Movies and TV shows (general recommendation thread)

[Pelagic]

14 hours ago, ACooke said:

I've been watching 'Gold Rush' lately, namely the 'white water' seasons - mainly because it's fairly brainless and intriguing as to how they rig and build things to tackle certain scenarios they fall upon whilst being in the middle of nowhere and for some reason I'm always fascinated by prospecting and mining in general.

 

I'd love to know their actual spend each year - I feel like I'm continually doing the math in my head (and it's very simple math) of how much their pulling in vs what they're likely spending, before the crew takes home a cent. It's truly brutal.

 

I'm sure they're probably floated (excuse the pun) or supplemented to some extent by the film producers, and no doubt a chunk of it's mashed together in odd orders and over dramatized; but if what they show and suggest is in any way indicative of the true economics of an operation like that ------ mannnnn it boggles thy mind.

 

Fun - if slightly repetitive - watch though.

 

This is something I've wondered too. I caught a bit of Gold Rush the other day and they mentioned they'd mined 500 ounces that season. Let's be generous and say they're selling at $1800 per oz. you're telling me the whole operation with all that equipment is only bringing in $900k gross? Probably one of those endeavors where you do it for 10 years you might get one real good year that keeps you coming back and trying to repeat that success. 

[Spekulatius]

8 hours ago, Pelagic said:

 

This is something I've wondered too. I caught a bit of Gold Rush the other day and they mentioned they'd mined 500 ounces that season. Let's be generous and say they're selling at $1800 per oz. you're telling me the whole operation with all that equipment is only bringing in $900k gross? Probably one of those endeavors where you do it for 10 years you might get one real good year that keeps you coming back and trying to repeat that success. 

The show is living proof that mining is a lousy business. They probably get extra revenue from the TV producer to keep the whole thing afloat.

[Xerxes]

House of Dragon last night ::  WowooooW

 

RIngs of Power on Friday:    very enjoyable; makes you want to watch the old LOTR

 

on a different note, Shetland Season 7 is out. But dont be fooled (like i was). I immediatly signed-up for BritBox on Prime for it, only to realize that it is dropping 1 episode per week.

 

Instead watching Terror on prime, about the famous Franklin's expedition to the Arctic

Franklin's lost expedition - Wikipedia

[Spekulatius]

2 hours ago, Xerxes said:

House of Dragon last night ::  WowooooW

 

RIngs of Power on Friday:    very enjoyable; makes you want to watch the old LOTR

 

on a different note, Shetland Season 7 is out. But dont be fooled (like i was). I immediatly signed-up for BritBox on Prime for it, only to realize that it is dropping 1 episode per week.

 

Instead watching Terror on prime, about the famous Franklin's expedition to the Arctic

Franklin's lost expedition - Wikipedia

Sten Nadolny wrote a fantastic Novel about Franklin. I read it in German, but the English translation seems very good as well:

https://www.amazon.com/Discovery-Slowness-Sten-Nadolny/dp/1589880242

 

I agree on House of Dragon - the script is very good. As for Rings of Power, Galadriel get's stuck a bit too long on this Island for my taste. I like the other storyline with around Arondir the most.

 

I feel they could do more with the Dwarves.

Edited September 19, 2022 by Spekulatius

[Xerxes]

^^ Thanks

 

"Terror" is based also on the real story as well but has survival-monster-horror tilt to it. It looks very chilling.

It is i think really seen from the eyes of the men on the expedition, slowly losing it.

 

AMC's 'The Terror' Is More Than a Chilling Monster Show - The Atlantic

 

The novel from which it is based was written in 2007.

 

Dan Simmons - Wikipedia

The Terror: A Novel : Simmons, Dan: Amazon.ca: Books

Edited September 19, 2022 by Xerxes

[Xerxes]

 

Babylon Berlin Season IV

 

It is all in German. I didn’t understand a word. But looks sick !!

 

@Spekulatius

let me know if you were able to figure out who is Sauron in the “Rings of Power” !! 

Edited September 21, 2022 by Xerxes

[formthirteen]

Investors here might find Gold with Matthew McConaughey to be interesting:

 

Quote

Kenny Wells, a prospector desperate for a lucky break, teams up with a similarly eager geologist and sets off on a journey to find gold in the uncharted jungle of Indonesia.

[Spekulatius]

@Xerxes I have no idea who Sauron is. I suspect we haven’t seen him yet and that he turns out to be a fallen Elf.
I found the Episode 5 of Rings of power very enjoyable,

I love the little sidelines adding color to the world like the wonderful “Wandering Song”. A waste of time one could say for the storyline, but those details, poems or side storylines were also prevalent in Tolkiens work and make it so special. So, I hope to see more of it:

The Hartfoot hobbits are growing on me. I guess that man fallen from the Sky is going to be Gandalf.

[CorpRaider]

Yeah LOTR is good.  Got me with that Dwarf episode, showing what it was like back in the day.  LOTR and the Boys are so much better than anything Netflix has ever done.

Edited September 24, 2022 by CorpRaider

[ACooke]

14 hours ago, formthirteen said:

Investors here might find Gold with Matthew McConaughey to be interesting:

 

I think it got pretty poor reviews but I loved it. Great movie (although I'd guess I enjoy the subject matter more than the average viewer).

 

There's a book called Gold Rush by Jim Richards - it's a bio about a geologist hoping to fund and float his own mining business. He starts out prospecting for gold in Guyana, heads down to Brazil and a bunch of other places - oil in the middle east, Diamonds in Australia and at one stage gets caught up in the Bre-X fraud.

 

Really interesting book if you enjoy that sort of topic. Easy read, too.

It's probably more 'adventure' than it is geology heavy.

[Xerxes]

On 9/24/2022 at 8:09 AM, Spekulatius said:

@Xerxes I have no idea who Sauron is. I suspect we haven’t seen him yet and that he turns out to be a fallen Elf.
I found the Episode 5 of Rings of power very enjoyable,

I love the little sidelines adding color to the world like the wonderful “Wandering Song”. A waste of time one could say for the storyline, but those details, poems or side storylines were also prevalent in Tolkiens work and make it so special. So, I hope to see more of it:

The Hartfoot hobbits are growing on me. I guess that man fallen from the Sky is going to be Gandalf.

it is a beautiful show indeed. Everything coming along nicely. Just finished the latest episode.
 

On Sauron, I would say no more and I don’t want to spoil it, as other have spoiled it for me. And don’t look online for the answer either.  
 

The Fell Elf character know as “Lord Father”, I think might be the Mouth of Sauron. My wild guess. 
 

 

[Xerxes]

On 9/24/2022 at 1:29 PM, CorpRaider said:

Yeah LOTR is good.  Got me with that Dwarf episode, showing what it was like back in the day.  LOTR and the Boys are so much better than anything Netflix has ever done.

If you get a chance take a read at the Appendix of the LOTR called (I think) “Durin’s Folk”. It is an interesting read on one of the most famous of the dwarf families, elements of which were used for Peter Jackson’ Hobbit’s Trilogy. 

Edited September 26, 2022 by Xerxes

[Xerxes]

Watched Game of Thrones latest epsidoe. I was/am a huge fan.

But I feel a sense of fatigue as the storyline draggggs on.

 

Actually having a blast watching Rings of Power compared to House of Dragons.

[Xerxes]

 

[Spekulatius]

1 hour ago, Xerxes said:

 

I saw this trailer on YouTube as well. Look pretty good. The old 1930 black and white one is still the gold standard. The 1979 remake couldn’t touch it, but this one looks promising.

 

Sadly, the material seems now as current just like when it was written or filmed in 1930.

Edited September 26, 2022 by Spekulatius

[Xerxes]

We were given the book to read in College I think (or maybe it was high school) stupid me I never read it !!!

[DooDiligence]

www.netflix.com/title/81166791

 

 

[Xerxes]

@Spekulatius

 

Let's have it. What were your thoughts on the latest on Rings of Power and House of Dragon ?

 

HOD kept my on edge, but at the end as it was prophesied in the last episode "he had to lose an eye to gain a dragon"

[Spekulatius]

On 10/4/2022 at 1:57 PM, Xerxes said:

@Spekulatius

 

Let's have it. What were your thoughts on the latest on Rings of Power and House of Dragon ?

 

HOD kept my on edge, but at the end as it was prophesied in the last episode "he had to lose an eye to gain a dragon"

I liked Rings of Power so far. Solid and it’s nice to see the storylines converging.

 

I am currently at HOD E7. E7 was solid too. E6 was a bit boring to me and I thought already that HID may become Downton Abbey but with Dragon (and worse actors). I do think E7 is better hope it continues.

 

On nother note, I like the new Pennyworth series in HBO. Love the style, production and the acting. I am only 2 Episodes on so far and hope it continues.

[Xerxes]

This Friday is the finale of Rings of Power. What a fantastic show. But all good things must come to an end. 

 

i ll check out Pennyworth. 
Also watching Andor. Pretty well done. 

On HOD, the overall highlight has been the introduction of the High Tower as a power broker. We barely saw them in GOT. 

 

Edited October 12, 2022 by Xerxes

[ACooke]

On 8/9/2022 at 4:40 AM, formthirteen said:

 

Black Bird on Apple TV is great. One of Ray Liotta's last roles, RIP.

I'm half way through this and am enjoying it too.

 

Apple seems to be doing reasonably well with their production - without thinking too deeply in to it - there's been a few series they've released this past year or so, I've really enjoyed.

 

The movie 'CODA' was really good too I thought.

 

I believe they're currently producing Shantaram - a series based on the book.

Being that this may well be my favorite book of all time and lingers in my head based on the fond memories of reading it almost 2 decades ago, I'm perhaps more concerned than interested as to what effect it may have on my memories of a book thoroughly enjoyed at a vastly different point in my life.

 

We'll see, I guess. 

[Spekulatius]

Compilation of classic shorts from Ingmar Bergman movies:

Some bear watching again. Absolute classics.

[Spekulatius]

On 9/26/2022 at 7:23 PM, Spekulatius said:

I saw this trailer on YouTube as well. Look pretty good. The old 1930 black and white one is still the gold standard. The 1979 remake couldn’t touch it, but this one looks promising.

 

Sadly, the material seems now as current just like when it was written or filmed in 1930.

New trailer is out:

Looks very promising:

On my visit to Germany, i learned that my Great grandfather served on the western front in the German army.

 

When hew was conscripted, he signed up on a hunch as cook (he could not cook at all) and got accepted. He never really had to fight much and barely fired a shot. Not something were you can earn a lot of medals with, but he got home whole.

 

 

That's one of the "Artillery" pieces  he probably worked with (Gulasch kanone). No army can operate with this sort of machinery.

 

[Spekulatius]

On 9/27/2022 at 8:59 PM, DooDiligence said:

www.netflix.com/title/81166791

 

 

The cinematography and acting in this adoption is great, but why did they complete change the storyline including the iconic ending of the novel? I don't get it.

 

Worth watching, but could have been a masterpiece.

[DooDiligence]

56 minutes ago, Spekulatius said:

The cinematography and acting in this adoption is great, but why did they complete change the storyline including the iconic ending of the novel? I don't get it.

 

Worth watching, but could have been a masterpiece.

Is this book written in an academic style or is it more of a dramatized version like Band of Brothers? I couldn’t tell from the reviews.