Honestly, I found the whole thing to be pretty bizarre and just plain confusing. I actually ended up turning it off after about thirty minutes or so because I just couldn't get into it. It simply wasn't my kind of film.
Jason Fowler57 said:Given the director's whole body of work and that absolutely trashy opening scene—which honestly felt like it was ripped straight out of some bargain-bin horror flick from the early 2000s, from the font choice to the cheap effects and the music—I’m starting to think the whole thing was totally intentional. It feels like the horror version of >.
I have to agree; I get the distinct impression the guy is just trolling everyone. > basically handed him a blank check after he raked in all that cash from >, and this is how he chooses to spend it!
On top of that, I personally wasn't a fan of his direction or the acting, and the script was a bit of a mess for me—it really struggled to figure out what to do with certain characters and plot points once they were established. To be fair, the core premise is actually fantastic; if this had been handled by a seasoned master of the Giallo genre, it could have been an absolute masterpiece.
silentcanyon58, did you happen to bring up movies in this context earlier? Honestly, if you ask me, hitting the theater might be the only real cure for this slump. Besides, there are just some films that absolutely demand the big screen experience to feel right.
So, let's keep the conversation going: does anyone else feel like watching a mediocre movie in a theater somehow bumps it up by at least one star? Just purely because of that whole "watching it in a cinema" vibe?
Mark Cruz15 said:It’s really not that big of a deal, honestly. You’ve always got those professional critics out there watching everything with such empathy, and at the end of the day, their take is what truly matters when it comes to reaching a consensus.
...which brings me right back to the Roosevelt approach: the man always had a notepad and a pencil tucked away somewhere. I can just imagine him wishing someone would actually publish a little book of all his random scribbles! As for me? Well, I’ve always found it much more fun to just rely on my own charm and a healthy dose of sarcasm. 🙂
Steven Newman50 said:Yeah, I’m definitely one of those people who ends up scrolling through my phone during a movie. I just breeze through those dull bits and then jump back in once things actually get interesting. ☕ Honestly, you can totally count on me doing that! That's why I think some movies are just better experienced in a theater—mostly because out of sheer respect for everyone else, you aren't going to be sitting there with your screen glowing in the dark.
The thing is, film is such a medium that really demands your full attention. There is nothing worse than trying to force yourself to watch something when you're just not feeling it. When that happens, you end up just skimming the surface, you miss chunks of the plot, and probably a bunch of those tiny, crucial details that make the story work...
So, instead, I’ll usually just put on some chill, low-key music while I catch up on some reading, and save the movie for when I’m actually in the right headspace to enjoy it.
Exactly! I mean, imagine trying to sit through a film by someone like Michael Haneke when you've got zero focus left in the tank. It’s impossible; you just can't do it.
It really makes me wonder about a bigger issue here: if there are this many people multitasking like this, how many movies have ended up with lower ratings than they actually deserved just because viewers weren't fully engaged?
ambergull said:Question: back when you were younger and before we had smartphones, Facebook, and all that stuff to distract us, did you ever find yourself reading newspaper articles in the middle of a movie? 😁
Honestly, I spent way too much time flipping through those old men's magazines! 🤔
Anyway, it’s definitely worth looking into this whole "digital dementia" concept, though I think most of us already know the fix for it, don't you? 🙂
That was actually my very first thought too, but I’ve realized I can actually focus on everything I watch! Honestly, it’s just that damn smartphone to blame; I find myself wanting to watch a movie while simultaneously checking what's happening on Facebook and trying to clear a level in Two Dots at the exact same time. 🤣
I have to admit, I’m starting to feel this happening more and more often lately... honestly, if I’m being totally selfish about it, I think it’s just because I’ve binged so many movies recently that nothing really catches me off guard anymore. It’s like my sense of surprise has just been worn down! Maybe if you guys could throw out two or three more examples of things you love, I might actually start believing the issue lies with me rather than the content itself.
An extra thought... look, I’ll be the first to admit I’m a total sucker for subtitles, and I’m happy to sit through pretty much any movie regardless of how good it is, but watching anything on a tiny phone screen? Yeah, that is definitely where I draw the line.
Jason Mendoza said:Just a random train of thought completely unrelated to Swans—I absolutely love hitting up live shows, and even though my heart really belongs to metal, punk, and rock, I’ll happily wander into just about any genre. For instance, I once went to see Dalek (that intense American hip-hop scene with all those heavy noise samples). This track might actually be one of their biggest hits. The concert was going so incredibly well, but then the crowd spilled outside, and man, it got way too loud. It was just so overwhelming and intense, which usually isn't my thing at all. But I stuck it out like a total champ! By the end of the night, I was basically half-deaf. It actually took me about a week to feel normal again and get my hearing back to where it should be, but honestly? It was totally worth it.
Was that back in 2004 at a club in NYC or maybe 2009 at a venue in LA? Either way, Dalek is absolutely brutal.
People always tell me that vinyl offers a superior sound profile... and honestly, I want to believe them. But will I ever actually experience that magic for myself? Between getting older and having my hearing pretty much trashed from years of attending loud concerts, not to mention—let's be real—my current bank account balance... 😁 I find that a well-ripped album at 320 KBPS through my budget headphones sounds perfectly fine to me.
Joshua Smith19 said:So, what actually makes a movie "good" in your book? Is it just mindless action like total carnage with 100,000 casualties or maybe some crazy parkour jumping from rooftop to rooftop?
I'm looking for some actual movie titles, please! Thanks so much.
Yeah, honestly... I ended up switching it off after about twenty minutes. After all these years, my sixth sense was just screaming at me that this movie was total garbage and that nothing smart or meaningful was going to happen once those first few minutes passed. I truly feel for Thomas, though... an actor of his caliber really deserves a much more substantial role than this, but hey, you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. On the flip side, what was the point of the film even intended to be? I mean, does anyone actually want to sit through a story about some half-dead gangster wandering around acting demented or just being verbally abusive? Haven't they learned by now that this kind of thing won't fly, especially not compared to the standard set by The Irishmen?
Steven Newman50 said:I bought a CD from this band I saw live, thinking it would be perfect for having some decent music in my car when the radio stations aren't playing anything good, but then it turns out the player just won't load it ☕
What a total bummer. 🤣
Personally, I always try to make sure local bands get at least enough to cover their gas... for instance, I remember one time these guys finished their set and the guitarist, who was also the singer, headed straight over to the merch table... I told him, "Hey man, let me grab a CD and a shirt." 😁
In my experience, everything worked perfectly, and that shirt is still looking great today!
granitecyclist said:Basically, everyone listens to music, but the real question is how much people are actually willing to shell out every month to own genuine pieces of art. Does anyone here on the forum still buy music on physical media—whether it's vinyl records, CDs, DVDs, or even cassettes—or do you mostly just stick to streaming services?
Or is most listening happening via YouTube, or maybe just downloading things illegally? Let's face it, vinyl isn't cheap these days (usually running over $25 or $30), so I totally get why a high schooler might struggle to set aside a decent chunk of change every single month for, say, at least two(!) records or CDs. (And let's be honest, kids today tend to cherry-pick individual tracks rather than sitting down with a full album from start to finish).
Say someone wants to actually own an album, like something by Black Rebel MC (who don't have a massive discography), but what about the die-hard fans of Lady Gaga (or U2 or Queen) here in the States? Are they buying those "physical sound carriers"—which, honestly, is such a gross, industrial marketing term!—or is everything just a quick, superficial listen on YouTube? Does that make someone a big music expert overnight?
Does anyone else actively listen to—and support—those various indie or "off-the-beaten-path" acts through Bandcamp? Have you ever actually donated to or supported a band that way? If so, which ones can you recommend?
Anyway, are you guys buying music on a monthly basis, or are you just pulling from various sources without being ready to drop real money to actually own it?☕
Every now and then, I'll treat myself to a CD if I happen to pass by a shop... but most of the time, I pick them up at concerts because I know the cash goes straight to the artist. Though, even then, I usually end up just grabbing a T-shirt instead. To be honest, one thing that really bugs me is how all the newer releases come in those flimsy paper sleeves; I just can't justify dropping ten bucks on that kind of monstrosity.
silvertiger11 said:Honestly, this is one of the most unnecessary movies ever made.
The whole thing looks completely washed out—it’s like they couldn't even be bothered to do basic color correction.
I mean, the trailer tells you everything you need to know. My heart goes out to anyone who actually tries to sit through this disaster until the credits roll.
Actually, if I'm being honest, I thought the cinematography was pretty decent! I'm really hoping someone else noticed that one scene on the ski lift—it was beautiful. But unfortunately, a single good-looking shot isn't enough to pull this movie up to even an average rating. 🙂
Casey Cox2 said:It was honestly such a mistake trying to link this back to Point Break from 1991 or those original characters. It would have worked much better if they had just marketed it as part of the xXx franchise or even just let it stand alone as its own thing. Even though he’s a bit over-the-top in this one, I have to say Edgar Ramirez is absolutely fantastic in this role. The only things I can really rave about are the sound design—which was surprisingly solid and totally fits this genre—😁 along with the locations and the stunt work.
I actually wanted to jump in and mention that scene on the chairlift... man, that moment alone almost saved the whole movie for me, and I really wasn't expecting much! It’s such a shame that sequence was tucked away inside such a mediocre film. 🙂
Two low-level police officers working administrative jobs and making extra money selling stolen civil service exams to other officers. When Stone hears a story about a heroin dealer quickly beating his extremely high bail, the two friends set into motion a plan to find the origin of such a large amount of cash. Through diligent police work they follow a trail that leads directly to a custom bank-style vault built into the back room freezer of a small grocery store. They put a plan into motion to rob the vault and split whatever they find inside. But by the time they figure out what the vault contains, it's already too late to turn back.
Honestly, what else can I say? You've got John Doe mixed with a heavy dose of 70s grindhouse vibes—it’s an absolute must-watch! 🤣
