How did you like that movie / TV show / book?

[elton]

Don't you just hate when programs have to be cranked up in volume just to hear, then bang! normality volume once more. Very annoying late at night when peeps are in bed ... end up watching tv with a finger on the volume button :D

I don't have cable either .... I just downloaded the series :) not even sure if it's been broadcast in the UK.

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

hmm... i'll have to check in to sound-management plugins.

as has been discussed here before, there's at the very least a program which will adjust your MP3's so as to be balanced to a standard decibel-level. i don't see why they wouldn't make an "on the fly" version to work with movie and music players.

i definitely agree it can be a pain in the arse, being thrown off by this kind of thing.

 

[Shooby Doo]

Don't you just hate when programs have to be cranked up in volume just to hear, then bang! normality volume once more. Very annoying late at night when peeps are in bed ... end up watching tv with a finger on the volume button :D

I think in lot of these cases is where the sound is originally mixed in Dolby/surround sound and then the cable company or whoever is serving it down-mixes it to stereo, or if it's surround but you're just using your TV speakers. Though sometimes it's just mixed really bad.

I have a pretty decent 5.1 system and the center speaker really helps with hearing quiet dialog that happens between loud action scenes so I don't have to crank it up to hear them talking. Though I also live alone so I regularly have it cranked up anyways.

 

[elton]

I think in lot of these cases is where the sound is originally mixed in Dolby/surround sound and then the cable company or whoever is serving it down-mixes it to stereo, or if it's surround but you're just using your TV speakers. Though sometimes it's just mixed really bad.

I have a pretty decent 5.1 system and the center speaker really helps with hearing quiet dialog that happens between loud action scenes so I don't have to crank it up to hear them talking. Though I also live alone so I regularly have it cranked up anyways.

Yes Shooby Doo. Absolutely correct. If the original source was surround sound, or my preferred DTS-HD or TrueHD and it's played through the tv then you'll get an overall poor sound stage. I'd love to play everything through my Denon 3313 but alas, I don't live on my own and it wouldn't be appreciated after 11pm ... although I'd feel guilty playing any 7.1 material after my wife has gone to bed. Sub turned off first ... then the amp about 20 minutes later then the sound through the tv ... not a good sound, but better than nowt. :)

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

not a fan of head phones, elton?


EDIT: just checked out the elementary pilot. i'm not crazy about the two leads, really. holmes comes off as overly emotional and almost neurotic to me. the actor also has kind of a reedy voice and a mumbling style. watson as well goes against type by being kind of stony-faced and quick-tempered. he (or she) is originally meant to be the 'human,' innocent and patient one in the books. i'm not saying they have to play it exactly like the source material, but i do think cumberbatch and freeman do a better job with the characters.

the story seemed fine, if a little vanilla. it almost could have been any other modern police / detective show. maybe i'm being harsh and will give it another chance some time.

 

[elton]

Headphones and television? ....... Thanks a big No from me.

 

[StevOz]

Got to like that Dr Strange, with a name like Stephen, what can there be not to like...

Rather well crafted indeed..now when next I sleep perhaps I'll glimpse Nirvana, then walk onwards...

I rate it an imperfect nine..

 

[StevOz]

Just watched Arrival, rather thought provoking if a someone long winded explanation of the phase...

Time is an illusion.

Without saying too much more, there is of course much more to the underlying message of the movie.

Thus I can't really rate this movie, it will mean different things to different viewers.

I found it left me feeling a bit like Spock quipping the phase.."curious".

Worthy of an observation, could have relayed the same story/message in a shorter time frame, could have been better, though could have been a lot worse.

 

[Shooby Doo]

Just watched Arrival, rather thought provoking if a someone long winded explanation of the phase...

Time is an illusion.

Without saying too much more, there is of course much more to the underlying message of the movie.

Thus I can't really rate this movie, it will mean different things to different viewers.

I found it left me feeling a bit like Spock quipping the phase.."curious".

Worthy of an observation, could have relayed the same story/message in a shorter time frame, could have been better, though could have been a lot worse.

That's exactly what I thought when I watched it... it was good and intriguing, but they could've summed it up in 35 minutes. It was the last movie I saw in the theater and during the final 20 minutes I was saying "I know, I get it! You don't have to shove it down my throat!". I guess they were making sure it didn't go over anyone's head.

Doctor Strange was awesome, I'm looking forward to seeing it again. I was never a comic book fan but have been enjoying the Marvel films. I thought Civil War was great.

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

a buddy around here saw dr. strange at least three times. he said he really enjoyed the psychadelic fx, or something like that.

the reviews sound pretty good, too!

The review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 90% approval rating based on reviews from 286 critics, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Doctor Strange artfully balances its outré source material against the blockbuster constraints of the MCU, delivering a thoroughly entertaining superhero origin story in the bargain." On Metacritic, the film holds a score of 72 out of 100, based on reviews from 49 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.

 

[StevOz]

For style, substance and storyline, I rate this animated flick at least half a point higher then Dr Strange...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2494376/

 

[Shooby Doo]

Regarding Dr. Strange, I liked how the mystical things they used in the movie were taken from real mystical traditions rather than just making it up. I think it gives it a bit more credence when it comes to taking the story seriously. And it was trippy as shit too.

For style, substance and storyline, I rate this animated flick at least half a point higher then Dr Strange...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2494376/

I've been meaning to watch it - I assume it's better than Batman V Superman. I sometimes do marketing surveys on the side for extra beer money, and last summer I did one on this movie and a few other animated DC films where they asked my opinion of the cover art and fonts and things like that. I guess I was in the minority because I thought the ones with action scenes rather than poses looked better.

 

[StevOz]

Beneath this presumed less then mortal exterior I have a heart of more then mere flesh or blood it seems and got to say Moana was indeed a well crafted film and did bring a tear to these eyes more then once..

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

Beneath this presumed less then mortal exterior I have a heart of more then mere flesh or blood it seems and got to say Moana was indeed a well crafted film and did bring a tear to these eyes more then once..

that thing sounds GREAT!

steve, you fucking asshole, why didn't you tell me there was stuff like this floating around...?!

 

[StevOz]

Actually Ike I most likely waxed more lyrically then perhaps most expect, though I did tell you all I'm fast approaching the age of too old to give fuck, thus you should know I am an old softy, though a complete enigma to myself and most others I have no doubt. The movie has some rather drawn out duller, predictable bits in between, still those other moments I felt made it worthy.

 

[Coil_Smoke]

never mind

this thing needs a better delete switch

BUT look at the number of the post

It's an odd milestone

I'd like to say I have the greatest respect for any possible dark forces

P.S. God is in there somewhere, SteveO

 

[StevOz]

Actually God is everywhere CS and no ancient human contrived religion could ever come anywhere near the true nature of the conscience of the universe, there are no rights or wrongs only that which is.

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

gentlemen... let's keep to the topic, please!

such as-- ike savage getting recently hooked on these ancient episodes of "what's my line?"

What's My Line? June 1, 1958: Best Contestant Ever - YouTube

 

[StevOz]

Thanks Ike and I can see why...

I did watch some TV today, not something I usually do and now I know why, every channel I surfed made me want to go on set and sort, those fools out, even the old episodes of MASH..really!

Though that old show just made me feel I'd like to either kiss them, shake there hand or buy them a beer or maybe all of that. :)

 

[StevOz]

Watched Allied was hoping for something more then the Hollywood formulaic movie it was for me, reasonable afternoon time waster I guess..

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

Thanks Ike and I can see why...

I did watch some TV today, not something I usually do and now I know why, every channel I surfed made me want to go on set and sort, those fools out, even the old episodes of MASH..really!

Though that old show just made me feel I'd like to either kiss them, shake there hand or buy them a beer or maybe all of that. :)

it's funny about that show in particular (note that it ran from 1950 - 1967, then was relaunched in the 70's and again later, i think):

the original version, despite being so old and of quaint quality, was nevertheless kind of charming, perky and magnetic. or something like that. later i watched the 70's version and despite various improvements of one sort or another, it looked completely pedestrian and ordinary.

john daly and the original panel had some real talent and chemistry, i think. also, it was just a great time capsule, in general.

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

this was an awesome stash of star trek scripts i found the other day.

what was most interesting to me was probably the writer's guide to TOS. they would hand it out to their prospective writers, and it gave a bunch of guidelines and directions for what roddenberry and co. were looking for. definitely the most interesting thing for me were the character bios. i'm pretty sure there was stuff in there we never actually saw in the series.

http://leethomson.myzen.co.uk/Star_Trek/

note: if you jump up a level, there's also all kinds of scripts and inside stuff for a bunch of other classic and contemporary series.

 

[StevOz]

Fantastic.Beasts.and.Where.to.Find.Them...

Really WTF, this I endured for more then 15 minutes or so hoping for something other then 'special effects', they were not that special, no anything, storyline, acting or anything. Really just only go there if you are near to totally brain dead or want to be that way.

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

so you're saying you liked it, steve?

 

[StevOz]

so you're saying you liked it, steve?

Yeah, nah...though I am still I am still trying to get through...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3606888/

I'm rating at about 2 whiskers already...well short of a six pack.