very much.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/12 06:35 PM
Funny, I feel somewhat the same way. He is a tremendous guitarist but overall his music does not make my foot tap much.

My subconsciously tapping foot is how I judge if my brain is really liking modern music...

TAM
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/12 06:37 PM
I rented the newly released MIB3 BD last night.

Mostly quite enjoyable with a sensible soundtrack...

TAM
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/17/12 07:17 PM
Expendables 2 - worse than bad - an insult to any viewer's intelligence.

The aircraft I believe was an older piston version of Canadair's Water Bomber that has no rear ramp, although the ramp magically appeared whenever required. The large interior of the aircraft (which is actually not a big aircraft) was quite large & outfitted with lots of troop seating - ridiculous.

More ordenance was expended than in all of WWII.

What were these big name stars thinking by participating in this trash? Wait, I know, money!!

If I hadn't wasted $6 on this BD rental, I would have shut it down as soon as the bogus aircraft sequences appeared...

TAM
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/28/12 06:42 PM
My daughter brought me for Christmas the newly released, remastered 'Star Wars - The Complete Saga' 6 Blu-Ray set.

We watched the first one from 1977 (hard to believe that it's been that long!) 'Episode IV - A New Hope' The last time that I watched it was on VHS tape, ha!

Beautiful BD visuals & the sound track was absolutely brutal in places with unexpected strong bursts of LFE. I had to decrease the volume from -10 DB to -15 Db to make it more comfortable

It's the best rendition that I've experienced of this release. Now onto the following episodes...

TAM
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/28/12 07:22 PM
That reminded me to look for Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (in 3D).

Nope. Not available yet.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/29/12 07:04 PM
Last night - Star Wars Episode V 'The Empire Strikes Back' from 1980.

I'm not fond of the long 'Yoda' scenes in this one; however, it is a wonderful remaster with crisp video & more great sound.

My wife is really into sci-fi, so it'll be Episode VI tonight, which is great as there is not much on TV to watch...

TAM
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/30/12 07:49 PM
Santa brought me a Sony BDP-S590. Yesterday I finally installed it along side my PS3 into my HT (replacing my venerable Sony 5-Disc DVD Player). The HDMI handshaking with my Denon AVR was flawless. After minimal frustration of getting it to talk to the net & to coax it to give me audio output in SACD mode, it was ready for some testing.

First up was a concert BD - 'Sade - Bring Me Home Live 2011'. It was rendered beautifully with great HD video & superb surround audio. Sade continues to put on a wonderful show. This concert includes some of her newer material with a good dose of her original works that I tend to prefer. She still exudes class & grace that is sadly missing from much of show business today - really refreshing to experience. It's too bad that some of the loud, obnoxious fans in the LA audience wouldn't follow her example - this was a continual distraction. Furthermore, her classic beauty has not waned as she doesn't seem to have aged a bit since her debut albums & videos several decades ago. Her band continues to be as outstanding & tight as ever.

Next was a SACD which is the first time that I experienced one in surround. I chose a live concert - 'WDR Big Band Koln - Blues & Beyond'. Wonderful blues & swing with a big band sound - awesome actually.

Lastly a movie - 'Star Wars VI - Return of the Jedi'. Like the previous two of this set, beautifully remastered.

The S590 did not disappoint in the least. Quite easy to set up & great performance for a reasonable price...

TAM
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/30/12 08:42 PM
You've got good toys!

Thank you for the thoughtful and articulate review.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/31/12 01:28 AM
Damn, the S590 is very reasonably priced and it has SACD support.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/31/12 02:31 AM
The SACD capability of the S390, S590 & S790 is why I went with the Sony. If I remember correctly, Pioneer was the only other BD player in this price range to have it as well, but it had some less than favourable user reviews on the net.

Future Shop had the S590 on for $100 on Boxing Day (all gone now at my local store), but I had already got mine from Santa...

TAM
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/31/12 09:20 PM
We continued our Star Wars marathon last night. We went back to the beginning with Episode I 'The Phantom Menace'.

Being the 4th released episode, the Special Effects are getting more dramatic & sophisticated. Again the video & audio is top notch. For example, during one of the big battle scenes, the approach of a squadron of massive armoured vehicles rumbled the house for a protracted period - I thought that a freight train was passing down our street!! Furthermore, the imagination that the computer animators used to render the different ships, vehicles, robots & weapons is quite phenomenal - very talented folks.

As I mentioned in the 'Deals Thread' - today I received a $33 refund from FS under their Price Protection Plan. $97 for a S590 is more than an excellent buy...

TAM
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/31/12 09:27 PM
Going to watch Finding Nemo on 3D blu-ray tonight. This replaces my DVD version. Should be a big improvement. May have to pick up a pizza and some beer to go with it.

It's harder eating with the 3d glasses on in a darkened room. Oops spilt the beer again!
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/01/13 08:06 AM
I just finished re-watching the extended editions of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the first two yesterday and the last one today. Overall The Fellowship of the Ring stands way above the other two especially for re-watching. However, as the movies progressed they just get more and more boring. It feels like when Peter Jackson re-wrote the original two scripts into three movies he mostly just divided up the last one into two movies because when it comes to substance I get the impression that there is about one movie's worth between the two.

I don’t recall being this disappointed on the first watch though either of the theatrical versions or the extended editions probably because I wanted to see how the story was treated and also the eye candy. However, the second time through the extended editions and many of the scenes just drag on and on. Most of the things I loved about Fellowship of the Ring the character development and interaction along with the general sense of discovery and wonder seem mostly missing from the two sequels.

Another problem I noticed with the two sequels is the jumping around between the different story arcs. I felt the same problem with most of the remake of Battlestar Galactica. And for me it has something to do with the presentation since not all movies that jump around bother me. Some examples of movies that handle it well for me are The Hunt for Red October and The Longest Day, both movies I have watched dozens of times and will often watch again.

If I was to rate these movies on how much they grabbed my attention Fellowship is a home run, Two Towers a single and Return of the King a base on balls.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/01/13 03:48 PM
Originally Posted By: grunt

If I was to rate these movies on how much they grabbed my attention Fellowship is a home run, Two Towers a single and Return of the King a base on balls.


Dean, I like your rating system. I agree with you--I've rewatched "Fellowship" numerous times, but the other two not so much.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/01/13 06:20 PM
After a nice New Years Eve dinner at our favourite restaurant, we came home & popped in ST Episode II - 'Attack of the Clones'.

Although Episode IV (the first one) is still my favourite, this is the most impressive one yet with epic battle scenes, superb special effects & tremendous LFE. This one really shakes the house numerous times. Again, excellent video & audio throughout.

The only negative to our quiet NYE celebration was earlier in the evening my wife called from work (ER Nurse at our hospital) that our favourite car (1999 Grand Prix GTP 2 door coupe) was a victim of a hit & run in the hospital parking lot. An eye witness saw it happen - the 2 female 'model citizens' got out of their car, surveyed the damage & then took off without leaving their particulars. RCMP attended but because the plate number couldn't be seen due to darkness, it looks like we'll be stuck with at least the deductable cost. Probably $1500 damage to the left front fender & headlight. Grrrr....

TAM
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/01/13 07:53 PM
Lets see hospital requires employees to work there, provide their own transportation, park in the designated parking spots, but if transportation is vandalized, employee must pay for the damages.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/13 12:01 AM
Yup, it's the Canadian way. It's all the worse as our medical system is government run & our BC car insurance is run by the provincial government as well.

Hit & run is despicable & so prevalent up here now with most of our populace. It's the thing to do - run away from your responsibilities.

I confirmed with the claims lady that unless they are found or they turn themselves in, then we are on the hook for the $500 deductable as our pair of 'model citizens' (2 young women) didn't own up to their error. It's highly unlikely in either event that they will be found.

So it's goodbye to 500 bucks. Nice way to start the New Year...

TAM
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/13 05:37 AM
I always thought with BC insurance (extend that to all government run insurance) all accidents both parties are responsible for their own repairs/deductibles regardless of how it happens.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/13 06:48 AM
All I know is that I'm probably out $500; however, the only good thing is that it is not counted as an 'accident' against our record as the car was legally parked with no one in it.

Anyway - back to the topic of movies. Tonight we finished the last of the 6 SW movies - Episode III 'Revenge of the Sith'. Again the visual special effects were up another notch & were often stunning, especially in the galactic battle scenes. Audio wise, the opening scene shook the house with authority for what seemed to be forever. Interestingly, all of the BDs were coded in 6.1 surround.

Overall, this remastered 6 BD set is well worth owning if you are a sci-fi fan. It provided us with a ton of quality entertainment over the last week.

As for the future, it'll be interesting to see how Disney develops & presents the next 3 episodes that are due out starting in 2015...

TAM
Posted By: grunt Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/05/13 12:39 AM
Last night I watched the Blu-rays of Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, Total Recall (2012) and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. I watched them in that order hoping I would work my way from worst to best thus keeping my attention. Though I can’t say I was right.

Here are the Blu-Ray.com reviews for those interested in the Video/Audio quantity since nothing in any of them really struck me as extremely good or bad to comment on.

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Halo-4-Forward-Unto-Dawn-Blu-ray/56435/#Review

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Total-Recall-Blu-ray/54080/#Review

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Sherlock-Holmes-A-Game-of-Shadows-Blu-ray/30266/#Review

As I watched Halo I got the impression it was a pilot for a TV show, later research indicated it was a Web series so I wasn’t too far off. Note this comment isn’t a criticism just an observation and in some ways a complement especially after reading it only had a budget of $10 million. The video and especially the audio quality belie its meager budget.

The TV pilot aspect of this movie derives from all the character development rather than any shortcomings. Since I generally prefer character driven stories or at least stories with characters I care about I ended up liking this one more than I expected. I also liked that the action sequences were just long enough to get the job done and nothing more.

I’m not a Halo game fan so I can’t say if there are any real strong tie-ins with the game except that the Master Chief does make a showing but isn’t the main character in any way, so don’t watch it expecting to see a series of his exploits.

All in all I like Halo. It was entertaining but nothing I would really watch again unless it was made into a longer series in which case I might go back to refresh my memory.

I can best describe Total Recall as forgettable. Not bad mind you just forgettable. I say that because when I started writing this post it took me quite a while to remember what the name of the third movie was (yes could be old age but I’m sticking with it just being forgettable).

In some ways the premise seemed more plausible than the original and certainly the special effects and audio are much better in this one but nothing much else sticks out. As with most action movies these days the “action” scenes just last too long. Ok maybe the first time I saw a non-stop action scene that lasted 10 minutes it was cool but more is not always better. Directors should take a hint from Joss Whedon in the Avengers and break up the never-ending-action with some witty dialogue or something.

If I was to watch a Total Recall again I would probably go for the first one since at least I can see my friend that got a speaking role in it.

I’m not saying that this movie sucked or anything, it was fairly entertaining just forgettable.

Sherlock Holmes was better than Total Recall but not IMO than Halo, though most people would likely disagree with me on that last part.

I like Downey’s version of Holmes despite it being nothing like the original. When this movie is at its best is when Holmes it talking with people. The Dialogue is witty and interesting but too sparse. IMO far too much of the movie is taken up with the seemingly now obligatory in Hollywood action scenes.

Again this movie isn’t bad but it’s not that great either, it more or less just is.

Ok, I’ve been griping for a while about too many/long action scenes in movies. Don’t’ get me wrong I love a good action scene but too often now they just seem obligatory and don’t really do anything I haven’t seen before done better. If like in Holmes you’re going to have bullets flying through the woods hitting trees around the characters how about noticeable splintering sounds all around you coming from the surrounds (Master and Commander anyone). I could enumerate all sorts of audio fails in most action scenes in the last few years. Perhaps I incorrectly hoped that as surround sound setups became more common more audio would be mastered to better take advantage of it, but that’s not what I’ve been noticing. I really haven’t discovered many new “demo-worthy” movies in a while. My standards are still things like Master and Commander, Appleseed (an anime of all things), Fellowship of the Ring (and not just for the audio in the action scenes even the quite ones can be awesome). About the only new movie I use for demos is Avatar which is masterful both in PQ and SQ.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/05/13 05:54 PM
We were in Costco last night & on an impulse buy picked the 4 Blu-Ray Disc set of Indiana Jones - The Complete Adventures. We've always enjoyed this series in the past so we wanted to experience the remastered versions.

Watched the first one - Raiders of the Lost Ark - last night in starting another marathon since Star Wars last week. The remastering is excellent & the sound track is definitely upgraded - very satisfying.

Temple of Doom Tonight...

TAM
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/06/13 07:09 PM
I just finished watching Wings, 1927 silent movie. Remastered in 2012 with sound added by Skywalker Sound. Movie not so silent anymore. Plenty of room shaking LFE explosions and a decent music sound track. Fun movie to watch. It'll be on my buy list.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/08/13 03:36 AM
Watching Tom cry over losing Wilson.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/14/13 09:09 PM
We finished watching the 4 remastered Indiana Jones Blu-Rays.

It remains a really entertaining set of movies. Overall the video remastering was very well done except for 1 glitch that carried over from the DVD (if I remember correctly). In 'The Last Crusade' where Indy is flying the bi-plane with his Dad in the back seat, when he gestures the 'clock positions' with his hand against the sky, it obvious that they are in front of a blue screen. I thought that they might have been able to fix that.

The higher end sound mix was most enjoyable as well...

TAM
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/15/13 04:27 PM
I watched the 2005 version of King Kong yesterday. It contained an enormous amount of LFE. A very fun movie to watch, and the sound was amazing. Loved watching the huge bugs trying to eat the people.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/15/13 06:09 PM
Started watching Luther after getting tired of some folks at work talk about it. It's the usual troubled & obsessive cop with a secret vs. a plethora of bad guys but the interesting dynamic is his ongoing pseudo-relationship with a seemingly infallible, female sociopath.

The characters are more key to enjoyment than the stories. Actually, the stories are pretty good but the constant foreshadowing is way too obvious for anyone with half a brain. However, the behavior of the primary antagonist is enough to keep me interested to watch more. Ruth Wilson plays a Very convincing arch-nemesis. A female Joker,if you will, but without the makeup and the giggles.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/28/13 05:17 AM
I went to see Django Unchained a while ago, but I guess I never posted about it. I liked it a lot. Tarantino is still great at keeping me stimulated. Such fun characters, such interesting situations they're put in. I can't wait to own it.

I finished watching Secret Garden, the Korean TV drama I may or may not have mentioned. It's a very oddly-told story. It starts out very normal, and then five episodes in, two of the characters swap bodies. I would have been totally surprised by that, only my sister read me the synopsis before I got to that episode. It was kind of impressive that they took the time to really develop the characters before springing that part of the story, though, and it made the whole show more interesting.

I still have a hard time recommending it, though, simply because at one point, several of the episodes have subtitle problems, where the characters are talking and talking with no subtitles, and then all of the subtitles for what was just spoken flash by. I thought I would have to stop watching because of it, but I suppose I was too drawn in. Eventually, the problem went away. Oh, and this is on Netflix. I'm not sure if the problem exists elsewhere. Anyway, weird but good story, and the female lead acts well and has some of the best expressions ever.

Which brings me to this other Korean TV drama, Dream High, which one of my online friends told me to watch. It's pretty great, too, and again, the female lead is entirely too good at her role.

She's a snobby, classically-trained singer who's going to be attending Juilliard. Only, her father turns out to be deeply in debt, and he goes into hiding, abandoning her and her young sister, to avoid his loan shark. The loan shark starts terrorizing them, and he realizes that her singing could be of value, so he pressures her to give up Juilliard and instead audition for admission into Kirin Art School, where talent agencies look for future pop stars. Of course, if she doesn't, then he'll take her younger sister away to work off the debt in some unmentioned way. She feels she's better than Kirin, doesn't think the students there have talent, but her friend (or, more accurately, follower) wants to attend, and they end up doing a joint audition.

She's always been the star, and her friend has always been in her shadow, so it's a jarring experience when the man running the audition gives her friend a pass and her a fail. She asks why, since she feels her greater talent is evident. He illustrates his reasoning by asking her to identify the pieces of music that he's blended together on the piano. She identifies the classical elements, but she fails to recognize what everyone else in the room knows is pop music. He explains that her musical prejudice makes her third-rate, and that's why she didn't pass. But she needs to get in, for her sister's sake, so she gets on her knees and begs to be let in, says she'll do anything. "Get up," the man tells her. "Begging is less than third-rate." She stands up immediately and tells him that she wasn't kneeling before him just then. "What was it I was just seeing, then?" he asks her. "I just..." she said. "I just... I just wanted to get a better look at your nostrils!"

That's the point that I knew I would keep watching. Ha ha. The show has had plenty of good moments since then. Oh, also in the first episode, they played "On the Radio" by Regina Spektor, so that was another plus.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/06/13 07:46 AM
Dolby ATMOS Q&A: 'Life of Pi' and the Evolution of Sound (High-Def Digest)

I didn't get to hear it in Atmos, but I was still impressed with the sound. I can't wait to hear and feel it at home. Anyway, it's an interesting read and watch.

I've also been trying yet another Korean TV show. Flower Boy Ramen Shop. Spoiled rich boys pursuing physically violent commoner girls seems to be a big thing in Korean TV. Boys Over Flowers and Secret Garden were along the same lines. Also, the actor who portrayed the female lead's dead father in Secret Garden also plays the female lead's dead father in this one. In any case, it's another entertaining show, and it's nice to step outside our geography and take in another culture, and I think it's interesting when a lot of the culture is based on entertainment from here.

I also went to see Warm Bodies last night. Overall, I didn't think they had enough meat for a full movie. It seemed to drag in parts. Still, it's neat to see the kid from About a Boy grown up (well, more than he was, anyway) and acting in other stuff. I'll be going to see him in Jack the Giant Slayer, too.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/17/13 09:11 AM
Skyfall. I'm still a little ambivalent. The picture and sound are phenomenal, at least, but the story doesn't do a whole lot for me. It has its moments, but overall, it feels like it drags, and I'm not sure why it got such good reviews. While I think the reboot has made James Bond relevant again, I don't think any of the new ones have really hit it out of the park yet.
Posted By: mrgreg Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/17/13 04:13 PM
I was really impressed with Skyfall's sound and picture!

This is reference disc material for sure!
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/17/13 07:49 PM
CV:

My wife & I agree wholeheartedly. Skyfall was probably 20 minutes too long & depressingly dark - similar to the way that Harry Potters had become.

What bothers me about the latest 3 Bonds is the absolute lack of humour that was such a fundamental & integral part of all previous episodes.

For us, it certainly was not the best Bond ever as is being endlessly hyped...

TAM
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/17/13 10:03 PM
Originally Posted By: mrgreg
I was really impressed with Skyfall's sound and picture!

This is reference disc material for sure!


I can certainly agree on this point. Very impressive.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/18/13 07:18 AM
Really? I watched Skyfall tonight, one of my biggest problems is how messed up the colors were. The whole thing was processed to be blue and orange. It's a trend that started with movie posters, but now it seems to have infected the movies themselves.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/18/13 12:12 PM
It started with Bruckheimer. See: Bad Boys.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/18/13 02:20 PM
I'd rather not. smile
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/24/13 05:54 AM
Roy Orbison on Hi-Fi.
I really like these speakers.

Glad for the PVR too.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/24/13 06:46 AM
Originally Posted By: ClubNeon
Really? I watched Skyfall tonight, one of my biggest problems is how messed up the colors were. The whole thing was processed to be blue and orange. It's a trend that started with movie posters, but now it seems to have infected the movies themselves.

This isn't a negative Orange promo lead-in is it?
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/24/13 12:35 PM
"In a world where there are only two colors: blue and orange. Locked in an eternal struggle that threatens to wipe both from the landscape. One resistance group, Negative Orange, may have the key to unlock a lasting peace." Coming this spring to a record store near you, the yet untitled concept album from Negative Orange.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/24/13 09:59 PM
Excellent, Chris.
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/25/13 02:03 AM
Finally got around to watching Netflix's "House of Cards." I'm about two-thirds of the way through the season, and it is really good.

I think you can watch the first episode without being a Netflix subscriber: http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/House_of_Cards/70178217

I also noticed the the "SuperHD" 1080p streaming is working again. It's not quite as good as Vudu's HDX, but the show looks very nice (shot with Red).
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/04/13 06:28 PM
I've been watching Top Gear (UK) on BBC America.

I'd always heard that it was good, and I see why it was recommended to me. The cheeky humor is just about perfect. And there's lots of fast cars. Yee ha!

I'm at the same time watching the new episodes (Series 19) and the reruns (Series 5-8 more or less).

This comes at the same time that I'm getting into GT5 on the PS3. Now I can compare Nürburgring lap times with Jeremy Clarkson (rubbish!) and Sabine Schmitz (whoa, mama!).
Posted By: INANE Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/04/13 11:08 PM
Top Gear is awesome. The UK version is by far the best but I've found the American version to be pretty entertaining as well.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/05/13 12:39 AM
I'm still peeved at Amazon Prime for suddenly charging to watch Top Gear. It was free when I first got into it.

GREAT show!
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/05/13 06:02 PM
Used to watch Top Gear but over time I found Clarkson's antics a bit tiring and set up. My favourite auto reviewer by far is Chris Harris who actually knows how to drive the cars he tests and give you in depth discussions with industry insiders.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/05/13 07:44 PM
Last fall while on our River Cruise on the Rhine River, we stopped for the day in Arnhem, Holland. This was the site of a vicious WWII battle - Operation Market Garden - over a bridge there, where the Allies lost big time. We took a tour of the battle sites, museum & large Allied Cemetery there - very sobering. Our Avalon Waterways Cruise Ship was parked almost under the present bridge & it was kinda eerie sitting on the deck drinking a beer with it in our view.

While in HMV the other day, I purchased 'A Bridge Too Far' on Blu Ray for $8 that chronicles this story. This is an epic film from 1977 that includes a stellar ensemble cast of Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins, Laurence Olivier, Ryan O'Neal, Robert Redford, Liv Ullmann and more. 176 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: 5.1 DTS HD Master Lossless Audio.

This is a masterpiece that has been wonderfully remastered both video & sound - the surround sound track is no doubt far better than the original & is thankfully not over done in LFE. What I found to be most amazing is that the 'battle special effects' & 'flying sequences' were mostly all real - no CGI that can be so obvious in many battle type scenes. It must have cost a fortune to stage this stuff.

This is definitely a 'man's film' that is well worth watching.

More info here:

http://www.amazon.com/A-Bridge-Too-Far-Blu-ray/dp/B000WC39SG

TAM
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/06/13 01:45 AM
That is one of my favorite war movies, I saw it in a theater with my parents back in '77(?) when it was released.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/06/13 04:20 AM
I put it in my amazon shopping cart queue.

But I ordered Preditor 2 and Princess Ka'iulani instead today.
Posted By: sonicfox Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/06/13 04:51 PM
I've been hooked on the Jodi Arias case. True crime is disturbing and fascinating to me at the same time.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/13 06:09 PM
'WAR HORSE' has been discussed before & I finally got around to watching it last night. I'm not a horse person but I love being around them when the opportunity arises - simply magnificent beasts.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. The sequences in England both in the period villages & out in the country side were visually stunning. Furthermore, it was nice to have a cast of largely unknown actors (non Hollywood types) that did a great job of pulling this movie off. Spielberg is to congratulated for his choices here.

The WWI battle scenes are probably the best that I've ever seen portrayed on the screen. The battle sounds were brutally heavy & accurate easily shaking my house on my modest system. I was most impressed with my pair of rear QS4s that shouldered a huge load of persistent & continuous surround sounds. They sounded much bigger & fuller than they are.

Thankfully, closeups of blood & gore were absolutely minimal - way too much of that stuff these days.

I never look at the 'Bonus Features' of my discs; however, this movie moved me enough to watch them - most interesting & well worth taking the time to watch.

BTW, along with the human carnage, it is estimated that 10 million horses were killed in WWI - insane, shameful & mostly unnecessary...

TAM
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/13 06:57 PM
TAM, thanks so much for the post. I hadn't really put a high priority on seeing this movie until reading your review. I appreciate your time and thoughtfulness.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/13 11:37 PM
One thing that I forgot to mention about 'WAR HORSE' is the absolute minimal use of CGI throughout the movie.

In the 'Bonus Features' Spielberg mentions that it was only used sparingly in 3 sequences where horses or the cast might have been adversely affected if real special effects were used.

Nice touch IMHO...

TAM
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/11/13 02:55 AM
I enjoyed Oz the Great and Powerful in IMAX 3D in Spokane yesterday. The 3D seemed better than what I'd seen locally, though still with the eye strain. The audio was a lot of fun, too, with plenty of utilization of the surround channels. The movie itself was pretty decent. Not a home run, but more entertaining than I really thought it would be. I probably got more out of it since I'm a Sam Raimi fan, as there were nods to his previous work.

The Intouchables was a pleasant movie with well-drawn characters. It's nice to see their friendship develop.

I tried out the first episodes of Nashville and The New Normal, and I have to give them big fat NOs.

The Mindy Project, on the other hand, was better than I'd anticipated.

The Life & Times of Tim is hilarious so far. I started watching while visiting a friend, though, and now I'm at a standstill until I receive the seasons I ordered.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/11/13 07:50 PM
Thanks, Charles, for your efforts.

This one's for Tom:

'The Big Lebowski': Arriving To The Party 15 Years Too Late.

Worth it mainly for the tale of "Tay Duday".
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/11/13 08:57 PM
Very good! Thanks!

However, I must admit that - on the first viewing - my reaction was not unlike the author's. In a phenomenon that also applies to "Napoleon Dynamite" and other movies, repeated viewings revealed the joy and the genius for me. Once on an iPad is not enough to "get it".

We're watching and really enjoying both "Suits" and "The Americans".
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/11/13 09:12 PM
So you're telling me that I not only have to watch The Big Lebowski a first time, but multiple times after the fact?

I suppose that applies to most of the other movies you guys are always worked up over....like The Princess Bride?
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/11/13 09:13 PM
Yeah, I have to agree. Would like to hear his take on a second or third viewing on a big screen.
Posted By: INANE Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/12/13 02:39 AM
Originally Posted By: tomtuttle

We're watching and really enjoying both "Suits" and "The Americans".



Suites might be my favorite show currently on TV and The American's has been pretty decent so far. I think overall USA and FX have the best collection of TV shows going.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/18/13 01:49 AM
You find gems of video or audio in some of the most unexpected places. This time it's the audio quality of a mostly unknown movie called Beasts of the Southern Wild from 2012. I can't say much for the story, but the audio is excellent.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/18/13 01:51 AM
Mostly unknown? It was up for best picture.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/18/13 03:00 AM
Originally Posted By: Ken.C
Mostly unknown? It was up for best picture.


Wow your right. Se how quickly it's forgotten. LoL. Good sound, bad story. Sounds like a formula for best picture to me.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/18/13 04:25 AM
Sounds like a typical best picture nominee.
Posted By: INANE Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/18/13 04:42 AM
Taken 2

Not terrible but was pretty average.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/18/13 04:51 AM
Originally Posted By: jakewash
Sounds like a typical best picture nominee.


Out of the most recent crop of nominees, I saw Argo, Django Unchained, Life of Pi, and Silver Linings Playbook, and I thought they all had great stories.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/18/13 12:54 PM
Beasts of the southern wild is about a little black girl living with her dad. The poorest of the poor. Living off whatever food thy can find from the river and the land. Having to deal with an abusive dying father and her village flooding. Rejecting help, seeing them as the enemy.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/18/13 02:18 PM
You're right.

That DOES sound like a bad story.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/18/13 04:17 PM
Gladiator (extended cut) - Blu Ray.

Beautifully rendered video with a great sound track. I forgot how good Russel Crowe was in this epic film.

I like his stuff - especially when he was the bad guy in 3:10 to Yuma...

TAM
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/18/13 05:12 PM
Originally Posted By: CatBrat
Beasts of the southern wild is about a little black girl living with her dad. The poorest of the poor. Living off whatever food thy can find from the river and the land. Having to deal with an abusive dying father and her village flooding. Rejecting help, seeing them as the enemy.

Its a story about broken things in a broken place as seen through the eyes of a young girl. I found the story quite compelling in an odd way.
Posted By: dakkon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/19/13 01:14 AM
I've been watching the original A-team on Netflix streaming.. Nothing like watching the original shows.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/19/13 02:35 AM
Love it when a plan comes together.
Posted By: INANE Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/19/13 10:15 PM
Originally Posted By: dakkon
I've been watching the original A-team on Netflix streaming.. Nothing like watching the original shows.


+1

Done that myself
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/19/13 10:46 PM
I'm a bit behind but ordered the last of the Twilight series (wife favorite), Skyfall and The Grey.

The Grey was brutal. Wolves hunting people? I hope it made for a better fictional book.

Skyfall had its ups and downs. Awesome villain casting. Kind of thin for expectations on Bond gadgets and plot had holes. Felt like they were trying a different tact on a Bond film.

Haven't seen the last Twilight yet.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/22/13 02:22 PM
Changeling (2008)

Very good movie! It's funny, I was expecting it to be a movie about some changeling creature. Not that at all.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/22/13 02:42 PM
Perhaps it changed.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/24/13 12:17 AM
Zero Dark Thirty

I thought they did a good job. The cast is full of familiar faces. I wasn't expecting to see some of them. The audio is terrific. Sometimes I forget how great my system can sound, and then I'm reminded.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/24/13 07:00 AM
Red Dawn - pretty weak but really good sound. More ordinance expended than WWII.

I felt no empathy for the characters whatsoever...

TAM
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/24/13 07:05 AM
Skyfall.
Tweaking this morning helped some.
This movie didn't agree.
Most everything else has more depth.
Should have left the subs alone though.
Posted By: cb919 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/24/13 06:31 PM
Keeping in mind I was alone with my 3 kids this weekend, we watched the latest Muppet Movie with Jason Segel and Amy Adams. Honestly though, I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the muppets in the 80's. It was actually pretty funny - lots of jokes for the adults that sailed right over the kids heads - and the audio was one of the best I've heard in quite a while. Very clear and great bass heft to it - very well done. Plus the songs were just fun - e.g. Gonzo's chickens did Celo Green. laugh I thoroughly enjoyed this.

Cheers all,
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/24/13 06:50 PM
Dan, I was pleasantly surprised by that movie, too. I'm not a Jason Siegel fan, but I thought it was a nice little movie.

I've been enjoying the new series "The Americans" and "The Following".
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/25/13 01:37 AM
I liked that Muppet movie too.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/25/13 03:50 AM
Yes. Yes. My library is Muppet free...., well, almost. There's always Yoda.
Posted By: jakewash Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/25/13 04:44 AM
Finally got around to watching MIB3 on Saturday and then watched Wreck It Ralph with the kids. Both movies were funto watch and had good audio. Wreck It Ralph has some pretty good surround sound effects.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/25/13 10:43 AM
Watched Argo last night. Funny how much tension it created even though I knew the ending.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/25/13 11:27 AM
Originally Posted By: CV
Zero Dark Thirty
I thought they did a good job. The cast is full of familiar faces. I wasn't expecting to see some of them. The audio is terrific. Sometimes I forget how great my system can sound, and then I'm reminded.


Agreed, I found it a bit long but generally good. The sound quality did catch my attention as well. Most movies I don't even think about it anymore so it stood out to make me notice.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/25/13 11:34 AM
I enjoyed the Muppet Movie as well. It definitely was targeted at the original generation who grew up with it. You don't need to pull out the 'Kid Card' Dan. Sharon and I went to the theater for it as soon as it was released.

My favorite was the barbershop quartet rendition of "Smells Like Teen Spirit."
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/25/13 11:37 AM
Argo.
Once I was able to separate myself from all the controversy up here in Canada regarding the accusations of how Ben Affleck purposefully toned down the story of the levels of Canadian involvement, I was able to enjoy it as a good movie. Very enjoyable.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/25/13 02:16 PM
I'm planning Zero Dark Thirty tonight.

Although I can probably be considered the appropriate age to have seen the original Muppets, I never watched the show. I only knew a few of the characters, but still enjoyed it immensely.

Murph, Joyce wanted to see it in the theater too. We never made it, so I consoled her by buying the BD. I didn't really expect to enjoy it so much!
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/25/13 02:40 PM
Mark is an alien.
Posted By: nickbuol Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/25/13 02:59 PM
With SPring break for my middle-schooler 2 weeks ago and then for my college aged daughter last week, we saw a lot of movies.

Some of these were not first-time watchings for me.
Argo
Skyfall
Bourne Legacy
Wreck It Ralph
Les Miserables

I enjoyed all of them actually as did my family, which is rare since we have a lot of different tastes.

I am trying to get my wife to watch Zero Dark Thirty with me. I saw it in the theaters so I know that it is most about the build up to the raid than the raid itself.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/25/13 06:19 PM
Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
Funny how much tension it created even though I knew the ending.

Same thing happens when I stretch a rubber band too far on purpose.
Posted By: INANE Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/27/13 09:35 PM
We recently watched Wreck it Ralph with our kids. It ended up being a cute little story but all the video game references were great for someone like me.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/27/13 10:00 PM
Ditto, we watched it last weekend and enjoyed it as well.
Posted By: sidvicious02 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/28/13 03:43 PM
Watched a great hockey game last night, Habs v Bruins.... tonnes of goals, physical, comebacks, shootouts, etc. To top it off the right team won!!! smile
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/28/13 05:09 PM
Originally Posted By: sidvicious02
Watched a great hockey game last night, Habs v Bruins.... tonnes of goals, physical, comebacks, shootouts, etc. To top it off the right team won!!! smile


I missed it but it's always a great Game vs. Boston and yes, it was a good win!
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/28/13 05:20 PM
Bah HockeyBug.
Posted By: SBrown Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/28/13 05:54 PM
Just got back from the Joe Walsh/Bob Seger concert and it was just fantastic. Joe is such a funny man and he played a couple of his new songs along with some of his favorites...awesome.

Bob was very entertaining as well, with a new guy on lead guitar and what a player..wow. The saxophone player was also tremendous as well. I thought I really didn't care for BS but he had changed my mind by the time the show was over. All in all it was a great concert.

We also got a great deal on the Helijet ( half price)back to the Island, instead of taking a sky train and bus to the ferry and then an hour and thirty five minute ride on the ferry it took us thirty five minutes to get home.

Had an absolute blast!
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/28/13 05:59 PM
I'm watching everything that I can on my new Sony TV, ha!

Got it all tweaked up - actually not much required - it is really stunning on good material...

TAM
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/02/13 07:04 PM
This Kid.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/04/13 05:09 AM
Baby Mentalist

Maybe the best mentalist series so far.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/16/13 01:12 PM
From the 4-8-13 airing of Jeopardy!

"Bass and Vocals" for $800:



http://news.2112.net/2013/04/rush-referenced-on-tonights-jeopardy.html
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/16/13 01:28 PM
Who is... Journey?

No, no no. I got it. It's Europe, right? I mean who is Europe?

Whitesnake?
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/16/13 03:12 PM
Stabbity!
Stabbity!
Stabbity!!!
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/13 02:34 AM
Just finished watching Ted. Was better than I expected. Norah Jones was in it too. That was a pleasant surprise.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/13 02:40 AM
When I saw "Ted" in the theater there was a little kid sitting a few seats away from me. It made for many uncomfortable moments.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/13 11:06 AM
Ted is definitely an adult only movie. I didn't realize that when I put the disc in the player.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/13 12:59 PM
Ted made me laugh so hard I had an mild asthma attack.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/13 01:24 PM
Two weeks ago, my son's elementary school had a movie night. They showed Rise of the Guardians in the cafeteria. They cleared out the tables, and the kids camped out on the floor, amphitheater style, with blankets, sleeping bags, pillows and comfy chairs. Pajamas were the recommended attire. I helped run the popcorn machine. In my pajamas. It was a lot of fun.

That is, if you're not an audiophile or videophile. They projected the movie onto about a 20 foot screen by hooking up a laptop to a projector with prominent screen door effect and running the sound through a pair of 2-way Yamaha concert series speakers. Let me just say that, when we watched the same movie in my home theater the next week, I have never appreciated my set-up more. Plus, I still got to wear my pajamas.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/13 05:44 PM
I vote to make PJ's the attire of choice for all formal and casual settings.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/13 05:51 PM
Thanks, Totoro!
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/13 06:01 PM
Attending church in PJ's. (Sorry about size of picture)




Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/13 06:07 PM
Nice. I didn't know you were a 10 year old girl. The cat face paint and Hello Kitty t-shirt gave it away.

Kids, make sure you have your parents' or guardians' permission before going online.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/13 06:34 PM
Hey, now that "the Americans", "Bones" and "The Following" have all concluded for the season, what the hell am I supposed to watch?
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/13 06:35 PM
Originally Posted By: medic8r
Nice. I didn't know you were a 10 year old girl.

Here it is, folks: The first known case of a 10-year-old girl posing as a 60 year-old man on the internet.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/13 06:37 PM
I watched Silver Linings Playbook again last night, and it's still great.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/13 07:16 PM
Originally Posted By: tomtuttle
Hey, now that "the Americans", "Bones" and "The Following" have all concluded for the season, what the hell am I supposed to watch?

The Mariners?

Sorry about the Sonics block that Sacramento just pulled.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/06/13 02:27 AM
I went to see Iron Man 3 last night. It was a lot of fun, even if some aspects of it were an overreach and super-hokey. It was nevertheless a good time. I didn't know going in that it was co-written and directed by Shane Black. He wrote the original Lethal Weapon, The Long Kiss Goodnight, and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, among others. It comes through in the dialogue, as there are some fairly classic exchanges through the film.

For those who have watched it or don't care about vague spoilers:

Click to reveal..
It was nice to see Gwyneth Paltrow sporting some abs and other muscle tone. I remember her in an interview years back saying that one of these days she'd like to really work out and become a badass like Linda Hamilton did for Terminator 2. While she was always thin, she knew she was never physically fit, so it was nice to see she finally had her moment.
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/06/13 03:31 AM
Found Water World unopened last night. It was a cool moment as I eyed through my BluRays and there it was.
Was too burnt out to enjoy it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/12/13 10:28 AM
I'm re-watching Dream High because, yes, it was that good. Ha ha.

I also watched Jack Reacher. It was pretty good. Nothing mind-blowing, but satisfying for what it is, with some good audio. I have a bit of a crush on Rosamund Pike from her work in Pride & Prejudice, but she's good in this, too, sporting an American accent, along with another British actor from MI-5 (or Spooks).
Posted By: terzaghi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/12/13 01:59 PM
Watched Sinister last night... Creepy! I'd recommend it.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/16/13 07:40 PM
Will be watching the series finale of The Office tonight. Have enjoyed it and will be sad to see it go.

Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/16/13 07:48 PM
Going with a group of trekkies to watch the new Star Trek movie tomorrow.

May the force be... oh, wrong movie.

Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/18/13 07:14 AM
Into the Darkness was really good.
Not sure I'm a fan of 3d but there were memorable moments that I'll miss next time around.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/18/13 12:41 PM
I didn't go to see Into the Darkness like I had planned. The person that invited me changed plans, then I changed my plans, then she changed her plans back. But I stuck with mine anyway.

So. Later in the day, I ended up watching the 3d copy of Rise of the Guardians I had bought. I really liked the 3d effects in this one. It had really good visuals. Can't say the same for the story, but I'll watch it again.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/18/13 04:54 PM
We watched 'Zero Dark Thirty' last night. The first half hour was controversial in the US & was probably largely unnecessary; however, overall it was good, but long - 2:50 hours.

At -10Db, during the explosions inside the OBL's compound during the raid, I thought that our QS4s were going to come off the wall - brutal!! I don't know how the QS8s would have sounded, but the 4s were more than up to the task. The soundtrack was quite reminiscent of some of the scenes in 'Master & Commander' & 'U571'...

TAM
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/18/13 06:36 PM
I like my QS4's. I'm hoping QS8's will add some weight when needed but remain invisible during typical listening scenarios.
I've got a new installation sceme planned. Wish I'd bought a 9.1 reciever. It would make proving my theory easier.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/18/13 08:18 PM
QS8's make U571 sound like at least U578 and a half!
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/21/13 04:37 AM
Dredd - really loud, over-the-top gory & ugly. Thankfully only 1.5 hrs long...

TAM
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/13 12:28 PM
Watched Dark Shadows last night. I thought the first half of the movie was excellent. But the 2nd half just became too boring, and seemed too long at times.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/26/13 04:39 PM
It's Arrested Development on Netflix.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/26/13 04:46 PM
2013 Monaco Grand Prix.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/31/13 01:41 AM
Frankenweenie.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/02/13 05:33 PM
Now You See Me

It was entertaining. Parts of it were a little dumb, but overall it wasn't as dumb as I was fearing, so I was happy. Mélanie Laurent, who I only know from Inglourious Basterds, was good again. Jesse Eisenberg always makes me laugh. I'll probably buy it.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/02/13 08:21 PM
My wife's choice for a DVD rental this weekend was 'The Help'. It is based on a novel about race relations in the US South in the 1950s & 1960s.

Really interesting & uncomfortable subject matter that was quite well done, although it will not stress your HT system. Good test for the CC though as there is mostly dialogue. It's worth it just to see the fleet of period cars (tanks?) that show up throughout. Video upscaling from my Sony Blu Ray Player was stunning.

My choice was 'Argo' that we'll watch tonight, although I know that I'll be disappointed in the lack of credit (typical from Hollywood) that the Canadian Embassy Staff gets in the movie - at least according to President Carter who commented on that fact. He should know I guess...

TAM
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/04/13 05:42 PM
ARGO was a good movie that I enjoyed; however, as expected, it was a highly fictionalized story based on a historical event where the plot revolved around the CIA. Unfortunately, history has been rewritten for most people by this movie.

Interesting commentary here, especially down the page in the 'Historical Inaccuracies' section:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argo_(2012_film)

There were a lot of inaccuracies, but the chase scene on the runway (that never happened) was ridiculous - reminiscent of the foolish final chase scenes in latest 'The Flight of the Phoenix'.

Last night we watched Arnold in 'The Last Stand'. It was enjoyable enough, but as is the norm from Hollywood these days, the graphic, gory content again is way over the top. Gun culture remains alive & well & for me these never ending, war zone type shootouts on Main Street are getting quite tiresome...

TAM
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/10/13 04:37 AM
Premium Rush

More entertaining than it should have been, especially since I still have a problem with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Michael Shannon's face isn't pleasant, either. I guess bike messengers needed their movie, too.

Trouble with the Curve

Solid effort. It's always nice to see Clint Eastwood, even if his character is having trouble getting around.

The Greatest Love

Another romantic comedy Korean drama, and again, it's pretty fun. They've really perfected this genre of TV show.

I've also been watching some stand-up comedy specials. I finally picked up some more Patton Oswalt, an Aziz Ansari, a Donald Glover, and a Kristen Schaal. I like all of them.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/10/13 02:20 PM
I totally agree with your assessment of Premium Rush. A twitter friend recommended it, saying he didn't know exactly why it was so entertaining. When I say the trailer, I completely wrote it off, but am glad I took his work for it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/23/13 08:57 PM
I've seen This Is the End three times so far. Ha ha. I saw it last weekend with two of my work friends here in the Tri-Cities, and then I saw it two more times when I went to visit my sister in Lynnwood. She saw it both of those times with me, and my nephew went once. I hadn't been bowled over by previous Seth Rogen/Evan Goldberg work, so I was glad to see this one come together to be so entertaining. I'm sure it's even better if you followed the actors through the years starting with Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared, but that probably only accounts for 1% of the enjoyment. It was fun to watch them play exaggerated versions of themselves. James Franco isn't always the right choice for the roles he gets, but I have to say that him playing himself is a good thing. Michael Cera, while appearing only briefly, represented himself well. And I just can't get enough of Danny McBride. Jonah Hill had some great material, too. Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel do a great job of anchoring the whole thing. And hey, I liked Craig Robinson, too. Basically, I thought everyone brought their A-games. If you don't mind crude humor, you really don't want to miss this one.

I also went to Man of Steel last weekend. It was decent. Zack Snyder isn't my favorite director, and Russell Crowe has always bothered me, but I thought it was all right. I don't know what people were expecting. I was slightly predisposed to liking it despite Zack Snyder and Russell Crowe, simply because the actor who plays Superman has said in interviews how much he likes The Wheel of Time and Skyrim. Ha ha. I wish I had been able to watch Man of Steel in Lynnwood, though, since it was playing in Dolby Atmos there. No one there wanted to go, however.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/24/13 03:56 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
James Franco isn't always the right choice for the roles he gets, but I have to say that him playing himself is a good thing.


Speaking of which, if you haven't seen these episodes of "Acting with James Franco," you should:

Episode 1: "Sense Memory"
Episode 2: "Green Screen"
Episode 3: "Scene Work"
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/25/13 12:04 PM
Saw "World War Z" last night. It was better than I expected. I won't write a detailed analysis as it's one of those movies best enjoyed without knowing what to expect. I do recommend it though. I will just say that if you are worried that it's just another zombie, gore movie... It's not.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/25/13 04:31 PM
Rented 'Surrogates' BD with Bruce Willis.

We rather liked it. Decent story with some good sound moments...

TAM
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/29/13 05:24 PM
Went to Victoria for my daughter's birthday that included taking in the latest 3D StarTrek movie at a state-of-the-art Silver City Cinema. I've not been to a big theater for a while plus it was my first 3D experience.

Story Line - My wife & daughter are 'trekkies' & they both were impressed - better than expected. I enjoyed it also.

3D - It was OK - but I'm not sold. I found that there were a lot of visual anomalies - lens flares & reflections throughout the movie that were distracting to me. Furthermore, when a subject (talking head) is focused sharply on the screen, the background, & more annoyingly, objects in the foreground were often highly out of focus. The eye doesn't work that way outside of about 10'. That again was very distracting to me.

Sound - Huge sound stage of course; however, I found it overly loud & extremely harsh (hard, bright?), especially in the action scenes. Bass was pleasing & tactile but I thought that male dialogue was a bit too deep & chesty at times. It seemed to me that their sound system was being driven into compression especially in the high end. Afterwards, my hearing was affected for some time.

Anyway, it was interesting & mostly enjoyable. In my HT, I couldn't live with that volume (I normally use -10 Db) nor the harshness of the sound. I will rent the BD in 2D to see how that compares & I'll be looking for focus, reflections & comparing the sound of course...

TAM
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/30/13 09:12 PM
Stoker

I've been wanting to watch this for a while. I really like the director, and Emily Wells had a prominent song in the soundtrack (seen in a creepy music video with scenes from the movie here), so I was pretty excited.

I don't usually go for creepy movies, but even just visually, I knew it was going to be something to see, and it was. The composition of the shots and just the incredible detail will make you love your HDTV. The story... not really so much depth or impact, but it was a decent first attempt by Wentworth Miller. He doesn't seem to have any other writing credits, instead being known as an actor on Prison Break, which I've never seen. Such a strange project to come together.

Park Chan-wook, the director, made his biggest impact over here with Oldboy, part of his Vengeance Trilogy, of which I still need to watch the other two. If you ever want to watch a movie with a twisted storyline, it fits the bill. As for Stoker, the filmmaking itself has been honed and polished since then, but the story doesn't really compete. I look forward to working through more of his filmography.

Oh, and the audio was phenomenal, too. The main character is more sensitive to sounds than most people, so a lot of the little ambient sounds are louder than normal to reflect that. I would recommend the movie simply for the technical aspects.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/01/13 01:29 PM
Upside Down 3D

Good movie I thought. Quite imaginative and unique. A good blend of Drama, Fantasy and Romance. Not a lot of good 3D effects, but it did enhance in areas that needed it. Lots of good visuals in this movie.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/10/13 03:11 AM
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters 3D

I liked it. Some gore earned it a horror rating. The woman that was hard to kill in the 3rd X-men movie was a witch that was hard to kill in this movie. Her legacy lives on. The 3d effects were much better than most movies. Highly recommended.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/26/13 05:16 AM
42

I watched this the other night and thought it was pretty good. I didn't really know anything about Jackie Robinson, never having paid attention to sports.

House at the End of the Street

I'll admit I watched this one just because of Jennifer Lawrence. It was so-so. I'm not a big horror/thriller guy.

Evil Dead (2013)

I'd seen it in the theater, and it made me just as uncomfortable the second time around. The writing isn't the greatest, especially when it comes to the characters, but it serves its purpose well enough. The director knows how to craft a motion picture that gets under your skin. I'm glad the creepiness is offset a little bit by the end. Again, I'm not a big horror guy, but I thought they did a good job keeping you invested and revolted at the same time.
Posted By: Jeff_in_the_D Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/30/13 11:19 PM
Watched a concert from 2000 last night, The Corrs, live in London, if you enjoy traditional Irish music with a rock/pop flavour this Family based group is exceptional. Followed it up with an Alan Parker film, the Commitments, one of my favorite films of all time.
/Jeff
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/31/13 12:20 AM
Yeah, I've got one of their discs. They're fun.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/31/13 07:47 AM
I love The Commitments. Great film.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/09/13 05:22 PM
Rented a couple of Blu-Rays last weekend:

Oblivion - decent sci-fi with beautiful visuals - filmed in Iceland & in June Lake in the mtns of California. Audio was state of the art as well. I found that the story line was hard to follow, probably because I'm officially now a feeble minded Old Phart.

OZ - Probably the most colourful & beautiful movie that I've seen in a long time. My new Sony LCD just glowed happily throughout. Quite a good story after a slow start with some very startling audio effects. Well worth watching...

TAM
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/19/13 06:32 PM
I finally watched my copy of Samsara last night. Like Baraka, it's a stunning collection of images from around the world. You really feel like a stranger in a strange land when you take in some of these glimpses of culture, and it connects the dots in some unsettling ways when you see what goes into the products that feed our own culture. It's another good one to see.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/26/13 02:02 PM
Sharon has taken up Revenge on Netflix. At first I dismissed it but it's kind of fun to see the imaginative ways the main hotty character totally destroys someone's life every episode.
Posted By: ArthurC Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/26/13 04:22 PM
Watched the second chapter of House Of Cards last night. Liking Kevin Spacey as an actor.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/26/13 04:26 PM
Watched "At World's End" Saturday evening.

Normally I don't like movies with crude humor, but this one was an exceptionally good one.
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/27/13 12:09 AM
Vuelta a Espana. I like watching the pros punish themselves.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/21/13 08:17 PM
Caught up on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and The League. I watched the most recent episode of Breaking Bad two more times. Can't wait for the final two episodes.

Earlier in the week I watched the available episodes of Quick Draw on Hulu. I had just finished watching the three seasons of 10 Items or Less after my friend recommended it. While not in the top tier, there's some pretty funny stuff in it by the end. I started watching Quick Draw right after, not even realizing it was made by two of the creators of 10 Items or Less, one of them being the star of both. John Lehr. I do like him.

Excited about the new season of The Mindy Project, too. It's off to a good start.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/24/13 12:00 PM
OK, who else will admit to watching "Archer?"

Remember when you thought The Simpson's was crazy edgy for a cartoon, then South Park came along, then you thought they couldn't push the limits much more than Family Guy, then it all just kind of became normal and it pretty much lost it's edge.... Well, now you can feel guilty every time you laugh again.

Some clips for the gullible uninitiated. DEFINFATELY NSFW..... Unless you work with Bob.
Not your father's James Bond
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/24/13 12:19 PM
Funny... I'll have to put it into my TiVo. Hmmmm, looks like I'll have to delete videos of my crushes!
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/24/13 03:25 PM
Nooooooo!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/24/13 04:38 PM
Archer is great.
Posted By: a401classic Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/24/13 04:41 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
Archer is great.

+1
Posted By: ClubNeon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/27/13 07:56 AM
I've watched this a couple dozen times. It's only 2 seconds long, so that's easy to do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXovolK3YXg
Posted By: Jeff_in_the_D Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/04/13 01:29 AM
Peter Gabriel, Secret World, Live in Milan, just a great Concert!
/Jeff
Posted By: FireGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/13 08:12 PM
Picked up Star Trek "Into The Darkness" today (for Xmas), BR. Got the HT room to myself so it's going to be opened and enjoyed. Is it okay then to buy yourself a gift only to use it waaay early? Is that wrong?

Posted By: sonicfox Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/13 11:51 PM
I never watched Breaking Bad while it aired, so I decided to see what the hype was about since it's available on Netflix now. After the first episode, I had to watch a few more...followed by a few more the next day, a couple more after that, etc. I think I get it now! grin
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/13 11:54 PM
Originally Posted By: sonicfox
I never watched Breaking Bad while it aired, so I decided to see what the hype was about since it's available on Netflix now. After the first episode, I had to watch a few more...followed by a few more the next day, a couple more after that, etc. I think I get it now! grin


Welcome to the cult.
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/01/13 03:42 PM
I finally had a music / afternoon night and I watched a couple of blurays

First up was:
Crossroads 2013



As usual this was a great watch/listen to some old and new blues (4-1/2 hours of blues). One highlight for me was the Allman Bros. playing Whipping Post. Keith Richards also makes an appearance and even though I don't care for the Stones, Keith held up well. Some new kids on the block or for me guys I've never heard of before that impressed were:
Andy Fairweather Low
Doyle Bramhall II
Gary Clark Jr
Quinn Sullivan (looks like a teenager)

So after 4-1/2 hours of blues I switched over to...RUSH





This is the bluray for the Clockwork Angels Tour filmed in Dallas (3 hours). As always another great show for the RUSH men.

The LFR's handled both of these with relative ease.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/01/13 05:08 PM
Very cool, Mel. Wish I'd been there.

How come there are six discs in the Rush package?
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/01/13 08:54 PM
Originally Posted By: tomtuttle
How come there are six discs in the Rush package?


3 CD's
2 DVD's
1 Bluray

You were here here in spirit Tom
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/01/13 09:05 PM
We're going to watch Planes again.
Yesterdays video night was incredible.
Love the panning, and realistic drones as they flew around.
For a kids movie it had a lot more adult moments (well written for kids) than I had expected.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/13 01:07 AM
I went through the first two seasons of Scandal recently based on a friend's recommendation. It was all right. It's guilty of trying too hard a lot, and there's a ton of every character giving passionate speeches to other characters. That gets a little wearying. Despite that, it is overall entertaining. Not one I would recommend to others, but I don't feel like I wasted my time. If nothing else, Kerry Washington has a really good face. It was nice to see her in something since I'd only ever seen her in Django Unchained.

I also watched the first season of The Newsroom since it finally dropped in price. I have a love/hate relationship with Aaron Sorkin's work. I always liked A Few Good Men, have more recently liked The Social Network and Moneyball, but I couldn't get into The West Wing. I know I tried Sports Night way back, but I had trouble getting into that one, too. In any case, I'm liking The Newsroom so far. I don't stay up on the news or politics, so I may be more open than most to the angle of the content. For someone as uninformed as myself, it seems to do a good job of not having an agenda beyond getting people talking and thinking more deeply about the system we find ourselves a part of. Or at least I would do more of that if there weren't other shows to catch up on. I'm part of the problem.

And now I'm finally watching the second season of Homeland. I liked the first season more than I thought I would, so I was getting a little antsy about hearing what happens in season two before being able to watch it myself. Thankfully, I never heard anything, and season two recently dropped in price, so here I go.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/13 01:32 PM
AAAAAGHHH, I didn't know the Rush Clockwork Angels tour was out yet.

Must..... <running to the mall> find..... <arms flailing wildly> Santa....
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/13 03:14 PM
laugh laugh laugh laugh laugh
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/02/13 10:24 PM
Originally Posted By: onn
Originally Posted By: tomtuttle
How come there are six discs in the Rush package?


3 CD's
2 DVD's
1 Bluray

You were here here in spirit Tom

onn, are you in the Rush Backstage Club? Looks like you got yourself a limited edition deluxe package there.

http://www.rushisaband.com/blog/2013/10/...-deluxe-package
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/13 12:48 AM
Originally Posted By: medic8r
onn, are you in the Rush Backstage Club? Looks like you got yourself a limited edition deluxe package there.

http://www.rushisaband.com/blog/2013/10/...-deluxe-package


Yes I am, but isn't everyone?
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/13 04:24 PM
I just finished watching the History Channel's "Vikings", season one on blue ray.

Excellent in all respects. I believe it to be historically accurate, but yet still entertaining. Not a show for young children, as it does have violent moments. Excellent story, writing, characters, setting. The video and audio of the disks was very good as well.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/13 05:59 PM
After seeing snippets of Thelma & Louise (1991) while channel surfing the other night, I had to rent it as I hadn't seen it in over 20 years. What interested me as much as the story was where it was filmed - much of it around Moab, Utah.

I've been including Moab (was just there again in Sep) in my annual Desert SW road trips for years. It was great to see the locales - Arches NP, Canyonlands NP & Deadhorse Point State Park - that I'm so familiar with & luv so much. I've been under the cliff where they shot 2 Thunderbirds into the canyon below onto the bank of the Colorado River in Dead Horse SP - not The Grand Canyon where the girls thought they were going to meet their end. Launching 2 cars off the cliff was a lot of effort for about a 10 second shot at the movie's end.

Some cool info here to see & read. We picnic up on the cliff where the photo of the Colorado River below was taken. Watch your step, ha! We've also done the dirt road down in the valley that was most interesting & challenging for my CUV - not for the faint of heart - but a great way to spend half a day:

http://news.moviefone.com/2010/09/29/famous-movie-locations-the-cliff-in-thelma-and-louise-moab-ut/

Sound was 5.1 & was really quite good - probably remastered I would think. Nice nostalgic movie in a beautiful part of the world....

TAM
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/13 06:17 PM
Further to my last - scroll down the page linked above to see the 'Alternate Ending'.

I think that the original probably ended it more tastefully...

TAM
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/13 06:55 PM
Some boring pics of our Sep trip that included the Moab area with my wife, daughter & self.

We drove 7535 Kms (4675 miles) & made it as far south as Tombstone, AZ.

Moab pics:

















TAM
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/13 09:51 PM
Wonderful! What beautiful pictures!

I've always wanted to spend some time in the Southwest. I mean, I've criss-crossed AZ and NV a few times, but never taken time to see the picturesque holes in the ground.

Really seems like a different planet compared to the Pacific Northwest, eh?
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/03/13 11:18 PM
Yup. I get tired of too many people & green all of the time. I need to get a 'desert fix' every year if I can, & drive the lonely roads down there where you are essentially alone. It's also nice to have sunshine 90% of the time vice the gloomy winters that we have up here, although this fall has been amazingly dry & bright.

Besides, all of the gigantic trees out here get in the way of the view as well as block my car's sat radio reception, ha!

TAM

Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/13 06:37 AM
The Wolverine

It wasn't bad. The premise probably should have made it more interesting than it was. A lot of it was pretty cool-looking, but yeah, it's hard not to want more out of the story. Still, the audio was a lot of fun, so if you simply want to give your system a workout, this is a good one. Plenty of surround information throughout.

The World's End

I like these guys. But I don't like them as much as some other people do. I always find the antagonists in the movies lacking, and the personal journeys the characters go on a little forced, but of course that's okay since they're likable. I just find myself a little bored between when they're being funny.
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/13 07:20 AM
Ok...There's no short way to say this.
I'm watching Star Trek (2009) on my new screen, new PJ in 5.1 with 3 subs (all with the cross over dials turned to their minimums).
My M80's are up front (phantom center), QS8's at 87.5°(in line with my knees, never moved) and my former center (haven't moved from my previous 7.1 location, not 1 inch) as the single rear surround(+3.5 @ 11').
This while I wait...
Its good enough I might just leave well enough alone...
but you know me better than that.
Posted By: sonicfox Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/13 05:20 PM
I bought a few of these Coen Brothers blu-ray sets as Christmas gifts for people, so I decided to catch up on watching a few of their movies myself. The movies in this set are older, but every bit just as good as their newer ones. I highly recommend watching them if you haven't already.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/13 07:17 PM
I bought the set a while back, but I still haven't watched Miller's Crossing or Blood Simple. I need to get on that. I'm behind on everything!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/04/14 10:20 AM
I decided to watch Hannibal since it was on Amazon.com Prime. Very well-written, and not at all uplifting. I liked it enough that I'll buy the Blu-rays.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/04/14 01:26 PM
Orphan Black is my new guilty pleasure. It's not going to be an all time favorite of mine but enough happens in a pretty quick pace to keep your interest going for sure. Tatiana Maslany does an excellent job of playing a half a dozen very diverse roles as all the clones in the same show. Street punk, soccer mom, artsy student, psychotic Russian sociopath, you name it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/05/14 09:59 AM
Pussy Riot on The Colbert Report was pretty great. Nadya had some quick, clever responses to Stephen Colbert's questions. The miracle is that I noticed that despite falling in love with her face.

Archer is still making me laugh.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/05/14 12:37 PM
Lake Street Dive will be on Colbert tonight!
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/05/14 03:40 PM
Drywall dust settle.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/05/14 03:48 PM
Carolina whipping the Terps. Of course, the curmudgeon side of me says.......I don't even know who all is in the ACC anymore. Why, in my day there were eight teams and, you know, they were all roughly on the Atlantic Coast. NOT Today! No, NOT Today! I thought Indiana was the "heartland"........

Ok I feel better now.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/05/14 06:20 PM
I hear ya. I grew up in northeast Georgia, roughly equidistant from Georgia Tech and Clemson. Used to be that was considered the southern tip of the conference. Almost went to Duke for my undergrad but enjoyed my visit to Notre Dame a whole lot more and arrived there the same fall that Lou Holtz did. Good times with him and Digger on the sidelines.

Now that Mike Brey has us a semi-respectable hoops program again, I look forward to seeing more events in person now that Notre Dame is in the ACC. I'm about 45 minutes from UVa. I'm with ya, though, one has to suspend his geographical disbelief with the new ACC.

We've had a rough season, but at least we beat Duke (men's and women's). Looks like your Heels are the next visitors to South Bend. Could be interesting.
Posted By: Argon Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/05/14 09:27 PM
Last night they were showing some replays of Len Bias making the Tar Heels look like a high school team. As big a Tar Heel fans we all were, every body that I knew liked and respected Lefty Drisell. Sure hated to see him lose his job over Bias's youthful misjudgements.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/14/14 06:36 PM
Rented 'Ender's Game' Blu Ray last night.

Quite a 'different' story line - half way thru, my wife (big sci-fi fan) remarked that she wasn't enjoying it. She warmed up to it after that.

Stunning visually with some nice shots of BC mountains. Even with my modest system, it rattled & pulsed something in the left side of our room almost to destruction on several occasions - our cats didn't appreciate it, ha!

Good review here:

http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/o...ray-review.html

TAM
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/16/14 04:57 AM
Originally Posted By: exlabdriver
Rented 'Ender's Game' Blu Ray last night.


I saw it in the theater and did end up buying the Blu-ray. I was hoping for more, since I liked the book so much. I think it mainly needed better directing. Sure, some of the writing could have been improved, but mostly a lot of the moments fell flat because they weren't handled well. It still had its moments, and I did like the look of a lot of the film.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/16/14 10:48 PM
Working my way through season 2 of House of Cards on Netflix. The lead singer from Lake Street Dive sings the national anthem in a scene in episode 6.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/17/14 01:14 PM
Mark hasn't sat back down or taken his hand of his heart since.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/17/14 05:41 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
Originally Posted By: exlabdriver
Rented 'Ender's Game' Blu Ray last night.


I saw it in the theater and did end up buying the Blu-ray. I was hoping for more, since I liked the book so much. I think it mainly needed better directing. Sure, some of the writing could have been improved, but mostly a lot of the moments fell flat because they weren't handled well. It still had its moments, and I did like the look of a lot of the film.

That's a tough book to recreate on the big screen. I watched it the other night. I give them an A for effort, but really, it did not convey the intent of the book very well.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/17/14 05:46 PM
What's the best Sean Connery Bond movie? Rented Moonraker to watch with my son the other day because, well, Jaws, but I'd love to revisit Connery as Bond without watching the whole series.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/21/14 09:38 PM
Seasin three of BBC's Sherlock on bluray. It's as good as the first two seasons. This has to be my all time favorite show. It moves so fast, and is so clever that I can not be drinking when I watch it or I miss details.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/02/14 07:49 AM
I'll keep watching Sherlock if they keep making it.

The Lego Movie was really good. I mean, nothing profound story-wise, but there were plenty of inspired touches for what it was, and the visuals were inventive and fun. It'll be fun at home, too. And yes, I went to see it with four of my adult friends and no kids.

I'm trying out Bates Motel even though I've never seen Psycho. It's all right so far, but I'm not seeing why several people I know are in love with it. I'll keep watching, though, since I know a lot of shows are a slow burn.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/02/14 06:53 PM
I had read an article that indicated the Sherlock series will continue on through season 5, but season 4 will not be out for at least two years. I suspect that with the two main characters getting to be so famous and in high demand, BBC will not be able to afford them...

Season II of the Vikings started... I really like this series. The first episode started out with a hell of a kick return.

A friend of mine (who shares a similar taste for scary movies as I do) came over last night to watch The Conjuring. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it was done. I definite thumbs up for those who like scary movies that are not just stupid and gimmicky with lots of blood and gore.

Oh, and if you like British humor, BBC's Mrs Brown's Boys is hilarious. Watch this clip for a good example....... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqIEZCRjR_A

A buddy of mine threw a rib out laughing at some of the Youtube clips I showed him of this series.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/02/14 07:06 PM
Thor (Blu Ray) - the latest one. OK comic book escapism with some good room shaking...

TAM
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/03/14 03:45 PM
I watched Thor Dark World yesterday as well. A lot of couch time this weekend as I was down with a horrid cold. I agree, really well done if you like Marvel comics or just like fantasy & sci-fi mash ups. Definitely lots of room shaking. A LOT !

I also tried catching up on Sherlock but I found cold meds are not conducive to watching Sherlock. You need a clear head for that show.

Instead, I kept on the BBC theme and started into season 2 of Luthor. It's not brilliant but it keeps my interest. Funny, I didn't realize Idris Alba also played Heimdall in Thor until I watched #2.

Mrs. Brown's Boys is indeed HILARIOUS! Some times so much so that the actors can't keep a straight face. Although I think they might be playing that up a bit for the camera now. Though to be fair, I know I would have trouble keeping a straight face.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/07/14 05:20 PM
GI Joe - Retaliation:

Another silly 'action' flic that was mostly enjoyable. This one is filled with unrelenting LFE plus way more surround content than is the norm. Again more ordnance expended than WW2.

This one really gives your HT a workout. Decent review here:

http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/o...ray-review.html

TAM
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/14/14 12:38 AM
Besides going to Captain America: The Winter Soldier last Friday, which I really liked, I also went to The Grand Budapest Hotel last Saturday. I also really liked it. Wes Anderson was losing me for a little while, until he did Fantastic Mr. Fox and Moonrise Kingdom, both of which I really enjoyed. I'm glad he's still got his momentum, as this is another solid effort. It may have helped that I got to go with a really hot woman. I didn't have any other local friends who wanted to go see it, and it just kind of worked out.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/14/14 12:50 AM
Oh, and I've been watching some stand-up lately. Louis C.K. may always be at the top of my list, but I have other favorites, too.

Dave Attell just put out his new special, Road Work, and it's great stuff if you like completely over-the-top horribleness. I'm liking this $5 per special thing they have going.

I also picked up Patton Oswalt's new special, after I'd forgotten about it coming out. He doesn't disappoint.

What started me paying attention again was Todd Barry's new special, The Crowd Work Tour. He did an entire tour with no prepared material, instead engaging with the audience to inform and sustain each performance. It's a great thing to watch, and well worth $5.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/14/14 04:08 AM
Have you seen/heard Hannibal Buress? His recent standup show on Comedy Central was pretty good.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/14/14 04:45 AM
MAD MEN!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/14/14 05:09 AM
Originally Posted By: medic8r
Have you seen/heard Hannibal Buress? His recent standup show on Comedy Central was pretty good.


I haven't checked him out yet. He'd better blow me away.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/14/14 05:10 AM
Originally Posted By: tomtuttle
MAD MEN!


Can't wait! But I'll always be a day behind.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/14/14 07:29 PM
Watched "Captain Phillips" finally. Meh. I knew beforehand the story was "somewhat" inaccurate but it seemed to move painfully slow. Tom Hanks is an incredibly talented actor, but this isn't the first movie of his, imo, that just feels too long and drawn out.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/15/14 11:45 AM
Agreed Adrian. It could have used some additional editing.

In comparison though, it was not as bad as "All is Lost". 110 minutes of Robert Redford all by himself in a sinking boat with only two lines the whole movie (a mayday and one F-bomb,) should not have been considered feasible no matter how talented the actor.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/29/14 09:54 PM
I don't usually watch movies or documentaries about the Nazi party (their cruelty and lack of humanity make me feel sick and despondent and, well, angry). With some trepidation we decided to watch Goering's Last Secret on Netflix last night and was pleasantly surprised to see it was not about Hermann Goering, but about his brother Albert. Without spoiling the documentary for anyone, Albert Goering was the antithesis of his brother or the members of the Nazi party.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/30/14 04:47 AM
Sounds like an interesting one, Adrian. I may have to check that one out.

I just finished another Korean drama last night. My Love From Another Star, as it's called on Hulu. Parts of it were a little slow for me, but the main actress is hilarious. Hopefully I'll see her in some more stuff.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/10/14 08:11 AM
One more Korean drama down. Let's Eat. Lighter fare than some of the others, but still thoughtful with the details. As you'd imagine by the title, there's plenty of eating involved. The close-ups of them chewing and savoring the food accompanied by spare cello music (usually) is pretty great. The auditions for the series had to be entertaining, since those close-up shots are such a prominent part of the show. Ha ha. Solid story revolving around budding friendships. It's mostly sweet and funny, but it does have its drama as well.

Just started another one that my sister recommended called 2 Weeks, so we'll see how it goes. It seems to be more straight up intense drama as opposed to being funny.

I also started re-watching Ranma 1/2 since it just started coming out on Blu-ray. It was my introduction to anime, and I couldn't have asked for a better one. I originally watched the dub, and the English-language voice actors were actually pretty good, and for several of the roles I'm still partial to them. As I re-watch, however, I'm watching in Japanese, sub-titled, because after several seasons of the male voice of Ranma being done by Sarah Strange, who did an incredible job, they switched voice actors, AND I CAN'T STAND THE DIFFERENT VOICE. The Japanese voice doesn't grate on me, so I'll just watch it all in Japanese this time around.

Like a lot of shows from an earlier era, there's an earnestness and innocence to the writing. I think that's probably one the reasons the Korean dramas I've been watching have seemed so refreshing. They haven't been doing it as long as we have, so they're not as self-referential and smartypants.

True, Ranma 1/2 loses itself to formula as the series progresses, and it stopped being made well before it could be concluded, but I still have a great love for the beginning of the series, and the potential it showed me in anime. It wasn't like anything I'd seen, and even now that I've seen quite a lot more of the artform, I'm still impressed by a lot of the creativity in the characters, the storylines, and the animation itself.

I'm not enjoying the second season of Hannibal as much as the first, but it's aight.

Fargo (FX series) is engaging enough so far. I'm eager to see where it goes.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/10/14 03:26 PM
CV, you are one of the great providers of content here, with quality and frequency as well. Everyone here should thank you for that, and I DO mean it.

OK, now that the nice stuff is outta the way...

Whenever I log on in the morning and I see a bunch of as-yet-unanswered posts that are by the same forum member (as opposed to those multi posts by "new" members with alpha-numeric, case-changing "bot" names that are shilling for golf clubs), I'm beginning to feel that, much like Murph, you are spending too much time here---alone.

If you are OK, great! If, like Murph, you are not, you really should tell someone. And DON'T go to JP! He cannot help normal people with normal problems. He works in a state facility and sees only complete loonies all day long!

If, however, some day you are planning on going out the door to work right after using a "fatty" black marker to draw "plus" signs all over your face neck, hands and arms, and genitalia, then, of course, he's your guy.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/10/14 03:57 PM
Great stuff, as always, Bob.

Originally Posted By: BobKay
If you are OK, great!


I thought the point is that none of us are OK, but that we should try to be OK with not being OK.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/10/14 04:30 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
Great stuff, as always, Bob.

Originally Posted By: BobKay
If you are OK, great!


I thought the point is that none of us are OK, but that we should try to be OK with not being OK.


I'm OK with that.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/10/14 05:16 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
Great stuff, as always, Bob.

Originally Posted By: BobKay
If you are OK, great!


I thought the point is that none of us are OK, but that we should try to be OK with not being OK.


You know, it's thinking like that that'll put psychiatry outta business. Now that's OK if it affects JP and tens of thousands of his kind, but it better not lay a finger on MY shrink(s). If that ever happens, you'll think that I used to be sweet. .....and I'm never, ever goin' back to that big building to live with all of those other people again! This time, I know how to stop them from forcing me to go there.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/10/14 05:36 PM
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/10/14 08:24 PM
Remember the Book I'm OK, You're OK? BALDERDASH! My position is.....I'm not OK, You're not OK, But that's OK. crazy
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/10/14 08:41 PM
Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention I watched Neighbors yesterday, and I liked it a lot. When Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen revitalized the raunchy comedy genre, it didn't take all that long to stagnate. I'm happy to find there's still life in it.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/12/14 04:30 PM
Last night on AXS TV (I get it through DirecTV) I watched All My Friends: Celebrating The Songs & Voice Of Gregg Allman.

The first time I came upon it, the first person I saw take the stage was Pat Monahan (That Guy From Train), which made me physically shudder. Much to my surprise, he did a very cool and respectful version of "Queen of Hearts" and I was just hooked.

This was a wonderful concert held earlier this year in Atlanta. It features many great artists and familiar songs. Cinematography and sound seemed much better than average. I'm thinking of picking up the CD/DVD.

I don't usually really care for "tribute" shows, but this one was something special. Highly recommended.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/12/14 04:59 PM
Bob, are you OK?
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/12/14 05:06 PM
Thanks, Tom. I put it in my basket!
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/12/14 06:37 PM
Next to the lotion he rubs on his skin.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/12/14 06:51 PM
Xanadu
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/12/14 07:02 PM
That's an odd name for a lotion.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/12/14 07:35 PM
Not really, it's made with honeydew and takes you to paradise. At least that's what I get from the Rush song they used in the ad campaign.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/12/14 09:09 PM
For lotions, I prefer Working Man over Xanadu. Although a little Red Barchetta behind the ears is nice too.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/13/14 12:33 AM
The only problem with Xanadu is that you have to wear roller skates.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/13/14 01:08 AM
Hey, it's better than Roll the Bones. That one just smells really dated.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/13/14 04:25 AM
I received for my birthday the 'Ironman Trilogy' BluRay set.

We watched 1 & 2 last weekend. The soundtrack of #2 was far more dynamic & brutal than #1. It really shook my couch & the video quality in both was superb.

Fun to watch as well...

TAM
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/13/14 04:08 PM
Just watched the premier of Penney Dreadful on Showtime last night. Wow, I was not expecting it to be this good. If you liked the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, but thought it needed better writing, acting and so forth, but really liked the idea, then you’ll love this mini-series. Well, you’ll love the first episode at any rate. Hopefully the following episodes will be equally good.

And if you were thinking about buying the new Hercules, don’t. It sucks horribly. $20 and 1.5 hours of my life wasted.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/15/14 06:33 AM
That's good to know about Penny Dreadful. The promos I saw didn't make me want to watch it, but I was hoping it was one of those where the actual show was better than the ads.

I'm still enjoying Mad Men and Louie.

I've stuck with Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but I don't really know why. I know other friends who have grown to like it as they got further into the story arc, but it's hard for me to forgive how much of it simply hasn't engaged me. Not that it doesn't have moments, but I had higher expectations. Here's hoping they fumble less in the second season.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/15/14 04:18 PM
We went to the movies to see the latest 'Captain America' in 3-D in Victoria, BC. Thankfully the sound track was not as harsh & brittle sounding as the last 'Star Wars' that we saw a while ago in the same theater.

The movie was enjoyable; however, the over use of firearms in many action movies these days is becoming quite tiresome - at least for me. Ridiculous actually - no wonder there is a gun culture out there.

Again, I'm not sold on 3-D, at least in theaters. In fast moving, acrobatic scenes there seems to be dropped frames. Furthermore, my biggest complaint is that foreground subjects are clearly in focus while anything in the background is nothing but a blur. I don't see that as much in 2-D movies.

On top of that, after 2 hours with the 3-D glasses perched on my snout, I developed a headache that quickly went away while walking to our car.

I look forward to seeing it at home on Blu Ray in 2-D...

TAM
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/16/14 02:16 PM
I'm typically not a big fan of 3-D either. For most movies it feels like an afterthought. I will say that it worked pretty well in the latest Amazing Spider-Man though. I actually enjoyed the 3-d in that one instead of wishing I had my 3 extra dollars back.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/19/14 07:34 AM
Godzilla

I don't think I ever watched a Godzilla movie all of the way through, but if I did, I was too young to remember. Of course you're always going to be exposed to references to movie icons of this stature, but I'm simply clarifying that I'm not an expert on the material. I enjoyed it. I'll admit I got bored at times, waiting for the next bit of forward momentum, but overall, it seemed fairly creative and decently conceived, and the spectacle of the gargantuan creature didn't disappoint. There's no doubt it's going to be one of the great subwoofer test discs. The theater I went to couldn't keep up with what it was being asked to do. It'll be fun to watch it again at home.

I also watched the fourth and final season of Eastbound & Down over the weekend. If you can stomach Danny McBride and the vulgarity he brings, it's really a unique piece of television. I can't think of any other show with quite the same feel. I'm pretty happy with the writing throughout the whole series, and where they ended up taking it. And I think I said it before, but I have to give a special mention to the music choices. It's a definite part of what makes it feel so different.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/19/14 06:31 PM
I came across a Blu Ray gem at HMV in Victoria last week & just started watching it last night. I've been waiting for one of my favourite movies, 'Gettysburg', to be remastered onto Blu Ray as the last time I saw it was on my VHS Player years ago. This '150th Commemorative Of The Civil War' version comes with a second disc of 'Special Features' plus a wonderful 48 page book that chronicles the history of the battle & the making of the film. Over 5000 Civil War Reenactors were involved so it is a film on a grand scale with thankfully little or no CGI that I could see.

It is over 4 hours long - on 1 disc yet - & I'm about 1.5 hours into it so far. The remastering of this 1993 epic is generally visually excellent & the sound track is awesome when contrasted to what I remember from the VHS version. Cannons & muskets hit with authority & the musical score is superb.

Those who are used to the constant fast pace of the present genre of action flics, might find this one to be slow at times; however, Civil War buffs like me will be thoroughly engaged by this grand film. This fine Blu Ray is a keeper, at least for me...

TAM
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/23/14 06:29 AM
Finally trying out The Sopranos since it's on Amazon Prime Video now. Not bad so far.

I was hoping they would have The Wire in HD, too, but it's only SD. I guess they still haven't remastered for a potential Blu-ray release. I have the DVDs, too, so I can always re-watch the series that way, but I got excited for potentially seeing it in HD.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/23/14 05:27 PM
If you don't like the Sopranos, we can't be friends.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/23/14 11:42 PM
I had JUST started watching "Deadwood" via Netflix discs and I saw Amazon's announcement they added HBO programming. Pretty stoked.

Been wanting to watch "Sopranos" for quite some time.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/14 04:28 AM
Originally Posted By: tomtuttle
If you don't like the Sopranos, we can't be friends.


I'm liking it so far. About 2/3 of the way through the third episode. I would have been further, but my internet connection was giving me grief last night. I think it was sympathy pain for Chris's computer.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/14 07:11 AM
We started over tonight. I was a little surprised how dense even the pilot was.
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/14 01:09 PM
Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
I had JUST started watching "Deadwood" via Netflix discs and I saw Amazon's announcement they added HBO programming. Pretty stoked.

Been wanting to watch "Sopranos" for quite some time.




Ian Mcshane is freaking incredible in deadwood. The bad guy you hate and love at the same time. Great dialogue! Love it.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/14 02:15 PM
Originally Posted By: Serenity_Now
Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
I had JUST started watching "Deadwood" via Netflix discs and I saw Amazon's announcement they added HBO programming. Pretty stoked.

Been wanting to watch "Sopranos" for quite some time.




Ian Mcshane is freaking incredible in deadwood. The bad guy you hate and love at the same time. Great dialogue! Love it.


Totally agree! Ian Mcshane does a great job. Love characters like that, so much better than a plain "bad guy."

It took a bit to adjust to the dialogue, but once you key in on it, it's very well written.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/14 05:09 PM
I finished watching the last hour of 'Gettysburg' Blu Ray last night.

The final battle scene was brutally realistic & extraordinarily well filmed. The sequential firing of a long line of cannons was breathtaking that would be really imposing on bigger HT gear. It certainly spoke with authority on my modest system - very impressive both visually & aurally.

The final charge of General Lee's Confederates across open fields into the Federal fortified lines was brutal to watch. This film essentially captured the complete insanity of it all - 53000 casualties in a couple of days.

For me, the cast of thousands of Re-enactors were really the stars of this movie. They were simply outstanding in portraying the nature of the battlefield in those days...

TAM
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/24/14 09:23 PM
Watched Olympus has Fallen and would totally disagree with the bad reviews.
I liked it, a lot, and will be purchasing it for my once a year collection.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/25/14 12:35 AM
X-Men: Days of Future Past

Decent. Some good moments, but overall not sure if I loved the story enough. Still liked it better than First Class.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/25/14 05:58 PM
Further to my last on 'Gettysburg' - I guess that my neighbour was 'enjoying' the final battle scene as well in his house next door - & he is quite deaf, ha!

TAM
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/27/14 05:10 PM
This 3 day weekend, I watched the 1st 4 disks and part of disc 5, out of 7 discs, of Season 1 of Lost.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/28/14 08:58 AM
Fargo and Louie have been good, and Mad Men's mid-season finale was satisfying.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/07/14 05:14 PM
Watched the new 'RoboCop' Blu Ray last night.

Quite enjoyable but the audio seemed to be recorded at a higher level than most movies lately. Turned it down from my normal -10 Db to -15 Db...

Review here:

http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/o...ray-review.html

TAM
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/07/14 07:16 PM
Filled the seats last night watching Prometheus.
Loved it and the references to the other Alien movies.
With exception to the popcorn chomping at the start it was probably the best sounding /enveloping movie I've watched at home to date. In 5.1!
Focus on my PJ was perfect too, which always helps.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/09/14 03:03 AM
The audio on the Lone Survivor Blu-ray is satisfying.

I went to see Edge of Tomorrow with my sister, her husband, and their son last night. It was a decent summer popcorn movie. I wasn't all that interested until I heard the narrative structure was inspired by video games, that it was basically a sci-fi Groundhog Day, and that it was directed by Doug Liman of The Bourne Identity renown. Well, all of that, and I like Emily Blunt. There's nothing deep about the story, but the general premise is enough to entertain. I'd be interested in reading the book it's based on simply to see how different it is, since the screenplay went through so many rewrites.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/09/14 03:09 AM
I dusted off my Blu Ray of 'Super 8' last night.

I had forgotten how dynamic & scary the soundtrack was, even at -10 Db. Very pleasing & a darn good movie as well...

TAM
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/09/14 09:33 AM
I watched Love Boat reruns.
Posted By: MMM Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/09/14 12:03 PM
All I got to watch was paint dry in my bathroom.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/09/14 04:20 PM
How was the sound?...

TAM
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/09/14 04:34 PM
New season of "Orange is the New Black" is very good, IMO.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/10/14 04:57 PM
Watching the entire 6 seasons of Lost on blu-ray. Just finished season 2. Have yet to buy seasons 3, 5, 6. (4 was on sale for $12, so bought it first.)
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/10/14 09:01 PM
It's all downhill now....
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/19/14 06:39 AM
I was happy with the whole season of Fargo. They took it in some interesting directions, and it was put together well. But where do they go from here?

Oh, and I watched True Detective. I liked it, but it's pretty dark, and it doesn't feel like the story is going anywhere until towards the end. But I liked the writing enough that I'm excited to see what Nic Pizzolatto has up his sleeves for future seasons. He wrote every episode, which is impressive, but that's a lot of writing. I guess he recently said that the show may not last past three seasons, which I would certainly understand. That would be a crazy amount of output to maintain, especially since each season will be self-contained, with all new characters. I think it'll be hard to top Matthew McConaughey's character in this first season, but we'll see.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/20/14 05:54 PM
What could possible be better than an episode of Archer ???

There can be only one thing......
An episode of Archer guest starring Robb Wells (Ricky in Trailer Park Boys)


He played a kinda elite Canadian terrorist fighting for a Free and Sovereign Nova Scotia.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/22/14 02:47 AM
Love Archer.

I watched The Book Thief earlier. It was decent. Geoffrey Rush is always good, and the girl has a really good face. The audio was surprising. I mean, most of the movie is fairly restrained, and then suddenly there's tons of LFE during the air raid stuff. I wasn't expecting it.

Made my parents watch The Lego Movie with me. They seemed to enjoy it.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/22/14 03:00 AM
One of my sisters-in-law was visiting from Ontario last week. She & her hubby are real HT enthusiasts & have seen almost every movie known to man but somehow missed 'Super 8', so on it went again.

Earlier I had discussed my HT gear with her & explained that my system is what I consider to be quite modest as contrasted to many out there.

Well after watching 'Super 8' at -10 Db, she did not agree that my system was at all 'modest'. In many ways, I consider the soundtrack in this movie on my system to be superior to the 'War of the Worlds' - extremely dynamic with pleasing fright factor & many house shaking passages...

TAM
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/22/14 10:05 PM
Dear Mr. Watterson

Not a bad look at my favorite comic strip of all-time, Calvin and Hobbes. Makes me want to read through them all again. I linked to the official website, but it's on Netflix, so no need to purchase it if you have a Netflix account.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/23/14 07:10 PM
Watching season 3 of Lost. Still good, I think.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/24/14 11:10 AM
Wait for it...........
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/24/14 02:48 PM
I'm waiting.........
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/24/14 04:01 PM
I can't remember what season it starts to get ridiculous, but he has to be close.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/24/14 04:31 PM
Blasphemy!
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/24/14 04:50 PM
Lies!
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/24/14 06:05 PM
We rented the Jack Ryan - Shadow Recruit Blu Ray last night.

Overall it was pretty good with a dynamic soundtrack; however, I rolled my eyes near the end when the whole diabolical plot is unraveled & solved by the good guys in a miniscule amount of time - something that would take a huge amount of time & effort in the real world.

As is common in many action type movies where critical time is always rapidly running out, I find this artificiality to be annoying rather than exciting & suspenseful. Just once I would like to see the bomb being defused with 10 minutes or so remaining rather than the ubiquitous 3 seconds...

TAM
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/25/14 10:25 PM
Rented '3 Days to Kill' with Kevin Costner.

Very interesting (different?) story line that seems more of a European movie than Hollywood. Despite the sometimes brutal content there is lots of subtle humour throughout. Great sound as well & really quite enjoyable.

I must say that Costner has sure improved his acting skills since he was cast as 'Robin Hood' back in the early 90s. I quite like his work now..

TAM
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/26/14 02:46 PM
TAM! How cool that you and Kevin Costner rented a movie together! He seems like a really nice guy, Is he?
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/26/14 03:47 PM
On CNN tonight @ 9:00 (real time), they are showing another episode of their 12-parter (?) called, "The Sixties."

I know you all have short memories, and for some, you will have suffered dementia for a decade before anyone actually notices it, but there were a crapload of these kinds shows on in 2010.

We have seen the first 5 or 6 episodes and if far exceeds any of the hyped stuff that showed up in 2010, or in 2013 (Beatles 50th, or, for some of us, the beginning of the universe.)

Each episode concentrates on one issue. Last week was Viet Nam, this week is, I think, the civil rights movement.

If you weren't there, or were still a child, it's a very good way to learn about what was really happening while you were drooling into your Keds, or especially if your first sneaks were Nikes.

For you sporty girls, there's a very interesting show airing on PBS tonight, also @ 9, called, "American Pharaoh," chronicling the Egyptian national soccer team's hopes to reach World Cup play with their American coach. I think it should have been called "Death Wish, 2014."
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/26/14 04:50 PM
I guess that I should have written 'starring' instead of 'with'.

I was enjoying my new eye so much that I lost all sense of grammar, ha!

TAM
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/01/14 05:33 AM
I've been re-watching all of Parks and Recreation even though I have a million other things to watch.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/01/14 12:04 PM
We watched "Enough Said" the other night. Basically a quirky love story...

(30 somethings stop reading here)

...between a couple of divorced middle-agers (Julia Louis Dreyfus, James Gandolfini). Although the movie would definitely fall under the "chick movie" category, it was most definitely watchable.

(20 somethings stop reading here)

No zombies, guns or explosions, just a fun little story about a budding relationship of two 50 somethings. I believe this was Gandolfini's last movie before he passed away. Liked.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/01/14 12:41 PM
Funny enough, Adrian, Joyce and I watched it the other night and liked it too.

Julia Louis Dreyfus impressed me with her acting. I wouldn't have thought of her as leading lady material in anything but a goofy comedy, and she not only did well in the role, she did it allowing her real age to show.

Good movie.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/01/14 05:07 PM
Just finished Season 3 of Lost. Start Season 4 tonight.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/14 09:01 AM
Dragon (Wu Xia) starring Donnie Yen and Takeshi Kaneshiro.

A little different. Still a period martial arts movie, but flavored a bit differently from others I've seen, with a pretty good style to go with it. Donnie Yen still does some great choreography, even if this isn't the very best of his own work.
Posted By: MichaelTrottar Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/07/14 05:56 AM
I connected to the formal web page, but it's on Blockbuster online, so no need to buy it if you have a Blockbuster online consideration.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/07/14 11:15 PM
Finished season 4 of Lost. Waiting for Amazon to deliver Oppo 103D and season 5. 2nd time around on season 1-4 when the dvd's first came out that I rented. Not watched 5-6 before. Patiently pacing the floor.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/11/14 02:33 PM
Finally got around to watching Sound City which had been on my DVR since I recorded it in December.

I really enjoyed it and will order it on B-D.
Posted By: nickbuol Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/11/14 03:02 PM
I've been on a mission to get through some movies and TV shows that people said are "must see" shows that are older. For example, last six weeks I watched Blade Runner, Forrest Gump, Full Metal Jacket, Lethal Weapon (the original - I've seen the others), and Schindler's List. I hadn't seen any of these until then.

I am just starting to watch Band of Brothers. Just finished episode 2 last night.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/11/14 05:03 PM
Got delivery of new OPPO 103D bluray player today. Now I can resume watching Lost at Season 5, Episode 1.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/13/14 07:50 PM
I've been re-watching all of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/14/14 06:38 AM
War Thunder in 7.0
I'm getting pretty good at it
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/24/14 09:40 PM
Started disc 2 of season 6 of Lost.

Still as good as the earlier seasons.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/24/14 09:46 PM
Are you suggesting that all of us just get Lost?
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/25/14 06:14 PM
Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
Are you suggesting that all of us just get Lost?


I'd like to see everyone here get Lost.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/26/14 12:53 AM
:: runs away without stopping for directions ::
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/26/14 03:18 AM
I think we are lost.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/26/14 08:36 AM
Just finished re-watching all of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I wish I could write something with even one classic moment. I don't know how they've kept it fresh for 9 seasons.

I started re-watching The League even though I have Korean drama recommendations from my sister and anime series that I bought and still need to watch. Speaking of which, does anyone keep in contact with grunt? Sean? Cam? Just curious how he is. I miss his contributions.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/28/14 12:03 PM
Cam is still around, posting sporadically but from time to time.

You should be proud of me Charles. I actually watched a full anime series over the winter. "Attack on Titan".

Anime is not really my thing. I've tried to give it a chance. Especially the fci-fi ones because I'm a sucker for even bad Sci-fi. However with Anime, even if the story is good, I usually get so sick of the over dramatization and the fact that the anime actors seem to only have three ways of speaking thier lines. In order of commonality.... a.)screaming, b.)sighs & gasps and c.)Spock like monotone.

I started watching this one on a dare from a Buddy at work and while the story was kinda interesting, the only reason I kept watching it was because the Titans were so damn weird that I was horribly meszmerized. And by "weird" I mean "REALLY, REALLY WEIRD" in a "I can't believe I'm even watching this," kinda way.

Anyways, I did it. I stuck to the end. I'm not sure if I'm proud of that yet though.... snicker
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/28/14 12:22 PM
Speaking of Sci-Fi. I've been having trouble sleeping with all the hot humid weather (not complaining after that sucky winter) so I've tried a few new ones. Only one is great so far.

Helix.
Watched a few episode. It's basically exactly what it promises. Scientists fighting a virus in an Antarctic lab that turns people into goo oozing psychopaths. It's exactly that, but no more. I'm not going to continue with it.

Falling Skies
Humanity is lost except a few rebel movements fighting the conquering invaders. It has a 'Terminator meets Walking Dead' feel to it so I really want to like it but I'm still undecided. I'll try a few more and hope the characters develop somewhere.

Extant
I've only watched three episodes but I'm thinking this one has potential. I think it will be a slow burn but the story is pretty interesting, the robot son is spooky enough to make you interested in him and well.... Halle Berry. The only negative so far is that her husband's hair is so terrible that it makes you angry that you're forced to constantly look at him.

It's actually very refreshing to watch a sci-fi that feels it doesn't have to resort to shock value to keep you interested.
Thumbs up so far.
Posted By: Jeff_in_the_D Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/28/14 04:12 PM
+1 for Extant, have already given up on Falling Skies
/Jeff
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/29/14 04:31 AM
Originally Posted By: Murph
You should be proud of me Charles. I actually watched a full anime series over the winter. "Attack on Titan".


Baby steps. I have that one on my list to watch (easy, since it's on Netflix), but we'll see when I get to it. I have other series I've purchased and still haven't watched.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/29/14 04:32 AM
Let me know how Extant is after you've watched more.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/29/14 12:01 PM
It's new so I'm waiting for episode four.

Also,the guy who told me to watch Attack on Titan told me yesterday that the show is so popular in Japan that Subaru did a car commercial featuring the titans chasing a Forester.

Attack on Subaru

At least the CGI versions look more scary than weird vs. the anime versions.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/29/14 05:27 PM
Still searching for the movie called Bent, so we can all get that one too.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/30/14 10:37 PM
It's a great film. Do not watch it alone, or drunk, especially if there are razor blades near by. Though it is my favorite of the Nazi/Gay people genre, you know, like cowboys and Indians.
Hey, someone's got to die.

Ignore my smarm, Brian. It IS a very worthwhile picture, in lots of ways.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/31/14 04:15 PM
Watched 'Transcendence' Blu Ray last night - excellent. Depp again was superb.

Very interesting story line that makes one think of where we are going with all of this computer technology, internet, privacy issues & AI. Great desert scenery in New Mexico throughout.

This is the first full movie that we've watched using our 2 EP800s - my visiting daughter was most impressed - 'Dad they're shaking the house', ha! They do it so effortlessly...

TAM
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/31/14 05:26 PM
TAM, when is the open house party? grin
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/31/14 06:59 PM
There really is a movie named Bent. (I guess I should have checked first.) I was just kidding about all of us getting Bent. To go along with the comment that we should all get Lost.

Perhaps now, we all should get the TV series, "Over It" too while we're at it. As in Get Over It.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/31/14 07:46 PM
I live on an island & we charge admission to get in, ha! Thankfully that keeps down the number relatives & party goers.

I will be going to Ian & Amie's party next year though...

TAM
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/14 11:27 AM
You guys do it all wrong Tam. It's free to drive or ferry to my Island but we make you pay to get off again.
Posted By: Jeff_in_the_D Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/14 12:21 PM
Now that's how it should be done.
Talk about having captive guests!
/Jeff
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/01/14 04:28 PM
We charge both ways, ha! When I first lived here in the 1980s it was about a $25 ferry ride each way. Now it is closing in on $100.

My daughter & I watched World War Z Blu Ray as she hadn't seen it before. I saw it a while ago with my twin 10" Velo Subs. Well, the EP800s took that soundtrack to a whole new level. The LFE was brutal & often unrelenting that caused rattles & buzzes in my room that I hadn't heard before. Very impressive even at -10 Db level...

TAM
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/02/14 05:32 PM
Yesterday we watched 2 Blu Rays - 'Sorcerer's Apprentice' & 'Percy Jackson Sea of Monsters'.

There are sequences in both of these movies where the LFE is simply brutal. Similarly, the day before, my wife remarked that even her bath tub upstairs was shaking during WW Z (mentioned above), ha!

I'm wondering if there might be damaging output coming out of the 800s, such as cracking of plaster, etc. I have to rethink running at -10 Db now - -15 Db might be better...

TAM
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/04/14 04:44 PM
We watched 'Tron Legacy' Blu Ray last night.

LFE was more than powerful & way over done throughout to the point of annoyance even at -15 Db. Good demo for your sub(s) though if you are into that.

I think that I'm going to turn OFF Audyssey's 'Dynamic EQ' (that boosts bass EQ when MV is below 0 Db level) to try to get the LFE down to more reasonable levels...

TAM
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/05/14 03:45 PM
I'm strolling through Band of Brothers again. First run through in this room.
Episode 3 tonight.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/08/14 12:01 PM
Went to see Guardians of the Galaxy last night. It's definitely the most "fun" movie of the summer.

Even Sharon who is not a fan of Marvel movies and especially hates, as she calls them, "space movies," warmed up to it about half way through and admitted she enjoyed it a lot.

I recommend it to folks, even if your not a comic book fan. As long as you can stay open minded long enough to get to know the characters whom might otherwise seem ridiculous and begin to enjoy the humor. Lots of nostalgic references for us medium-old folks, too.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/08/14 02:53 PM
I'm planning on taking my kids (9.5 and 10.5) to see it soon. They don't ususally go for comic book movies, but I think the Rocket Racoon character seals the deal.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/08/14 03:23 PM
Seeing it tonight.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/08/14 06:05 PM
Originally Posted By: pmbuko
I'm planning on taking my kids (9.5 and 10.5) to see it soon. They don't ususally go for comic book movies, but I think the Rocket Racoon character seals the deal.


It was Rocket who captured my wife's heart enough that she was able to open her mind to the rest.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/09/14 04:50 AM
I liked Guardians of the Galaxy, too. Can't wait to see Chris Pratt in more leading roles.

I've been watching Twin Peaks, finally, since it's on Netflix. I'm not sure I'm into David Lynch's groove. He seems to be a huge fan of going weird with things, which, dramatically, seems like a cop-out at times. But I keep watching, so I guess there's something captivating about it.

There was a redheaded girl playing a character's younger sister in one of the episodes. I knew her from her mouth shape, but I couldn't place where I'd seen her. I could see her older face, but it wasn't coming to me what she was in. I had to look her up. Alicia Witt. It turns out I was remembering her as a young mother of a teenage girl in Friday Night Lights, and then I noticed David Lynch had used her in Dune as a young girl, too. From Paul Atreides's creepy younger sister to her character in Friday Night Lights was a fun exercise in wrapping my head around something.

I've also been watching another Korean drama, Marriage, Not Dating. Ridiculous premise, some good moments, currently frustrating, but hopefully it redeems itself by the end. I'm watching with one of my online friends so we have something to talk about.

Also glad that season 2 of Quick Draw on Hulu has begun. John Lehr's Harvard-educated sheriff is pretty great. I look forward to more deaths.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/11/14 01:38 PM
The Book Thief

Enjoyable story with excellent acting using Nazi Germany as the backdrop. Sad in many ways, but hopeful...liked.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/11/14 02:06 PM
That one surprised me as well. I had written it off as a chick flick because my wife bragged about the book. That was an unfair assessment. It is nothing like a chick flick. Great movie.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/12/14 08:11 AM
Besides Twin Peaks, which I'm almost done with, I've also been re-watching Curb Your Enthusiasm. Still love Larry David. I sincerely hope his real life doesn't approach that level of awkward on a regular basis.

I finally got Flash Point on Blu-ray. I'd watched the DVD, but it's been a while. Like a lot of action movies, the story is unfortunately lackluster, though not as godawful as some. Of course the real draw is Donnie Yen's martial arts, and when it finally culminates in a too-long (in the best possible way) fight scene at the end, it's all worth it.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/12/14 10:51 AM
I loved Guardians. My wife and I saw it the other night and both of us were cracking up the whole movie.

The fact the movie theatre serves adult drinks probably helped, but it was a lot of fun.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/12/14 04:54 PM
Outlander on the Starz channel. The first show of the season. Outstandind!
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/12/14 06:27 PM
Originally Posted By: Ken.C
I loved Guardians. My wife and I saw it the other night and both of us were cracking up the whole movie.

The fact the movie theatre serves adult drinks probably helped, but it was a lot of fun.


So liquor, but in a Rocket Raccoon cup, right ?
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/12/14 06:31 PM
Well, the drinks were milkshakes...
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/12/14 06:51 PM
mmmmmmmhhhh liquor shake.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/13/14 02:08 AM
Lucy was aight.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/13/14 06:56 PM
Yeah, wasn't really feeling Twin Peaks. The mixture of elements was engaging for a little while, but it got too wrapped up in its own weirdness, and there just wasn't enough payoff.
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/14/14 04:42 AM
Tried out the Bluray of Dune.
Not so good.
I need to get another bluray disc dammit.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/15/14 03:48 AM
Trying out The Killing on Netflix. Hope I don't regret it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/16/14 04:24 AM
Originally Posted By: CV
Trying out The Killing on Netflix. Hope I don't regret it.


It's actually pretty watchable. Already on episode 10 of the first season. If you take it apart and look at the individual elements, it seems like stuff you've seen so many times before, so why watch it, but yet I keep wanting to dig into the next episode. So they must have put it all together well enough. There is the occasional moment that feels too familiar, uninspired, but overall it stays engaging.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/18/14 12:07 PM
I gave The Killing a go because my wife loves it. It seems well written but I found the pace to be a little too slow moving for me so I found other things to do while she binged on each season.

AND FORTHALUVAGOD can someone please make Mireille Enos's character stop wearing those old knitted sweaters!!!!! It goes from quirky to disturbing to annoying in almost no time at all.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/18/14 04:22 PM
Amazing Spiderman 2 on Blu Ray - watch #1 first or confusion will reign for the first half of the movie. Unfortunately we missed #1 because of the change from the original series & we thought that we had seen them all.

Anyway, lots of great CGI with good sound but again some of these titanic struggles between the good guys & bad become a little tiring (much like in the Transformer series).

Worth a watch I guess. We'll rent #1 this weekend...

TAM
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/19/14 11:40 AM
It rained on and off like it was a tropical storm last night so we watched a couple of movies on Netflix.

The Heat.
Took a bit but then it got extremely funny. Melissa McCarthy steals the show, as usual. Great comedy!

Premium Rush.
Better than I expected. Michael Shannon's portrayal of a lunatic <spoiler deletion> was very entertaining. I recommend it for when your running low on things to watch, expect little and then can be pleasantly surprised by the high side of mediocrity.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/19/14 04:24 PM
I enjoyed The Heat as well; however, I became uncomfortable with the over-the-top foul language after a while.

Way overdone IMO...

TAM
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/20/14 02:26 PM
Noah.

So much potential, so little value.
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/20/14 03:15 PM
Originally Posted By: CatBrat
Noah.

So much potential, so little value.



We watched it on Saturday night and both liked it more than we thought we would.

Gotta love Redbox, $2 a night here.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/20/14 03:58 PM
Noah... I actually watched it twice because I fell asleep the first time around, about halfway through. It's hard not to grade it somewhat on the accuracy of the story. I knew it was not going to go along with the bible account, but what happened in the movie seems a bit far fetched. Anyway, blah, blah, blah. Started to include a spoiler, but removed it.
Posted By: Scottinwa Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/20/14 04:46 PM
Noah was rubbish. I don't mean that from any Biblical accuracy standpoint. Rock monsters out of "neverending story" or "star trek V". BORING. Stupid. Noah was a tool etc. My GF, sister and I hated it.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/20/14 07:46 PM
Here's one for the LSD fans. (Lake Street Dive, y'all...). Up close and personal, single-take video of Rachael Price singing "What I'm Doing Here"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcUeothSPyc

Amazing.
Posted By: Ajax Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/20/14 08:33 PM
WOW!
Posted By: bridgman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/20/14 10:11 PM
Finally getting around to playing the first Refugee album. I promised a review a little while (ahem - years) back.

It's definitely an eclectic mix. First track is more or less a keyboard solo that manages to mix what some would call "70s pompous" with what can only be described as a cheerful, almost circus calliope organ sound. The rest of the album doesn't really fit into any bucket I can think of. You can't even describe it as the obvious "mix Yes and The Nice" since the parts that sound more like The Nice are pretty synth-heavy, closer to Karn Evil Nine Third Impression than anything else I can think of. Guess that was the sound of the times.

I had originally thought that Refugee happened *after* Moraz was playing in Yes, but apparently it was *before*. Found that out when I was checking to see whether the Refugee or Brain Salad Surgery albums came out first.

Anyways, if you like the Five Bridges Suite or Brain Salad Surgery albums you'll probably like the first Refugee album as well, although I would pick up some Triumvirat albums first (esp Illusions on a Double Dimple).

Now listening to Cyclone -- Tangerine Dream with vocals, really !
Posted By: Jeff_in_the_D Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/21/14 12:28 AM
Hi B-M,
Brain Salad Surgery, was that by ELP? Did not know it was an album, thought it was just a single that ended up being released on the Works volume 2 album.
Thanks for sharing!
/Jeff
Posted By: bridgman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/21/14 12:57 AM
Yep, 1973 studio album from ELP. Probably one of very few cases where the title track didn't make it onto the album.

It's where the "Welcome back my friends..." line comes from (the start of Karn Evil 9 1st impression part 2).

I always found one of the tracks (KE9 second impression) particularly captivating but wasn't sure why -- until I saw a DVD clip from when they were writing the song -- building the sequences note by note, interleaving piano, bass & percussion hits so when you listen to the song it all flows together and it's not even obvious what you're hearing unless you pick it apart note by note the same way.

EDIT - interesting, looks like 3 songs from that session didn't make it onto the album :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_Salad_Surgery#Additional_recordings
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/21/14 04:25 AM
Originally Posted By: pmbuko
Here's one for the LSD fans. (Lake Street Dive, y'all...). Up close and personal, single-take video of Rachael Price singing "What I'm Doing Here"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcUeothSPyc

Amazing.


Nice one. I like that video of her singing at age 12 that comes up, too.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/14 08:47 AM
The Killing continues to be really good, slow pace or not. I'm several episodes into the fourth season, and I keep needing to see the next episode, which hasn't been good for catching Zs.

Marriage, Not Dating, the Korean drama I'm currently watching on Viki.com, has had some pretty great moments. Really good leads, some funny and touching writing, maybe a little weak in spots, but overall very satisfying. One of the highlights is the hilarious over-use of ridiculous sound effects for characters making different movements. Even though you know how most of these romance shows are ultimately going to play out, they do a good job filling the journey with crazy, creative variations on the theme. I think there are only a couple of episodes left, but they're still translating for the subtitles. Which is fine, since I'm watching these episodes with one of my online friends, and we can't always coordinate, so this gives them time to catch up without me shaking my fist at them.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/14 05:09 PM
Originally Posted By: pmbuko
I'm planning on taking my kids (9.5 and 10.5) to see it soon. They don't ususally go for comic book movies, but I think the Rocket Racoon character seals the deal.


Went to go see this last weekend at the Imax theater. Really enjoyed it, despite the lack of energy from the sparse audience. Felt like I was the only one laughing out loud at some parts. Well, that's what I get for going to the earliest showing.
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/23/14 07:38 PM
I'm hoping to rerun YPAO tonight and give Band of Brothers episode 4 a run through to check out the new room layout.

5.1 with 4 (2 collocated) subs at the moment. Nice big screen and we sit a little further away now.

Cross over at 60, (poor QS8's, doing a good job though).

I need to make a point of watching these series/episodes closer together....
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/25/14 05:48 PM
Went to see 'Guardians of the Galaxy' at an IMAX in 3D at Silver City in Victoria. Overall it is a fun movie with some nice humour, great visuals (I ducked a couple of times) & sound.

I've decided that 3D is not for me - at least in a big theater. This is the second time in a 3D movie that I developed a major headache during the movie that rapidly dissipated after the glasses came off. I surmise that it is similar to the condition that some highly experienced pilots find after a simulator session. The visuals & what the brain is experiencing/expecting doesn't quite match up...

TAM
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/28/14 05:43 AM
After The Killing and Marriage, Not Dating, I tried out The Fall. It wasn't bad, but I'm still having trouble latching on to any of the characters.

Quick Draw on Hulu is still going strong. They should make a lot more episodes.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/28/14 08:47 AM
Chelsea Peretti's stand-up special on Amazon Prime Video is pretty good.
Posted By: sonicfox Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/28/14 09:01 PM
CV, I'm enjoying The Fall. I agree with you about not latching on to the characters. But, I think that's what I like about it. The characters are fairly real...not cookie-cutter or stereotypical. The story is quite interesting too.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/31/14 03:33 AM
Wanderlust...Paul Rudd...Jennifer Anniston...supposed to be funny...wasn't...one of the worst movies I've ever seen...EVER!!...that includes ALL movies by Steven Seagal.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/31/14 06:19 AM
Trying out BoJack Horseman on Netflix. It has its moments, but it better be building to something. Ha ha. Kind of crazy how many celebrity guest voices they pack in.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/31/14 03:46 PM
Originally Posted By: Adrian
Wanderlust...Paul Rudd...Jennifer Anniston...supposed to be funny...wasn't...one of the worst movies I've ever seen...EVER!!...that includes ALL movies by Steven Seagal.


Wow, that's pretty bad. I met Seagal and his lovely bride about fifteen years ago. He filmed On Sacred Ground in the town I live in. They enrolled their daughter in school, and she was in my kid's class. Steven, not so nice. His wife, even six months pregnant - huba-huba... She was an absolute sweetheart.

The new season of Hell On Wheels is turning out to be the best season for me. I'm a sucker for any type of Western. This isn't exactly a Western, but close enough.

I've also started to get into HBO's new series, The Leftovers. What a strange show.... So strange, I can't stop watching it.

Thank God True Blood is finally over.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/02/14 12:57 AM
Originally Posted By: CV
Trying out BoJack Horseman on Netflix. It has its moments, but it better be building to something. Ha ha. Kind of crazy how many celebrity guest voices they pack in.


I liked it well enough. Not a classic yet, but solid.

Now I'm re-watching The Wire. My sister re-watched it recently, and I'd been wanting to for a while. Still great, still keeping my interest from the beginning. I can understand people who have issues with the questionable content, but for the people I've recommended it to who don't have those particular hang-ups, I wonder what they don't find engaging about it. Maybe they grew up hard around Baltimore, so it's nothing new to them. One of the people I loaned it to really likes Idris Elba, so I'm surprised he didn't watch more of it. It's still the best project I've seen Idris Elba in. Someone else I loaned it to is borderline racist, but I didn't expect her major comment about the show to be that she had trouble telling all of the black characters apart. At least someone else I recommended it to finally got around to watching it and really liked it.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/11/14 03:04 PM
Saw American Hustle and Inside Llewyn Davis in the last week. Enjoyed both, but I must say that sometimes after watching a Coen brothers movie I have to head to the Internet for analysis so I can more fully appreciate what I just saw. The folk music really shined over the Axioms. Great soundstage - felt just like I was there in the smoky club.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/01/14 07:08 PM
Just tore through season 3 of Homeland. Still enjoying it. I hate how many shows I have to wait for the discs on, though.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/01/14 08:46 PM
I won't miss Dana in season 4. Hearing great things about this new season.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/01/14 10:02 PM
And now I'm watching season 3 of Comic Book Men since it's on Netflix.
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/02/14 07:38 AM
Just finished with episode 10 of Band of Brothers. I really do like the series and definitely picture myself watching it once a year or so.
Got a request for Star Trek Into Darkness for tomorrow night. I think she's in for a treat this time around.
Got to say the SQ and PQ has been improving and the tweaking is getting less frequent.
I've settled on keeping the sound quality over adding more seats. The kids will have to get their own...lol.
Posted By: BlueJays1 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/02/14 02:14 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
Originally Posted By: CV
Trying out BoJack Horseman on Netflix. It has its moments, but it better be building to something. Ha ha. Kind of crazy how many celebrity guest voices they pack in.


I liked it well enough. Not a classic yet, but solid.

Now I'm re-watching The Wire. My sister re-watched it recently, and I'd been wanting to for a while. Still great, still keeping my interest from the beginning. I can understand people who have issues with the questionable content, but for the people I've recommended it to who don't have those particular hang-ups, I wonder what they don't find engaging about it. Maybe they grew up hard around Baltimore, so it's nothing new to them. One of the people I loaned it to really likes Idris Elba, so I'm surprised he didn't watch more of it. It's still the best project I've seen Idris Elba in. Someone else I loaned it to is borderline racist, but I didn't expect her major comment about the show to be that she had trouble telling all of the black characters apart. At least someone else I recommended it to finally got around to watching it and really liked it.


HBO will be running a remastered high-def version of The Wire sometime in the future. That also means a BD release cool.
Posted By: nickbuol Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/07/14 04:24 AM
Well... I watched Godzilla tonight (2014 version).

3 observations

1) The acting was actually pretty decent, but...
2) the story was so ridiculous, but...
3) the audio mixer guy forgot to turn down the artificial bass/LFE.



That's right, the story was so full of plot stupidity that it took away from the good effects and actually pretty decent acting (especially given the odd dialog the actors were given).

[SPOILER ALERT - Read on at your own risk]

I mean, really... The city is getting obliterated by Godzilla (and other monsters) and what does the main smart guy scientist say? "Let them fight!" this is in light of the fact that the plan to blow them up at one point would kill about 100,000 people. HOLY CRAP, more people than that died just while the monsters fought it out, and there was so much destruction... "Let them fight." Pssssahhhh (roll my eyes)

I will say this. I was about to delete this from my media server because I know that I will never watch it again, but at the same time if I ever want to show off a movie scene with excessive amounts of "shake your house" subwoofer effects, I could fire this up and pick, well, any point in the entire movie. They added LFE for just about anything outside of people talking. At one point I could actually feel a door to a building being shut. Not slammed, not some giant 3 foot thick steel door, just a regular door. That seemed silly. I understand shaking the house for Godzilla, the other monsters, buildings falling, or explosions as those make sense, but man oh man, the whole movie shook the house. Yes, I have 2 large subwoofers, but I am more of a "clean bass" person than a "shake the house" bass in movies, but the fact that everything shook all of the time actually took away from the effect when massive things were happening. It sort of numbed you to it.

Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/07/14 05:19 AM
I still have to watch my copy. I saw it in the theater and enjoyed it enough to purchase it, but that's too bad they couldn't reserve the LFE for when it makes sense. Hopefully the big destruction scenes are worth it for demo material.

I tried out most of the first season of The Blacklist, but it has very little going for it. Not that it's horrible horrible, but it's a very by-the-numbers show, way too familiar, even more so when it's trying to be surprising.

Now I'm trying out the About a Boy TV show, but it's not off to a promising start.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/07/14 05:55 AM
I certainly agree that there is a trend towards excessive LFE in many movies now - to the point of annoyance for us. LFE is great where warranted; however, constant, needless background rumbling over a couple hours that make objects in my house rattle & buzz most definitely detracts from our enjoyment factor.

'TRON Legacy' comes to mind...

TAM
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/07/14 10:51 PM
Warning of ridiculous LFE levels in the beginning of tghe new release of 'Edge of Tomorrow'. Woofer damage possible:

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/155-diy-speakers-subs/1705865-edge-tomorrow-careful-guys.html

TAM
Posted By: nickbuol Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/08/14 03:08 AM
Originally Posted By: exlabdriver
Warning of ridiculous LFE levels in the beginning of tghe new release of 'Edge of Tomorrow'. Woofer damage possible:

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/155-diy-speakers-subs/1705865-edge-tomorrow-careful-guys.html

TAM



Ooooooo.... I can't wait. I am picking it up tomorrow. At least it is a movie that I enjoyed. I will start a little tame just to get a feel (pun intended) for it, and then go from there.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/08/14 04:29 AM
I got my copy today, so we'll see how it goes. I'm trusting the DSPs to keep it under control.
Posted By: bridgman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/08/14 05:19 AM
Big Bang Theory season 4. Maybe I'm just overdue for a good laugh, but initial impression is "hilarious".
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/08/14 12:35 PM
Trying out Gotham.
If you hoped for intriguing police/detective work, you will be disappointed. However, thier spin on the how the classic 'bad guys' grew up as youths is interesting. Not sure I can adjust to a crusty, hot tempered Alfred though.
Posted By: nickbuol Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/08/14 01:30 PM
I heard some reviews of Gotham (have them recorded, but not watched yet) and what annoys me from what others are saying is that they label the "kid characters" with names that make them super obvious, like "Kat" or something like that for the girl that will eventually become Catwoman, however she didn't have anything related to catwoman in her personality until she was older. It is almost like they felt like they needed to "spoon feed" everyone because we, as a society, aren't smart enough to connect the dots.

Then again, I haven't watched it yet, so that is just what I got from others.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/08/14 01:57 PM
You really are a bitter man, aren't you.

Ya, "Cat" is a bit much. However, most of the others are not nearly as blatant. For instance, Edward Nigma works at the police precinct and his future persona is made obvious by his annoying habit to state most things as a question. Ivy Pepper instead of Pamela Isley is pretty blatant though.

You have to remember though, that those reviewers are probably all comic nerds like me but there is a huge number of people who may enjoy the show but will need to be spoon fed a bit. For instance my wife liked the show but never would have figured out that the little girl spraying the plants in the background was, if they had not later named her as "Ivy". Actually, I'm still not sure if she even caught on then.

In fact, she didn't even realize Gotham had anything to do with the Batman theme until she complained that the parents getting shot in front of the kid was, and I quote, "blatantly copying Batman". I let her run with that until the cops said "Those are the Waynes." and she said "Wait a minute, you tricked me into watching a comic show!!!"
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/08/14 05:19 PM
You ended up having to do the dishes, huh?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/08/14 06:29 PM
Yeah, I don't even want to give Gotham a fair shot. The trailer for it just looked way too dumb. I'm old.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/08/14 09:07 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
Yeah, I don't even want to give Gotham a fair shot. The trailer for it just looked way too dumb. I'm old.


Is it about where Batman lives?
Posted By: nickbuol Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/09/14 02:09 AM
Well, I fired up Edge of Tomorrow tonight. Glad I turned it down at the start because the bass/LFE at 24 seconds into the movie was ridiculous. While it sounds/feels cool, it is WAY too hot for even calibrated systems. Crazy.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/09/14 03:22 AM
Why would they mix the LFE that clearly has the possibility of damaging consumer equipment.

It seems that it is going to happen if a person plays this movie at anywhere near Reference Levels. Ridiculous!!

Thankfully some of us have been warned...

TAM
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/09/14 11:34 AM
Originally Posted By: CV
Yeah, I don't even want to give Gotham a fair shot. The trailer for it just looked way too dumb. I'm old.


I was the same, I didn't pick it up until now because I thought it looked too campy but then I gave into pressure at work to try it. It definitely won't be for everybody, but it was yards better than I expected.

I think I mostly want to watch Cobblepot grow up and gain power because the actor has made him pretty intriguing. Donal Logue has really nailed Harvey bullock as well.
Posted By: nickbuol Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/09/14 01:38 PM
Originally Posted By: exlabdriver
Why would they mix the LFE that clearly has the possibility of damaging consumer equipment.

It seems that it is going to happen if a person plays this movie at anywhere near Reference Levels. Ridiculous!!

Thankfully some of us have been warned...

TAM


And to top it off, it is during the opening studio "credits" scenes. Not like some major climactic part of the movie. It is irrelevant to the movie itself and just pointless.
Posted By: nickbuol Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/09/14 01:47 PM
Originally Posted By: Murph
Originally Posted By: CV
Yeah, I don't even want to give Gotham a fair shot. The trailer for it just looked way too dumb. I'm old.


I was the same, I didn't pick it up until now because I thought it looked too campy but then I gave into pressure at work to try it. It definitely won't be for everybody, but it was yards better than I expected.

I think I mostly want to watch Cobblepot grow up and gain power because the actor has made him pretty intriguing. Donal Logue has really nailed Harvey bullock as well.


We have, or I should say, HAD the episodes on our DVR until it took a turn for the worst. My wife and daughter were complaining about the DISH DVR receiver freezing up, even during live playback. I didn't pay too much attention to it because my family and electronics just don't seem to get along. Anyway, it died yesterday... Fan is on high, but it never boots. Replacement is on the way.

The root cause of the problem? Overheating... My wife, for whatever reason, took the TV, DISH, blu-ray, and A/V receiver remotes and stacked them in such a fashion to block the exhaust vents on the DVR. Not sure how long that they were blocking the vents. Could have been a few days, or it could have been months. We use a Harmony universal remote, so nobody has gone looking for the original remotes for some time.

All recordings were lost, and all timers. Most were shows that my wife and daughter's watched, and a number of those are cooking competition shows and such that don't related between each episode, so nothing lost there. There is the risk that we lost a recording of when my oldest daughter (from several years ago) sang the National Anthem on national TV. I am hoping that I moved that off to an external hard drive, but won't know until the replacement DVR comes tomorrow.

Hulu Plus free trial, here we come!
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/14/14 05:17 PM
"Under the Dome", season 1, Episodes 1-11. Two of the Sr. producers are Steven King and Steven Spielberg. Based on a Steven King novel by the same name. Watching using Amazon Prime.

Excellent. I have a hard time not watching the next episode to see what happens next. There are currently 2 seasons, with the 3rd one planned for 2015. Will definitely buy the blu-ray version when the price drops enough.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/29/14 06:45 PM
I just ordered the movie, "Killer Klowns From Outer Space" on blu-ray.

LOL.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/30/14 04:13 PM
mmmmmmokthennnnnnnnnn
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/30/14 05:56 PM
Originally Posted By: Murph
mmmmmmokthennnnnnnnnn


ooooooooososorryyyyyyyyyyy
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/02/14 03:34 AM
If you want to see a messed-up movie, go see Nightcrawler. It's well-constructed, certainly worth seeing, but wow. Plus, Bill Paxton says "brah" a lot. As in, more than once.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/03/14 12:59 PM
Some of you, depending on location, might not get a few small bits of the culturally relevant humor but if you find yourself needing some light hearted humor that is definitely not your Hollywood norm, this is an absolutely GREAT movie for anyone.

Make sure you get this one though. The Grand Seduction (Newfoundland version). There is another recent movie with exactly the same name that is a totally different thing.

Essentially, it's about a small fishing harbor that, like many, NFL villages was decimated by the closing of the fishing industry years ago. They have one month to convince a big city doctor to stay and practice in thier village or they will lose out on getting a job creating factory built there. They tap into his phone calls home to find out everything he likes and try to replicate it for him.

Give it a try. If you don't laugh, I bet it at least makes you smile.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/04/14 02:09 AM
I'll have to check that movie out if it's ever cheap or on Netflix. I like Taylor Kitsch.

I'm finally watching the new Cosmos series now that it's on Netflix. Cool stuff that I like hearing about, but it sure illuminates how undisciplined and oblivious I am compared to the guys who make discoveries about how the universe works.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/04/14 02:59 AM
The new fall show, Selfie, is pretty decent. The premise didn't do much for me when I saw it in a blurb, but the execution is solid, and I find myself laughing more than I anticipated. It's way too soon to call it a classic, but the potential's there if they don't hit a wall like New Girl did.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/10/14 12:09 AM
Watched Disney's 'Earth To Echo' on Blu Ray last night.

Quite fun & most enjoyable we thought.

The long & protracted LFE near the end was quite incredible, even at -15 Db. Our EP-800s do that stuff so well & effortlessly...

TAM
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/14 09:54 AM
Interstellar

I liked it. There are some problems with the story because it's Christopher Nolan, and he likes to bite off more than he can chew, but there were also the pieces of it that had a lot of thought put into them, and it's hard to argue with some of the visuals. I'm sure one of the scenes will make for a fun subwoofer test, even if we have plenty of those in movies these days.

Big Hero 6

Between this and Interstellar, there are some fun robots in movies right now, albeit in different ways. A lot of the characters aren't developed as well as they could be, but the emotional core of the story works, and it's good at just being fun. This is going to make a terrific showcase Blu-ray.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/16/14 09:56 AM
I've also been going through the British series, Luther, starring Idris Elba. I can't call it a classic, but it has its moments. I especially liked the last two episodes of the second series, thought they were unexpectedly well-done.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/17/14 02:38 PM
I'm with you on Interstellar Charles. I liked it enough that I was very pleased that I went to see it. It's not a perfect movie but then again, very few are.

I thought they pushed the 'ending of the ending' a bit much. (ya, that's vague but I don't want to give it away.) I enjoyed the Sci-Fi science regarding the explanation of how it all tied together but I think Nolan caved a bit in trying too hard to stretch the 'infinite possibilities' for a happier ending. I almost get the feeling like the ending was originally written very differently but the investors demanded that it be changed to the current.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/17/14 11:26 PM
Yeah, you have to wonder what ending possibilities they had considered before arriving at that one.

I wish we had a local IMAX theater. I believe our closest one is 2 1/2 hours away. Yeah, checking on IMAX's website confirmed it. Interstellar would have been the perfect movie to see in the format. I'm hoping we'll get an IMAX in a couple of years so it doesn't have to be an inconvenient road trip every time. They're building a new theater here at the moment, and while they're doing Atmos, they didn't want to pay for IMAX, which I can understand.

In other news, I'm finally getting around to watching more Doctor Who. I'd only watched the first two episodes before, when I was visiting my sister. It's not keeping my attention particularly well so far, but it's more fun than some other shows I've tried out lately. I'll give it time to develop and pull me in.

Oh, and Bad Grandpa actually made me laugh. Parts of it were just stupid, of course, but they did make some pretty good situations, too.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/18/14 02:08 AM
Agree with you guys on Interstellar, it wasn't perfect but that's not really a knock. I got completely absorbed in the movie. A lot of breathtaking moments, and, Charles, it's too bad you don't have a closer IMAX theater.

Hmm, I have more to say, but I don't want to ruin it or give too much away. I will add that I appreciate the sense of danger and unknown in the exploration of space. I imagine that's what it must have been like for explorers in the past, a definite sense of thrill tempered by an ever present danger of not knowing what may come next.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/18/14 05:11 PM
I usually tell people to skip the first season of Doctor Who, Charles. Pretend it never existed!! Maybe even the first couple. It was just way to campy upon the early days of the reboot. It got better every season though, right to the current.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/18/14 05:21 PM
Really? You think this current season is any good? I mean, I like Peter Capaldi, but... geez. The stories have been done--down to the mysterious evil woman with a tight haircut who's omnipresent and has it in for the Doctor. (note that I'm only about halfway through the season).
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/18/14 05:26 PM
I didn't like her at all either, until I discovered who she really was in the season finisher. It tied a lot together.

Mostly I think I just have a thing for Clara. (My wife still doesn't read these boards, right???)
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/18/14 05:27 PM
Clara annoys me--and what they've done with her character annoys me more.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/18/14 06:11 PM
::Googling what Clara looks like, while the Doc scribbles furiously in my direction::
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/18/14 06:14 PM
Oooohhhh...cute!

http://images.radiotimes.com/namedimage/...ginal/28648.jpg
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/18/14 09:50 PM
Originally Posted By: Murph
I usually tell people to skip the first season of Doctor Who, Charles. Pretend it never existed!! Maybe even the first couple. It was just way to campy upon the early days of the reboot. It got better every season though, right to the current.


I realize it's not vital that I watch from the beginning, but I've already started, and it sounds like it can only give me a greater appreciation for what comes later, so I'll stick with it. I don't mind the actors, but yeah, total camp, and too loose with all of the ideas, no real rules to the world.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/18/14 10:37 PM
There are no rules in Doctor Who. There really aren't.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/14 07:46 AM
I enjoyed the "Blink" episode of Doctor Who, with the Weeping Angels. I thought they were the most creative baddies so far.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/14 11:48 AM
And then they got massively (literally) overused.
Posted By: Jungle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/14 05:19 PM
I'm not watching anything until I get my EP175v4, well at least not watching any movies. Sold my current sub (JBLNL150) so I am without a subwoofer until the Axiom gets here. I am very excited to see how well the EP175 goes with my M3v4s (all five channels). Anyone out there have a EP175v4 or higher? Care to share what you think of the sub and who it compares to SVS or NHT?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/28/14 07:18 PM
Catching up on Key & Peele. I didn't realize until today that the current season's episodes are on Hulu.

Also started the second season of The Newsroom.

Oh, and finally watched my copy of Gravity since my parents wanted to watch something and picked it. I think I enjoyed it at home more than at the theater. I hadn't watched anything approaching reference level for a while, so it was nice to be reminded of what my sound system can do. But that doesn't mean I don't still want v4 of everything.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/05/14 06:47 AM
I've tried a couple of episodes of State of Affairs, but the writing is SO BAD. I can't believe it got made.
Posted By: nickbuol Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/05/14 02:41 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
I've tried a couple of episodes of State of Affairs, but the writing is SO BAD. I can't believe it got made.


I think that the writers try to put the term POTUS (President Of The United States for those that don't know) into every conversation.

My wife is trying to get me to like the show since the shows that her, my 15 year old daughter, and I watch together are pretty much done for the season. I just keep trying to tell her that I have some shows of my own on the DVR in the theater that I am falling behind on. I think that she takes that as an insult.

Maybe I should start building that heated dog house now, before I get kicked out.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/14 07:22 PM
Free to Play

Quote:
FREE TO PLAY is a feature-length documentary that follows three professional gamers from around the world as they compete for a million dollar prize in the first Dota 2 International Tournament. In recent years, E Sports has surged in popularity to become one of the most widely-practiced forms of competitive sport today. A million dollar tournament changed the landscape of the gaming world and for those elite players at the top of their craft, nothing would ever be the same again. Produced by Valve, the film documents the challenges and sacrifices required of players to compete at the highest level.


Not a bad documentary. The gamers they profile are likable.
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/14 09:08 PM
A handful of moments in this really hit home.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/14 10:24 PM
Cool documentary CV.

My son is/was really into League of Legends. It was pretty much all he did for the last couple of years, so its interesting for me to see that world through his eyes.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/10/14 07:41 PM
We're half way through the 6 episodes of the remastered Star Wars Blu Ray movie collection.

Last year we watched them using our previous twin 10" Velodyne subs; however, our present pair of EP800s at (even at -15 Db) adds a whole new level of power & quality to the LFE in these superb soundtracks. Really awesome now when contrasted to previous viewings.

For me, Episode IV from 1977 (the first one) is still the best. It will be interesting to see what the two new episodes will bring...

TAM
Posted By: nickbuol Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/10/14 09:27 PM
I've been slowly watching them as well. I have been watching them in the correct order:
EP IV, V, VI, I, II, III and just finished Empire.

Not sure that I am looking forward to EP I, or II. III was OK in the theater.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/11/14 12:47 AM
Yup, we're viewing in the correct order as well. We just finished the first 3 - IV, V & VI.

Now, tonight, back to the beginning...

TAM
Posted By: nickbuol Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/11/14 01:06 AM
I'm sitting in a hotel near the Atlanta airport watching Bullitt. I've never seen it and it has been on my bucket list for a while.

Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/11/14 03:58 AM
Good movie, especially if you go drive in San Francisco after watching it. smile
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/11/14 05:15 AM
Originally Posted By: exlabdriver
We're half way through the 6 episodes of the remastered Star Wars Blu Ray movie collection.


I bought the set, but I have yet to watch more than a couple of scenes. I watched the original trilogy soooooooo many times growing up, so it's hard to sit through them completely anymore. But I'll have to give it a go sometime. The prequels.... I watched The Phantom Menace probably a dozen times in the theater because I was so excited for a new Star Wars trilogy. I think I only ever watched Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith once or twice apiece. Hard to sit through for different reasons than the original trilogy.

You have a good point about watching them to enjoy what a modern sound system can bring out. I'll have to make time some weekend.
Posted By: gloriatorios Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/11/14 08:06 AM
I gave The Killing a go because my wife loves it. It seems well written but I found the pace to be a little too slow moving for me so I found other things to do while she binged on each season.

AND FORTHALUVAGOD can someone please make Mireille Enos's character stop wearing those old knitted sweaters!!!!! It goes from quirky to disturbing to annoying in almost no time at all.
Posted By: Jeff_in_the_D Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/11/14 11:50 PM
Bullitt was the first Blu Ray I purchased!
/Jeff
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/12/14 07:24 AM
I've been re-watching Breaking Bad since my mom decided to be a saint and buy me the Complete Series 2014 Barrel Blu-ray set as an early Christmas/birthday gift. It's still so good the third time through. I've only watched the second half the final season once, so I'm excited to get to that point again.
Posted By: Newf Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/12/14 12:40 PM
I am hoping to be watching Expendables 3 in Dolby Atmos this weekend....if my speakers ever show up. Hey FedEx! two weeks to get from NB to NFLD...really?
Posted By: bridgman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/12/14 01:50 PM
NB to NFLD takes a long time by truck.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/12/14 06:30 PM
Originally Posted By: bridgman
NB to NFLD takes a long time by truck.

You guys should get a smaller country. smile
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/12/14 07:18 PM
I don't think that I've waited more than 10 days from Dwight to an island on the west coast - quite a bit farther. Strange...

TAM
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/13/14 12:08 AM
It's the time difference, TAM.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/13/14 02:18 AM
Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
Originally Posted By: bridgman
NB to NFLD takes a long time by truck.

You guys should get a smaller country. smile

Or more floaty trucks?
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/13/14 05:45 AM
Mark:

But the Newfoundlanders have an extra half hour advantage on the rest of us, ha!!

TAM
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/14 01:30 AM
Another RUSH buy that I've been watching for the last week.
R40
This is a 6 bluray set which includes in order:

Rush in Rio
R30
Snakes and Arrows
Time Machine
Clockwork Angels

The 6 disc is titled R40 which includes live performances from the past and the Rock & Roll HOF Induction Ceremony. This is the only disc of the package which will not play properly in my player for some odd reason.
The added bonus disc is titled: R40 Completist. This includes interviews from the past and past performances as well.

It was nice to see an old performance with John Rutsey as drummer and the Induction ceremony. All the old clips makes me appreciate RUSH like a fine wine. They get better as they age.



Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/14 03:07 AM
They were pretty damned good un-aged as I recall.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/23/14 07:23 PM
Watched Eric Clapton's latest Blu Ray release - 'Planes, Trains and Eric'.

It is part documentary plus concert tracks taken from his Spring 2014 Mid & Far East Tour.

The concert music is spectacularly recorded that made my EP800s work at times - wonderful full sound. The numerous interviews provide a good overview of life on tour when his entourage is getting older. It seems that despite a life of luxury, it is often a drag now, but it is the musical performances that are paramount.

Interestingly, the excellent last track (audio only during the ending credits) 'High Time' was written by Joe Cocker.

Recommended for EC fans...

TAM
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/23/14 09:08 PM
TMNT with the boys tonight.
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/24/14 12:04 AM
Originally Posted By: exlabdriver
Watched Eric Clapton's latest Blu Ray release - 'Planes, Trains and Eric'.

It is part documentary plus concert tracks taken from his Spring 2014 Mid & Far East Tour.

The concert music is spectacularly recorded that made my EP800s work at times - wonderful full sound. The numerous interviews provide a good overview of life on tour when his entourage is getting older. It seems that despite a life of luxury, it is often a drag now, but it is the musical performances that are paramount.

Interestingly, the excellent last track (audio only during the ending credits) 'High Time' was written by Joe Cocker.

Recommended for EC fans...

TAM


Thanks TAM
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/14 09:45 PM
Along with my EC Blu Ray reviewed above, I also purchased Carlos Santana's latest live concert (BD + CD combo) - 'Corazon live from Mexico - Live it to Believe It' - performed about a year ago in Guadalajara.

Fabulous sound with lots of deep, dynamic latin percussion that give a sound system a good workout. While I really like his classic stuff, this concert features a lot of guest appearances from local performers that are unknown to me. Hence, about a quarter of the tracks deserve skipping - but that is just me.

For the tunes that I gravitate to, this has an overall impressive sound with excellent performances from a large entourage of musicians on stage.

Worth it for Carlos fans...

TAM
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/14 05:23 AM
Watched guardians of the galaxy today. Christmas gift in 3D. First time I gave 3D a serious try. Pretty fun movie. Having watched it in 3D I'm not sure it would be as enjoyable in 2D.

Have to revisit once surround setup is back. Sooo many bass sweeps await.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/14 05:30 AM
Making my way through Black Mirror on Netflix after an online friend recommended it. Each episode is a self-contained bit of decently-written speculative fiction. Darker subject matter. I was surprised by the visual effects. While there's not an overwhelming amount, what's there is well-done. Worth checking out.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/14 10:14 AM
Nick Offerman: American Ham on Netflix was good. He's certainly found his niche.
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/26/14 10:43 PM
I just about walked out if Walmart with each Transformers blu-ray movie. 1,2&3 were $4.47 each and the newest $9.98.
Too soon. Pretty decent prices though.
Have to go back and take a better look around.

Did come home with Rush, $6.47.
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/27/14 02:03 AM
Pee wees playhouse is on Canadian Netflix!! What a trip! grin
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/01/15 11:58 PM
Guardians of the Galaxy in glorious plaster drying giant screen projectory goodness.

This one is way better than the last two Marvel releases.

Now for a short dinner break and then on to Game of Thrones season 3. Hey, the plaster is still drying. grin
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/15 01:07 AM
Fred is Literally having fun, watching plaster dry.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/15 01:58 AM
grin
If you have to do it, you might as well have fun, I say.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/15 04:47 AM
Some British detective shows...George Gently and Foyle's War. Both very enjoyable. The acting in George G is top notch, esp.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/15 04:29 PM
I enjoy "Foyle's War" as well. Good stuff.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/02/15 06:37 PM
Give George Gently a try, Sean...it's similar to Foyles in some respects, but set in the 60's not 40's.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/16/15 07:28 AM
Misaeng

It's another Korean drama that my sister recommended. It's good so far. The main guy has a really good face, as do some of the supporting actors. I'm curious to see where the story goes.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

I was certainly ready for new episodes. They are masters at what they do. I also bought their self-help book, so watch out.

Parks and Recreation

So sad it's the final season, but they've had a good run.

The Mindy Project

Yes, I'm still all over this one, too.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/20/15 09:09 AM
Originally Posted By: CV
Misaeng

It's another Korean drama that my sister recommended. It's good so far. The main guy has a really good face, as do some of the supporting actors. I'm curious to see where the story goes.


It's still really good. I usually go for the goofier K-dramas. This one is more straight drama, but it's well-crafted with very real characters. I still don't really know what the destination is.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/21/15 07:08 AM
I watched my copy of Gone Girl tonight, and it looks and sounds great.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/31/15 08:50 AM
The Punk Singer

I love Kathleen Hanna, and she deserves to have this documentary about her. If you want to see what badass looks like, check it out. It's on Netflix.

I'm still not that familiar with her Bikini Kill work, having only one or two albums, but it was nice to hear some of the back story, and hear how she transitioned from that into Le Tigre and now The Julie Ruin. I'm sure I recommended her newest album at some point, and I still do. It's one I like more and more.

She's a fascinating combination of artistic fearlessness, stage presence, and passion. Adam Horovitz (Beastie Boys) really lucked out marrying her. Ha ha. You'll see him in the documentary, too.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/01/15 09:29 AM
I watched the storming of the compound in Zero Dark Thirty again because of my impressions of the audio from before. It still sounds amazing.

I need to start compiling a list of demo scenes from my personal collection of Blu-rays for when people come over and want to hear my system at its best. My mind always goes blank when I'm put on the spot. Even when I pick out a specific movie, sometimes it's problematic for me to find which scenes I really liked. Decaying brain.
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/01/15 05:27 PM
If you decide to treat your room you will be amazed just how much "stuff" is in a great movie soundtrack. I really like your setup by the way.

The first 20 minutes or so of Master and Commander is my favourite demo to show off what a good surround setup can do. The beginning with the ropes cracking and the boat creaking is just eerie. Then the bell and hen clucking. Then the first battle sequence is bambastic! The poor little boy that gets his arm ampuated is so eerie. The sound in that scene makes me queezy.

Its a so so movie, but I usually seem to watch it through when the first few chapters hook me into it. In Calgary it was the Demo go to at "Sounds of Music" in the AVR room. Worked on me..... laugh
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/01/15 10:14 PM
Charles, listening to the new, "Super Critical" by The Ting Tings.

You turned me on to their first effort which is a lot of fun, like a B-52's record. I so didn't like their sophomore effort, that I ditched it. That usually never keeps from giving any artist a spin on effort #3. Bingo! It's blast!

I dare anyone to listen to track #2 at >98 db w/o getting queasy. Thanks again, CV.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/02/15 02:11 AM
Originally Posted By: Serenity_Now
If you decide to treat your room you will be amazed just how much "stuff" is in a great movie soundtrack. I really like your setup by the way.

The first 20 minutes or so of Master and Commander is my favourite demo to show off what a good surround setup can do. The beginning with the ropes cracking and the boat creaking is just eerie. Then the bell and hen clucking. Then the first battle sequence is bambastic! The poor little boy that gets his arm ampuated is so eerie. The sound in that scene makes me queezy.


Oh, yeah, I'll have to throw Master and Commander in. Today I had my friend, Sara, over, and we watched Fantastic Mr. Fox. Besides being beautiful to look at it, it has a great soundtrack. Oh, I guess that makes her the first person to watch a full movie with me in my new space. She seemed to enjoy it. She sat in the one good seat with the Buttkicker. I pulled my half-picnic table up next to it, and it really wasn't uncomfortable.

Besides that, I had some Bjork: Biophilia Live and Lang Lang: Live in Vienna playing while I did some other stuff.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/02/15 02:15 AM
Originally Posted By: BobKay
Bingo! It's blast!

I dare anyone to listen to track #2 at >98 db w/o getting queasy. Thanks again, CV.


Hey, I'm glad you like their new one! I still need to listen to it more. I really liked their "Do It Again" music video.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/13/15 07:13 AM
Modern Farmer, another Korean drama, is pretty entertaining. The main woman does such great annoyed faces, and the main guy is a total dork. I'd like to see both of them in more stuff.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/18/15 11:33 PM
Joyce and I watched the BD of Lucy last night. First time I've sat down and watched a BD in many months!

I liked the concept, but I ended up thinking that it could have been fleshed out much more and the ending was pretty anti-climactic.

I told myself I'd like to see it again sometime so I can second-guess my own thoughts.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/19/15 06:24 AM
Yeah, overall the writing could have been stronger, but it had its moments. You really do end up wishing it had been worked on a bit more. It was nice to see Korean actors getting work.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/22/15 01:15 AM
Finally watching season four of Game of Thrones since it came out on disc. There have been some particularly satisfying moments for the sick bastard in me, and what a lot of fun the audio is, like usual.
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/22/15 06:23 PM
Just finished watching the series Danger 5 on netflix. Highly recommend. From someone who is a bit of a movie geek, this just has so much to offer in so many ways. Hilarious!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/26/15 08:49 AM
Originally Posted By: Serenity_Now
Just finished watching the series Danger 5 on netflix. Highly recommend. From someone who is a bit of a movie geek, this just has so much to offer in so many ways. Hilarious!


I watched this after you mentioned it. Pretty good stuff. I'd probably get more out of it if I was more familiar with the era it's lampooning, but there was still plenty to enjoy.

Fresh Off the Boat has been great so far. The actors are all top-notch, but I'm blown away by Constance Wu in her role. I feel old, though. I looked her up, and she's 10 years younger than I am.

Sad to see Parks and Recreation go. I wish all of the people involved the best.

I'm going to keep mentioning it. Ha ha. The Mindy Project is knocking it out of the park. I hope it sticks around as long as Parks and Recreation.

Of course I'm keeping up with It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. It's still really good, though this season has seen a little more rehash than usual.

Better Call Saul is off to an okay start, but I'm having trouble being as patient with it as I was with Breaking Bad. That being said, it's great to see Bob Odenkirk doing more of the role he really knew how to play.

And of course I'm trying another Korean drama. Pinocchio. The premise is that 1 in 43 (I think) people suffer from a condition called Pinocchio syndrome that makes you hiccup whenever you lie, which really limits their ability to function in society. I'm curious where they're going to take it.
Posted By: CatBrat Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/26/15 05:20 PM
I watched The Amazing Spider-man 2 movie for the first time last night. Was much better than my expectations.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/08/15 07:37 PM
Watched 'Fury' last night. I can't say that it was 'enjoyable' due to its graphic war scenes & really questionable story line. I know that the Allied soldiers were not choirboys, but this movie goes overboard in trying to portray them as louts & thugs.

What made it hard to fathom for me was that there were many scenes where the notion of reality was kind of a stretch. One glaring example, the excessive time that it took for the 'potato masher' grenades that were tossed into the tank to detonate. And what was that long scene in the house with the 2 civilian ladies all about? Completely unnecessary to the story IMO & rather ugly content & dialogue as well.

Some good LFE throughout but I had a hard time understanding a lot of dialogue even with the VP160.

My wife departed half way through - not worth it IMO...

TAM
The movies that are being barfed out of the movie mill of late are awful. I watched 3 movies last nite and the best one was the animated Disney movie Big Hero 6. The other 2 were Foxcatcher and Captive and TBH I wish I would have saved the 12.00 for the rental and just watched a show on Discovery Channel. Tom I know how your wife feels, I wish I could have got up and went to bed .
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/08/15 11:34 PM
I saw The Judge last night and liked it.

Sorry to be so wordy.

I'm known for my in-depth reviews and didn't want to disappoint.
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/08/15 11:34 PM
Watch the secret life of Walter Mitty. Restore your faith in creative hollywood. wink
Posted By: BBIBH Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/15 12:35 AM
...does binge watching season 3 of House of Cards count? smile
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/15 07:48 AM
Originally Posted By: CV
And of course I'm trying another Korean drama. Pinocchio. The premise is that 1 in 43 (I think) people suffer from a condition called Pinocchio syndrome that makes you hiccup whenever you lie, which really limits their ability to function in society. I'm curious where they're going to take it.


I liked Pinocchio a lot. The Pinocchio syndrome figured into the story, but not so much that it was a gimmick. There was a lot going on, and it really feels like the characters had been on a journey by the end of it. That's one of the things that's been impressing me about the better Korean dramas. They come up with interesting stories and prioritize character development. And while they do inject a fair amount of tension, there's a lot of restraint and patience shown, too, so it doesn't feel like a roller coaster that's all corkscrews.

The new Aziz Ansari comedy special on Netflix is worthwhile. I'm comfortable calling him one of my favorite stand-up comedians at this point.

Now I'll try to watch another episode or two of season 3 of House of Cards before bed. I had to shelve it for a little bit when Pinocchio got more engaging.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/15 04:46 PM
Mike, it absolutely counts.

We finished up Season 3 HOC over the weekend, and started watching the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, which I am enjoying.

We also re-started watching NYPD Blue from the beginning since it is now on Netflix. Man, Dennis Franz is REALLY freaking good. Every scene.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/10/15 01:45 AM
Watching "The Office" reruns, part way through season 4 at the moment.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/11/15 03:50 AM
Watched the Houseman. Huuuuu.....different. definitely true to the time and hardships of this early west.
Posted By: MMM Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/11/15 12:02 PM
I'm watching my bank account slowly dwindle away to nothing. I hate home renovations
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/23/15 01:40 AM
I've been blowing through seasons 4-7 of Just Shoot Me, since it's been forever since I've seen them. I'm getting toward the end of season 6. I started buying them on disc as soon as they came out. Seasons 1 and 2 came out in a box set together, and then there were no releases for a long time. Season 3 eventually came out, but there must not be any interest, since it's been quite a while since that release as well, and it seems dead in the water. I'm resorting to watching the rest of the series on a shady website. You'd think they would at least put the remaining seasons on a legitimate streaming site or two.

There was some shaky writing at the beginning, but it got really good, and I think it's a shame it never got more respect.

I've also been trying out episodes of Nathan For You on the recommendation of a friend. It's not bad. I like the guy's demeanor well enough.

Watched About a Boy again last night since a friend hadn't seen it, and I'd been wanting to watch it again. It holds up.

Tonight will be more Game of Thrones. A friend has been coming over to watch episodes every Sunday (except last Sunday when she had to cancel), and we're about halfway through season 2. She gets pretty emotionally invested in her entertainment, so it's funny to see and hear her reactions.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/28/15 08:52 PM
Man Seeking Woman

Worth watching. It was better than I was expecting, which I'm happy about. Jay Baruchel deserves another good show. It's been too long since Undeclared. There are a lot of comic actors you'll recognize doing bit parts in it.
Posted By: BBIBH Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/28/15 10:16 PM
March Madness...IMO the best sporting event!!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/03/15 06:05 AM
Finally working my way through Workaholics. Sean doesn't live there anymore, but it's nice to see Rancho Cucamonga get some love. I tried the first few episodes a long time ago, but it didn't grab me. However, this second time around, after being exposed to all of the main actors in other work (The Mindy Project, Parks and Recreation, Modern Family, Eastbound & Down), I was more receptive. I'm glad I gave it a second go, because there's a whole lot of good material once you commit. It's the kind of writing I only wish I could do.

Also tried a few episodes of Garfunkel and Oates, but I'm not sure if I'll stick with it or not.

I couldn't get into The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt despite liking that main actress a lot. I was also really bored during the 2 or 3 episodes of Bloodline that I watched. I heard the last several episodes redeem it, but I'm not sure I want to watch so many more episodes of me yawning before the payoff. I may eventually, just because I really like Kyle Chandler and Linda Cardellini.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/04/15 01:46 PM
Half the fun of living in Rancho Cucamonga is getting to say "Rancho Cucamonga" out loud and watching out-of-towners' eyes light up.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/11/15 04:35 AM
Stephen Chow's Forbidden City Cop still makes me happy. I paid a premium to get it on Blu-ray, and while it's not a showcase for restoration, it's significantly better than the DVD. I was surprised by how much LFE is present. His material always takes things to comic book proportions, so it doesn't feel out of place. It's just not something I would have expected. The scene where he's spinning the fan blades above his head may be the most intense LFE I've encountered.

It's one of my favorite Stephen Chow movies. Besides his trademark sense of humor, his character has a wife in this one, which gives it a different feel from his other work. Their interactions still make me laugh. If you liked Shaolin Soccer and/or Kung Fu Hustle, you should definitely check out some of his earlier stuff, with this one being at the top of the list.

I'm trying Mr. Selfridge, but I'm a few episodes in, and it's not really doing anything for me so far.

Harmontown was a decent look into the life of Dan Harmon, creator of Community. I didn't realize he was one of the people behind Heat Vision & Jack, as well as The Sarah Silverman Program. Shows how closely I pay attention.

I'm caught up with Workaholics. Glad the new season of Louie kicked off. I still need to watch the premiere of Childrens Hospital. I feel like I'm forgetting to watch other stuff, too.
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/12/15 12:48 AM
Hey CV, did you catch Journey to the west yet? Liked that one. Very cool storyline unlike any movie I've seen. keeping with the sense of humour and larger than life entertainment.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/12/15 05:30 AM
Originally Posted By: Serenity_Now
Hey CV, did you catch Journey to the west yet? Liked that one. Very cool storyline unlike any movie I've seen. keeping with the sense of humour and larger than life entertainment.


Yes, loved that one. I was a bit unsure when Stephen Chow wasn't acting in it, but the main guy does well enough, and Qi Shu was wonderful. I really liked her in Jackie Chan's Gorgeous, so it was nice to see her in something else. Something better than The Transporter. Ha ha.
Posted By: MMM Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/12/15 11:07 AM
I was on Netflix and watched the Parallels show. Thought it was a better try at the 'sliders' tv show from the late 90's, but it seemed like rather than a movie it was a first episode Pilot of a TV series than an actual movie. Good production value, but shy on content.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/17/15 04:51 AM
Finished Daredevil on Netflix yesterday. It grew on me, but I was bored for quite a while. I think I'm in the minority, though. Other people I know who watched it didn't have that bump to get over. I will say that Vincent D'Onofrio really owned his role, and I've never really given much consideration to his acting.

I'm four episodes into Other Space on Yahoo! Screen, and it's great so far. From the mind of Paul Feig, creator of Freaks and Geeks. Here's hoping it gets picked up for more episodes at some point, because I think they could really go places.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/19/15 08:44 AM
The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness

Great documentary on Netflix about Studio Ghibli. It's easy to see where the magic in their films comes from.

I'll admit I haven't been the best fan, since I have a stack of their movies that I still haven't made time to watch, but this renews my interest, so I'll make an effort to fit them in.

Also, I finally watched my copy of Interstellar. Great audio all around, and certainly another showcase for LFE. And I probably liked the movie more this second time around. Not that I disliked it the first time.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/19/15 06:42 PM
Binged through Black Sails.
It's definitely a 'just for the fun of it' show but it has so many interesting characters it gets its hooks into you. No pun intended.

Note: No. This is absolutely nothing like Pirates of the Caribbean.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/21/15 07:29 AM
You know, Deadbeat on Hulu is funnier than I was expecting.
Posted By: a401classic Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/21/15 10:21 AM
Watched INCEPTION the other night. may have to watch it again (and again?) to figure out what level its at at any given point. Anyway, GREAT LFE - worth the rematch just to feel the floor move up and down again.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/23/15 06:44 AM
Originally Posted By: CV
You know, Deadbeat on Hulu is funnier than I was expecting.


Cat Deeley does a pretty good job in it, but I'm getting old. I look at her and think of her as a mature woman, so I think "older," but she's only a year older than I am. Where did my youth go?

Fresh Off the Boat is still keeping me entertained. The actors are all really good. I've always liked Randall Park (check out Dr. Miracles and Baby Mentalist if you want some off-the-wall fun). He and Hudson Yang anchor the show well, and the two younger brothers and Constance Wu round it out well. Constance Wu's master class in sitcom acting never fails to amaze me.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/23/15 03:58 PM
Originally Posted By: Murph
Binged through Black Sails.
It's definitely a 'just for the fun of it' show but it has so many interesting characters it gets its hooks into you. No pun intended.

Note: No. This is absolutely nothing like Pirates of the Caribbean.


I love this series. Everything about is good, as far as I’m concerned. I really like how they attempt to make the show realistic to the time, and not just brain-dead BS.

I have had a new BBC series on the DVR for a while now, Intruders. Just started watching them. This show is a bit bizarre, but pretty good. I’m about four episodes into it, and still don’t really know what the heck is going on, and who the good guys or bad guys are.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/24/15 08:43 AM
There are a lot of cameos in season 2 of Deadbeat that I wasn't expecting. Michael Ian Black's character is pretty good. It was nice to see Bodie from The Wire again. While I'm enjoying the show, when is Hulu going to renew Quick Draw for a third season? Come on, don't let John Lehr's dream die.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/26/15 01:30 AM
We just watched the B-D of Unbroken. Makes me feel like a pitiful human being when I'm putting on a jacket to step out with the dog because the air is a bit chilly.

Good movie.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/26/15 05:25 AM
Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
We just watched the B-D of Unbroken. Makes me feel like a pitiful human being when I'm putting on a jacket to step out with the dog because the air is a bit chilly.

Good movie.

I put it on my list.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/27/15 06:15 PM
Originally Posted By: MarkSJohnson
We just watched the B-D of Unbroken. Makes me feel like a pitiful human being when I'm putting on a jacket to step out with the dog because the air is a bit chilly.

Good movie.


I watched the movie after reading the book. The movie is pathetically inadequate in telling his life story. An amazing man.
Posted By: Ya_basta Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/01/15 01:53 AM
Videos of the phenomenal André Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/15 07:39 AM
Vikings. Overall, I'm finding the show lackluster, but I do have to hand it to the main actor. He has great faces and really owns the role. I think it has potential to grow into itself, but it's not there yet (I'm most of the way through the second season).

Oh, and watched The Avengers: Age of Ultron earlier today. It's good, has enough great moments to carry it, but it was disappointing how much of it felt off or unwieldy. Considering how much he had to juggle, it came off really well, but it's always better when you don't have to justify it like that. I didn't like the opening of the first Avengers, either, but this one was worse. Trying too hard to start out lively, and the CG shots of the characters performing their impossible feats looked astoundingly bad. The same kind of unnatural movement that makes some of the Legolas shots in LotR hard to stomach. But then there are the ultra-destructive Hulk scenes to wash the taste out of your mouth.
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/15 07:44 AM
Originally Posted By: CV
Vikings. Overall, I'm finding the show lackluster, but I do have to hand it to the main actor. He has great faces and really owns the role. I think it has potential to grow into itself, but it's not there yet (I'm most of the way through the second season).

I found this one a bit hard to get into however as a person who appreciates the history of the time, it really emulates a realistic version of events between the vikings and other cultures around them as they raided while other nations 'built' more to constructed civilization.
e.g. in the sense of innovation regarding engines of war the vikings took alot of losses against thing like superior constructed castle defenses and walls
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/15 09:15 PM
For some reason we won't get Age of Ultron until the 22nd...
I'm hoping to watch something, anything, tonight.
At least I am getting some game time in our screen room.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/06/15 06:27 AM
I'm finally watching NTSF: SD: SUV since it's currently on Hulu. A lot of great stuff, and comedic actors from everywhere doing guest roles.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/09/15 04:09 PM
Originally Posted By: CV
Vikings. Overall, I'm finding the show lackluster, but I do have to hand it to the main actor. He has great faces and really owns the role. I think it has potential to grow into itself, but it's not there yet (I'm most of the way through the second season).


What!!!???? Vikings is way up on my top favorite series list. I love this show, find it thoughtfully written, good sound, good acting, super-hot chicks... What else could you possibly want from a TV series?

But I also feel the same about Black Sails. So you probably stay away from that one....
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/17/15 06:47 PM
My sister has me watching another Korean drama. The Girl Who Sees Smells. It's pretty good. As you can guess from the title, the main character can see smells. She gets in an accident, which causes one of her eyes to change color and gives her this ability. Thankfully, there's a lot more to the story, with other characters having their own oddities. It's turning out to be really well-plotted, so I'm excited to see how it concludes.

A friend sent me the link to this video. I understand their initial reactions, but I want to urge them to continue watching the series they were exposed to, because they were all winners. Ha ha.

Americans Watch K-Dramas For The First Time
Posted By: Lampshade Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/18/15 12:56 AM
This is true:
I showed my wife the clip so she could see the movie they were making fun of. I thought she might like it...

She's already seen it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/18/15 06:28 AM
Originally Posted By: Lampshade
This is true:
I showed my wife the clip so she could see the movie they were making fun of. I thought she might like it...

She's already seen it.


What movie are you talking about?
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/18/15 01:12 PM
The Zero Theorum: another Terry Gilliam extravaganza.

If you like Terry and 'art films', you'll like this one. He uses his usual over-the-top visuals and a somewhat meandering plot to make a simple point: our lives are increasingly meaningless (technology because...).

I quite enjoyed it, but then I'm a real fan of Salvatore Dali as well .
Posted By: Lampshade Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/18/15 02:37 PM
CV,
the Korean drama people were making fun of in the you tube clip.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/18/15 04:53 PM
Originally Posted By: Lampshade
CV,
the Korean drama people were making fun of in the you tube clip.


There were three TV series represented.
Posted By: Lampshade Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/18/15 05:28 PM
I see,
the first one. I only watched the beginning of the you tube clip. I found the people doing the commentary were too annoying to watch it all.

Korean dramas are very popular in Thailand where my wife is from. There is a good chance she has seen all three.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/30/15 11:13 PM
Kung Fury is worth a watch. At only half an hour, it won't take much of your life. I did my small part to help fund it on Kickstarter. I think I contributed enough to get the Blu-ray when they release it.

Murph, it was you who mentioned The Grand Seduction, wasn't it? I finally watched it since it became available on Netflix. I enjoyed it enough. I'll never be wooed like that.

Today, it's all about food. I'm watching season 2 of the K-drama, Let's Eat, as well as the Netflix documentary series, Chef's Table. I seriously need to learn to cook.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/01/15 07:41 PM
Hey Charles,
I didn't think it was on the American Netflix. Are you sure you watched the movie about the Doctor moving to Newfoundland? I know there is another movie with exactly the same name but I have no idea what it is about.

And if it is on the American Netflix then Yay! Go Newfs!!!!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/02/15 04:20 AM
Originally Posted By Murph
Hey Charles,
I didn't think it was on the American Netflix. Are you sure you watched the movie about the Doctor moving to Newfoundland? I know there is another movie with exactly the same name but I have no idea what it is about.


Yes, it's the one you're talking about.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/02/15 08:36 AM
Originally Posted By CV
I'm watching season 2 of the K-drama, Let's Eat


I was skeptical of this one keeping its magic when only one of the actors came back for the second season, but at least it was the main guy who was very entertaining in the first season. The new cast of characters does well, with major props going to the female lead. Between her, the main actress in My Love From the Star, and the main actress from Modern Farmer, Korea has put up some of the greatest comedic actresses I've ever seen. I simply needed to mention that and bow to their inspired performances.
Posted By: Murph Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/04/15 02:01 PM
Finally got to see last weekends Game of Thrones.

HOLY JUMPIN FREAKIN SONOFA <insert expletevise here>.

The battle scene at the end was one of the best I've seen even in big budget movies. The "kids" (I don't want to give much away) totally freaked me out.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/14/15 10:09 AM
I wasn't planning on it, but I went to see Jurassic World with my cousin. My original offer was to use the discount tickets I'd gotten from work to see Mad Max: Fury Road when it came out. My cousin said yes, and that he'd get back to me on when. A couple of weekends came and went, and he had other things going on. No one else I knew seemed to want to go, either. He finally asked if I'd be up for a movie this weekend. Only he wanted to see Jurassic World. I agreed, but why is it so hard to get people to go see pretty dust storms? I know a couple of people at work weren't satisfied by Mad Max, but what do other people know. In any case, I may be waiting for disc for that one.

As for Jurassic World, it's pretty much what you'd expect: The basic Jurassic Park idea remixed, with the volume turned up, along with the obligatory self-aware jabs and references. It's not without its fun, but you can't go in expecting to be wowed. Honestly, though, whose expectations are that high for this franchise anymore?

I started watching the new season of Orange Is the New Black. It's still keeping me interested. There's already plenty of good meat in the dialogue, and I'm only on the third episode. Anything that makes me want to invest myself more in my own writing is a good thing.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/14/15 10:14 AM
Originally Posted By Murph
Finally got to see last weekends Game of Thrones.


I'll just say that I'm unimpressed with the quality of the video in HBO Now's web streaming. I'm not sure about the Apple experience, because I don't own any of their devices. It's my friend who has the account, so she comes over on Sundays to log in and watch Game of Thrones. The basic usability of the site isn't the greatest, either. I was expecting more out of HBO. I only hope they do a revamp at the same time Apple loses its exclusivity. I still plan on getting my own account when the three months is up, as there are other programs I want to delve into.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/20/15 09:20 AM
I liked season 3 of The Newsroom. I think I'll always have a love-hate relationship with Aaron Sorkin's writing, but there's usually enough going for it to redeem itself. He's obviously very smart, with a nuanced understanding of the subjects he tackles. It's just that sometimes he seems too aware of that. That being said, I enjoyed this show a lot more than I did The West Wing, though I didn't get as far into that show as I probably should have. Maybe one of these days I'll try it again.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/06/15 11:30 PM
I just started watching Rick and Morty since it's on Hulu. It's pretty great so far.

I've been letting episodes of White Collar play in the background when I'm doing other stuff. It's not a very good show. At all. It resembles Burn Notice a lot in tone and the way it's made, but with weaker story and characters. And Burn Notice was already a guilty pleasure. I wanted to give it a fair shot because one of my friends really loves it.

In other news, I decided to hook up my pair of M22s as wide speakers just because. I still don't have an attractive way to route my speaker cables, so it's a big mess. So far I haven't listened to a lot with them engaged. Just some Pixar stuff. Not an extremely pronounced effect so far, so I'll have to pay attention. I think part of it is that the LFRs already do a pretty good job of filling everything out. One thing that surprised me is Audyssey (I used the Quick Start to set channel levels and distances) set them at 40 Hz, just like the LFR1100s and VP180 (non-HP). I still knocked them up to 80 Hz.

Also, I'm kind of dating someone. She gave a cautious yes, so we'll see if anything changes. Yeah, I thought I'd hide my gigantic news in a post people will likely skip over.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/06/15 11:53 PM
That's interesting news about the wide speakers. I didn't read anything else. smile
Posted By: onn Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/06/15 11:55 PM
Thumbs up, Charles.
Where's the shout box when you need it
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/06/15 11:59 PM
Congrats, CV!
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/07/15 04:21 AM
Wrong thread. Please repost.

Happy for you.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/07/15 05:06 AM
Dude.


Word.


smile
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/07/15 07:22 AM
Thanks, guys. I'm not sure how to read the situation yet, but so far it hasn't hampered my excitement. We've been friends for a while, which I think we both want to preserve, so we'll just have to feel it out.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/07/15 08:06 PM
Originally Posted By CV

Also, I'm kind of dating someone. She gave a cautious yes, so we'll see if anything changes. Yeah, I thought I'd hide my gigantic news in a post people will likely skip over.

Now it's on the front page!!!! Fred does exactly this to me when I bury foul language deep in a post.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/07/15 08:13 PM
Feeling it out is half the fun. Or so I remember.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/02/15 01:47 AM
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation was a lot of fun. Christopher McQuarrie did a good job with it. A couple of parts were extra fakey, but overall a strong entry. Maybe my favorite so far, though I'll have to watch III, Ghost Protocol, and this one again to decide. The first and second don't do much for me anymore, though I liked them at the time.

They also showed the trailer for Zoolander 2 before the movie, and it was glorious.

Oh, and I signed up for the free trial of HBO Now since they expanded to Android. I imagine I'll keep it since I like enough HBO shows to make it worth my while... at least until I get to the point where I'm waiting on them to release new content. The Leftovers was decent. It's a pretty good premise, even if they never get to the point of resolving anything. But I guess that's life, right? The Brink, on the other hand, isn't very good, but I'll give it a little longer before I give up completely.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/11/15 04:32 AM
Life's Too Short on HBO was worthwhile, even if Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant weren't flexing very hard. They basically made Warwick Davis into a David Brent-type character. Even so, Davis brought some acting chops to the table I didn't know he had.

Someone recommended QI (Quite Interesting) to me since a few seasons are available on Hulu. It's a discussion show framed around a game show format. Stephen Fry hosts, and he has guests/contestants who are a mix of comedians/entertainers and academics. They have a topic of the day, so the questions all revolve around the theme they're covering. It's a fun way to get exposed to a lot of ideas, so check it out if it sounds interesting to you. It boggles the mind how much trivia Stephen Fry has at his command.

I see why people haven't been happy with the second season of True Detective. The story is a mess of ideas, with nothing really being developed enough. I don't care about Colin Farrell, but I like Vince Vaughn well enough, and I was really looking forward to Taylor Kitsch getting another break, but his character isn't that interesting, the writing too heavy-handed. Rachel McAdams gets to be a badass, and she pulls it off well, but again, her character's backstory is forced. While the first season had its missed opportunities, too, at least Matthew McConaughey's character had an entertaining worldview to keep you engaged. There have been a couple of decent scenes, but not enough to recommend the season as a whole. I have the final episode to watch, but I'm doubting it's going to change my mind.
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/29/15 10:02 PM
Watched Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2. Violent much?

Wanted to share that the first few minutes of eerie surround breathing, and the fight at the Bell's place are what this hobby is all about! grin Great movies I never get tired of re-watching every few years.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/29/15 11:04 PM
The opening scenes for Master and Commander are fun too.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/30/15 05:36 AM
Originally Posted By Serenity_Now
Watched Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2. Violent much?


I'll have to give several of the Tarantino movies re-watches before his new one comes out this Christmas. Always fun.
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/30/15 08:58 AM
Originally Posted By fredk
The opening scenes for Master and Commander are fun too.


One of my favourites.

I didn't know Tarintino had a new one coming out. Must check it out.
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/30/15 09:07 AM
Oh yeah, CV, if youre into concert blurays at all, and like LCD Soundsystem, "Shut Up and Play the Hits" is a reference, must own, concert bluray.

Reggie Watts's energy in "you cant hide" is pheonominal. James Murphy is a bit of an audio/music geek, and it shows in the quality of the show and the sound.

Edit: just be sure its the 3 disc bluray with concert and not just the documentary about the show.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/17/15 11:06 AM
Finally giving Portlandia some time. I watched a few episodes way back, but I didn't stick with it. I should have. There's some gold in there.

Also watched iZombie, despite the horrible title and zombies maybe being played out. It's entertaining enough, but some of the similarities to other shows can make it seem a little unsure of itself.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/18/15 03:28 AM
Avengers: Age of Ultron

Either something is wrong in my setup, or this disc's audio wasn't mixed right. It seemed like major pieces of the soundtrack were absent. As examples, Iron Man and a jet flying by were nearly inaudible. A jet way later in the movie had more impact, but throughout the movie, it just didn't feel like it had the same presence as in the theater.

I stopped early on to run the receiver's level calibration to send noise to each channel and make sure they were all operating, which they were. While the movie was actually playing, I listened to each speaker, and they were all receiving content.

I found this poll on High-Def Digest:

Poll: The ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ Blu-ray Soundtrack Controversy

I wouldn't characterize the sound as being awful or lacking dynamics, but rather missing elements. When I've run into this before, it's because I was dumb and forgot to turn on the amp for the mains. Not the case this time, which is what's making me scratch my head. It seems inconceivable that they would mess up a soundtrack this badly, which is why I keep revisiting the idea of something being wrong in my setup. I just can't figure out what when I can't replicate the experience with other material.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/18/15 10:58 PM
I read through a lot of the comments in the AVS review thread. Enough people complained about the sound being off that I'm done investigating my system for problems, but it still seems like most of them aren't quite reaching the same conclusion that I am. Only one guy specifically mentioned the apparent absence of certain sound effects. Everyone else kept talking about lack of punch and dynamics and bass, and half of the people kept saying turning the volume up 10 dB higher than normal fixes everything. It doesn't. I did increase the volume from my usual -12 to -16 to -4 while watching, but that didn't add in sound effects that seemed to be missing. If it was intentional to have a lot of things going on onscreen with no accompanying sound effects, it has to be one of the weirdest choices I've encountered. In any case, I'd like to hear what you guys think when you watch on your home systems.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/18/15 11:46 PM
But now we're not going to watch it because it's all sucky and stuff!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/19/15 08:21 AM
Originally Posted By MarkSJohnson
But now we're not going to watch it because it's all sucky and stuff!


I ruin everything!
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/19/15 04:32 PM
I watched an abbreviated version of Eric Clapton's 'Slowhand at 70' on PBS from Detroit on Sat night. Unfortunately, it was only in SD (not HD) so the experience was less than ideal. The 2 CH sound routed from my TV into my AVR was weak & flat.

It was a decent teaser as there is a DVD or Blu Ray + 2 CDs package available that Santa might bring me. I'm looking forward to seeing & hearing it in its full glory.

This recent concert in Royal Albert Hall demonstrated that the 'old phart' still has what it takes to make his Fender wail. The audience luved it...

TAM
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/22/15 06:33 AM
The new season of Fargo seems promising. I keep seeing faces, and I'm like, "Oh, yeah, I do remember hearing they were going to be in this." There are just so many.

I've only watched the first episode even though two are up. I have a friend I'm watching with on the weekend, so I'm being good and saving it. I also started her on The League since it would be silly to just watch one episode of something while she's here.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/22/15 07:57 PM
I'm really looking forward to Aziz Ansari's new series on Neflix, Master of None.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/22/15 08:11 PM
I saw a preview this afternoon for "The Man in the High Castle" on Amazon Prime, and that looks incredible.
Posted By: pmbuko Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/22/15 08:25 PM
Alternative history FTW!
Posted By: MMM Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/23/15 12:55 AM
I just dug out some old blu rays. Watching the remake of Conan. actually a much better film that the original ones with Arnold. Even if you take into consideration the B movie status.
Posted By: nickbuol Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/23/15 05:15 AM
Yeah, but it is better than THIS movie?


Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/24/15 04:35 PM
CV:

We watched The Avengers Blu-Ray last night. The sound overall was not 'over the top' as many action movies are these days. It tended to be quieter than the norm today but the dialogue channel was great & there was lots of LFE when required.

If I hadn't heard about this perceived problem, I probably wouldn't have noticed anything different...

TAM
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/24/15 06:28 PM
Watched Interstellar again. Just as fantastic as the first time. The dialogue issue lots of people seem to complain about is totally intentional and created by the way it was captured it seems- not mixed. It lends to realism and perspective with the actor's positions on screen. When a character is moving around and talking their voice follows them. If they turn their back to the mic their voice follows. Totally fine. Great show.
Posted By: nickbuol Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/24/15 08:21 PM
Yeah, I was surprised by Interstellar in the theaters (the dialog) enough to look into it as soon as I got back to my hotel (I almost exclusively see movies in theaters only when traveling for work).

Then, when I watched it at home after it came out on blu-ray, I knew what to expect and enjoyed it a lot more.

Too bad that Age of Ultron wasn't better though. The sound just seems like there are about 6 audio tracks that aren't playing in the mix. You get some decent dialog, some occasional low end punch, but a lot of the "ambient" noise is just plain missing.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/30/15 05:21 AM
I'm planning a double-feature of Death Proof and This Is the End for Halloween. What will you guys be watching? I wish I had Starz so I could watch the debut of the new Ash vs. Evil Dead series. Waiting until I can buy the episodes will be agony.
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/30/15 07:45 PM
Gonna watch It Follows on netflix while we hand out candy. Saw a preview before watching exmachina last night. A really well acted unique story movie.
Posted By: MMM Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/31/15 01:32 PM
I gave my subs quite the work out last night. Put on the Tron Legacy movie. I will admit that I did watch it in 3D as it turns out my 3D glasses for the Samsung tv that I own works fine with my new Panasonic. I wanted to test it out to see if or how they would work.

Turns out as well that the glasses do cut the brightness quite significantly so for 3D movies, I am better off using the THX movie setting on the tv rather than the THX dark room. It amounts to the same thing with the glasses on.

There is quite a bit of low level atmospheric LFE in that movie. I am going to need to figure out the levels on the unit. For this movie, the subs were shaking the whole room. But it the levels are not turned up for music, the subs simply don't do anything and might as well not even be there.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/31/15 04:34 PM
I found that the unending, constant LFE in Tron was annoying after a while - and that's with a couple of 800s that normally are not irritating in their sound quality in any way.

If I ever watch it again, I'll probably leave the subs off...

TAM
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/31/15 06:47 PM
Originally Posted By exlabdriver
I found that the unending, constant LFE in Tron was annoying after a while - and that's with a couple of 800s that normally are not irritating in their sound quality in any way.

If I ever watch it again, I'll probably leave the subs off...

TAM



I loved the constant drone in Star Trek, TNG. I miss it actually. The feel it added while watching, like you were on a ship in space, was memorable.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/01/15 02:03 AM
Perhaps I'm more easily irritated as I get older, ha!

TAM
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/01/15 10:13 AM
Well, I bought my tickets for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. IMAX 3D, Spokane, WA, Saturday, December 19th, 4:00 PM. Besides being sold out opening day, of course, I couldn't get the time off. My friend was game to go, so we're going to get a group together. I bought 6 as a safety, since Fandango says I can return or exchange until 2 hours before the show. I imagine enough people will want to go. Even if the movie doesn't live up to hopes and dreams, at least it will be a fun road trip with friends.

I watched Beasts of No Nation on Netflix last night. Granted, my ears are untrained, but Idris Elba's accent sounded pretty convincing to me--great performance. He did an amazing job with Stringer Bell in The Wire, so I'm just assuming it was the same caliber of work as far as sounding like he was supposed to. His wasn't the only great performance. He's simply the only one I know by name. Worth watching, though I knew I had to be in the right mood to subject myself to a film about child soldiers.

I re-watched Death Proof for Halloween, as planned. It still impresses me. People talk about it being one of Tarantino's lesser works, but I just don't see it. The concept, the characters, the execution.... It all shows he knows how to play the long game in his writing and directing. If you like Tarantino and have never taken the time, consider it.

I didn't get to re-watching This Is the End, but that's more fun with other people, anyway.

Time for me to sleep so I can get up and write, write, write for NaNoWriMo tomorrow. Wish me luck!
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/10/15 01:30 AM
Originally Posted By pmbuko
I'm really looking forward to Aziz Ansari's new series on Neflix, Master of None.


Digging it. Great soundtrack too. Not a fan of his standup, but this show has heart and lots of genuine laughs.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/10/15 01:45 AM
Originally Posted By Serenity_Now
Originally Posted By pmbuko
I'm really looking forward to Aziz Ansari's new series on Neflix, Master of None.


Digging it. Great soundtrack too. Not a fan of his standup, but this show has heart and lots of genuine laughs.


Loved the show, but I love his standup, too.

I've been making my way through The Seven Deadly Sins, also a Netflix Original. I wasn't expecting to see a subtitled anime as one of their originals. It was a safe choice, though, as it's pretty much all stuff you've seen in other successful anime series, maybe not done quite as well. But it's still serviceable, and it does grow on you as you watch. It will simply never be a classic unless there's some truly amazing writing later on.

I haven't watched a Korean drama in a while, and the recommendations my sister has been giving me have been piling up, so I'd better get on that.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/15 06:08 PM
Terminator Genisys (Blu-Ray)

Even at -12 Db, this one really shakes the house - often & deep - if you have the proper gear.

Worth a watch I guess...

TAM
Posted By: MMM Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/22/15 08:27 PM
I have a Game of Thrones dilemma.

The show is spectacular and now that I have a decent television to watch it on, the copy that I have is lacking in detail .. computer download.

I find it rather offensive of the studios that they actually charge a different price for the DVD vs Blu Ray copies of the show when effectively, the price difference in pressing the disks is essentially the same. I have read that it actually costs more now to press DVD as the equipment is getting older vs Blu Ray.

The show is not over and you know they will release the ultimate box sets when season 7 (or will it be 8) finally airs. There is likely going to be a 4k version of it released. But at $50 per season, it's pretty steep when DVD is only $20. Who knows how much they will charge for the UHD Blu Ray versions when they get released.

There is a better deal on a 4 season Blu Ray for $100 that brings the cost down a bit. But it's not complete. Its like the harry potter blue ray boxes that were on sale without the deathly hollow two movies.

It it worth getting it as 4 seasons of watching is quite a bit to get through. Or do you wait?
Posted By: brendo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/15 04:16 AM
Just watched, When Marnie Was There, From studio Ghibli.
Great studio never a bad movie. Now own every English release except, Grave of the Fire Flies. One of those had it one day didn't buy it on the spot and can't find it again deals.
Highly recommend Any thing GHIBLI. Even the Overly Green Peace flicks well worth the watch.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/15 04:08 PM
Did anyone else watch the American Music Awards last night? Not our kinda show/artists, but it was after dessert and we were too lazy to reach.

I have never heard so many bad performances in one evening in my life! We were shocked. We kept turning our heads and looking at each other on the sofa (like Jeff and Akbar), every time it happened again and watched each other writhe as some of them got progressively worse.

Specifically, the problem was that a number of vocalists went in and out of pitch throughout a tune. Was the monitoring signal being sent to the earphones so screwed up that the singers couldn't hear each other or the musicians?

Luke and some female I don't know had some pretty awful harmonies in their duet. I really think they didn't know. Alanis M. and Demi L. did a duet from "Jagged Little Pill." Alanis was dead on, all the time. Demi struggled at times to maintain pitch.

The toughest to bear was Celine. You're reading the words of a hater, but I've never denied that she has an amazing voice.
At the beginning of her Paris tribute, it was just her and the pianist. Being as good as you have to be to get that gig, he caught up with here in whatever effing key she was wandering around in.

I said to Jeff, I mean, Bill, "HE can key-correct for her, but when the rest of that orchestra comes in, they can't.

She had several moments that make humans lower their necks and raise their shoulders, as if we knew we actually could become turtles. "Cringe-worthy, with nice, round, full 1/4-tone pitch deviances," is a good description.

No one watches that kind of thing gleefully, well, Nicki Minaj, maybe. There wasn't a poor singer among the several that this happened to. It's always a bummer to see ridiculously experienced professionals fail, especially when it's a production problem---that many artists cannot all be having an off night.

I gotta say, though, of all of them, the one that actually hurt, physically, was Celine's. When you throw that kind of power behind that kind of oscillation, yeow!
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/15 05:43 PM
That's why I don't watch nor listen to any of these ubiquitous 'award shows' - neither music, TV nor movie awards.

Show business (including the mainstream 'news' media) has to be the most narcissistic industry on the planet, except perhaps for professional sports (I don't watch 'games' either)...

TAM
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/15 05:45 PM
Bob. You missed your calling as a New York Times reviewer. Really.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/26/15 06:31 AM
Originally Posted By brendo
Just watched, When Marnie Was There, From studio Ghibli.
Great studio never a bad movie. Now own every English release except, Grave of the Fire Flies. One of those had it one day didn't buy it on the spot and can't find it again deals.
Highly recommend Any thing GHIBLI. Even the Overly Green Peace flicks well worth the watch.


I have all of the Miyazaki Ghibli films, but I'm behind on the other ones. I'm embarrassed, but I still haven't made time to watch all of the ones I've purchased. Grave of the Fireflies I did watch back in the day, but I haven't watched it since getting the Blu-ray. I need more hours in the day to relax properly.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/15 07:05 PM
It was time to do a re-watch of one of my favorites, Freaks and Geeks. The news for a Blu-ray release came out in July, but I somehow didn't hear about it until last night, when I saw the preorder on Blu-ray.com.

In reading the thread about the release, I saw that they were able to go back to the 35mm film. I also found out that the they've switched out what's on Netflix from the SD 4:3 to an HD 16:9 version. I imagine it's coming from the same source as the Blu-ray. Purists may have a point about the framing of the shots having 4:3 in mind, but I tried out the first episode last night, and so far it's not bothering me.

I'll buy the new Blu-rays, even with Netflix being almost there in quality. And I'll buy a UHD Blu-ray set if that happens, too.
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/15 07:12 PM
smile
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/15 07:40 PM
Anyone have any strong opinions on the BD releases of of the real Star Wars movies? I'm kinda giving up on getting my hands on the 2008 releases with the laserdisc rips, since they're running around $300 on Amazon. So oh well.

Might as well get HD even if it does have the new stupid stuff in.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/29/15 08:21 PM
We've again started watching the 6 Star Wars Blu-Rays last night with the first one - Episode IV. I had forgotten how good the remastered soundtrack is on this one.

It's become a tradition here around this time of year leading up to the Holiday Season...

TAM
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/15 03:20 AM
Christmas movie season!

Home Alone. "Keep the change ya filthy animals!" smile
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/06/15 02:56 PM
Thought I would mention the iconic score from John Williams sounds very good on the bluray release. Pretty good dynamics and very robust orchestral sound. A surprise for sure -having seen it a ton of times on a TV alone when growing up.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/07/15 07:10 AM
The Leftovers

It was the season finale tonight. If you have access to HBO and haven't tried it out, it's worth it. Some of the ideas are a bit loose, but that's where some of the fun comes in. It's nice to see how out-there they can take the story sometimes.
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/07/15 05:04 PM
I"m watching Axiom forum members type onto the forums what they are watching tonight.
I've got my eye on you Mark!
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/09/15 10:38 AM
Rise of the Guardians.

The movie itself is Ok, but the 7.1sound mix is exceptional. If you are wanting to justify a 7 channel setup, this one is it. Hard panned sounds to the rear channels in more than a few scenes. Frequent use of surround channel pans around the listener. Very impressed with the sound design in this one. Worth buying just for the sound aspect.
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/12/15 03:57 PM
Finally broke into the Twilight series bluray that the wife got LAST Christmas.
Yes it takes that long to sit down and watch a movie these days with all the evening and weekend flurry of activities.

The interesting thing was seeing the AVR go into a mode i had not seen before (or in a VERY long time). Instead of the Dolby D coming up across the LCD panel, something else lit up; the DTS logo.
I hadn't heard any disc of ours in ages in DTS. One thing i noted that i didn't like (whether this is specific to these discs or not) was just how much of the dialogue was coming entirely from the centre channel without any dispersion to the left and right channels. I'm going to take more close observations in the next movie to see if this changes as a character moves left to right on the screen.
I'm also going to gloss over the settings in the AVR.
Posted By: brendo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/12/15 06:36 PM
Agree Chesseroo quite a few of the DTS signals seem to be mainly center oriented. I'm on the Disney movie club and quite often change the output to all channels, as they always strike me as only center.
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/13/15 06:36 AM
Originally Posted By brendo
Agree Chesseroo quite a few of the DTS signals seem to be mainly center oriented. I'm on the Disney movie club and quite often change the output to all channels, as they always strike me as only center.

Well i'm glad i'm not the only one who's noticed then.
I will listen more closely as we progress through the series to see if that is truly the case.
The sound overall was good, but damned if i bought a all these speakers to only have the centre channel as the focus of 80% of the movie.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/14/15 02:01 AM
Watched Ex Machina tonight. Excellent movie. Excellent cinematography and sound track.
Posted By: brendo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/14/15 04:56 AM
Watched Minion's movie. Kids loved it, surround effects quite immersive with some decent LFE.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/06/16 09:47 AM
I watched The Man From Nowhere, a Korean action movie, when I was visiting my sister. For what it is, it's pretty good. Sure, there's not much to the characters, but the performances are better than they should be, and the action is really well-done. Recommended.

Oh, and this is after we went to the theater with her Korean drama meetup group to see another Korean movie, The Himalayas, which is based on a true story. Also a solid movie. About mountain climbing, as you may have guessed.

Tonight I went to see Creed. Rocky was never a franchise I aimed too much of my love at, and not one I've kept up with, but I was impressed with this new chapter. It could have been so much worse. And of course now I feel like I need to work out more.
Posted By: brendo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/07/16 01:51 AM
Picked up a film called Jellyfish Eyes, on the criterion collection. It's a subtitled Japanese kids movie. Live action and C.G. animation.
Very good even with subtitles my kids were glued.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/10/16 11:15 PM
One-Punch Man, an anime series I'm watching on Hulu, is silly entertainment so far. The premise is this guy is a hero who has trained so hard that he can win every fight with a single punch. This of course leaves him bored and looking for some kind of challenge. Hoping they take it in some interesting directions.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/11/16 05:16 AM
Sicario

I saw it in the theater, and I figured it would be a good audio showcase at home. It is. I wish I had a Dolby Atmos setup to hear it in its full glory, but it's still great.

Besides that, I like the movie a lot. Not a movie with lighter moments, so you might want to be prepared for that if you watch. There are a couple of really well-done long scenes, which you'll probably appreciate on a cinematic level. I'm still impressed how much presence Benicio Del Toro has in his scenes. He really knows how to give his performances mass with an economy of motion.

I also watched Making a Murderer on Netflix this week. I should probably do more reading before having an opinion, but based on what was shared in the show, it's easy to see why people would think there are gaping holes in the prosecution's case.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/11/16 05:42 PM
Finally rented 'Mad Max - Fury Road' on Blu-Ray.

Non stop action with overwhelming LFE (even at -15 Db) at times.

Incredible amount of imagination employed by the movie makers...

TAM
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/11/16 09:55 PM
Watched the Last Knights the other day. This one is definitely a sleeper film that flew under the radar. Morgan Freeman and Clive Owen star in it. I can't think of anything to complain about, and hopefully there will be a part two. It is a futuristic story of sorts.

I have also become addicted to the Ray Donovan Serries on Showtime. Fantastic writing. It's difficult to not watch episodes back to back without a break.

Loved the second season of the Leftovers. CV is spot on with his take on this HBO Serries.

Watched Ted2 last night. They should have stopped after the first one. It was surprisingly different with crude humor that I found funny, but one was enough.

The new Fantastic 4 was a big disapointment. Nothing good to report.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/11/16 10:11 PM
I've been watching Arrow since I finished the first season of The Flash. I'm really enjoying it, despite the absolutely abysmal science. But I've always been a DC guy.
Posted By: St_PatGuy Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/12/16 12:25 AM
Originally Posted By CV
Sicario

I saw it in the theater, and I figured it would be a good audio showcase at home. It is. I wish I had a Dolby Atmos setup to hear it in its full glory, but it's still great.

Besides that, I like the movie a lot. Not a movie with lighter moments, so you might want to be prepared for that if you watch. There are a couple of really well-done long scenes, which you'll probably appreciate on a cinematic level. I'm still impressed how much presence Benicio Del Toro has in his scenes. He really knows how to give his performances mass with an economy of motion.


Went to the theater to see this one a few months ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. I agree with you on all points, CV--the movie is tense and I, too, was surprised by Benicio Del Toro, he conveyed a lot with very little.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/12/16 07:03 AM
Oh, yeah, and I did watch the first season of Ash vs Evil Dead. It has its moments, maybe more so later in the season, even as other parts fell flat. I was hoping for more, but even so, I'm glad they revived the evil. Maybe they'll find their rhythm in the second season.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/15/16 03:38 PM
We finished watching "Merlin" on Netflix the other day and thoroughly enjoyed the series although you must ignore a sense of logic in many episodes but great fun non-the-less. Now on to "AD"...just started it, but looks promising. Christ's crucifiction in the first episode is very emotional, we'll see how the series unfolds...great sets and excellent acting so far.
Posted By: nickbuol Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/15/16 08:56 PM
I used to watch Merlin right after it would air on the BBC. I enjoyed the show a lot.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/16/16 04:39 AM
We're suffering withdrawal after the last episode, Nick! Merlin and Foyles War are the two best British series we've seen so far.
Posted By: MMM Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/16/16 03:05 PM
I ended up binge watching Making a Murderer last night. By episode 4 I was hooked and just had to finish watching as my disbelief grew that such things could happen.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/23/16 05:44 AM
We went to a theater today (rare event for us) to watch '13 Hours' - a must see IMO.

This sad story evidently is very true to the actual events in Benghazi a couple of years ago that created so much controversy. It is one of the best & most powerful movies that I've seen in a long, long time.

With the release of this film at this time in a presidential election year, I expect that there is a particular US political party that is very nervous right now...

TAM
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/24/16 02:41 AM
The Revenant

I'll have to read up on how they achieved some of those crazy shots. Not that all of them looked natural, but you have to admire the balls of going for it. I liked the movie, though it was probably being a little too artistic at times. We weren't in a great theater, so I look forward to the experience at home.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/24/16 03:06 AM
I'll pass on this one because I have a very low opinion of its so-called 'star'. He won't get a dime from me now or in the future:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/leonardo-dicaprio-chinooks-climate-change-1.3358972

http://www.buzzfeed.com/laurenstrapagiel...eak#.jjBYgojOAB

Typical of a hypocritical, globetrotting greenie from Hollywood whose carbon footprint obscenely exceeds any average, normal human being on this planet...

TAM
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/24/16 04:23 AM
So he was ignorant about chinooks.
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/24/16 04:29 AM
Snow eater. Headache maker.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/24/16 06:21 PM
It's certainly alright to be ignorant about chinooks; however, you don't jet around the world (in your private aircraft) telling everyone from his large pulpit that this normal phenomena is being caused by Global Warming/Climate Change or whatever they are calling it these days.

Just more touchy-feely BS from that crowd & they need to be called on it...

TAM
Posted By: brendo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/05/16 06:28 PM
Help I've gotten into The Criterion Collection. last 2 weeks a few.
Good old David Cronenberg, Videodrome, Naked Lunch, Scanners. Had forgotten how intriguing his early work was.

Happy watching.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/14/16 05:23 AM
I finally watched Ex Machina the other day. It was a solid sci-fi movie, really well-executed. While admittedly small-scale in scope, the polish on what's present stands out. I will certainly watch it again.

Also saw Deadpool today. Not being very familiar with the character, and not generally impressed with Ryan Reynolds (even less with TJ Miller), I didn't go in with high expectations. It was a lot of fun. Deadpool is my friend's favorite comic book character, so she'd been looking forward to it for a while. She dreaded the possibility they might mess it up, but she was very happy with how it turned out.

I keep seeing people comment on Facebook on seeing small children at their showings, and it was the same deal with ours. Even with the nudity/sex and gratuitous violence, there were no visible attempts to shield eyes, no walk-outs. I'm not sure what this means, but be sufficiently warned about the content of the movie.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/14/16 03:54 PM
Originally Posted By CV
I finally watched Ex Machina the other day. It was a solid sci-fi movie, really well-executed. While admittedly small-scale in scope, the polish on what's present stands out. I will certainly watch it again...

Excellent scifi movie!

Most of what passes for scifi in Hollywood lives on the margins: more space cowboy action adventure than scifi.

What nailed it for me was the ending. Rather than wrapping things up giving us all the answers and a feel good message, the Ex-Machina leaves us wondering. That is the nature of a good scifi story.
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/23/16 05:07 PM
Anyone watching Vinyl on HBO? I'm not in love with the show yet, but I'm liking the 1970's, NYC music scene "vibe".
Posted By: Nachosgrande Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/26/16 04:42 PM
Hows the music mix?
Originally Posted By MarkSJohnson
Anyone watching Vinyl on HBO? I'm not in love with the show yet, but I'm liking the 1970's, NYC music scene "vibe".
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/27/16 02:46 AM
The CBC (radio) mentioned the show recently. If memory serves me correctly they stated they have a million dollar per episode budget for music.....

Edit..."With a six-figure music budget per episode, each edition features up to 30 songs".

Oops
Lol
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/28/16 10:02 PM
Love on Netflix. It's not like there's nothing to enjoy in it, but it's one of those ones where you're too annoyed at the characters for too much of the time, and the "realistic" glimpses of humanity just make you roll your eyes.

The Civil War. I thought I had better finally watch it, but after starting, I quickly realized I had, in fact, been shown the series back in junior high. But I'd forgotten most of it, so I went through it again. You have to laugh at the current state of politics when you look back at what we've already been through as a nation. All of the blood and tears, and the current system is how we honor that? Pretty sad.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/28/16 10:17 PM
Originally Posted By brwsaw
The CBC (radio) mentioned the show recently. If memory serves me correctly they stated they have a million dollar per episode budget for music.....

Edit..."With a six-figure music budget per episode, each edition features up to 30 songs".

Oops
Lol

Dude, you gotta watch your figure(s). You're expanding.
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/29/16 10:34 PM
Watched Tom Cruise try a german accent in Valkyrie. Generally a pretty good movie with tons of talent on board. First 20 mins excellent demo material for surround and a good lfe blast when Tom and fam run to the basement for an allied shelling.

An excellent, must see, stop now, jesus take the wheel.... laugh

Seriously though, if you are into suspense horror you MUST see The Orphanage. A Guillermo del Toro joint. Its spanish with subtitles. Not a mainsteamer.

I asked my wife, a huge Steven King fan, and movie buff, if it was on par with The Shining and she said "uhhh :pause: yes, it f-ing hurts me, but yes." Lol. She is in trucker mouth rehab.

Long live dead Kubrick. smile
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/01/16 03:40 AM
I watched The Witch with a couple of friends last night. I don't know why, but I liked the trailer, and I was looking forward to it. It felt like a wasted opportunity. I kept waiting for some sublime moment to make the whole thing worthwhile, and it never came. The end really needed to be phenomenal to make the pacing pay off. Oh, well. Hopefully the director will have learned for the next one.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/06/16 04:24 AM
I watched The Mermaid with my sister when I was visiting. As in, Stephen Chow's new movie. Stephen Chow, of Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle fame. I wonder when he's actually going to star in one of his movies again, or if he's decided he's done. It was entertaining. Not one of his strongest, but it still made me laugh a lot. It's funny to see how little progress the visual effects in his movies have made. I mean, there's only so much you can expect when major Hollywood blockbusters like The Avengers: Age of Ultron also have their share of CG humans with unconvincing movement. At least Stephen Chow's movies are supposed to be gigantic goofball affairs. The story could have used more polish. Still, he crafts some pretty classic moments, so I look forward to watching it again when it's on disc. I think I'll like it even more with more viewings.

My sister had me watch the first episode of Signal, another Korean drama. I think she said it had the same director as Misaeng, which was one of our latest favorites. Signal started off really strong, so I'll have to watch the rest. It's a detective story with something seemingly supernatural happening. However, that part of the story is playing such a small part at the beginning that I have no idea what it's going to mean over the course of the show.

And right now I'm watching the new episode of Horace and Pete, Louis C.K.'s new project. It's not really a comedy. It's a lot of characters having very real conversations that no one's really having. He obviously thinks a lot about people. There's a lot of everyone getting in their corner these days, fighting off foreign ideas, so I think this show is sort of a reaction to that insulting oversimplification of ourselves we've allowed ourselves to become. It's sort of a gentle "here, dig a little deeper into why you think you think what you think." So yeah, not a comedy, but compelling.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/12/16 06:24 PM
Cooked on Netflix is good stuff. Documentary series about food. Interesting angles on the subject, well-executed. I recommend it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/28/16 06:22 AM
The Barkley Marathons documentary on Netflix. Maybe the most brutal race on the planet? It's nothing I would ever attempt. I could see old member, Dean (grunt), actually completing it. Worth a watch, and let us know if you decide to do it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/15/16 05:13 AM
I finally got around to watching The Man from U.N.C.L.E. at home. I saw it in the theater, bought the Blu-ray not too long after it came out, but I'm only now getting around to watching it on my system. The audio is terrific.

I thought the movie was still entertaining the second time around, too. While not the most satisfying escalation of drama, it's a remarkably well-edited piece of cinema. It may be Guy Ritchie's best work in that regard.

I like Alicia Vikander more the more I see her. Still love her performance in Ex Machina, and after watching this again, I'm excited to see her in Jason Bourne.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/21/16 04:05 PM
Finished 3 seasons of "Mrs Brown's Boys" on Netflix, lol!! often over-the-top crude(rude?), it really is quite hilarious being filmed before a live audience with plenty of add lib humour. You need a couple of episodes to "get it", imo. Hope Netflix gets season 4.
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/22/16 12:00 AM
Liked Browns boys. Wife hates it. Only watched a couple.

Stranger Things on Netflix. Check it out guys.
Posted By: Rock_Head Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/24/16 01:59 AM
Stranger Things is scary. My son found this show last week and we have one episode left. definitely worth watching.
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/24/16 11:32 AM
Cool one eh?

I really enjoyed the emphasis on using discrete sounds in the mix and the retro synth soundtrack. Great foreboding atmosphere.

My wife and I generally prefer the sound quality of bluray discs and avoid Netflix if we have a disc option. Stranger Things was one of the first Netflix experiences we had where the sound quality and mix were dynamic and life-like. Promising things for the future of streaming content we hope! smile

Really a great show overall. If you like Stephen king style storytelling or the old X-files series I recommend it.
Posted By: BobKay Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/27/16 07:18 PM
And from a look to the future, now a look to the past.

The last VHS players to be made will ship by the end of this month. VHS tape mfg. stopped in '08. There are those hanging on to all of it, thinking that it will make a resurgence, like vinyl.

My final 50-pounder worked for almost 3 years for almost $700 ($1,000 list, at the time). For about 5 more years, it sat on the TV stand as a clock, or as we then called it, "an anchor that tells time."

I don't agree, but I definitely understand the vinyl thing for some. But now, when I see CRT, I have to look far more intently to "make out" what I'm looing AT. From up close, it doesn't look like either an image or actual colors, just mush. I can't imagine even being willing to watch CRT, regardless the content.

Plus, tape degrades just sitting there, unless it's in an archivally temp/humid. controlled environment. Vinyl isn't as fragile, except in high heat, and/or stored incorrectly.

There are two new (to Comcast prisoners, anyway) channels. One is Buzz or Buzzer. It's programing is TV game shows from the 50's through the early 80's. The images are horrible and were never meant to be viewed with any clarity. The stage sets for some are dismally constructed and badly faux painted woods, that couldn't be discerned on a 12"-round B & W screen in a 3' sq. finished mahogany box that weighted 180 lbs.

The other "new" channel is called "Decades." They show programming of all sorts from the 50's through 80's. Bad programming. Programming that, most likely, has expired rights.

Mark Goodson and Bill Todman may be dead (Google them. They once owned the world.) but their crap is still selling advertising time. Whodathunk?

And ditto on the, "Gimme the bluray disc for now," Trevor.
Posted By: bridgman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/30/16 02:02 AM
Note to self... time to take VCR out of audio rack...

Vinyl I understand... not the medium as much as the mixing practices of the time (and all the awesome music that hasn't been re-released on anything digital yet)... but VHS always seemed like something that needed to be replaced ASAP.

Now Betamax, that was a different story smile
Beta could make a comeback yet.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/30/16 07:29 PM
Originally Posted By Serenity_Now
Liked Browns boys. Wife hates it. Only watched a couple.

Stranger Things on Netflix. Check it out guys.


I friend of mine dislocated a rib from laughing so hard when I played him a couple Browns Boys clips off Youtube. Seriously, he had to get a chiropractor to get him to breath right. I bought the whole series on BR. Love it.

Some like British humor, some hate it. Doesn't seem to be any middle ground.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/03/16 10:48 PM
Lol!! that's feck'n funny, Michael!! grin

Watched "Trumbo" the other day. Great story. John Wayne is a dink.

We checked out "Stranger Things". Not a bad idea but it felt too much like an after-school special imo. With the exception of the young girl who played "El", the acting and story execution were kind of lacking, again, my opinion of course.

Spoiler alert

Click to reveal...
Look!! there's a slimy passageway in that tree with a flesh eating monster living in a dark dimension on the other side...it tried to kill me already but I'm going in because I'm curious...
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/04/16 12:14 AM
Child of the 80s. Cant help it. smile

We crushed all 5 seasons of VEEP. Satire mixed with a sobering look at politics. Worth checking out.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/07/16 12:49 AM
Top Spin, documentary about table tennis, was pretty good. It's on Netflix. It looks like such a fun sport if you're that gifted at it.

Jason Bourne was decent. A weaker entry in the series, but still better than most movies of that kind.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/07/16 10:12 PM
The Big Short was really good. Our system sucks.
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/12/16 05:07 AM
Meteor shower
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/12/16 11:22 AM
What channel is that on?
plro
Originally Posted By MarkSJohnson
What channel is that on?


Probable Sky .
Posted By: MarkSJohnson Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/12/16 07:38 PM
Crap. I knew Skynet would become a thing!
Those old movies are really prophecies.
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/13/16 07:06 AM
Artificial intelligence is besting the militarys best pilots already in simulations http://www.newsweek.com/artificial-intelligence-raspberry-pi-pilot-ai-475291
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/20/16 01:15 PM
"Shetland" on Netflix. Very different settings than typical crime dramas, believeable, very good acting. Probably not enough guns for NRA fans as I don't think I saw any firearms until well into the second series, but, some good stories with several twist added here and there. Quite a lot of characters in the drama and the Scott accents are a little thick at times, but a great show to check out.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/25/16 02:01 AM
I don't know when they made it available, but I finally watched season 2 of You're the Worst on Hulu. I wouldn't put it up there in classic status, but it has some surprisingly well-crafted moments. It's not always easy to relate to the characters, but when you do, it's worthwhile.

Easy on Netflix. I was afraid it was going to be another pretentious dramedy I wouldn't be able to stomach, and while several of the elements are there, I found it down-to-earth and humble enough in its execution that I liked it a lot. Not something I'd watch on repeat, with its "adult" sensibilities, embracing the complexity of life, but I'm glad I took the chance. Besides the nuanced writing, the acting is there to match. Impressive performances.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/25/16 12:40 PM
Anyone who likes stand-up needs to check out Sebastian Maniscalco. The guy is hilarious!!
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/03/16 09:57 PM
Westworld! Really enjoyed the first episode, especially the soundtrack which included background player-piano versions of Black Hole Sun and Paint it Black.
Posted By: medic8r Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/05/16 08:59 PM
Got that waiting on the DVR. Wife found it for us.

I've been watching 120 Minutes on MTV Classic --- I had forgotten how over-the-top colorful some of those 80's/90's videos were.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/09/16 08:05 PM
Originally Posted By tomtuttle
Westworld! Really enjoyed the first episode, especially the soundtrack which included background player-piano versions of Black Hole Sun and Paint it Black.


I just watched that as well. What an interesting way to start a series based on an old movie that still gives me the creeps. Looking forward to see where HBO takes it.
Posted By: Pixie Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/24/16 10:23 PM
Mr. Brooks and Nightcrawler. Both have incredible sounds in them plus the soundtrack is awesome. Especially for Mr. Brooks. Drive is also another good choice.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/03/16 02:56 AM
Originally Posted By Pixie
Mr. Brooks and Nightcrawler. Both have incredible sounds in them plus the soundtrack is awesome. Especially for Mr. Brooks. Drive is also another good choice.


Haven't seen Mr. Brooks, but I agree that Nightcrawler and Drive are both great for the audio alone, as well as being great movies.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/03/16 03:06 AM
Originally Posted By tomtuttle
Westworld! Really enjoyed the first episode, especially the soundtrack which included background player-piano versions of Black Hole Sun and Paint it Black.


I've been watching, and I'm intrigued, but I already feel like it's dragging its feet too much. But some of that is probably just because I can't binge it. I should probably just have an active subscription to HBO Now a couple of months out of the year, where I can watch all of content I want in one go.

On the Korean drama front, I'm finally watching a new one, but I'm watching it with one of my online friends who has a busy life, so we've only done one episode so far.

Another Oh Hae Young [viki.com]

The main actress was phenomenal in her role in Let's Eat 2, so I'm excited to see her in this. She's already lighting up the screen.

The Fall is boring, even though there are some interesting touches in there.

Oh, yeah, I really liked the new season of Black Mirror. For the most part it's some pretty strong speculative fiction. Depressing, too, but keeps you engaged.
Posted By: a401classic Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/18/16 03:36 AM
Designated Survivor S1 E10 - about 10 minutes into the episode is a TV surrounded by black On Wall M22's and VP150!
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/18/16 06:46 PM
Watched Jason Bourne Blu Ray last night.

The car chase scene in Las Vegas was way over the top - ridiculous in fact. After a dozen or so major collisions, his air bag had still not deployed.

What a crock...

TAM

BTW - The spammer that is polluting these forums is a great reason to bring back the 'stocks' & public flogging...
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/18/16 09:59 PM
On our way to see Rogue One.
I love war movies, I hope its everything I've heard it to be.
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/19/16 01:03 AM
It was good.
Lots of cgi faces...
At least one cameo from a dead actor.
Its set just before #4. Possibly hours before. It ties in incredibly well.
Posted By: bridgman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/19/16 01:45 PM
Am I the only one who is surprised that the new movie is set between #3 and #4 rather than after #7 ? Or has this already been discussed to death ? I saw a couple of references to "3.5" in discussions about best viewing order but wasn't sure what that meant - maybe it was referring to Rogue One ?
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/19/16 02:05 PM
I will be looking into for myself but a rumour I heard is that they have committed to a movie a year for the next 10. Obviously if that's the case we will be filling in alot of the back story.
3.5 confirms at least one very important detail and adds new names and faces to the mix.
Posted By: BBIBH Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/19/16 03:16 PM
Rogue One was better than The Force Awakens. Had a private screening with a national space and defense company. Interesting to hear the chatter afterwards about the technologies!

I gotta say, it is simply another Star Wars theme - as my 13 year old said "just guys fighting with flashlights, family disappointing family and flying things shooting other flying things!

...they grow cynical (old?) too quickly!!
Posted By: bridgman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/20/16 12:03 AM
Originally Posted By BBIBH
I gotta say, it is simply another Star Wars theme - as my 13 year old said "just guys fighting with flashlights, family disappointing family and flying things shooting other flying things!

Sounds like someone needs to read Starship Troopers.

Back in the old days you couldn't fight with flashlights and you had to stand on the ground while the flying things tried to kill you.
Posted By: BBIBH Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/16 03:57 PM
Originally Posted By bridgman
Sounds like someone needs to read Starship Troopers.


Read? Like a book? They still make those things? laugh

Originally Posted By bridgman
Back in the old days.....


..ahh, now we have hit on the root of this comment! laugh
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/06/17 03:04 PM
1,000 points to John and Mike.
Posted By: fredk Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/18/17 08:21 AM
Originally Posted By brwsaw
...
3.5 confirms at least one very important detail and adds new names and faces to the mix.

That it wasn't CGI, the Battle Star really was blowed up?

Rogue One was fun. I'm curious where they are going to take the next movie.

I'm way behind on movie watching. Haven't fired up the projector in a month.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/18/17 02:24 PM
Finished "Life on Mars" via Netflix (American Version). Great show, fun to watch and try and figure out what's really happening, nice cars, acting, awesome soundtrack...alas, there were no zombies, psychopathic forensic investigators ect, so the series was cancelled after only one season. frown
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/17/17 04:34 PM
We rented the latest Blu Ray 'Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Men Tell No Tales'.

Quite enjoyable; however, what stood out was the LFE throughout the entire movie. Powerful & unrelenting - it gave my twin EP-800s a good workout.

If you have have a decent sub or two, this one will rattle your house to its foundations. If your sub(s) are not of a decent quality, they might not do very well...

TAM
We were in BC a month ago and saw the Pirates at a theater and to be honest it was better here at home on my flatscreen. We went to some landmark cinema's and saw a few movies, Atomic blonde was one of them and it was too dam loud and the color and the screen were mediocre at best. I wish i had gone to the ATMOS movie but it was the Tower and i didnt think i would like it but now i regret not going. Next time i guess.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/18/17 03:57 AM
Anyone else here using MoviePass? I'm going to the theater a lot to get my money's worth. It's not quite what it is advertised, but it's still a great value. You should be able to use it at any theater that accepts debit, and the only restrictions are supposed to be no 3D, no IMAX. In reality, our best theater (which still isn't wonderful, but at least has two Premium Large Format screens with Dolby Atmos sound, as well as reserved seating and reclining seats) still doesn't show up in the app. According to the theater's Facebook page, they're supposed to be working with MoviePass to get it added, but so far it hasn't happened.

I know AMC doesn't want to honor MoviePass in the coming year, which would eliminate another theater. I'm not entirely sure why they would want to turn down the money. The theaters are getting the full ticket price. That part of it does make me doubt the longevity of MoviePass, but I'm going to use it while it lasts. People are guessing AMC will launch their own subscription service. I could see that being the future, with each theater chain coming out with their own. Not a future I want, but still cheaper than paying full ticket price if you go often.

My dad wanted to see Despicable Me 3, so that's what we used our passes for today. I was annoyed with the first one, never saw the second one, and I don't think I missed out. This one was a swing and a miss for me, too.

The only movie I've paid full price for since getting MoviePass is Blade Runner 2049, which I wanted to see at the premium theater. I can understand the criticisms I've seen, but I enjoyed it. It helps that I never really fell in love with the original. I was predisposed to liking this one because I've liked Denis Villeneuve's other work, especially Sicario. I like his visual style, and he really wants you to marinate in the atmosphere in this one. Which I liked, but I can see how it would turn people off. I thought the story could have done more to explore the ideas presented. However, it's one I think I'll have to watch a couple more times to try to figure out if there's more I'm just not getting.

Just to get more out of MoviePass, I went to see both Spider-Man: Homecoming and Wonder Woman a second time. I was surprised Wonder Woman was still being shown, since it's on disc. Spider-Man: Homecoming is, too, as of today, so that's what I'm going to try out on my home system after this post.

Oh, I lied. I did already pay full price (+ extra) for another movie. The Last Jedi, which I will also see at the premium theater (and maybe at the nice IMAX at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle if I can get there later). December 14th can't come soon enough.
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/03/18 01:52 AM
Just watched IT. Great show. Creepy audio for sure!
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/03/18 02:22 AM
I liked IT. I could not wait for Blade Runner to end. I haven't been tortured like that in a long time!
Posted By: AAAA Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/03/18 02:29 AM
Had it in my hand and put it back.... Passed on dunkirk too.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/03/18 02:40 AM
Do you have Netflix?
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/03/18 02:46 AM
If so:

Bad day for the cut

The end of the fxxxing world

Altered Carbon

A cure for wellness

killing ground

Free Fire

I don't feel at home in this world anymore
I would not recommend a cure for wellness or free fire to my ex bestfreind that married my throw away bride.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/03/18 03:15 AM
Free Fire reminds me of a deal I was part of so that movie holds a special place in my heart. I also found the acting and production quality to be top notch. And my van is in it and it has lots of guns.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/04/18 06:59 PM
Netflix mini series: Godless. One of the best westerns I've seen in a long time. I binge watched it...

Amazon's "The Tick". Very cute and funny. Looking foward to new episodes.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/04/18 11:14 PM
Blade Runner 2049 Blu Ray -

Warning, the first 3 minutes might damage your home or lesser subs with monstrous unrelenting LFE. Even at -15 Db it was scary. Lots of LFE throughout too.

A strange movie that was visually & emotionally dark & for us was hard to figure out - I'm glad that I won't be around in 2049 if that is the way that we are going.

Long as well - 2 hrs 40 minutes or so...

TAM
2:49 minutes of my life i wasted and will never get back. Geo Storm was by far a better movie imho
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/04/18 11:43 PM
I liked enough of Blade Runner 2049 that I didn't regret watching it. Twice. I definitely wanted more meat to the story, more to ponder afterward. But my expectations weren't that high since I never fell in love with the original.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/04/18 11:48 PM
I loved the original Blade Runner. Still do actually.... I know that movie was pretty much hate or love, with no middle ground. Maybe that's why some of you don't like the new one? You din't like the original?

I have the new one on my table, but have not watched it yet. A freind of mine (who also loved the first one), loved the new movie.
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/10/18 06:30 PM
We watched 'King Arthur - Legend of the Sword' Blu Ray.

I was a really interesting take on this legend, completely different from all of the earlier versions. Lots of sorcery & wizardry mixed with 'Matix' type visuals.

The soundtrack was wonderful with lots of great surround content filling the room. In one sequence where arrows were launched high into the sky with explosive packs installed, the explosions sounded like they were overhead - and we don't have Atmos. At one point my wife actually got up to answer the door, but there was no one there, ha!

Recommended for those who like these fantasy type movies...

TAM
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/10/18 07:59 PM

Finally watched the new Blade Runner last night. OK, now I understand all the negative reviews. I had to work to like it. Good bit of LFE throughout the movie though. Some pretty cool visuals too. But damn.....it was hard to stay awake.
Posted By: Rock_Head Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/10/18 08:11 PM
My son and I watched it last weekend. It was a struggle to get through. My wife fell asleep half way through. Glad I didn't waste my time going to the theatres.
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/11/18 02:31 AM
Watched a number of movies the past few months.

Keanu in John Wick 2.
They should have killed him in the first movie and ended any possibility of a horrible sequel. I wont' comment on a/v quality because i couldn't really care less during such a horrible flick.

Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Taking awhile to get through this one since the family is sitting in. I'll have to rewatch this one again on my own in its entirety and get a better overall of the quality.

Logan
A very different movie in which i actually felt the story was kind of weak; predictable, that they could have done so much more with the idea of mutants 'dying' off and the concept of aged X-men, where-are-they-now?

Paddington 2.
Saw this at the theatre. Just as good as the first. A great family film but kind of like the Shrek movies with humour that works for adults as well.

On cue soon:
The Great Wall (Matt Damon)
Wonder Woman

Still some of the best visuals of anything i've watched has been Game of Thrones. Going through the whole series with the wife over the past 6 months. I would buy these on bluray for sure (waiting for 4k at this point and i'll need a new Oppo for it...)
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/11/18 03:01 AM
Wonder Woman is great.

The story line was completely unexpected for me...

TAM
Havent seen anyone talk about Atomic Blonde, i thought it was a really good movie with some neat twists.Charlize Theron isnt too hard to look at either smile
Posted By: exlabdriver Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/11/18 07:15 PM
Watched 'Geostorm' Blu Ray last night.

Typical 'disaster' type movie that was OK. Weak storyline; however, the visuals in space were stunning & worth watching just for that alone.

Good soundtrack...

TAM
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/12/18 02:55 PM
Watched It last night.... Sum-bitch...creepy. One of the best scary movies I've seen in a long time. But I have an unhealthy dislike of clowns, so my opinion is surely tainted. I hope they don't screw up the next chapter.

We also started watching Altered Carbon on Netflix. Wasn't planning to watch it, but clicked the button on a whim. Five episodes later, and needing some sleep...... Very good series for Sci-Fi fans.


I'm still seeing that g'damn clown in my head......
Posted By: bridgman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/14/18 01:46 AM
Tremors TV series on DVD. Surprisingly well made.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/16/18 06:17 PM
Started watching Netflix's remake of the Lost in Space series. I like it. They definitely dropped a lot of money on it. Writing is good too. The original was before my youth, but I do remember watching some episodes when I was a kid, so I don't have a good comparative base. It's worth a try, even if you don't like sci-fi.
Posted By: Rock_Head Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/17/18 12:33 AM
Funny, my son and I watched the 1st two episodes Saturday night. Not at all like the original but obviously quite well done. Will definitely watch the series. Another winner from Netflix.
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/17/18 02:58 AM
Had to share my cave last night, have family up for a few more days.
Watched The Shape of Water with a sister in law on each side of me on a full size sofa...
Note to anyone that hasn't watched it yet, don't watch it with family...
I enjoyed the movie for what it was. Not my usual type of show but I enjoyed most of it.
And it sounded good.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/22/18 05:37 AM
Not my most recent watch, but I enjoyed Magic for Humans on Netflix a lot. Besides being a good magician, Justin Willman has a fun, sometimes dark/weird sense of humor. I'll have to catch him in more stuff.
Posted By: INANE Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/25/18 12:12 AM
I actually liked BR 2049 a lot. Was fun in IMAX.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/09/18 03:41 PM
Watched a couple of WW2 movies this weekend.

Darkest Hour, the political turmoil taking place in Britain as the Nazis were storming through the European mainland. Very tense, great story and top notch acting, you really feel the anguish of the British as events are unfolding, recommended.

Dunkirk, kind of a lost opportunity imo. Just never seemed to connect too well with any character in the movie. Maybe there were too many stories going on, the soundtrack too me was grating...just no breaks in the track, didn't work for me. Some good effects mind you, just could have done better on such an important historical event, imo.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/09/18 05:33 PM
Thanks for suggesting the Darkest Hour.
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/05/19 12:09 AM
After going through my usual 20 min routine of trying to find something good to watch on Netflix...no coincidence Netflix got rid of their customer reviewing system...my wife and I decided to give "Rectify" a chance last week. I guess we liked it...we went through the whole 4 seasons, lol. One of the best shows we've seen, you may need to give it a few episodes to get into it.
Posted By: brendo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/15/19 06:32 PM
For those with EP800s or ATMOS a good recommendation, is "Godzilla King Of Monsters". Got it last week my 10 year old sons new favorite. Rated PG14 due to minor swearing, not even remotely scary. It's a bit on the Green peace side story wise, but the graphics and sound make up for plot. All the reviews I've seen bash the plot and give it a 10 out of 10 rating

Happy watching
Brendan
Posted By: Adrian Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/10/19 02:53 PM
Lovely Bones, via Netflix. Was expecting this to be a really good movie, some great acting but just a couple of obvious impossibilities in the story that kind of ruined it for me.
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/11/19 05:26 PM
The Boys on Amazon Prime
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/11/19 06:12 PM
I loved that one!
Posted By: brendo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/27/19 08:43 PM
Watched John Wick 3 last night on Amazon. Everyone saying top 10 must watch of the year. Only for sound check, plot was nonexistent just guns guns guns. Expendables had far more plot. For shoot up movie.
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/27/19 09:20 PM
guns guns guns = John Wick smile
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/28/19 02:45 AM
I found there wasn't enough shooting.
Posted By: BBIBH Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/28/19 01:31 PM
Originally Posted By brendo
Watched John Wick 3 last night on Amazon. Everyone saying top 10 must watch of the year. Only for sound check, plot was nonexistent just guns guns guns. Expendables had far more plot. For shoot up movie.

Hmmm, I heard it was a good martial arts movie...now I may skip it, thanks for the heads up!
Posted By: bridgman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/28/19 07:46 PM
The John Wick movies (at least #2 and #3) seem to be doling out plot in very small doses per movie. The plot-to-action ratio seemed better in #1.

Shoot 'Em Up wasn't a huge success but I thought it did a better job of the "over-the-top stylish action film" genre than the second and third JW movies... 7 years earlier.
Posted By: brendo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/28/19 10:31 PM
Its worth a listen if you want to run your subs a little. Think I've seen the first 2 but can't remember.

Godzilla King of Monsters. Was far better. Save the world story, plus much better work out for subs. Almost the entire movie rumbles everything.
Posted By: BBIBH Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/29/19 02:29 PM
Thanks for the clarification on JW.

We watched 6 Underground a few nights ago, not bad movie...very Deadpool humour in action adventure political setting.
Posted By: nickbuol Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/30/19 12:23 AM
Originally Posted By BBIBH
Thanks for the clarification on JW.

We watched 6 Underground a few nights ago, not bad movie...very Deadpool humour in action adventure political setting.


I have it on my list to watch, but that is what I am worried about... Ryan Reynolds seems to only be able to play one character any more... It was funny for a while and in small doses, but I get tired of it after a while.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/20/20 09:15 PM
Just finished Star Treck Discovery, season one. This is the series that CBS created for their streaming channel that you have to buy. I just bought the BluRay sets for both season 1 and 2. Not your "old" StarTrek series.... Kinda dark and serious. Not much humor, but it was outstanding. Great visuals, writing, and audio. I was pleasantly surprised. The timeline is pre capt Kirk, so I guess it's an entire series re-boot.
Posted By: brwsaw Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/22/20 04:01 AM
We really liked the series to. Lots of plot holes but lots of surprises to.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/31/20 07:46 PM
Anna. Luc Besson is so gifted. Great movie, great audio.
Posted By: SirQuack Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/31/20 08:03 PM
Can't wait for Season 3 of Ozark
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/31/20 09:13 PM
LOL.... I was at home, sick as hell last year, started watching Ozark, thinking it would put me to sleep so I could get some rest. Two days later I sadly finished the last episode of season 2..... Great story that I just couldn't stop watching.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/01/20 11:35 PM
I watched Parasite the other night and really liked it. Well-executed, with some nice twists and turns.
Posted By: bman84 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/02/20 10:32 PM
Watched Joker on 4K blu-ray last night. Amazing! Visual/audio quality was superb as well.
Posted By: nickbuol Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/03/20 12:18 AM
I need to check out Star Trek Discovery. Just started watching Project Blue Book and like it so far (just watched the 3rd episode last night). It is a 10 episode season, so I will need something else to watch soon.

In other news, I watched Terminator Dark Fate last week. I had low expectations, so it was easier to have fun with it. That being said, the Atmos soundtrack was nuts, and in a good way. One of the more active soundtracks I've heard in a while and probably one of the most active (loud) use of overhead speakers in an Atmos track than anything I remember. There are other great mixes, but this was one of the loudest use of overheads that I recall.
Posted By: rrlev Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/04/20 12:20 PM
A couple of nights ago ... Dr Strange ...
Sound was great ... picture was blurry ... but then so was the whole room as I couldn’t find my glasses smirk
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/07/20 04:35 PM
Season 2 of Altered Carbon on Netflix..... Not nearly as good as season 1, at least not yet and I'm about 3 episodes into it....
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/09/20 02:16 AM
"The Clampets Strike Oil" in glorious black & white with audio decoded in Dolby PLII Movie TV Logic.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/11/20 11:48 PM
I watched Jojo Rabbit again last night, still really liked it. It's a nice surprise when a comedy is executed so well, has a strong identity. It's one I'll be making friends watch.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/18/20 03:07 AM
The Danish National Symphony Orchestra Perform Spaghetti Western Scores.

It's as if the actives with their dual 500s have transported me to this live performance. I am effortlessly hearing surround in stereo as I am caressed by ripples in an immersive field of bass.
Posted By: Rock_Head Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/18/20 08:59 PM
Started watching The Morning Show while I self quarantine after a week in Maui.
Posted By: rrlev Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/19/20 02:36 AM
Instead of doing taxes or installing my closet (we just moved ... picture clothing in large piles all around the bedroom) I goof'ed off to checkout a new toy:

Put a ClarkSynthesis TST429 transducer in a old couch (in great need of recovering). and installed rubber isolation pads under its feet. Took a while to dial it in to make it almost transparent so most of the time you don't know it's there ... but wow ... it feels like the sub goes so deep that the world shakes.

Started the movie: Captain American, the Winter Soldier.

I was really enjoying it until my wife sat down. Then every time there was loud abrupt event she would jump and grab me which made me jump and lose my connection with what was going on ... This happened so often I had to move to the other side of the couch.

Surprisingly, She didn't like the transducer
I think the tactile feedback was just amping things up a bit too much. Or maybe it was the anti-snuggle effect it had .... hmmmmm
Posted By: bridgman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/19/20 07:15 PM
Maybe you could turn it down a bit laugh
Posted By: rrlev Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/20/20 04:16 AM
It was not that high ... only loud things are felt ... but I guess I can try a bit less and see if the enjoyment factor is diminished any ...
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/21/20 04:08 AM
C R A W L at reference level.

We felt every bone-munching moment and just finished yoga to relax our sub-massaged bowels.

One 800 and two 500s are good, ya? Two 600s would be better than two 500s, no? Why not four 800s, eh? Mooowaaaahahaha!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/23/20 06:10 AM
Originally Posted by Mojo
C R A W L at reference level.

I still want to check that one out. One of these days.

Tonight I re-watched No Country For Old Men. I haven't seen it in ages, and I'm happy to say it holds up.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/24/20 02:18 AM
Too funny, I just watched No Country for Old Men last week and share your opinion.

Not sure how this happened, but I'm now hooked on Killing Eve. It's a BBC series. On season two now. Edgy, clever, different.
Posted By: 2x6spds Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/24/20 06:41 PM
Fauda, couldn't stop watching. I guess that's binging. I binged.
Posted By: BBIBH Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/24/20 07:26 PM
We are just finishing Silicon Valley on HBO, There are a few good characters, and having worked in the tech game for close to 35 years - and spending considerable time in the valley - it is an interesting walk down memory lane!
Posted By: 2x6spds Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/24/20 09:21 PM
Silicon Valley. The Capuchin monkey with a prosthetic hand. Just about fell off my seat.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/27/20 05:30 AM
Originally Posted by michael_d
Season 2 of Altered Carbon on Netflix..... Not nearly as good as season 1, at least not yet and I'm about 3 episodes into it....

I had to stop after only 1 or 2 episodes. The show was already something I wasn't sure I'd return to, but someone said I should check it out if only as 4K demo material on my new OLED. Sure, it looks nice, but Anthony Mackie has to be one of the most boring actors to keep getting work.

Last night I re-watched True Grit (guess I was in the mood for more Coen Brothers) and Prisoners. I still enjoyed them both. I guess I feel the need to get this last little bit out of the first-gen LFR1100s. The new Actives were held up by customs for a little bit, but they continued their journey on Thursday, and they're supposed to be delivered tomorrow.

I also watched Velvet Buzzsaw on Netflix since I really liked Nightcrawler, and it's the same writer-director. It had its moments, but overall it felt a little half-baked.

I'm still trying to decide what I'm watching tonight as my last meal for the passive LFRs.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/27/20 08:34 AM
Originally Posted by CV
I'm still trying to decide what I'm watching tonight as my last meal for the passive LFRs.

I went with the original Alien on UHD Blu-ray, not even realizing it was Alien Day. I'm impressed with how good it looks, dated effects notwithstanding. The picture starts out more soft than not, but as it went along, it seemed like the details got significantly sharper. I'm glad they put so much effort into the transfer, though I'm always a little disappointed when a UHD Blu-ray doesn't have an Atmos mix.
Posted By: BBIBH Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/28/20 02:36 PM
Originally Posted by 2x6spds
Silicon Valley. The Capuchin monkey with a prosthetic hand. Just about fell off my seat.
Yeah, that was classic, as was Fiona arriving by cab!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/12/20 04:40 AM
I hate to admit it, but the Apple TV looks significantly better than the Fire TV Stick 4K. I bought it mainly to get the free year of Apple TV+ in order to watch Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet, but I was also curious how much difference it would make getting a beefier unit. It does make a difference. There's a bit of fuzziness to the picture on the Fire TV Stick, with the Apple TV looking crisper and cleaner. I don't like the remote. Since I can run the streaming apps I want on the Apple TV, I'm going to take the Fire TV Stick 4K out of service.

Besides Mythic Quest, which ended up just being decent, not great, I really liked the Beastie Boys Story documentary on Apple TV+. I only ever heard bits and pieces, so it was eye-opening and a lot of fun. Besides that winner, I also really enjoyed the Home series, about some pretty cool homes. I wish I had the money.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/12/20 10:39 PM
Now I'm hooked on "The Outer Banks". It's a new series on Netflix.
Posted By: Rock_Head Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/26/20 06:22 PM
The Outer Banks first season was really good. I have to chuckle at the 20 something actors portraying teenagers. Have you watched Peaky Blinders? It's one of the better series on Netflix.
Posted By: brendo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/31/20 06:35 PM
Did Sonic the hedgehog last night. Quite funny definitely worth a watch. Jim Carrey is sadly still stuck playing himself as in most all movies he's included. But it worked quite well for Egg man.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/20/20 11:33 AM
Sicario

It's probably around my fifth time watching it, and I appreciate it more each time. Writing, cinematography, acting, soundtrack, overall sound design, just the visceral tension throughout; it leaves me in awe. The UHD Blu-ray is worth it. With the LFR1100 Actives and no center, I didn't feel I was missing anything across the front soundstage. I'm really enjoying the system, and this is going to be a disc I use to show off my system to friends.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/09/20 07:46 PM
Dune Official Trailer

The first trailer for the new Denis Villeneuve Dune movie has finally hit the internet. I love his directing, but going by the trailer, I'm not sure it's going to capture the feel of the book. I'll have to be okay with it being its own thing. I'm sure it will be a spectacle and a lot of fun for my home theater. What do you think?
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/11/20 07:53 PM
I learned a long time ago to lower my expectations for movies that follow after a book that I've read..... Even when they do follow the written work, casting doesn't match my mental picture of the characters in the book.

The Dune trailer looks great to me. I remember when the first movie came out. It was super cool at the time.
Posted By: Rebulx Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/12/20 03:13 AM
Great share CV! I'm not familiar with the book but the trailer looks fantastic... plus it's really great to see trailers again... am I right???
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/12/20 07:56 AM
Originally Posted by michael_d
Even when they do follow the written work, casting doesn't match my mental picture of the characters in the book.

Yeah, it's hard to overcome that. Even harder when it has already been a movie and then those actors put their stamp on your mental image.

I'm really excited about the movie. I think what I meant about it potentially not feeling like the book is because the book has so much philosophical inner monologue, which the 1984 movie awkwardly tried to capture. It will be interesting to see how they address that aspect of the story. I have to believe in Villeneuve after I've seen how he's handled character and story in his other work. He seems to know what he's doing, and this seems to be his ultimate passion project. But yeah, I think the movie could hit all of the story beats and still feel different, just because it's a visual medium, and they'll be filling out the action sequences, which the book quickly rushes through. That just didn't seem to be a priority for Herbert. I think I should take it as something to enjoy about the adaptation, rather than as a betrayal to the source material.

I think my main concern is the choice to split the book into two movies. I figured it would be like other recent adaptations they've done that with, where they did all of the filming at once, then released the two halves a year apart to account for post-production time. From what I read, the second half hasn't been filmed, which means I'm guessing 3 or 4 years before the second half comes out. That's a pretty cruel wait. Maybe I don't have accurate information.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/12/20 08:00 AM
Originally Posted by Rebulx
Great share CV! I'm not familiar with the book but the trailer looks fantastic... plus it's really great to see trailers again... am I right???

Yeah, for sure. I definitely miss hitting the theater for new releases I'm excited about, even though I have such a nice system at home. There's something fun about being in a bigger audience. What other movies are you looking forward to?
Posted By: Rebulx Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/15/20 02:04 AM
CV, there's not really a lot to look forward to right now for new movies, although I'm a die hard James Bond fan so I'm pumped about the new 007 flick, plus my wife wants to see the new Wonder Women movie! I prefer the in home experience with Axion speakers over the traditional experience.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/18/20 12:52 AM
There wasn't a dry eye in the house when, 1 hour into The Angel has Fallen, a rag tag Nick Nolte lit up the forest with blazing bombs. As man-parts cart-wheeled across the rugged landscape, 7500W of active LFRs lit up the space with bombastic blasts as 5500 Watts of subbage shook our seats. The coup de gras was the QS10HPs propitiously pummeling the soundscape with a plurality of 750W pounding punches. Ian and Andrew have done good. Very good!
Posted By: aaaaaaaaaaaaa Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/18/20 09:26 AM
Meat Eater on Netflix.

Not your typical hunting/fishing show. Beautifully shot and presented in a way that draws you into the experience. Highly recommended.

I dont even hunt.
Posted By: Rock_Head Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/18/20 03:53 PM
Just watched The Social Dilemma documentary on Netflix. Now that was interesting...
Posted By: BBIBH Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/18/20 03:56 PM
Originally Posted by Rock_Head
Just watched The Social Dilemma documentary on Netflix. Now that was interesting...
Agreed, and in some areas disturbing!
Posted By: Rock_Head Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/18/20 07:59 PM
Yes Mike, some areas were disturbing! You have to wonder what the future brings?
Cheers,
Shaun
Posted By: Rebulx Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/19/20 03:38 AM
Yeah, Meat Eater is the best Trevor!!!
Posted By: Rebulx Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/19/20 04:05 AM
I have to say, I find myself watching Aqua Man tonight.... this might be the best surround sound test I've ever listened to.. holy crap, no joke, this movie is pegging on every frequency.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/19/20 03:46 PM
We watched My Spy last night. Don't remember why I clicked on it, but it was surprisingly entertaining. Cute movie.
Posted By: brendo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/19/20 04:24 PM
Last night My kids watched PONYO forgot how well done the Ghibli movies are. I have them all {English versions] Really good soundtracks very immersive. My kids used to watch them regularly now once and a while.

Haven't clicked on My Spy yet, most kids movies tend to be better than the rest nowadays. Not just over dramatic romance. Find it hard to watch most movies on Prime. Myself can't take romance.{It's always the same damn story}

Watched Judy, Can't believe I sat through Rene Zellweger trying to sing. She was flat the whole time drove me crazy.
Also did Elton was okay why does every thing made for women audiences need to be a love story.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/25/20 03:15 AM
Midway is absolutely scary at reference level. I'm 14 feet away from the subs and I'm feeling breezes. I have the 800 playing just the .1 channel. I'm feeling it pretty good.

I'd sure like QS surrounds with triple 8" woofers. And 800s instead of 500s flanking the actives. Then I might not just feel it but actually come apart!
Posted By: Rebulx Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/25/20 03:19 AM
I second everything mojo just said!!! 8" woofers please!!!
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/25/20 02:32 PM
Originally Posted by Rock_Head
Just watched The Social Dilemma documentary on Netflix. Now that was interesting...

I fully deleted my Facebook account not too long ago because of these concerns. Still in the process of migrating all of my email from Gmail to another service. Just doing what I can to move away from the onslaught of manipulation. Good documentary, though I don't know what they felt the acted portions added to it.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/25/20 03:50 PM
What service, Charles? And how are you migrating?

I joined Facebook in 2008. One week later I nuked it.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/25/20 04:01 PM
I have always considered FB a creepy stalking program. I have an account, but don't ever participate. It's just there for some of my distant family to reach out. I have this Social Dilemma marked to watch.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/25/20 04:37 PM
Originally Posted by Mojo
What service, Charles? And how are you migrating?

I was kind of overwhelmed by the options, but I ended up with Tutanota. Privacy and security seemed at the highest level. There's a free plan that I'm sure would have been enough for my uses, but I went with Premium just to support them.

Migration I'm doing manually. I've been slowly updating my email address with different online accounts as needed, and I'm choosing which newsletters I actually need to still be receiving as they come in. Unsubscribing from a lot. I don't have a ton of personal contacts, so I also transferred those manually.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/25/20 07:27 PM
Thanks, Charles.

Do you know if the storage limit is annual or perpetual?

How are you archiving important gmail that you want to keep?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/25/20 10:18 PM
Originally Posted by Mojo
Do you know if the storage limit is annual or perpetual?

How are you archiving important gmail that you want to keep?

The way I read the storage limit is that's the hard limit, so I'm guessing that's what you mean by perpetual? But I can't say for sure. One thing I wanted to focus on with the new email address is to keep it decluttered, so hopefully I never run into issues with that limit.

I haven't yet figured out archiving, though I know there's a Google download page for the various services you use. I'm going to try to figure that out as I get closer to what I consider a complete migration.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/25/20 11:47 PM
Yes, that's what I meant by perpetual. I do expect these limits to climb as the service takes off.

Lack of gmail import is a deal-killer for me. Others are complaining about it big time. Tutanota business will go through the roof once import from gmail and other clients is available. Then google will buy them and we'll be back to square one. frown
Posted By: Kodiak Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/20 12:02 AM
Why are folks migrating away from gmail? What did I miss? I’ve got A TON ( well my whole life really ) in Gmail. Should I be concerned about something?
Posted By: nagarajbr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/20 12:11 AM
If interested check out Hey email. The service comes from the company that built Basecamp and the Ruby on Rails web framework. David Heinemeier the guy who created it has a very opinionated approach and is reflected in the products his companies have developed. Worth checking out @ hey.com
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/20 12:13 AM
Originally Posted by Kodiak
Why are folks migrating away from gmail? What did I miss? I’ve got A TON ( well my whole life really ) in Gmail. Should I be concerned about something?

Lack of privacy and pervasiveness.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/20 12:22 AM
Originally Posted by nagarajbr
If interested check out Hey email. The service comes from the company that built Basecamp and the Ruby on Rails web framework. David Heinemeier the guy who created it has a very opinionated approach and is reflected in the products his companies have developed. Worth checking out @ hey.com

Nowhere near as digitally secure as Tutanota. Some very cool features though.
Posted By: nagarajbr Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/20 01:09 AM
Security perspective definitely, tutanota is in a different league!
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/20 01:17 AM
I recently moved my email to Outlook. Seems to be working OK. I think I go this about every five years or so. My email address gets stollen, then sold to spammers, then I get dozens of crap every day. What a PITA.......
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/20 01:19 AM
Whew.
Been ages since i've been on.

I switched to Webnames.ca, bought our own domain name and now control my own email setup. Very reasonable pricing. All servers are on Canadian ground. Gmail and such, only as burner crap emails. Won't trust it any farther than i can throw Google.
https://www.webnames.ca/
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/20 02:17 AM
What did you do with your gmail history? Do you use a phone client for your email with webnames.ca?
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/26/20 04:27 PM
Originally Posted by Mojo
What did you do with your gmail history? Do you use a phone client for your email with webnames.ca?
Gmail history?
I can only assume you mean any emails in the inbox or other folders. I have an email app on my home PC that downloads all locally. I can move those into other local folders on my home PC. I never keep anything on cloud servers. I also never used Gmail extensively. We have a local ISP and have used their email for years but knowing we were switching off that ISP (Bell based so getting more expensive every year), we had to tank our ISP emails. I wanted something like a Gmail, universal, not tied to an ISP, but that was more secure, not a known snooping company who's admitted to reading people's personal email. Having your own domain name was a bonus.
mojo@axiomlovers.net
mojo_likes_kickassbass@iluvmyaxioms.ca

Phone client?
I'm assuming you mean what email app i might use. I actually don't use any email app on my phone except for Gmail. To login into my Webnames i use the browser directly. There are email apps one could use though. Find one you like and trust.
Posted By: bridgman Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/29/20 04:25 AM
Originally Posted by Kodiak
Why are folks migrating away from gmail? What did I miss? I’ve got A TON ( well my whole life really ) in Gmail. Should I be concerned about something?

This is in no way a detailed security analysis (probably focuses on the least serious issues) but fun to watch:

GMail Man
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/29/20 04:49 AM
John, how about those actives?
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/29/20 03:40 PM
Originally Posted by Kodiak
Why are folks migrating away from gmail? What did I miss? I’ve got A TON ( well my whole life really ) in Gmail. Should I be concerned about something?
You can start with this; lots of links to the news articles in there and notably, it is/was not just Google doing it (don't trust any of the major 'free' email services):
https://www.androidauthority.com/gmail-snooping-882270/
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/10/20 01:26 PM
If you want 4K demo material, I can't imagine doing better than Tiny World on Apple TV+. I don't know what cameras they used, but I want a whole documentary on how they filmed it.... Oh, here we go, a short video on how they did it:

Tiny World - Behind the Scenes

Speaking of Apple TV+, Ted Lasso finished airing their season, and I found it highly satisfying. Full of optimism and heart, but I didn't find it saccharine or manipulative. It's a nice palate cleanser, and it's one of my top recommendations if you have Apple TV+.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/16/20 06:05 PM
We've been watching "Chef's Table". It's a series on Netflix, showcasing the world's top chefs. Some episodes are just OK, but others - down right amazing. If anyone is a foodie, this is a great show.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/17/20 01:00 AM
Originally Posted by michael_d
We've been watching "Chef's Table".

I really like it, and it's my goal to one day try some of the food. So far in my life I'm not inspired to become great at cooking myself, but I sure enjoy it when others do.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/17/20 04:14 PM
You have a great restaurant in your backyard - The Herbfarm. We've ate there and it's pretty damn amazing. Great weekend getaway, stay at the Willows Lodge, walk across the parking lot to the restaurant, wander around the tasting rooms the next day. https://www.willowslodge.com/woodinville_restaurants/herbfarm_restaurant/
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/18/20 10:07 AM
Originally Posted by michael_d
You have a great restaurant in your backyard - The Herbfarm.

I will have to remember that one the next time I'm up that direction. Thanks for the tip!
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/31/20 07:15 PM
A friend of mine got me hooked at a YouTube cooking channel. Almazan Kitchen. I think he's in Serbia, his "kitchen" is the forest. Amazing dishes made all by hand over a fire. Videos are about 10 minutes each, no talking. You just have to watch one to understand. Of course, everything is titled "best", or "ultimate"...... I'm thinking some dishes probably are though. He even makes pasta from scratch, in the friggin woods.

Another new series I started watching last night on NetFlix. The Queen's Gambit. I'm a sucker for anything chess (I play), but this series is pretty good. About a female Bobby Fisher of sorts. Set in the 30's, I believe.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/10/21 03:07 AM
My sister bought me a ticket to another internet comedy show. Michael Ian Black this time, who was hilarious. He also had Mike Birbiglia and Samantha Ruddy as guests. I should probably pay attention more to who is doing these shows. It's a good way to spend an evening.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/24/21 04:36 PM
Watched Tenate 4K last night. All I can say is "weird". Difficult to follow. I detest any type of time travel movie to begin with, but this one had all kinds of new twists to make an old plot even less plausible. The main character wasn't all that impressive either. But as far as sound and video quality goes, it was a treat. My Atmos speakers got a good work out.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/25/21 01:26 AM
Originally Posted by michael_d
Watched Tenate 4K last night. All I can say is "weird".

I've enjoyed Christopher Nolan's movies enough, but I haven't been able to make myself watch this one yet. Most of his movies are a bit too convoluted for my liking, with maybe Memento and Dunkirk being the exceptions. He doesn't know how to rein himself in, always pushes the story one or two steps past over-complicated, and from what I've read, this is the worst offender, which is crazy since he already made Inception. I'll probably buckle and watch it at some point. Comments I've read are similar to yours, so I'm not in a rush.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/30/21 03:38 AM
I re-watched Freaks and Geeks on Hulu even though I have it on Blu-ray just to help its streaming numbers. Even though I've watched it so many times, I still got invested and saw new little moments in the performances.

I've been enjoying WandaVision on Disney+, but it already feels like they're wasting story momentum at a time when it could really be wowing us. Here's hoping they don't drag their feet too much.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/07/21 04:31 AM
Midsommar was really messed up. That's not to say it wasn't well-done. I just don't think movies that make me feel gross inside are for me. Ha ha. I wanted to see Florence Pugh in something before seeing her as a badass in Black Widow, though, and it does work as a showcase for her acting. Just remind me not to vacation in a remote commune in Sweden.
Posted By: aaaaaaaaaaaaa Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/07/21 11:06 AM
Rewatching Game of Thrones on 4K bluray. Already owned but wanted to have the Atmos upgrade for the collection. Freaking expensive though....

Gotta say, season one so far is not all that different looking than the Bluray version. Hope the other seasons have more pop. Sound is good though. If I remember they do goose up the sound in future seasons (even the titles get a bump in LFE.). Hopefully video was captured better in upcoming episodes.

Anyone know if they filmed in higher res as some point?
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/08/21 02:32 AM
Originally Posted by TrevorM
Anyone know if they filmed in higher res as some point?

Reading through this review:

Game of Thrones: The Complete Collection (4K UHD Review) - The Digital Bits

Originally Posted by The Digital Bits
It’s easy to forget now, but Game of Thrones was the first hour-long HBO drama to be captured entirely digitally. The first three seasons were shot in 10-bit 4:4:4 at 1920x1080 resolution using then prototype ARRI Alexa cameras (save for a bit of footage in the first episode that was actually shot on 35 mm film, left over from HBO’s original failed pilot). For Season One the captured image was recorded on HDCAM SR videotape using a tape-based workflow, with color correction done on set. For Seasons Two and Three, the production went tapeless, recording that same image data via Codex and datapacks. Though this source material was upsampled to 4K (at a 1.78:1 aspect ratio), it’s shocking how good it looks. HDCAM SR has an HQ recording mode that provides an 880 Mbps video data rate with low compression, so the detail visible in the Ultra HD image is improved a bit; it’s rock solid, tighter-looking, and much less noisy than the previous Blu-ray presentation. A few shots appear a little optically soft, but in general the overall detail is very good—not native 4K good, but still impressive as hell all things considered. Also, because the image was captured in 10-bit, and Ultra HD presents that bit depth fully, gone are the banding artifacts that were visible in the BD image (you notice this almost immediately after the opening credits in the first episode, as the banner-men from Winterfell capture the deserter from the Night’s Watch—when they ride over the hill, the banding visible in the sky in that scene is now gone).

By the time Season Four arrived, Arri was well established and fully-digital workflows were far more common. So the production switched to shooting in 3.2K Pro-Res and ARRIRAW format for the remainder of the series, using Arri Alexa Mini, XT, and SXT Plus cameras with Cooke S4 and Angenieux Optimo Lenses (note that some location photography was also done with Red Epic-M Dragon cameras in 6K Redcode RAW). It appears that the series’ VFX were produced in consistently in 2K resolution. The final seasons of the series were finished in 4K to begin with, while the earlier seasons were upsampled to create new 4K DIs. For this Ultra HD release, the resulting image has also graded for high dynamic range (both HDR10 and Dolby Vision are included). There’s no doubt whatsoever that every single episode of this series looks better in 4K than it did on Blu-ray, and the later seasons are significantly improved. There’s a shot of Tyrion in the Season Six episode The Battle of the Bastards where the fine gold embroidery on his tunic is exquisitely detailed.

As you can imagine, and as you’ll know already if you’ve seen the Seasons One and Eight 4K sets, high dynamic range adds much to this image. It’s a restrained grade, but one that makes the colors richer and more nuanced, while deepening the shadows and adding a more natural luminance to the highlights. This helps both darker night and winter scenes as well as those shot in broad daylight. The overcast sky in the North is now bolder, with a more realistic glow, while the opening sequence of the first episode (set beyond the Wall) is more gloomy and ominous. Dragon fire has greater brilliance, armor gleams more accurately in the sunlight. Finally, The Long Night can be seen as it was meant to be (for some of you, it will be like seeing the episode for the first time). Fans who can take advantage of Dolby Vision will be especially pleased by its impact on that episode. The important takeaway here is that HBO’s Ultra HD release absolutely improves upon the Blu-ray viewing experience. And while it’s not native 4K, it’s not a small improvement either. Even the 4K menu screens have been upgraded to 4K with HDR—a nice touch.
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/08/21 05:15 AM
This is really interesting to know and ironic because i was JUST watching some final season episodes this week on the new LG myself as well! First i was watching some that i had on Bellsat PVR (allegedly 1080i and DD 5.1 sound but generally confirmed by the LG info and Onkyo mode). I saw so many banding and jaggies in the dark scenes that i thought hmm, i have Bell Crave with our subscription so i switched over to the Roku and pulled up GOT through that instead. Unfortunately i cannot know what the resolution was (though i'm guessing still 1080 as opposed to 720 and certainly not 4k) but still DD 5.1 sound. The banding and jaggies were reduced which tells me the coding using for recording on the older Bellsat PVR is partly to blame but they were still there and almost distracting in dark scenes (try watching the Long Night episode and bleeech, horrible especially on a 77" screen).
I was very curious as to whether the 4k version would improve this. Please let me know if the final season in 4k eliminated the visual issues.
Posted By: Rebulx Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/09/21 03:32 AM
Well that takes the $200 sting out a bit. I got the new series but have only watched the popular scenes... like season 3's battle of black water, plan on rewatching them all again, pretty sure i've watched every episode 20-30 times. It's sad because i'm not exaggerating. Makes for great back ground entertainment while working. GOT is the GOAT... not to be confused with TB in TB who is the NFL's GOAT 4EVR. lol couldn't help myself.
Posted By: aaaaaaaaaaaaa Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/09/21 10:17 AM
There is no banding in the last season. We had that already in 4k and re-bought the 4k box set.

The super dark episode looks very good. smile
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/27/21 06:04 AM
I finally watched the Rurouni Kenshin live action movies last weekend, and I'm already re-watching them this weekend. The anime is one of the great classics for me, so I'd be hard-pressed to recommend them over that, but I'm happy with how they treated the material, and over the course of the films there are so many truly great movie swordfighting moments. Certain aspects of the filmmaking don't quite have the polish, but the stuff they nailed makes them highly recommended.

I'm just a little disappointed in the physical releases. I bought the digital versions of the first three on Amazon just because it seems to be impossible to buy the first on Blu-ray without paying an arm and a leg. And it sounds like if I got a box set from Japan, they wouldn't have English subtitles. I'd rather have a 4K box set, anyway, so we'll see if that ever comes out.

The fourth film's release also annoys me, since I can only seem to watch it on Netflix, and Netflix won't seem to play in 24 Hz on the Xbox app, so it has the too-smooth look that pulls me right out of every movie. I will have to see if it looks better on the PC app, but I was having technical difficulties with that before, which is why I started using my Xbox for Netflix.

In any case, check them out if you're in the mood for good Japanese action movies with some amazing swordplay.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/27/21 08:21 PM
After chasing wailing coyotes out of my neighborhood last night, we couldn't sleep. We watched Green Book and couldn't get enough of Viggo Mortensen.
Posted By: Canesfan27 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/27/21 11:21 PM
I really enjoy Green Book.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/28/21 12:18 AM
Canes, you had a few laughs and shed a couple of tears, yeah?
Posted By: Canesfan27 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/28/21 12:37 AM
Yeah, Viggo and Ali really play their parts well.
Posted By: aaaaaaaaaaaaa Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/28/21 09:17 AM
Captain Fantastic is a good one for Viggo fans. Great flick. Loved Greenbook too.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/28/21 02:26 PM
Thanks for that, Trevor. It gave me something to watch early in the morning while I was recovering from my second vaccine shot.
Posted By: aaaaaaaaaaaaa Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/28/21 09:43 PM
Yikes. Mine was just super sore shoulder. . Hope you win the vax lotto!
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/29/21 12:35 AM
Moderna. 18 hours of fever and headache. I wrote a few poems while hallucinating.
Posted By: Canesfan27 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/29/21 01:51 PM
Pfizer. Had neck and shoulder pain. Certain foods taste acrid now. I can't eat any tortilla chips or Doritos they all taste burnt. I can't distinguish flavors in red wine, tastes like charcoal.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/29/21 05:26 PM
I had no idea that can happen. Perhaps it's only temporary.
Posted By: Canesfan27 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/29/21 07:50 PM
From what I've read online it was more common with people who lost their sense of taste and smell and when they started to recover from that they had a similar effect with certain foods. Some said it took 6-8 months before things returned to normal so I am hopeful by the end of the year maybe everything will taste normal to me again.
Posted By: rrlev Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/29/21 09:42 PM
Sounds like you were unlucky with Pfizer ...
I also only had some shoulder pain and it was not the bad for either shot.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/29/21 11:52 PM
It's not luck. It's Quantum Field Theory.
Posted By: Canesfan27 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 06/30/21 01:21 PM
The overall shots were mild discomfort and this taste issue is mostly a mild inconvenience... as long as it eventually subsides.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/21 12:26 PM
I got my second dose of Moderna on Tuesday morning. No appreciable symptoms until almost a full day later. Extreme fatigue and whole body soreness lasting through right now. Hopefully it's completely gone this weekend. I called in sick two days in a row because I think it would have been miserable trying to work through it. My sister also got the Moderna and had nothing but the arm soreness where the shots were administered.
Posted By: Canesfan27 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/21 03:02 PM
I could taste red wine last night for the first time in 6 weeks. I'm hoping that's a sign my taste is returning to normal.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/21 05:30 PM
Charles, if you're not completely back to normal tomorrow morning, go to the hospital.

Canes, you better drink your face off right now while the tasting is good.
Posted By: Canesfan27 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/02/21 07:00 PM
With a three day weekend that's my plan.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/20/21 06:17 PM
I got the UHD Blu-ray of Scott Pilgrim vs The World, and it's a great showcase disc. Still love the audio, and the picture does seem like a step up from the Blu-ray. I kept seeing detail I don't recall seeing before.
Posted By: aaaaaaaaaaaaa Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 07/20/21 08:29 PM
That is a super fun movie!

CONTINUE? 10,9,8,7…..
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/24/21 01:43 AM
This is absolutely jaw-dropping in active LFR 2.0! Huuuuuge width and depth.

https://youtu.be/cDk0uHuK6Rk
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/18/21 09:10 PM
Watched Kate on Netflix, and it was better than expected after the disappointing Gunpowder Milkshake. Good fight choreography and general cinematic style. Great soundtrack, too. I just wasn't bowled over by the final act. Still worth the watch for me, but I wouldn't give it my highest recommendation.

I've been binging Squid Game, also on Netflix, since then. Good writing, good acting, and OMG is it shot well. They made a beautiful show. I'd say it's showcase material for a nice TV, and the audio is very satisfying as well. I haven't finished the show yet, so here's hoping the ending is not a fumble. I'm really liking it in the meantime.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/18/21 09:34 PM
I was also really sad about Norm Macdonald's passing, so I've been watching and listening to interviews, and I'll probably read his book again. I'm glad I got to see him live a couple of a years ago. Miss him already.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/19/21 12:47 AM
We watched both Kate and Gunpowder Milkshake. Enjoyed both, but agree with you about liking Kate more. The other didn't have much of an ending, and kinda dumb - but it was entertaining....

An odd one to watch is My Octupos Teacher. Not sure what inspired me to click on it, but I couldn't stop watching it.
Posted By: rrlev Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/19/21 01:12 AM
I liked gun powder milkshake. Its just a fun non-thinker movie which I end up watching alone since no one else in my family would enjoy it.
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/19/21 01:32 AM
We don't have Netflix but we do have Crave.
I haven't binge watched anything until the pandemic started and things really shuttered. Maybe two or three things, not many.
The two best lately:

Sopranos
Yes it's older but i was never sure if i had seen all the seasons and episodes b/c i wasn't a big tv person at that time, nor an avid fan.

Brockmire
Dear lord in heaven this is funny. I haven't seen something that made me laugh out loud until i almost cried. I did start coughing a bit, no choking thankfully but would have if i were eating. If you are any kind of a baseball fan, it makes it that much more hilarious.
If you haven't seen this YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS.
SOOO damn funny.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/19/21 07:17 AM
Originally Posted by CV
I've been binging Squid Game, also on Netflix, since then. Good writing, good acting, and OMG is it shot well. They made a beautiful show. I'd say it's showcase material for a nice TV, and the audio is very satisfying as well. I haven't finished the show yet, so here's hoping the ending is not a fumble. I'm really liking it in the meantime.

I finished it tonight, and I'd say it's well worth the watch.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/03/21 04:11 PM
Liking Midnight Mass, also on Netflix. I didn't really know anything about it, but a coworker suggested it. Nice to see Saracen from Friday Night Lights again. It feels like it's always a surprise to find he's gotten work. Not that he shouldn't get it. He's simply been underutilized since that show ended.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/23/21 08:09 AM
Went to the theater to see Dune. Overall I liked it a lot, but I'm already not liking the wait for Part Two. I have HBO Max, but I wanted the first time to be in the theater. I'll watch it at home sometime this weekend, really work out my speakers.
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/25/21 12:46 AM
Originally Posted by CV
Went to the theater to see Dune. Overall I liked it a lot, but I'm already not liking the wait for Part Two. I have HBO Max, but I wanted the first time to be in the theater. I'll watch it at home sometime this weekend, really work out my speakers.

There's two parts??
We are thinking about going to see it. Was hoping it wasn't going to be a piece of crap compared to the cult classic original. Some of the movie remakes are just so terrible.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/25/21 09:52 PM
Originally Posted by chesseroo
There's two parts??
We are thinking about going to see it. Was hoping it wasn't going to be a piece of crap compared to the cult classic original. Some of the movie remakes are just so terrible.

I'm not sure if you'll like the vibe of the new one if you're a fan of the original, so you'll have to let me know what you think.

And even though I like this new one, enough of the character moments and story emphasis is off compared to the novel that I'm not sure how much I'll revisit it compared to Denis Villeneuve's other movies I've really enjoyed. I guess I'll find out with subsequent viewings how much lasting value it has for me.
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/26/21 06:05 PM
Originally Posted by CV
Originally Posted by chesseroo
There's two parts??
We are thinking about going to see it. Was hoping it wasn't going to be a piece of crap compared to the cult classic original. Some of the movie remakes are just so terrible.

I'm not sure if you'll like the vibe of the new one if you're a fan of the original, so you'll have to let me know what you think.

And even though I like this new one, enough of the character moments and story emphasis is off compared to the novel that I'm not sure how much I'll revisit it compared to Denis Villeneuve's other movies I've really enjoyed. I guess I'll find out with subsequent viewings how much lasting value it has for me.
It almost sounds like you are inferring they made it into an action flick, hollywood style more so than the story. The first one was so quirky it could almost be a bit hard to follow the whole story. I would have to go back and re-read the novel all over again to remember much of it but i suspect that would only ruin what i might watch at the theatre.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/26/21 06:11 PM
Not saying that exactly. It's actually pretty faithful to the novel, more than the David Lynch movie, but they do fill out the action scenes, which Frank Herbert would gloss over in his writing. I'll stop talking and just let people watch it.
Posted By: Burefo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/21 10:22 AM
Was advised to watch tv show on Netflix called "You". Has anyone seen it? Is it worth time?
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/21 08:08 PM
I propose you don't erode your brain matter with that garbage. Enrich your mind with this instead.

https://youtu.be/YRgBLVI3suM
Posted By: aaaaaaaaaaaaa Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/23/21 10:25 PM
Really liked The Peanut Butter Falcon on Netflix. A little sappy and Corny. But really enjoyable!
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/24/21 04:06 AM
Looked at a few scenes from LOTR just to test the sub sounds in the first movie. Forgot how old the standard DVD format of 480 resolution is on large tvs.
Has anyone got the Bluray versions to be able to comment on their quality?
I have seen some other older movie upgrades to Bluray that really weren't much better.
Posted By: aaaaaaaaaaaaa Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/24/21 09:29 AM
Yep. We went from dvd to bluray to 4K HDR edition.

I highly suggest picking up 4K blurays of your favourite titles and new releases. Difference is huge on the leap from DVD.

The panasonic UB820 is a fantastic player for many reasons. Biggest plus is breathing new life into your existing bluray library with its tone mapping. Highly recommended if you have a large collection of physical media. HIGHLY recommended.

If you are still spinning dvds its time to reward your oled with updated formats. Lots of new releases on Netflix are in 4K and ATMOS as well. Cheap way to get in!
Posted By: rrlev Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/24/21 08:36 PM
I agree. I've been updating my must have DVDs & blu-rays when I see a good deal on them in 4K ATMOS. I always read the reviews as apparently some titles are poorly done. Also it's my understanding that lot of streaming services don't stream 4k or don't stream in full 4k. That currently a 4k disk is the best source.

That said, most of the time It's not an issue as my screen is not that large that 4k looks that much better and it's up sampling is pretty good. Another reason to upgrade is that none of my DVDs or blu-rays are in ATMOS or any other 3d format ... many are only 5.1
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/24/21 08:41 PM
Originally Posted by TrevorM
The panasonic UB820 is a fantastic player for many reasons. Biggest plus is breathing new life into your existing bluray library with its tone mapping. Highly recommended if you have a large collection of physical media. HIGHLY recommended.

Hey, that's the one I ended up with. I've been happy with it. And yes, I still have a ton of physical media. It's not expanding at the rate it used to, but it's still growing. Getting UHD Blu-ray wherever possible. Just trying to be more selective than I have in the past. I don't want to see physical formats die, even if it seems inevitable.
Posted By: aaaaaaaaaaaaa Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/24/21 10:12 PM
I love buying disks. Harder and harder to find titles in local stores. Luckily online shopping still A-Ok.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/25/21 04:30 PM
Agree with Trevor. I bought the UB820 when it was initially released. It's been working without issue.

Panasonic also has a more 'professional' model out (UB9000) that's essentially the same player, but aluminum case that I wanted to get, but couldn't find one at a reasonable price point.

I bought the LOTR extended version in 4K a couple months ago. Waiting for a day I don't need to do anything to binge-watch it. These movies are one of the few that I actually prefer watching the extended versions.
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/26/21 08:09 PM
Originally Posted by michael_d
Agree with Trevor. I bought the UB820 when it was initially released. It's been working without issue.

Panasonic also has a more 'professional' model out (UB9000) that's essentially the same player, but aluminum case that I wanted to get, but couldn't find one at a reasonable price point.

I bought the LOTR extended version in 4K a couple months ago. Waiting for a day I don't need to do anything to binge-watch it. These movies are one of the few that I actually prefer watching the extended versions.

I have the Sony UBP-X800, but my q re: LOTR was specific to that 4k set. Is it really better resolution-wise than the originals?
Some remixes are not and the upsampling IMO is rather so so.
Posted By: aaaaaaaaaaaaa Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/26/21 11:12 PM
Yes
Posted By: Canesfan27 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/21 12:51 AM
I have the Sony UBP-X800, but my q re: LOTR was specific to that 4k set. Is it really better resolution-wise than the originals?
Some remixes are not and the upsampling IMO is rather so so.[/quote]

Do you like the Sony? I’ve been debating between that and the Panasonic 820. The 820 seems like it has more features.
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/21 05:20 AM
Originally Posted by Canesfan27
I have the Sony UBP-X800, but my q re: LOTR was specific to that 4k set. Is it really better resolution-wise than the originals?
Some remixes are not and the upsampling IMO is rather so so.

Do you like the Sony? I’ve been debating between that and the Panasonic 820. The 820 seems like it has more features.

If i recall, the Panny didn't play DVD-A discs and the Sony does.
I haven't used it much for Bluray. We don't have any 4k Bluray because we only just got the 4k tvs within the past year+. The kids have some bluray discs though so i needed that for a player, plus the DVD-a. I don't have many of those but the ones i do have sound stellar and i use them for sound testing.
Posted By: rrlev Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/21 05:28 AM
LOTR series was the first set I updated.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/21 08:05 AM
I'm very disappointed in how The Wheel of Time has turned out. I don't see how they ever recover from the choices they've made that deviate from the books. There are so many ways they could have improved the material, as much as I liked the books, but instead they've dragged it down to the typical poorly executed TV fantasy level. They don't spend enough time setting up the characters and the world, rushing instead to drama and conflict amped up to stupid proportions this early in the story. They've altered certain characters in ways that makes them less engaging. They hobbled one of the most emotionally resonant scenes in the first book by changing the context and setting where it occurs. They've changed the rules of the magic system that Robert Jordan put a ton of thought into. There's no subtlety. You get clubbed over the head with everything. The writing is just clumsy with story structure and pacing being a total mess, and the directing is wholly uninspired. It's hard to watch, but I will keep doing it because at least I get to do with my best friend who got me into Wheel of Time back in the day. He also has a lot of problems with the show, so we get to complain to each other about how wrong they've gotten it. But my sister and his brother are both enjoying the show, so take my disgust with a grain of salt.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/21 04:16 PM
Originally Posted by chesseroo
Originally Posted by michael_d
Agree with Trevor. I bought the UB820 when it was initially released. It's been working without issue.

Panasonic also has a more 'professional' model out (UB9000) that's essentially the same player, but aluminum case that I wanted to get, but couldn't find one at a reasonable price point.

I bought the LOTR extended version in 4K a couple months ago. Waiting for a day I don't need to do anything to binge-watch it. These movies are one of the few that I actually prefer watching the extended versions.

I have the Sony UBP-X800, but my q re: LOTR was specific to that 4k set. Is it really better resolution-wise than the originals?
Some remixes are not and the upsampling IMO is rather so so.

I don't know. I have not watched any of the 4K movies - yet.

But....to date, any 4K version that I've bought and sat through in my HT system has been a real treat. Better than 1080P by a significant amount. The HDR aspect of 4K puts them in a different category. Some of the Atmos soundtracks are just - meh, but some are pretty fantastic. 4K stuff on my smaller, great room TV isn't as much of a treat as in the HT with 8' screen.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/21 04:22 PM
Originally Posted by CV
I'm very disappointed in how The Wheel of Time has turned out. I don't see how they ever recover from the choices they've made that deviate from the books. There are so many ways they could have improved the material, as much as I liked the books, but instead they've dragged it down to the typical poorly executed TV fantasy level. They don't spend enough time setting up the characters and the world, rushing instead to drama and conflict amped up to stupid proportions this early in the story. They've altered certain characters in ways that makes them less engaging. They hobbled one of the most emotionally resonant scenes in the first book by changing the context and setting where it occurs. They've changed the rules of the magic system that Robert Jordan put a ton of thought into. There's no subtlety. You get clubbed over the head with everything. The writing is just clumsy with story structure and pacing being a total mess, and the directing is wholly uninspired. It's hard to watch, but I will keep doing it because at least I get to do with my best friend who got me into Wheel of Time back in the day. He also has a lot of problems with the show, so we get to complain to each other about how wrong they've gotten it. But my sister and his brother are both enjoying the show, so take my disgust with a grain of salt.

Charles - never watch a movie thinking it will be as good as the book. You're in for disappointment ever time. LOL

I did not read this series of books, or The Hobbit, or Harry Potter. I am enjoying this new series quite a bit and find it entertaining. I also liked LOTR even though I don't like hobbits. Harry Potter, same thing. Entertaining, despite not liking Harry Potter. Winey little twit.
Posted By: Canesfan27 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/27/21 09:14 PM
The Harry Potter books are great.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/28/21 07:14 AM
Originally Posted by michael_d
Charles - never watch a movie thinking it will be as good as the book. You're in for disappointment ever time. LOL

Ha ha, I know, but it would feel weird not to be protective of something I grew up with. For anyone wondering, my sister and my friend's brother also read the series, so they also had the comparison in mind. And my sister said her friend also started watching it and loved it, and she had read the books as well. I guess my friend and I are sticks in the mud. I really wanted to like it, if only because I love Rosamund Pike as an actress and was excited they got someone at that level to play Moiraine. She's too tall for the character, but so was Hugh Jackman as Wolverine.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/19/21 09:38 PM
There are some touches I've liked in The Wheel of Time, but I'm still finding it hard to get past some of the glaring character changes and lack of patience on the part of the writers. And I'm sure some of it comes from Amazon limiting them to 8 episodes in a season. I sure hope they expand that in future seasons. It would help to feel like you're spending time in the world rather than racing from plot point to plot point.

I also signed up for the free trial of Paramount+ to watch Detroiters and the two new South Park specials. Good stuff.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/21 08:30 PM
I hadn't fired up my UHD Blu-ray player in a couple weeks, so I decided it was time to watch the 4K copy of the Emma Thompson/Ang Lee Sense and Sensibility I bought. It was released as part of Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 2, but I bought it on its own on eBay. While you can tell it's not the most recent movie, and there's some softness to the picture through a lot of it, there are certainly scenes that have benefited from the new transfer. I'm happy with it. The audio is also very nice. Piano playing scenes, thunderstorms. It left me satisfied. Beyond that, it was great to revisit a movie I watched a lot of times back in the day, but it had been a while. It holds up.
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/21/21 08:46 PM
Just got the fam Disney + for the holidays, trying it out for a month so we can get caught up on some Marvel movies we missed.
Finally, a 4k feed for the new setup!

Starting watching the Hawkeye series. A good premise though the supporting actress is playing the same character that she did in Pitch Perfect 3. I despise actors that keep playing the same character type, line delivery regardless of the movie. You end up stereotyping yourself.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/24/21 09:12 PM
I'm sure part of it is the people making the show liked the way she acted elsewhere, so they asked her to do more of the same. How is the 4K treating you? Remind me, what are you using as your streaming device?

Speaking of Disney+, do they still have Free Solo on there? I ask because there's a good follow-up to that one on Netflix called The Alpinist. The subject of this one is Marc-André Leclerc, who Alex Honnold calls crazy. I'm only halfway through, but it also has me scratching my head why people like this exist.
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/24/21 09:52 PM
Originally Posted by CV
I'm sure part of it is the people making the show liked the way she acted elsewhere, so they asked her to do more of the same. How is the 4K treating you? Remind me, what are you using as your streaming device?
The 4k is very nice. Can move the tv a bit closer by a foot and the picture is 'bigger' yet still looks stellar. The thing about the 4k though is that it all still comes down to how it was filmed, the channel, the post processing, etc. National Geographic shows are all eye popping but almost oversaturated in some colours like yellows and greens. The Marvel shows have been pretty 'typical' in colours without anything being eye popping, but realistic. A movie say 5 years old almost looks a bit drab. Anything in HDR takes on a life of its own but the LG settings are all different for HDR vs non so that is to be expected (i did turn down the OLED brightness and what not a bit). Now and again you almost can't tell if the picture is moving in and out of 4k just because of the camera focus depth but the sharpness is amazing screen wide on wide angle shots.

I am using a Roku stick for streaming. Everything has been very seamless. Very impressed. I am a little confused about the Atmos streaming though. I expect that since my Denon is setup as a 7.1 config that it would still put the mode into Atmos but knowing i don't have any heights or ceiling speakers.

Quote
Speaking of Disney+, do they still have Free Solo on there? I ask because there's a good follow-up to that one on Netflix called The Alpinist. The subject of this one is Marc-André Leclerc, who Alex Honnold calls crazy. I'm only halfway through, but it also has me scratching my head why people like this exist.

I'll have to check. Will do so tonight during our Christmas Eve family movie night! (staying in this year due to covid).
I just finished watching the Hawkeye series last night. I almost hope they come up with a second story line and run another. It was pretty good.
Posted By: rrlev Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/25/21 03:23 AM
Just got a DP-UB820 player for the media room. Been testing it out watching a Ultra 4k Disk of the Hobbit. Definitely a superior player to the family room’s Sony X700. Tomorrow we’ll do the last disk.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/19/22 09:15 PM
Just finished season 3 of Downton Abbey. I can't believe I'm watching this show, as it's really not something I'd normally watch, but I can't stop watching it...... This started with a friend of mine going on and on about how he got hooked, and he is totally not into drama or a stuffy English type of guy, so I watched the first episode to see why. Dammit!

We also just got the 4K disk for Season 3 of Star Trek Discovery. (I refuse to by the CBS steaming service, so I wait for the BR disk version of this series.) I enjoy this series very much, and the first episode of S3 has set a new standard. The special effects, video and sound are all exceptional. Hard to believe it is a TV series. Hopefully, the remaining episodes will be equally good.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 01/22/22 04:49 AM
Originally Posted by michael_d
Just finished season 3 of Downton Abbey.

I enjoyed the first season. I don't remember if I started the second, but I didn't stick with it. I think I just got distracted by other things.

I watched Pig yesterday. I would agree it's good for a Nicolas Cage movie, but it didn't really live up to the hype for me.

Also watched The Last Duel. Not bad, but also not great.

Started Archive 81 on Netflix. It had some tension at the beginning, but it's already losing me. Not sure how much further I'll go with it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 02/22/22 05:59 PM
Watched both seasons of How To with John Wilson, and it was all great.
Posted By: rrlev Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/01/22 04:17 AM
Watched the Princess Bride with my wife … enjoying a really top notch cote du rhone …
Posted By: rrlev Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/06/22 02:27 AM
Watched Belfast … great movie
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/26/22 12:54 AM
Finally watched my 4K Blu-ray of Snatch. It looks and sounds a lot better than I was expecting from a catalog title. And I still love the movie, thankfully. It holds up.
Posted By: aaaaaaaaaaaaa Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/28/22 10:45 PM
Hans Zimmer Live in Prague. What a show! Incredible bass extension. New rattles to cure now. Lol.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/28/22 11:34 PM
was that a BR movie, Trevor?

Watched Freeguy the other night. Pretty fun movie. Good visuals and sound.
Posted By: aaaaaaaaaaaaa Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/28/22 11:45 PM
Yep. Bluray with atmos soundtrack. Pretty great!
Posted By: rrlev Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 03/29/22 12:23 AM
Originally Posted by michael_d
was that a BR movie, Trevor?

Watched Freeguy the other night. Pretty fun movie. Good visuals and sound.
\
Saw that movie on a flight ... think it was back in January either going or coming from Costa Rica
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/16/22 07:21 AM
Went to the theater for Everything Everywhere All At Once. Go see it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/17/22 06:56 PM
Originally Posted by CV
Went to the theater for Everything Everywhere All At Once. Go see it.

I already went to see it a second time. Going a third time next weekend.
Posted By: Canesfan27 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/18/22 02:33 AM
Has to be good. Data is in it.
Posted By: aaaaaaaaaaaaa Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/25/22 09:19 PM
Last Breath on Netflix last night. Probably the best movie I’ve seen in a good while. Highly recommended. Dont google if you dont want spoliers. 93% rotten tomatoes if that is what you were going to check.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/28/22 09:30 AM
Originally Posted by CV
Went to the theater for Everything Everywhere All At Once. Go see it.

After you watch the movie, check out this discussion with Dolby:

Daniels and the Sound of Everything Everywhere All at Once | Sound + Image Lab

Entertaining, and it's nice to hear all of the thought that went into just the sound design. They have a second part about the music in the film, which I will have to listen to next.

Meanwhile, I'm going to the movie for a fifth time on Saturday. Ha ha. When I went last time with my friend, Sara, immediately afterward she said, "I can see why you've seen it in the theater so many times. I want to watch it again right now."
Posted By: rrlev Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/28/22 10:14 AM
Saw that movie a couple of days ago.
First time since Covid that I went to a real movie theater
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/28/22 06:04 PM
Originally Posted by rrlev
Saw that movie a couple of days ago.
First time since Covid that I went to a real movie theater

Nice. Hope you got even a fraction of the entertainment out of it that I did.
Posted By: rrlev Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/28/22 06:34 PM
I liked it ... might watch it again if I see it on a streaming service.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/30/22 04:00 PM
Watched The Batman last night.....

How many times are they going to re-boot / re-set this charactor?

Other that anoyance, I think I prefer this one over the last atempt. Bruce Wayne seems less of a 'super-hero' with over the top gadgets and physical ability and more human.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 04/30/22 08:54 PM
Originally Posted by michael_d
Other that anoyance, I think I prefer this one over the last atempt. Bruce Wayne seems less of a 'super-hero' with over the top gadgets and physical ability and more human.

I agree with that, but the previous attempt set the bar pretty low. I had to watch this one in three one-hour increments because I wasn't finding anything in the story to latch onto. I kept waiting for it to build into something where it clicks and I can see why people like it so much, but it never got there for me. I can appreciate some of it on a technical level, but yeah, I just wish it felt fresher.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/22 08:23 PM
Originally Posted by TrevorM
Hans Zimmer Live in Prague. What a show! Incredible bass extension. New rattles to cure now. Lol.

Finally got around to watching this in 4K/Atmos after I ordered the disk. It was as you describe. Something anyone could enjoy, regardless of music preference. I did not know who Hans Zimmer was, or this was movie themes, but we all thoroughly enjoyed it. Outstanding.
Posted By: aaaaaaaaaaaaa Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/03/22 08:58 PM
Awesome! Yeah, its a lot of fun for sure.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/14/22 04:38 PM
I subscribed to Paramount+ the other day, despite my refusal to pay extra for a TV channel that I should just get all of its content with my over-priced Direct TV account. They had too many interesting shows to not try for a few months. We've started watching 1883, mostly due to being a Sam Eliot fan.... Yellowstone is also my favorite TV show, so I kinda had to watch 1883. It's a good show. Surprisingly enough, Tim Mcgraw and Faith Hill can act fairly well.

Last night we watched the first three episodes of Halo and it was very well done. Very enjoyable story too... Lots of great actors, and outstanding special effects. They definitely spent some coin on this show.... I do not, have not, and will not - play video games. So if anyone wants to complain that Halo isn't following the game, have at it - I do not care.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/15/22 09:13 PM
I think you should ride your bike more. And, like me, carry at least six knives strapped at various locations so no matter how mangled you end up from the initial, surprise attack, you can always reach for a blade and eviscerate it if it's stupid enough to attack again.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/16/22 04:58 PM
wrong thread.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/16/22 05:09 PM
I am totally non-linear.
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/16/22 08:05 PM
Originally Posted by michael_d
I subscribed to Paramount+ the other day, despite my refusal to pay extra for a TV channel that I should just get all of its content with my over-priced Direct TV account. They had too many interesting shows to not try for a few months. We've started watching 1883, mostly due to being a Sam Eliot fan....
I can relate to this. Presently have Bell satellite which gives us sports channels (TSN, Golf Channel), plus a Crave subscription and Fibe on Demand. Covers the bulk of what we want. However, for some other movies (like Marvel series, Star Wars), i thought to try out Disney for a month and given the amount of content, opted in for one year. Then, i got a free 30d Prime trial. All this would add up to a stupid amount of monthly cost going permanently to all these.
How can anyone complain about the cost of cable packages when frankly they are cheaper than all the individual services put together?
And some i can't get without a cable bundle (TSN and Golf Channel in Canada for example can only be obtained with a cable package to get all content).

Quote
Last night we watched the first three episodes of Halo and it was very well done. Very enjoyable story too... Lots of great actors, and outstanding special effects. They definitely spent some coin on this show.... I do not, have not, and will not - play video games. So if anyone wants to complain that Halo isn't following the game, have at it - I do not care.

So i have this Prime account, saw all these trailers on Halo (i also don't play the game but know of it). I go to watch it on Prime only to find out i have to pay even MORE if i want to watch it!
Some of the movies and other content on Prime, same thing. I would have to pay a rental fee!
WTF!!
Brutal.
My Prime trial ends tomorrow and we're not renewing.
Disney content will be watched over this year and we likely will renew periodically only when there are a few things we want to watch and even then, we'll binge all in a month and not renew.

The only real BIG plus, is that Prime, Disney have tons of 4k content and Dolby multichannel audio. Bell Fibe is stereo, 1080p max and Crave is the same but does carry DD at least for movies (i should mention that 4k does exist for some Bell customers but not where we are located).
Bell is way behind the competition.
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/16/22 08:08 PM
As for watching lately, since we got all these:

On Disney-
Mandalorian
Book of Boba Fett
Marvel Secret Wars series
Some old Disney movies like Flight of the Navigator, E.T., etc.

Prime-
The Boys
Outer Range
Wheel of Time
various movies like Moonfall

Ran out of time to check out other series on Prime that i heard were good.
Posted By: MMM Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/26/22 02:19 AM
i got prime as it i liked the movie and show selection and for the $80 a year it was costing it seemed to be a better deal with free shipping on lots of items. I want so badly to drop Netflix. but there are some shows that i have watched but took it down to the $9 single screen that is a total ripoff with 480p resolution.

What i have concluded is that i don't have enough time in a week to watch all the shows that they seem to spew out so it makes little sense to buy more subscriptions that you have time to view. I might see about killing Netflix and getting Disney for a month or so to what what might be good for a bit.
Posted By: rrlev Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/26/22 03:16 AM
I’m in the same boat … different family members want different services often because they want a specific series or show. We have prime, Netflix, Hulu, Apple, and Disney. My wife and I maybe watch four or five hours on average a week. The kids, when home, perhaps add a few more.

With all this content, my wife, more often then not, will rent a Movie. crazy
Posted By: chesseroo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/28/22 02:13 AM
Definitely saving cash by doing just one service at a time.
Gives me time to binge and then move on.

Been watching a bunch of things lately:
The Orville
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5691552/
Really wished they did at least more one season of this. It isn't a 20 year run type of show, but a bit more would have been good. Liking it. More lighthearted than alot of crap out there.

His Dark Materials
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5607976/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
I swear there's parts of the Golden Compass being ripped off here. Either that or i'm having serious deja vu.
A story that is decent but probably better in novels.

Manifest (Bell Fibe)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8421350/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
An interesting concept but coming into season 2 now and i'm tiring a bit of the same acting 'style' coming out of the actors. It's like watching any Rosamund Pike movie. The same look, same line delivery, gets monotonous.

Hoping to finally tackle the new Dune movie this weekend.
And there's a new Star Wars Disney channel ObiWan series out soon.
Posted By: rrlev Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/29/22 01:05 AM
Chess,
That’s the way to do it! But unlike the Dire Straits song … the chick’s are not free!

I’ve gotten rid of Hulu and Disney a couple of times but I’ve lost control … Now they are both in my wife’s name … I don’t even have the Disney passcode at the moment! frown
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/29/22 01:56 AM
Originally Posted by rrlev
That’s the way to do it! But unlike the Dire Straits song … the chick’s are not free!

You shoulda learned to play the guitar
You shoulda learned to play them drums
Posted By: Canesfan27 Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/29/22 03:03 AM
The next season of the Orville comes out June 2
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/29/22 03:30 AM
I quite enjoyed this while imbibing on a mug of chamomile lemon tea.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ddu8zCv5fOQ
Posted By: BBIBH Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 05/29/22 01:56 PM
Originally Posted by chesseroo
Manifest (Bell Fibe)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8421350/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
An interesting concept but coming into season 2 now and i'm tiring a bit of the same acting 'style' coming out of the actors. It's like watching any Rosamund Pike movie. The same look, same line delivery, gets monotonous.

This is also on Netflix, and agree on the monotonous. We also noticed plot inconsistencies and continuity errors and stopped watching after the 1st season.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/05/22 09:53 PM
Prey on Hulu. Liked it pretty well. From the director of 10 Cloverfield Lane, so I was looking forward to it. Starring Amber Midthunder, who I liked from Legion, even if the show ended up being too up its own butt as it went along.
Posted By: michael_d Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/09/22 04:31 PM
Started watching Sandman, on NetFlix. The first episode was a bit dry, but it picked up on the second and the third was better yet. This is a good one to watch. If there is a book or anything other than a Metalica back story, I don't know it.....

Was thinking about subscribing to Hulu. Kinda tired of all the streaming services I have already though, plus DirectTV. I gotta cut back......
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 08/10/22 03:08 PM
I ditched everything except YouTube Premium. Totally worth it.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/21/22 07:34 AM
Went to see [i]Barbarian[i] on opening day only knowing that it was a horror movie with a little buzz and Justin Long as the "ultimate toxic white guy." Loved it. I would say go in as blind as possible. It's a lot of fun, and I already went back for a second viewing. I tried to get a couple of friends to go, but so far I haven't convinced anyone. I'll probably go a third time while it's still in theaters.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 09/28/22 11:00 PM
I couldn't control my bladder on this one. It's a short parody of the first year of the Engineering Science (EngSci) program my son graduated from. If you are in a sour mood, this will fix you.

For reference, Praxis is a course where you have to tear down a product and analyze it and also build something and showcase it. TA is teaching assistant. AP Calc is advanced placement calculus from grade 12. While it prepares you somewhat for the traditional engineering program, it's an absolute joke for EngSci.

The U of T EngSci program is accelerated and absolutely brutal. It's one of the most distinguished engineering programs in the world.

https://youtu.be/FDQSPpqT8Gs

This one is classic as well. Very creative. Poor kids.

https://youtu.be/8nSX7V1rw_o
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 10/06/22 04:16 AM
Watched Ghostbusters: Afterlife and we're still recovering. Who needs Atmos? With 4.7, I had pristine sound pouring out of every surface including the floor. It was slamming our vortex ports from the bottom, punching our backs, vibrating our brains and even rattled our ribcages once. I honestly thought all the gear would come unglued.

Kodiak, if you'd heard this, you'd throw a little tantrum, call Ian up and say "I want to live audio life like Mojo. I want what Mojo has!" One day, you will be rewarded for all your patience.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/10/22 07:08 PM
Wrong side of the tracks on Netflix. Love the characters and their banter.
Posted By: Kodiak Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/11/22 05:04 PM
I hope you’re right…I can be patient. I’m just quite happy with I’ve got at the moment. But there are obvious improvements that are needed. But now that we’re in our new house 1.5 years I’m getting itchy to seriously improve the great room. We’ve just been so darn busy. And it’s a big deal, it’s gotta be done just right.

And the basement theatre is another big project too. I sit down there and ponder and map it out in my mind. I’ve got my office setup down there with m2 playing nearfield and it sounds very good. Even as I walk away or back into the room , it sounds good.

I’m really enjoying having a few systems to play with and mix the components around etc.

For now I’ll keep waiting……until I enter Mojoland. smile
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/11/22 06:11 PM
You're sort of already in mojoland. You have three different speaker topologies and you're getting to know their differences.

Maybe you need to try a totally different design now. Something like this:

https://oswaldsmillaudio.com/imperia
Posted By: Kodiak Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/22 02:02 AM
Well those are cool!

I would seriously consider a pair of Klipsch Jubilee or the more “reasonable” La Scalas.

I remember my dad used to have a pair of open baffle speakers. There was like 12 drivers in each speaker in a Teak finish. Super wide but very narrow. He sold them at garage sale, too bad. I always remember those behind really interesting.
Posted By: Kodiak Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/22 03:48 AM
https://ibb.co/hHz482Z

See mojo, you’re not the only stacker.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/22 02:07 PM
Rex learned that from me! Great deal for $1200. Looks like he's driving them with an el cheapo amp from Amazon.

Here's your chance. I think it's a better deal than Black Friday. It's a bit of a drive for you though.
Posted By: Kodiak Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/22 08:14 PM
It is a great deal for sure. But it’s not gonna happen right now. Gonna have to wait, even at those prices. Very tempting though.

I’m needing a DAC for my desktop system. I can get by with one turn table and one CD player but each system needs its own DAc and steam capabilities as it’s a quick hit to play some tunes when the right amount of time comes up. Plus I love hitting shuffle and random and just seeing what comes up.

If I’m playing a record or a cd I tend to settle in and listen to the whole album or am being more “critical”.

So the m5s will have to wait. For now….
Posted By: Kodiak Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/22 08:28 PM
Also, that’s a paramount JC amp. Not a cheapy. Might be a THX preamp sitting on top hard to tell.

That’s an interesting setup. I’d like to try that one day. M5s matched with ep500 or 600.

Just hooked up an old passive paradigm sub to my desktop system with m2s. I wonder how it will sound.

I’m listening to Chris Botti and friends. Particularly like the cut with Sting. It’s a cd/dvd set. Makes me want to have 5.1 or better system for concert watching.

Chris Botti is highly recommended overall as is this concert. Really good stuff and great variety of artists.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/22 09:09 PM
The Paradigm sub is passive, really? It doesn't have its own amp?
Posted By: Kodiak Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/22 09:17 PM
Correct. I have 2 subs. One is powered 12 inch Velodyne which is setup with the m60ti.

And I just got this passive one for free, si figured I’d try it in a nearfield setup where it being passive doesn’t matter so much as I won’t need a ton of power to make it work. It’s an old sub. But free!
Posted By: Kodiak Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/22 09:22 PM
Ooops. Made an error quoting the amp in the photo. It’s Parasound Halo maybe? Anyway I digress…
Posted By: Kodiak Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/22 09:28 PM
Full title is: Chris Botti and Friends, Night Sessions. DVD. Came with cd of the music too for 2 channel.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/13/22 09:57 PM
Originally Posted by Kodiak
Correct. I have 2 subs. One is powered 12 inch Velodyne which is setup with the m60ti.

And I just got this passive one for free, si figured I’d try it in a nearfield setup where it being passive doesn’t matter so much as I won’t need a ton of power to make it work. It’s an old sub. But free!

Well look at you, eh? Near-field. You're talking all technical. You didn't know a woofer from its cabinet when you first showed up here. smile
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/14/22 12:29 AM
My homies and I are snacking on KFC while binging on The Last Ship on Prime. So good! Rhona Mitra is mighty fine.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
Posted By: Kodiak Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/14/22 12:48 AM
Ha Ha Ha!! Yeah I guess i've learned a thing or two along the way. It remains a great journey! I love everything about this great hobby. Still lots to learn and lots of differnet things to try out and play with. The new house has really opened the options to try different setups with different spaces and gear.

I've got the passive sub running with the M2s here at my desk.....it does the job. I've got the m2s high passed through the sub, its a fixed crossever at 200 hz I believe. ( Can't recall where I got that info but it seems plausable but i cant confirm ti online anywhere other than the fact that ii does contain a high pass filter.) The only thing not managed is the output and sensitivity of the sub vs speakers. But if turn the Pure Direct off I can bump up the bass a bit and they match closer / better. With the pure direct on at high volume id say it's better. Anyway, i, over analyzing it all. It sounds good and im really only boosting the 200-350 hz a few db on the m2s as thats the high end of the Yammies bass turnover frquency.

Fun stuff!
Posted By: Kodiak Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/14/22 12:49 AM
The subject matter of your photo could also be ultiized in near field setup! Just saying.....
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/14/22 01:00 AM
Have you tried the M2 full range in that set-up?

Before you got in her near-field, she'd thigh lock your face to death.
Posted By: Kodiak Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/14/22 01:11 AM
Yes. I’ve had it full range for a few months now. I’ve probably listened to this setup the most in the last while. It’s in my home office where I work from now about 70% of my work time. It’s down in the 1200 sq foot unfinished basement. The m2s have no front wall just bc of how it the desk is oriented.

It sounds really good near field and full range but this sub adds more satisfaction. It’s great.

What I haven’t tried is the m2 full range or with my powered sub and big 2 channel amp in the great room. I’ll try that at some point.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/14/22 01:23 AM
What I meant is full range with the sub in the near-field set-up.
Posted By: Kodiak Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/14/22 01:42 AM
Oh I see…. Yes I did. But not for long. I wasn’t able to get the bass from the sub to match the output on the m2 nicely. To get the bass amount from the sub up to get it good to my ear I was pushing the m2 with with bass tone control and it was getting muddy.

But with it high passed I get the control tool I need and want on the bass tone control to make the sub match better and the m2 is clear and smooth. It’s getting a small bump around 200-300 hz but it’s not in your face.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/14/22 01:56 AM
Hmmm...I wonder if putting the sub near a room boundary would boost the bass enough so that you don't have to cross the M2s at 200Hz.
Posted By: Kodiak Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/14/22 02:05 AM
Worth a shot for sure! I’ve got 1200 sq feet of space to play with. No energy for that today!!! But I’ll give a shot at some point. But as is it’s pretty good just sitting at the desk. Very satisfying. Great idea though to try it near a room boundary.

( define room boundary….? Do you mean the location in my space that has the most consistent response? IE If I put the sub in my listening position then walked the room listening for the best spot, that’s where my sub should go?)

Right now it’s just under my desk against the wall…. Wouldn’t be hard to move it to my listening position then do the sub crawl.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/14/22 02:44 AM
A room boundary is a structure that limits the size of your room. A wall is a room boundary. Putting a sub against a wall or a corner increases its gain. You have it against a wall so that's taken care of.
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/14/22 02:59 AM
You could also try doing what I did with my London Drugs cheapo Sony sub. I shellaced the paper driver and stuffed it with polyfill. Works wonders with my Audiobytes.
Posted By: Kodiak Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/14/22 03:19 AM
I’ll definitely stuff it. It’s just got a single sheet of fill in it. I’ll stuff it like a turkey. Think I’ve got some Roxul kicking around here…..
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/14/22 03:30 AM
Stuff it in stages until you're satisfied. Keep it away from the driver.
Posted By: Hambrabi Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/21/22 05:00 AM
NAD uploaded a self-promotional 50th anniversary documentary about their history.

https://youtu.be/P41NtX82M1w

I was never exposed to NAD until my 20's, by which time I had already heard of their quality control issues during the 90's, something they address in an unsatisfactory mea culpa way. And frankly, I will never feel nostalgic for any hifi brand that lacked brushed stainless steel finishes.
Posted By: BBIBH Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/21/22 02:44 PM
Originally Posted by Hambrabi
I was never exposed to NAD until my 20's, by which time I had already heard of their quality control issues during the 90's, something they address in an unsatisfactory mea culpa way. And frankly, I will never feel nostalgic for any hifi brand that lacked brushed stainless steel finishes.

Interesting, as I have owned NAD gear since the 1980's, so I will watch.
In terms of finishes, the industry moves from one finish to the next as model years come and go. I dont think you should hold it against them. smile
Posted By: Mojo Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 11/21/22 04:31 PM
I remember NAD was very popular in Winnipeg during the 80s and 90s. Their industrial design was very differentiated and owners felt they owned classy gear for a low premium over the competition.

As for now, I shake my head when I see their touch screen. Is this really where their R&D money is best spent? I wonder how many use the touch screen.
Posted By: CV Re: So what are you watching tonight? - 12/09/22 08:20 PM
Man, Pulp Fiction on 4K Blu-ray looks and sounds phenomenal. Very happy with it.
© Axiom Message Boards