What are You Watching? [2024] Please Rate 1-5

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sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
20,612
48,582
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Just started watching Shogun on HULU. This is an epic, no expense spared, production. They built entire villages, a castle, a full scale 17th century sailing ship, the whole nine yards. The period is recreated in painstaking detail with the stress on authenticity. Production values are first rate. Fine performances by the cast. This is one worth watching.
5 out of 5
 

jpmcwjr

Modern Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
26,203
30,142
Carmel Valley, CA
Funny I couldn't agree more!

I watched the 1980 version, and may even had read the Clavell novel.

Only fault is a heavy wooden sailing ship runs into rocky coast, with no apparent damage. But a niggle in a stupendous film. 5/5....[added in a bit later.]
 
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Zero

Lifer
Apr 9, 2021
1,746
13,256
I missed tonight's episode of Shogun, but have been enjoying this one. The one thing that stood out to me from the get was how all the ship's crew seemed to have bad teeth (understandable for their circumstance), but John Blackthorne's teeth were beaming. I know, I know, but it still makes me chuckle. 5⭐
 
May 2, 2018
3,975
30,776
Bucks County, PA
The Good Shepherd is now on Netflix, it was made in 2006, but I had never seen it. Not bad for a spook flick. 4/5
Al, this picture is one of my guilty pleasures for the beginnings of the OSS/CIA. Damon’s portrayal of the James “Jesus” Angleton-type character was pretty good I thought. It’s really a bad dramatization of historical events, but entertaining nonetheless.

One line always stays with me when Jolie’s character meets Damon’s and she comments “You don’t say very much do you?” Damon replies “I do when there is something worth saying.” That line illustrates the nature of the entire 🎥 for me. It also helps me to keep my own conscience/confidence when it’s most important to do so. 👍☕
 
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ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,982
13,002
Covington, Louisiana
postimg.cc
Al, this picture is one of my guilty pleasures for the beginnings of the OSS/CIA. Damon’s portrayal of the James “Jesus” Angleton-type character was pretty good I thought. It’s really a bad dramatization of historical events, but entertaining nonetheless.

One line always stays with me when Jolie’s character meets Damon’s and she comments “You don’t say very much do you?” Damon replies “I do when there is something worth saying.” That line illustrates the nature of the entire 🎥 for me. It also helps me to keep my own conscience/confidence when it’s most important to do so. 👍☕
I was hoping it would have been as good as "The Company" book, not quite, but entertaining. The historical sequences did seem a bit odd.
 
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jpmcwjr

Modern Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
26,203
30,142
Carmel Valley, CA
Poor Things. Hulu; Emma Stone, Willem daFoe, Mark Ruffalo. 4.5/5
Oh, my I wonder how much of the buildings in London and Paris were AI. Both exterior and interior. My guess is all of them. And the fanciful ship, too.
 
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Daddypants

Might Stick Around
Jan 30, 2023
93
243
Central Texas
As a certified Shogun nut, let me tell you you're in for a treat. I read the book when I was in grade school (quite a feat, 1300 pages, seemingly half of it in Japanese) and it's one of the great adventure novels of all time in my opinion.

The 1980 miniseries with Richard Chamberlain was good - a solid effort - but flawed and very well...very 1980's TV movie. Even with Toshiro Mifune.

This series is, in my opinion so far, probably the best thing I've seen on TV in a decade. It's completely faithful to the novel and the performances are flawless. The writing is outstanding - they spent 10 years writing it apparently.

I don't often gush about TV shows but this is an instant classic.
I read the novel in Junior High or perhaps early High School. I also thought it did an admirable job of teaching you Japanese. In my eyes, at the time, it seemed entire paragraphs would be written in Japanese by the end of the book!

I also rate this new mini series 4.5/5 stars so far. Great show.

Another great series I am currently watching is Guy Ritchie's The Gentlemen. If you are a Guy Ritchie fan, it's great so far. 4/5 stars.
 
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agnosticpipe

Lifer
Nov 3, 2013
3,407
3,812
In the sticks in Mississippi
On a less serious note I've been watching Tacoma FD on Netflix, a sitcom similar to Reno 911 if you remember that little gem. Some genuinely funny parts at times, and I will never look at a can of tuna the same again. I've only watched 7 episodes so far but it's good mindless entertainment. 4/5
I just started watching The Signal also on Netflix. It's a German mini-series that's only 4 episodes, but after the first episode I'm hooked. Interesting premise, with good filming and acting. So far, 5/5.
 

kcghost

Lifer
May 6, 2011
15,141
25,678
77
Olathe, Kansas
I'm watching the final episodes of Young Sheldon. I'll probably watch it to the end because they will have Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialek in the last episode. I had originally planned to skip the episode in which George dies but I may have to watch it now.

3.5/5
 
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Merton

Lifer
Jul 8, 2020
1,036
2,763
Boston, Massachusetts
Last night I watched Angela’s Ashes on Fox. Had read the book by Frank Mc Court and the movie does it justice. 5/5 for this one.
Frank's younger brother Malachi McCourt passed away a few days ago. He was an interesting fellow and far more gregarious than his brother. His book, "A Monk Swimming " (as a child he misconstrued the phrase "blessed art thou amongst women. in the Hail Mary prayer) was also a best seller.