Movies you've been watching...

[SalsaWood]

People talk shit on old special FX in movies, but a lot of that stuff required a pretty high order of dedication at that point in time to do without modern aids. These days we can't even get consistent frame rates during intense CGI sequences. They say the heavily CGI aided scenes feel better at lower frame rates, fine, make the whole movie the same frame rate. On top of that, whoever is in charge of the actual animation of the CGI models frequently needs to be kicked in the dick because it has gone downhill in the last five years. Fuckin Hobbit had parts that turned my monitor into a strobe light and I thought my GPU was taking a shit on me. How many millions did that movie take? /rant

 

[MFB]

People talk shit on old special FX in movies, but a lot of that stuff required a pretty high order of dedication at that point in time to do without modern aids. These days we can't even get consistent frame rates during intense CGI sequences. They say the heavily CGI aided scenes feel better at lower frame rates, fine, make the whole movie the same frame rate. On top of that, whoever is in charge of the actual animation of the CGI models frequently needs to be kicked in the dick because it has gone downhill in the last five years. Fuckin Hobbit had parts that turned my monitor into a strobe light and I thought my GPU was taking a shit on me. How many millions did that movie take? /rant

This is just because VFX has become something that people think you push a button for it to "do the VFX" and suddenly it's done, when the reality is that everything needs to be nailed down in PRE-production so they can work on it during the movie's shoot, not POST-production when it's all done and now you're trying to just fit this toy you made into a shape that no longer fits it. The people who do it are over-worked and under-paid because they - the execs - know that the majority of people doing it (if not ALL) do it as a labor of love, so they bend backwards to make it work, time and time again; until the system finally reaches a breaking point, it's business as usual.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

People talk shit on old special FX in movies, but a lot of that stuff required a pretty high order of dedication at that point in time to do without modern aids. These days we can't even get consistent frame rates during intense CGI sequences. They say the heavily CGI aided scenes feel better at lower frame rates, fine, make the whole movie the same frame rate. On top of that, whoever is in charge of the actual animation of the CGI models frequently needs to be kicked in the dick because it has gone downhill in the last five years. Fuckin Hobbit had parts that turned my monitor into a strobe light and I thought my GPU was taking a shit on me. How many millions did that movie take? /rant

I hate CGI fests. I'd rather play a video game. If a movie has mostly CGI, not just for fx, my girlfriend and I tend to nope out. We enjoy films that make fun of bad CGI, partially because fuck CGI.

 

[wheresthefbomb]

People talk shit on old special FX in movies, but a lot of that stuff required a pretty high order of dedication at that point in time to do without modern aids. These days we can't even get consistent frame rates during intense CGI sequences. They say the heavily CGI aided scenes feel better at lower frame rates, fine, make the whole movie the same frame rate. On top of that, whoever is in charge of the actual animation of the CGI models frequently needs to be kicked in the dick because it has gone downhill in the last five years. Fuckin Hobbit had parts that turned my monitor into a strobe light and I thought my GPU was taking a shit on me. How many millions did that movie take? /rant

I think a lot of times, simple is better. Farscape does this great thing where they film on __cpLocation and use a color filter to make the plants a weird color and bam, instant "alien planet" environment vibes without goofy CGI or overwrought obviously-fake "nature" sets (last season of The Expanse killed me with this shit). I can't remember the name offhand but I watched a fairly recent scifi series that used the same color filter trick and it still delivers 20 years later. It's obvious what's happening, but it does far less to damage my immersion than many modern, higher-budget "solutions." It also makes it a lot more forgivable to me when they do use CGI for the spaceships and shit, because it's clear they're only using it when they don't have a legitimately better option available.

 

[nightflameauto]

I think a lot of times, simple is better. Farscape does this great thing where they film on __cpLocation and use a color filter to make the plants a weird color and bam, instant "alien planet" environment vibes without goofy CGI or overwrought obviously-fake "nature" sets (last season of The Expanse killed me with this shit). I can't remember the name offhand but I watched a fairly recent scifi series that used the same color filter trick and it still delivers 20 years later. It's obvious what's happening, but it does far less to damage my immersion than many modern, higher-budget "solutions." It also makes it a lot more forgivable to me when they do use CGI for the spaceships and shit, because it's clear they're only using it when they don't have a legitimately better option available.

Those alien landscapes in the last season of The Expanse were brutal. You could tell they tried to pack a room about thirty feet per side with an entire rainforest full of vegetation and rocks. So silly.

 

[cthsqd]

People talk shit on old special FX in movies, but a lot of that stuff required a pretty high order of dedication at that point in time to do without modern aids. These days we can't even get consistent frame rates during intense CGI sequences. They say the heavily CGI aided scenes feel better at lower frame rates, fine, make the whole movie the same frame rate. On top of that, whoever is in charge of the actual animation of the CGI models frequently needs to be kicked in the dick because it has gone downhill in the last five years. Fuckin Hobbit had parts that turned my monitor into a strobe light and I thought my GPU was taking a shit on me. How many millions did that movie take? /rant

Actually I prefer oldschool FX instead of modern CGI because it's limitations prevented using them everywhere and anytime, so if the movie was to be good it had to be earned by other qualities, story, scenes and so on. Now it's like good story isn't really needed, let's put in some more CGI and it's gonna sell.

 

[SalsaWood]

I would totally agree with that. CGI looks just as fake if anything, but in a way less "authentic" and impressive way. We're getting to the point where it's possible to do CGI really well, but it's definitely used as a crutch to attract people to movies which are pretty vapid in reality. I would imagine VFX artists are some of the hardest working folks in the business, kind of makes sense they are getting rode hard so some director-executive-of-shitty-but-profitable-ideas can sit back and take it off the top at the boxoffice. Seems like that's how everything works anymore.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

I'll take some practical any day. CGI doesn't hold a candle to Screamin Mad George, Tom Savini, Rick Baker, Ed French, Rob Bottin, Stan Winston, etc.

 

[cthsqd]

I would totally agree with that. CGI looks just as fake if anything, but in a way less "authentic" and impressive way.

Yess, so it's not only my impression. At this point it doesn’t matter if some CGI explosions are house big, or a city big, or a planet.., it's no more convincing than a greenscreen behind it. Thanks for reassuring =]

 

[MFB]

Here's the long and short of it: the best CGI is the one you don't notice, and that will always be the case; no one is going to say they like bad CGI over the stuff that just enhances the rest of it.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

Here's the long and short of it: the best CGI is the one you don't notice, and that will always be the case; no one is going to say they like bad CGI over the stuff that just enhances the rest of it.

I love watching bad CGI make a mockery of CGI in general. Sharknado, for instance.

 

[Wiltonauer]

Here's the long and short of it: the best CGI is the one you don't notice, and that will always be the case; no one is going to say they like bad CGI over the stuff that just enhances the rest of it.

I feel like if I notice how good the CGI is, I’m probably not watching a very good movie.

 

[MFB]

I feel like if I notice how good the CGI is, I’m probably not watching a very good movie.

I mean, there's a difference between noticing the good CGI of something like a Jaeger in Pacific Rim because obviously, those don't exist, and the days of doing a guy in a suit standing in a city of miniatures are over vs. the background plating/comping for a crowd in Ford vs. Ferrari

Now, if you start saying ATLANTIC Rim has good CGI, I'll be worried

 

[Wiltonauer]

I mean, there's a difference between noticing the good CGI of something like a Jaeger in Pacific Rim because obviously, those don't exist, and the days of doing a guy in a suit standing in a city of miniatures are over vs. the background plating/comping for a crowd in Ford vs. Ferrari

Now, if you start saying ATLANTIC Rim has good CGI, I'll be worried

The first time I saw the Pacific Rim trailer, I was in the theatre and substantially less than sober. For a hot minute I thought it was a big-budget Robotech movie.

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

For the month of April, I got to watch 2 movies with apes.

Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire

As Saturday morning cartoony as it gets. The latest instalment of the Monsterverse has embraced the fact that nobody watches these for the human characters, thus having a lot of dialogue free moments with all the giant monsters. Kong, in particular, does a lot of the heavy lifting showing enough emotion to allow viewers to understand actions without words, whist preaching dental hygiene is good and bullying is bad. Godzilla, on the other hand, has less screen time, spending the first 2 acts almost completely separate to the actual plot and even gets to have a nap or 2.

And from the lesser time spent with humans, they're actually at least from the lawful good spectrum, hence cutting out a lot of moral ambiguity, which often ends up as filler in these kinds of movies. Dan Stevens and Brian Tyree Henry add the fun factor with chemistry between them.

Yeah it, no Minus One or even Skull Island, but But that gives it a fun charm and does exactly what you'd expect to have 2 iconic monsters in a movie together.


Monkey Man

Out of the 2 "Kong" movies, I liked this one a lot better.

This is Dev Patel's first foray into both action star and action director for the genre. And while his debut takes the tried and true revenge trope whilst wearing his influenceson his sleeve, Patel does take the themes to a personal level, with a lot of social commentary towards Indian politics, dwlivered with the subtlety of a barrage of violent blows to the head. One might suspect that the political venom may have been a reason why Netflix held onto it for so long until Jordan Peele took reign to release it...

Monkey Man is a beautifully filmed, visceral, bloody, and skull crushingly good time. If this is what Dev Patel is capable of as an action star, I'm definitely looking forward to seeing him grow.

 

[SalsaWood]

Saw Dune part 2. It was shit. Thought we were going to get more space Afghanistan, but it turned into far-flung dirt farmer game of thrones.

I know I'm probably the only one who doesn't like it. I didn't read the books. I liked Dune part 1 a lot. Part 2 was just dumb IMO.

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

I feel like if I notice how good the CGI is, I’m probably not watching a very good movie.

It'd to think CGI like public toilet cleaners. They're doing their job properly if you never notice or think about them.

 

[nightflameauto]

I mean, there's a difference between noticing the good CGI of something like a Jaeger in Pacific Rim because obviously, those don't exist, and the days of doing a guy in a suit standing in a city of miniatures are over vs. the background plating/comping for a crowd in Ford vs. Ferrari

Now, if you start saying ATLANTIC Rim has good CGI, I'll be worried

Atlantic Rim was a triumph! I love that every battle they have in those movies is immediately followed by the main heroes re-enacting that battle with mouth sound effects like little kids describing big war scenes. "BOOOM! SCHPLOOSH! KABAAAM!"

 

[KnightBrolaire]

All My Friends Are Dead- This is probably one of the most unhinged pitch black comedies I've seen in a long time. It's a Polish movie about a New Year's party where all hell breaks loose. It was fucking hilarious imo

 

[Seabeast2000]

Just watched Dune 1984 again.....all things aside I never hated the movie but I saw this in the thee-ater back in the Day so have early impressions.
I DO utterly hate every second of that little girl's screen time and that god awful overdub voice. THAT should have been edited and memory holed with the precious run time the producers razored the film to.