On 11/19/2020 at 4:05 PM, dawkins4prez said:

The Crown is not the kind of show dudes talk to other dudes about.  It is however a brilliant show with top notch acting, set design and one of the consistently best scripts to ever hit television.  Most of all it is a deceptively powerful slow burn drama.  The 4th season, with the "2nd" cast stocked with front line actors now fully in its groove, might be the best yet.  This is a groundbreaking take on both historical fiction and biopics.

 

If you're a solo dude and don't watch it, I sure as F don't blame you.  But rest assured the awards are well deserved.

I may have made it through 3 minutes before i decided i couldnt do it

2 hours ago, SNOORDA said:

I may have made it through 3 minutes before i decided i couldnt do it

It took me 2 years to watch the first 6-7 episodes on my own.  Then wifey finally got hooked and i've been up to date ever since.

Just now, dawkins4prez said:

It took me 2 years to watch the first 6-7 episodes on my own.  Then wifey finally got hooked and i've been up to date ever since.

Damn.  Im going to give it another shot.  Netflix sure is pushing it. 

Binged The Queen's Gambit this weekend as well - loved it.  Thought the first half was stronger than the second half, but that may have been because after watching 5 episodes in a row I was getting burnt out.  

3 hours ago, mikemack8 said:

Binged The Queen's Gambit this weekend as well - loved it.  Thought the first half was stronger than the second half, but that may have been because after watching 5 episodes in a row I was getting burnt out.  

narrative wise,

having the first episode start with a "I bet you're wondering how I ended up here" moment and then starting from the beginning and finally catching back up to that moment in like episode 6, making you think you were just about done, I would think a lot of people got burnt out around there. That "moment" /match presents itself as the Final Boss, but we then come to see that this was only the first of two matches, with the real downfall starting after the first, making up the "third act." 

Semi risky way of telling a story, but I love (if the show/movie/hell, video game (shoutout The Last of Us 2) is good) when I think I'm nearing the end of a story and then get hit with the third act that I wasn't accounting for/expecting. 

4 hours ago, mikemack8 said:

Binged The Queen's Gambit this weekend as well - loved it.  Thought the first half was stronger than the second half, but that may have been because after watching 5 episodes in a row I was getting burnt out.  

Plowed thru first 4 on Saturday night and finished last night.  Outstanding on multiple fronts.  

I am a complete and total novice in Chess beyond knowing what the pieces are and do on the board, was a little concerned going in that it might get a little too nerdy/in the weeds, but could follow along pretty easily.  Highly recommend.

It does blow my mind a little to think the game was invented over 1,000 years ago, so simple at first, but ultimately so complex.

 

I just couldn't convince myself to get excited about a show about chess. 

Haven't watched it despite all the good reviews. 

 

Christmas chronicles 2 is on netflix today.  Will be watching with the kids tonight. 

5 hours ago, HazletonEagle said:

I just couldn't convince myself to get excited about a show about chess. 

Haven't watched it despite all the good reviews. 

 

Christmas chronicles 2 is on netflix today.  Will be watching with the kids tonight. 

I felt the same way. Rolled my eyes when I found out it was about chess. Ended up watching it, and it's pretty good. Not sure about the insane hype its getting though.

chess is for weirdo nerds....but i'm glad you guys enjoyed it.  

I don't even know how to play chess but it was a great show

Queens gambit was great. Definitely the best thing I’ve seen in a while now. 

On ‎11‎/‎15‎/‎2020 at 10:55 AM, TEW said:

I was pleasantly surprised. Definitely worth a watch.

I have a love/hate with it.  IDK if the love stems from nostalgia or not, but season 2 spiraled into an angsty teenage soap opera/drama in a very painful way.  The 'suspense' moments were too predictable but there was just enough to keep me watching through till the end. 

On 11/27/2020 at 2:55 PM, Mike030270 said:

I don't even know how to play chess but it was a great show

yeah if you got too caught up over the chess part of this you missed the point/experience. This was just phenomenal film making and a classic time piece. 

I used to play chess a decent amount in junior high (nowhere near that level, obviously) so I was at least able to follow along with that part of it.  

Hearing about this show made me realize how few people know how to play chess. I thought it was something everybody learned at some point like after checkers and monopoly. 

2 hours ago, we_gotta_believe said:

Hearing about this show made me realize how few people know how to play chess. I thought it was something everybody learned at some point like after checkers and monopoly. 

I only remember what a few of each piece can move to lol

3 hours ago, mikemack8 said:

I used to play chess a decent amount in junior high (nowhere near that level, obviously) so I was at least able to follow along with that part of it.  

Watched Hillbilly Elegy last night. Pretty much what you expect with Glenn Close and Amy Adams kicking ass and owning these roles but I was very impressed with the actor who played the son of the trainwreck Adams/Close mother/grandmother, Gabriel Basso. If you've ever found yourself stuck in those horrible family dynamic situations with a self destructive family member you could really relate to his portrayal there. Directed by Ron Howard. Not overly hick-y (given the title) or even totally, overly emotional as it could've been which I was grateful for, having been through these situations a decent amount myself. 

I watched this crapfest last night called The 2nd - with Ryan Phillipe.  What an awful awful movie.  Unlimited ammo, a van that drives itself for a solid mile after the driver was killed, tons of cringeworthy one-liners, and just terrible terrible acting all around

On 11/30/2020 at 9:53 AM, we_gotta_believe said:

Hearing about this show made me realize how few people know how to play chess. I thought it was something everybody learned at some point like after checkers and monopoly. 

Same. My dad taught me when I was 5. I've tried to teach my kids how to play and they have no interest in it what so ever. 

4 minutes ago, Gannan said:

Same. My dad taught me when I was 5. I've tried to teach my kids how to play and they have no interest in it what so ever. 

I think I was in 3rd or 4th grade when I learned, taught mostly by my brother. Later on my dad bought the computer game chessmaster that taught me some of the more advanced strategies and rules I never knew about like in passant.  Haven't tried teaching my kids yet.

Just saw Ava on Netflix and thought it was awesome.  For a Netflix movie, this was entertaining from start to finish.  Jessica Chastain is pretty easy on the eyes too.  One of the best assassin movies I've seen.  

On 12/2/2020 at 6:43 AM, mikemack8 said:

Ryan Phillipe.  terrible terrible acting

1 hour ago, hputenis said:

Just saw Ava on Netflix and thought it was awesome.  For a Netflix movie, this was entertaining from start to finish.  Jessica Chastain is pretty easy on the eyes too.  One of the best assassin movies I've seen.  

And here I was thinking it was going to just be another Salt movie