Deh Aquaman filum.

[Glebe]

So I saw Aquaman the other week, but am only arsed talking about it now... was none too impressed to be honest (didn't help that I was quite tired at the screening, mind), there are a few nice action sequences and a bit of colourfulness and that, but I found it to be a bit of a mess overall.

Wasn't expecting a masterpiece obviously, but still, it felt like a wasted opportunity. Atlantis was quite colourful and sea creature filled - I liked the Blade Runner feel with the electronic score and multitude of lights - but it kinda jarred with the more 'real' dryland sequences (also, I'll let them away with the drumming octopus, but the statistics coming up during the Aquaman/Orm face-off was a step too far). As I say, I liked some of the action bits (Nicole Kidman kicking arse, the chase in the Sicilian village, the Lovecraftian creatures attacking the boat), but it's not enough to save the movie. And Black Manta was given pretty short shrift, they should have either had him as the main antagonist instead of Orm or left him out altogether (btw, I though Aquaman letting Black Manta's dad die was a bit morally iffy, I thought there was gonna be some kinda redemptive learning arc for him after that, but no... meanwhile, Orm is let off fairly lightly for MURDERING the fish ruler dude IN FRONT OF HIS WIFE AND CHILD).

So overall, it had the odd moment but it didn't really do it for me. In fact, you mind say I found it to be a bit of a damp 'squid'!

[magval]

Chortle at Joker's Boner and I'll Show Them How Many Boners The Joker Can Make are still the best.

[Phil_A]

I read something that suggest stuff like "the Joker's Boner" might've been put in deliberately by the writers of the day, just to see what they could get away with



I mean, come on. People in the fifties weren't that innocent.

[Shaky]

I remember when DC had to be shut down for 15 years after Martian Manhunter called Superman a "Clit".

[magval]

What does he mean "The Octopus". As in, the species the octopus? Or is that a superhero called the octopus, who's an octopus? Look at his expressionless octopus face like. Not a fucking clue where he is or what he's being presented for, or even what the concept of presentation is. Probly hasn't a concept of conception itself.

He's an octopus.

[Glebe]

I wish there had been a scene where he done this:

[St_Eddie]

What does he mean "The Octopus". As in, the species the octopus?

Yes.

[Alberon]

What still gets me is this very menacing and cool dude-



Goes by the name 'Arthur Curry'.

I mean, what sort of name is that? It'd be less ridiculous if he was called 'Billy Bunter'.

Stupid stupid name.

Yours Sincerely,
Suckmaster Burstingfoam

[St_Eddie]

What still gets me is this very menacing and cool dude-



Goes by the name 'Arthur Curry'.

I mean, what sort of name is that?

I don't know but it's made me awfully hungry for an Arthur.

[monolith]

Loved the underwater bits. Were it not for a lot of the acting, dialogue and completely unnecessary extra villain it could have been fucking amazing.

Missed opportunity indeed.

[thecuriousorange]

Seaman

[St_Eddie]

Were it not for a lot of the acting, dialogue and completely unnecessary extra villain it could have been fucking amazing.

If it weren't for the fact that it failed in every single possible aspect, it could have been amazing!

[monolith]

If it weren't for the fact that it failed in every single possible aspect, it could have been amazing!

Fair point, but I really did like the underwater bits! Was absolutely gorgeous to look at and I love the sea. If the dialogue etc. had even just been serviceable I would have loved it.

[Head Gardener]

[St_Eddie]

The CaBer cosplay contest gets off to a fishy start.

[samadriel]

Not bald enough for a CaBer, I think.

[St_Eddie]

Not bald enough for a CaBer, I think.

He does have a fine head of hair, it must be said.  Wish I had such fine locks.

[Glebe]

DC Isn't As Focused On Its Shared Movie Universe Anymore.

According to Warner Bros. Pictures Group Chairman Toby Emmerich, the studio is shying away from the shared universe and focusing on director-driven stories.

"We all feel like we've turned a corner now. We're playing by the DC playbook, which is very different than the Marvel playbook. We are far less focused on a shared universe. We take it one movie at a time. Each movie is its own equation and own creative entity. If you had to say one thing about us, it's that it always has to be about the directors."

I suppose that was already evident with the Joaquin Phoenix Joker movie and all that, but this is kinda publicly stating that trying to play catch-up with the MCU proved has proven pretty fruitless so far.

[phantom_power]

I like how they are treating it like a decision they have made and not a massive fuck-up across several films.

I found it distracting in the trailers that when they speak underwater no bubbles come out of their mouths. Is this less distracting in the film?

[samadriel]

Well, they're breathing water, so there shouldn't be any bubbles, right?

At least that'll theoretically get Zach Snyder away from the DCEU controls (the change of direction, not the water-breathing).  And if they actually make a bunch of sufficiently good movies, maybe THEN they can bring them together, the proper way, the same way Marvel initially did.  Kicking it off with crossovers was idiocy.

[phantom_power]

Well, they're breathing water, so there shouldn't be any bubbles, right?

The physics might be right but it just seems wrong. The voices should be muffled as well

[samadriel]

I was watching a 'Because Science' on Youtube where he said that water actually transfers sound much better (maybe faster?  Probably over greater distances too) than air.  I don't know why we humans can't hear a damn thing underwater though.  Have you seen that thing online about fish song?  Look here: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2106331-fish-recorded-singing-dawn-chorus-on-reefs-just-like-birds/

A weird Mark Mothersbaugh soundtrack based on the audio clip there would have enhanced this film a fair bit.  It's an adequate superhero fantasy film, but it's not one for the time capsule, hence me not having contributed to the thread.  Better than all that Zach Snyder shit, not quite as good as Wonder Woman, definitely not up there with Logan, which I consider the top tier of this stuff.

[Mister Six]

I was watching a 'Because Science' on Youtube where he said that water actually transfers sound much better (maybe faster?  Probably over greater distances too) than air.  I don't know why we humans can't hear a damn thing underwater though. 

Aye, it's because water and other liquids are dense and can't be compressed, so sound vibrations travel further as the molecules clack into one another, whereas with air and other gases, the gaps between the molecules mean that the vibrations are dispersed and lost more easily. It's why an air bubble in a car's braking system stops it from working properly - the bubbles compress, unlike water, so the brake discs don't press as hard or as quickly on the wheels.

As for why we can't hear as easily underwater, it's probably because our ears are adapted to hear in the air, and contain little bubbles of air even when we're submerged. You can get some of the effect though - have someone set a digital watch beeper off underwater at one end of a swimming pool and if you're underwater at the other end, you'll be able to hear it too. Obviously this is easiest/less awkward to do if you're a child in the 1980s...

[Small Man Big Horse]

This is now available, it comes with korean subtitles but they're relatively unobtrusive and I stopped noticing them after a bit.

Good things - Jason Momoa is surprisingly charismatic and fun, Amber Heard's great, Willem Defoe and Dolph Lundgren are both decent, it looks very pretty and the effects are mostly impressive, there's some great set pieces, the final battle's enjoyable stuff, drum playing Octopus made me laugh, it's not as good as Wonder Woman but otherwise it's the best DC movie yet.

Bad things - The human villain's a bit rubbish, and AquaFargoBloke is alright but not that interesting, some of the dialogue's a bit naff, the score is really awful and annoyingly obtrusive, at two hours twenty it's at least 30 minutes too long, the mid-credits sequence made me sigh loudly, and a minor complaint as they only use it once but that fucking vrrrrrroooommmmp noise is irritating, I really wish they'd stop using it in DC movies.

Overall - 7.0/10

[St_Eddie]

This is now available, it comes with korean subtitles but they're relatively unobtrusive and I stopped noticing them after a bit.

Best bit of the film; when the fella got up for a piss and passed in front of the screen.  Most people would miss the subtlety of the message but it was extremely metaphorical.  Nice touch from the director, there.

[famethrowa]

Look at his expressionless octopus face like. Not a fucking clue where he is or what he's being presented for, or even what the concept of presentation is.

Does he fuck, now he's giving the Brian Setzer Orchestra a run for their money