Overrated/Underrated Geek Media

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Problem with the Rock is he is just playing himself in different costumes. He is more or less the same in every movie.

Have you seen the Jumanji movies? He credibly plays a nerdy teenage boy in the original and an elderly Danny Glover in the sequel.

I won't defend most of the Rock's movies, but he and Jack Black genuinely act their asses off in the Jumanji movies.

 

[trappedslider]

I agree here. Though Space: Above and Beyond ultimately had too complex of a story, and I think it lost people. Esp those that just wanted the romance aspect.

was it you?

 

[dragoner]

was it you?

I'm sad there is no chiggy von richtofen gif.

 

[dragoner]

Personally I liked the androids, had a Blade Runner vibe.

 

[jdrakeh]

If you haven't read the original short story that it's (very) loosely based on, you should. Dina Meyer was absolutely robbed of what could have been the role of a lifetime, to make the story a vehicle for Keanu.

Dina Meyer is a very talented actress whose virtues, unfortunately, often go unsung.

 

[Ryujin]

Dina Meyer is a very talented actress whose virtues, unfortunately, often go unsung.

Just imagine her getting to play a real Molly Millions. It would be a shame to hide those eyes, but she'd work the hell out of that role.

 

[GrimCo]

I agree here. Though Space: Above and Beyond ultimately had too complex of a story, and I think it lost people. Esp those that just wanted the romance aspect. The Android's eyes were memorable.

Yeah, it was pretty ambitious, but it was interesting, had solid cast of characters. In a sense, they were ahead of it's time with multi season story arc ( i think they originally intended to have at least 2 seasons) in era where most tv shows had at best loose plot thread but every episode was it's own story.

Dune, yeah, esp about the later books, Honored Matres controlling men's minds with sex was bleh. Kind of taints the earlier books too, in that it seems to have been a theme all along, even if not as obvious.

I forgot that part. First 3 parts were solid books. The story arc is neatly wrapped up in the first three books ( rise, reign, fall and legacy of Paul Maudib).

Rand's hyper individualism is easy to poke holes in, we are only individuals in contrast to the group, because if not, what are we? Ted Kazinsky? Living isolated in a shack somewhere has limited allure.

Without going into her philosophy, Atlas Shrugged, as an mystery/drama with sf elements novel, is snooze.

Have you seen the Jumanji movies? He credibly plays a nerdy teenage boy in the original and an elderly Danny Glover in the sequel.

I won't defend most of the Rock's movies, but he and Jack Black genuinely act their asses off in the Jumanji movies.

Seen it. Solid movie. One of the few where he isn't just himself in another costume. Irony is, in his early movies, he was acting characters more.

 

[dragoner]

Yeah, it was pretty ambitious, but it was interesting, had solid cast of characters. In a sense, they were ahead of it's time with multi season story arc ( i think they originally intended to have at least 2 seasons) in era where most tv shows had at best loose plot thread but every episode was it's own story.

It could have had at least one more season. It did have a solid cast of characters, and the stories were good, many of them very science fiction vs just "war in space." They tried to tackle what an alien species might be like.

I forgot that part. First 3 parts were solid books. The story arc is neatly wrapped up in the first three books ( rise, reign, fall and legacy of Paul Maudib).

First three are really good, and I had others, art books. Back in the late 70's it was hugely popular.

Without going into her philosophy, Atlas Shrugged, as an mystery/drama with sf elements novel, is snooze.

Seen it. Solid movie. One of the few where he isn't just himself in another costume. Irony is, in his early movies, he was acting characters more.

I thought the Fountainhead was a good film, I only have read Atlas Shrugged, tbh I found it a slog of a book.

 

[cbwjm]

Yeah, but I think in fairness, the same accusation can be leveled at a lot of actors, including Schwarzenegger or Stallone, but even award winning actors like Jack Nicholson, for instance. At a certain point, I think a lot, maybe even most actors, settle into a comfort zone and don't move outside of it. Pacino made Scent of a Woman, and really never looked back. De Niro settled into his Scorsese gangster zone and that's basically the character you get from him ever since. It's not that they can't act, it's that there's an easy path to not having to challenge themselves. Stallone, in particular, always seemed like that guy who could've gone on to much more dramatic roles, and I think his acting chops were sorely underrated, but he hit it big with action movies.

Jeff Goldblum is hands down, the best at playing Jeff Goldblum.

As for the Rock, he tends to make entertaining movies, he's an action/action-comedy movie star he doesn't need to have great range.

 

[dragoner]

It is on purpose, they aren't hired to play someone else, it's like "star power." All their signature moves, expressions, etc. like pro-wrestling.