Why are the problems here not manifestly obvious to all involved?
Author Archives: Phil
When scientists discover something near Antarctica that appears to be a buried Pyramid, they send a research team out to investigate. Little do they know that they are about to step into a hunting ground where Aliens are grown as sport for the Predator race.
It’s by no means good but I like parts of what it does, like our first Predator “final girl”. I don’t even mind the story that much; the idea that aliens advanced human technology is hardly new.
However, the tone is completely different from its predecessors (I always think of the Merovingian when I use that word) and it plays out more like a video game adaptation. And, since I mentioned the Matrix, maybe that’s just where we were in the early 00s – studios wanted PG13s and video gamers’ bums on seats?
The upshot is, you can sell the same audience Prey 18 years later at a fraction of the cost and go hard R. So, net win?
★★½
For me, this is the most damaging result of our short-sighted rush towards #AI “productivity”:
More recently, heads said parents had been using AI to generate lengthy, legalistic complaints that required increasing amounts of time to administer.
This is a completely justified use of an LLM and it’s going to cost more time than an LLM will ever save. Unless you use an LLM to respond, in which case we’ll just have LLMs burning resources achieving nothing.
Shameful
Detective Scott Turner has three days left in the local police department before he moves to a bigger city to get some 'real' cases—not just misdemeanors. When Amos Reed is murdered, Scott sets himself on the case, but the closest thing to a witness to the murder is Reed's dog, Hooch, which Scott has to take care of—to avoid Hooch being 'put to sleep'.
I definitely did not enjoy this as much as I did when I saw it in the cinema but it’s fine. Again, weird amount of sexy times and partial nudity for a kid’s film! Put some clothes on, Tom!
★★★
If I hadn’t let the RAF recruiter convince me to apply on an officer track JUST because I was a graduate, I reckon I’d have seen at least four “hot” combat deployments and three or four “very warm” airlifts, by now. Well, assuming I survived being deployed to Afghanistan on probably my first ever tour. Weird thinking about it.
In a gritty and alternate 1985, the glory days of costumed vigilantes have been brought to a close by a government crackdown. But after one of the masked veterans is brutally murdered, an investigation into the killer is initiated. The reunited heroes set out to prevent their own destruction, but in doing so they uncover a sinister plot that puts all of humanity in grave danger.
As a “comic book” adaptation, I reckon it’s pretty successful. Comics are a visual medium and visually this is top tier. Aside from that, and Jackie Earle Haley’s performance as Rorschach, nothing else really stands out. Malin Ackerman is a bit wooden and, while I get what he is going for, Matthew Goode doesn’t quite pull it off.
Despite the length it still jumps around a lot to get to the good stuff, so I guess that could be better edited? I’ve not read it for a while but I remember it covers the source material pretty thoroughly. And it’s in that source material where I think most of the movie’s problems lie: I’m not sure it’s ageing well.
We have no need of paranoia when shameless self-interest is just playing out right in front of us every day. I feel like many of us are now living in an age of bewilderment, asking ourselves “Is this really happening?” The grand plan almost seems a little naïve by today’s standards: nothing would surprise us any more.
★★★
Makes perfect sense to me. A country populated with people that believe that “more guns” makes people safer WOULD be in favour of starting a war in the name of peace.
I don’t really get how people continue to be surprised by this pervasive dislogic.
I sent a Pull request with some minor improvements to the Power Apps documentation in December 2024. Totally forgot about it. Apparently, they just got merged. I feel bad for anyone that tried to follow that tutorial in the mean time…
Years into their relationship, Tim and Millie find themselves at a crossroads as they move to the country, abandoning all that is familiar in their lives except each other. With tensions already flaring, a nightmarish encounter with a mysterious, unnatural force threatens to corrupt their lives, their love, and their flesh.
Glad I didn’t let my general dislike of the Francos put me off this. His casting alongside Brie absolutely makes this movie.
The change in tone towards the end might bother some but I really liked it. Ultimately strikes a great balance of fun and some really creepy shit. Loved the folk horror angle too!
★★★★