Amazon Prime TV/Movies

[hepcat]

I was going to make a crack about that too, but Hollywood seems to have eased up.

[Blackhawk]

Tom Clancy's Without Remorse

My favorite Clancy novel. I have no doubt that they'll completely discard most of what made it interesting in favor of action movie tropes (they've already changed the era considerably - it was a decades-earlier prequel to the Jack Ryan stuff.) FWIW, the main character there is the eponymous Rainbow Six himself, John Clark, previously played by Willem Dafoe and Liev Schreiber. Last I'd heard, Tom Hardy had the part.

(Yes, Rainbow Six was a person. Rainbow was the team. Rainbow Six was the commander.)

[Freyland]

Tom Clancy's Without Remorse

A lot of PUBG matches had bullet patterns like that. I was on the other side of the wall, of course.

[stessier]

We agreed that we don't need to see a third episode to decide that we don't like Utopia. It's a live-action comic book; I get that. Loose logic and cartoon violence come with the territory. We just aren't comics fans and aren't enjoying the show. I do like the premise, but not the execution.

I watched Utopia over the last few weeks because I had written it down as having been recommended by OO. I guess I missed the "not".

I liked it. Not the violence part - I think that detracted from it. But the rest of it was suitably creepy and psychologically thrilling. Given the subject matter (a cabal engineering a pandemic), I wasn't sure it was wise to release it last year, but that ship has sailed. I guessed a couple of the twists and turns, but most were a surprise. It is only 8 episodes and I really hope it gets another season because while the main mystery is solved (kinda), about 8 new mysteries are exposed that really leave a person hanging. I thought Cusack did a really nice job and Rainn Wilson looks different enough from Dwight that I never really had a problem with it (even though I love The Office).

As for the violence - if you can make it through the first two episodes, I think you've made it through the worst of it. There are still a number of headshots in the future, but it's not quite the same as those first two episodes.

[Lassr]

[hepcat]

I read the entire series, so I'm looking forward to Invincible.

[Kraken]

If you enjoy old (1963) movies, check out "Charade" on Prime. Cart Grant, Audrey Hepburn, George Kennedy, Walter Matthau, and James Coburn -- great cast with a great screenplay.

[malchior]

I read the entire series, so I'm looking forward to Invincible.

I gave the first episode a watch. I think they did a good job capturing the world in the first episode as best as they could. I have one concern so far. I think they made changes to Mark's personality that struck me as fundamentally off. We will have to see as it goes on.

[Holman]

My favorite Clancy novel. I have no doubt that they'll completely discard most of what made it interesting in favor of action movie tropes (they've already changed the era considerably - it was a decades-earlier prequel to the Jack Ryan stuff.) FWIW, the main character there is the eponymous Rainbow Six himself, John Clark, previously played by Willem Dafoe and Liev Schreiber. Last I'd heard, Tom Hardy had the part.

(Yes, Rainbow Six was a person. Rainbow was the team. Rainbow Six was the commander.)

I seem to recall that the player is John Clark in the first couple of Rainbox Six computer games.

[Blackhawk]

My favorite Clancy novel. I have no doubt that they'll completely discard most of what made it interesting in favor of action movie tropes (they've already changed the era considerably - it was a decades-earlier prequel to the Jack Ryan stuff.) FWIW, the main character there is the eponymous Rainbow Six himself, John Clark, previously played by Willem Dafoe and Liev Schreiber. Last I'd heard, Tom Hardy had the part.

(Yes, Rainbow Six was a person. Rainbow was the team. Rainbow Six was the commander.)

I seem to recall that the player is John Clark in the first couple of Rainbox Six computer games.

John Clark was still the commander. You only saw him in the briefings (Control would give the briefings, after which Clark would offer some commentary.) There was no assigned 'player' in those games. Instead there were a number of characters from the books (Dieter Weber, Ding Chavez, etc.) that you could switch between. By the time of the books (and the first two games were loyal to the book - the first one based on it directly), Clark had more or less retired from field work. He'd passed that torch on to Chavez.

[Holman]

My favorite Clancy novel. I have no doubt that they'll completely discard most of what made it interesting in favor of action movie tropes (they've already changed the era considerably - it was a decades-earlier prequel to the Jack Ryan stuff.) FWIW, the main character there is the eponymous Rainbow Six himself, John Clark, previously played by Willem Dafoe and Liev Schreiber. Last I'd heard, Tom Hardy had the part.

(Yes, Rainbow Six was a person. Rainbow was the team. Rainbow Six was the commander.)

I seem to recall that the player is John Clark in the first couple of Rainbox Six computer games.

John Clark was still the commander. You only saw him in the briefings (Control would give the briefings, after which Clark would offer some commentary.) There was no assigned 'player' in those games. Instead there were a number of characters from the books (Dieter Weber, Ding Chavez, etc.) that you could switch between. By the time of the books (and the first two games were loyal to the book - the first one based on it directly), Clark had more or less retired from field work. He'd passed that torch on to Chavez.

You're right! I was mistaking Chavez for Clark.

[hepcat]

I read the entire series, so I'm looking forward to Invincible.

I gave the first episode a watch. I think they did a good job capturing the world in the first episode as best as they could. I have one concern so far. I think they made changes to Mark's personality that struck me as fundamentally off. We will have to see as it goes on.

I've watched the first three episodes and I'm not seeing any part of Mark's personality that's off. What exactly did you think was different?

Other than that, I'm lovin' it. They're really keeping as close to the comics as they can.

Spoiler:

Although I think the reveal of Omni-Man's true intentions to the world was made earlier in the comics, although I could be mistaken (it's been a long time since I read the first few comics).

The show definitely feels like someone at Amazon saw how great The Boys was doing and went looking for another ultra violent, mature content superhero show. Thankfully they went with a well done one. Although I also would have loved to see Mark Waid's similarly themed Irredeemable. But if I had to choose between those two, I think Invincible is the better one for Amazon.

[malchior]

I read the entire series, so I'm looking forward to Invincible.

I gave the first episode a watch. I think they did a good job capturing the world in the first episode as best as they could. I have one concern so far. I think they made changes to Mark's personality that struck me as fundamentally off. We will have to see as it goes on.

I've watched the first three episodes and I'm not seeing any part of Mark's personality that's off. What exactly did you think was different?

Spoiler:

IMO they combined William and Mark to an extent. Mark at the beginning of his superhero journey generally had a heart of gold and an excess of empathy. William was the foil who had a harsher, cynical outlook and called out some of the darkness that Mark didn't want to face. In the first episode Mark expressed some of that somewhat cynical, asshole factor to the point his mom called him an asshole.

That's the main thing I picked up. I re-read the first 25 issues last week so it was really popping out to me.

As to the Omni-Man reveal it is pretty early - about 10 books in. I think he kills the Guardians in book 8 or so. So we knew something was up.

Side note: They made some decent choices about 'iconic' scenes to pick. The 'playing catch scene' from the first episode and trailer was an interesting choice because it is pretty far along in the books. I think it was a flashback from an issue well after the first year run of the book.

[hepcat]

Hmmm....I guess I don't see those changes as having any impact on the character's story. I still view him as an altruistic, idealistic kid who is slowly awakened to the realities of violence in his world of superheroes and supervillains. Making him a bit of a rebellious teenager in a few scenes doesn't negate that perception for me.

[malchior]

Right and there might have been an intentional decision to make him more relatable. It certainly isn't a big issue. I think they've overall told a great version of this story.

[hepcat]

And last night during the second episode I realized the voice of Cecil is done by the great Walter Goggins.

Oh, and the rest of the voice cast consists of a LOT of former and current Walking Dead cast members. Which makes sense since Kirkman, the creator of Invincible, is also the creator of The Walking Dead.

[Isgrimnur]

*Walton

[hepcat]

You say tomato, I say kumquat.

[Isgrimnur]

Good luck on Wheel of Fortune.

[Jaymann]

Unhinged is now included with AP. Got it queued up after Final Four.

[Jaymann]

Watched Room 237, a documentary about bizarre theories and analysis of The Shining:


Quote from Very Bad Wizards:

Sometimes a paper tray is just a paper tray.

[Skinypupy]

Finally got around to watching “Sound of Metal” tonight. Excellent film, with an absolutely brilliant performance from Riz Ahmed. Amazing sound design as well.

[dfs]

Agree on the sound of metal. The script smells of "Oscar nominee" but it's executed well and is a very watchable movie. If you have amazon prime, it's available for free when many of the other nominee's are in the $20 range.

[Kasey Chang]

I seem to recall that the player is John Clark in the first couple of Rainbox Six computer games.

The dev team of the original PC game only set out to make a counterterrorist game. They didn't know Clancy was writing Rainbow Six. When the two discovered each other, the game team tried to match the novel the best they could, but it's not quite the same thing. The campaign never really lined up with the novel.

[Holman]

Watched Room 237, a documentary about bizarre theories and analysis of The Shining:

The biggest secret of The Shining is that the repeated typewritten "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" is a metaphor for Kubrick making people do 150 effing takes, and Kubrick might not even know it.

[hepcat]

Invincible just keeps getting better and better. If you even remotely enjoy The Boys or just a great superhero story, this ones for you. I think it’s even better than the comic it’s based on. I think it’s the timing as it follows the source material pretty closely.

[Kraken]

Invincible just keeps getting better and better. If you even remotely enjoy The Boys or just a great superhero story, this ones for you. I think it’s even better than the comic it’s based on. I think it’s the timing as it follows the source material pretty closely.

IDK what The Boys is and I'm lukewarm toward superheroes, but I like JK Simmons, Steven Yuen, and Sandra Oh, and I'm casting about for something to watch when we finish The Marvelous Mrs Mazel, so it's now on my watch list. Pray that I don't regret it.

[hepcat]

Hepcat: if you like shows about superheroes, you’ll love this show.

Kraken: I don’t really like shows about superheroes, but I’ll watch this and I’d better like it!

[JCC]

Not a new or Prime original show, but I have been watching Line of Duty on Prime and think it's great.

[Kraken]

Hepcat: if you like shows about superheroes, you’ll love this show.

Kraken: I don’t really like shows about superheroes, but I’ll watch this and I’d better like it!

I said they're hit-or-miss. Most miss with me, but Beyond the Spiderverse was brilliant. OK that was a movie, but I liked Agents of Shield and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, who was arguably a superhero. I know you to be a man of impeccably sophisticated taste, so I'm trusting you on this one.

[hepcat]

Well, be warned: it’s very gory. That’s one of the hallmarks of the comic and they kept that intact for its move to the small sceeen.

[Smoove_B]

I need Kraken to watch The Boys.

[hepcat]

He might like The Boys. Tonally it’s very similar to The Marvelous Mrs Mazel.

[McNutt]

JK Simmons? I've never heard of this one, but that's enough to get me to watch.

[Kraken]

He might like The Boys. Tonally it’s very similar to The Marvelous Mrs Mazel.

Added to list.

Well, be warned: it’s very gory. That’s one of the hallmarks of the comic and they kept that intact for its move to the small sceeen.

Removed from list. I like superheroes who don't fight. Wife has low tolerance for gore and zero for torture. I'm OK with fisticuffs within Queensberry Rules.

[Smoove_B]

I need to reiterate that Kraken needs to watch The Boys. Alone.

[Jaymann]

JK Simmons? I've never heard of this one, but that's enough to get me to watch.

Made me look but...animated.

[McNutt]

Oh, damn. Didn't know that.

[Kraken]

I need to reiterate that Kraken needs to watch The Boys. Alone.

I haven't had any alone time in 13 months. In the Before Times, The Man in the High Castle was my me-show because Nazis are too mean for Wife. I still haven't finished it. I get to watch an episode every 2-3 months.

I've got several shows listed for a world wherein Wife starts traveling again. The Boys just made that list.

[hepcat]

Removed from list. I like superheroes who don't fight.

I’m the same way with westerns. I can’t stand the ones that are set in the west.

You should probably go ahead and remove The Boys too. Based on your replies here it’s absolutely NOT something you’re going to like. It’s live action gore at the same level. And superheroes who punch things. Often resulting in what would really happen if someone with the strength to lift a tank hits normal humans.

p.s. what version of Into the Spiderverse did you watch? The one I saw had a LOT of scenes of fighting. As did Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Agents of Shield.

JK Simmons? I've never heard of this one, but that's enough to get me to watch.

Made me look but...animated.

J.K. Simmons character isn’t animated in it though. It’s like Pete’s Dragon.