Random Rambling #57
Why, yes, I did go through every post I have ever made to figure out how many Random Ramblings I have written. It was still easier than coming up with a title for this one. I will be sticking with the number system from here on out.
Netflix with Ads
It has been about a month since I was put on the Netflix plan with ads, and it has been an interesting experience. My biggest worry was terrible ad placement. I have been watching YouTube videos, and an ad pops up mid-sentence, but thankfully, Netflix seems to have its act together. I got through two seasons of "The Diplomat" and never had to wait for a character to finish a sentence while getting an ad for some online betting platform. I have been watching season two of "Arcane," the ads haven't been perfect, but I think that comes down to the show's pacing.
The only movies I have watched are Netflix movies, and there were no commercials (it's been a while, so I don't remember if there were ads before). The only downside is that only some things are available on that plan. I was searching for something else, but I saw that "Wicked Little Letters" (a great movie) could not be watched with this plan. I'm sure it's a licensing issue, but it's not enough to get me to pay way more to get no ads.
Live Action Remakes
We are in the age of the live-action remake, and I hate it. So few of these (mostly Disney) movies add something to the animated original. I enjoyed "The Jungle Book" remake, and I think "The Little Mermaid" is mostly good. This past week, we got the first look at two more: "Moana" and "How To Train Your Dragon." There was an unofficial set photo of Dwayne Johnson reprising his role as Maui, and he's less impressive than his animated counterpart. That's not my issue. "Moana" came out less than a decade ago, so it feels way too soon for a remake; plus, "Moana 2" comes out next week." So, what is the point of this besides a soulless cash grab?
When I first heard about the "How to Train Your Dragon" remake, I was against it. I loved that first movie; it was the first Blu-ray I bought. Here is what this remake has going for it: it's been 14 years since the original, and the original director is back for the remake. That is the only reason why I am not as negative on this one as I am on the myriad of other live-action remakes.
Heretic
I saw Heretic last weekend and loved it. The movie follows two Morman missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Choe East). They go to the house of Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), which turns into a twisted game. Grant is incredible. The movie takes advantage of Grant's charming, bumbling persona and lays something sinister underneath every line he says. East and Thatcher are also fantastic. There is an absolutely brilliant scene where the three are debating religion. This will probably be on my top 10 list of the year--which I have already started working on.
