What are You Watching?

[Springer]

Switching from TV to Movies, like so many others I saw JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH (2025) this weekend. . . . . did not care for it. It did not feel like a Jurassic Park film to me. It felt like a dinosaur Science Fiction film that tried to force itself to fit into a Jurassic Park mold.

I saw it this weekend too and like you I did not care for it. It committed the cardinal sin of making a dinosaur film boring. The previous film, Dominion, wasn't very good, but at least it was fun and there was a lot of charisma from both the old and new cast. I didn't care about any of the characters in Rebirth one bit, and adding that random family felt like I was watching two films mashed together into one. And enough with the genetically enhanced dinosaurs – despite what the films keep trying to insist, ordinary dinosaurs are not boring and we don't need the made-up monsters, but it feels like that's all the last few films have done.

Is it just me, or is all the really strong storytelling in TV these days as opposed to film? I've seen a handful of good films of late, but it seems like TV is now the long form medium that allows for more creative freedom.

I don't know, I've seen very little on film or TV that piques my interest. Stuff at the movies seems terribly derivative. Stuff on the TV seems too far up its own backside for its own good – I stopped watching The Expanse, for example, as it became too self-important.

Plus I find there's too much dystopia in both film and TV. Reflects our modern times, I suppose, but I could do without it.

 

[Ubik]

I saw it this weekend too and like you I did not care for it. It committed the cardinal sin of making a dinosaur film boring. The previous film, Dominion, wasn't very good, but at least it was fun and there was a lot of charisma from both the old and new cast. I didn't care about any of the characters in Rebirth one bit, and adding that random family felt like I was watching two films mashed together into one. And enough with the genetically enhanced dinosaurs – despite what the films keep trying to insist, ordinary dinosaurs are not boring and we don't need the made-up monsters, but it feels like that's all the last few films have done.



I don't know, I've seen very little on film or TV that piques my interest. Stuff at the movies seems terribly derivative. Stuff on the TV seems too far up its own backside for its own good – I stopped watching The Expanse, for example, as it became too self-important.

Plus I find there's too much dystopia in both film and TV. Reflects our modern times, I suppose, but I could do without it.

I think you need to push a bit beyond 'regular' cinema to find the real gems. Whilst the mainstream occasionally delivers something of worth, most of the best stuff lurks under the surface or elsewhere geographically. I often find myself just investigating films from other countries. Asia has a really rich mine of great stuff.

I spent a lot of last year watching Yasujirō Ozu (Japan) films made between 1950 and 1970.

Some of the best new SF TV I saw was the little know 'Scavengers Reign' animated series (one season only sadly, but it works as a stand alone). Some incredibly cool ideas around alien ecology. There's aheavy Moebius / Jean Giraud influence, but it really had it's own original premise and world building. They have gone on to do 'Common Side Effects' with Mike Judge contributing, very different feel, but also great stuff.

 

[Looney]

Sadly I just really don't have time for much "DEEP" meaning or plot anymore. I find my TV viewing has become part of multi-tasking, which is another reason why I am taking so long to finish Blake's 7. I'm trying to focus on only the episodes when I watch them. Most actual things I can sit down and focus on are either what's new at my multiplex (which is always just the most mainstream films) or what I end up seeing when I'm around my father - which is not usually anything other than mysteries and old classics (BUT he did just decide he wanted to see THE WIRE so I've started watching that once a week or so.)

 

[Ubik]

Sadly I just really don't have time for much "DEEP" meaning or plot anymore. I find my TV viewing has become part of multi-tasking, which is another reason why I am taking so long to finish Blake's 7. I'm trying to focus on only the episodes when I watch them. Most actual things I can sit down and focus on are either what's new at my multiplex (which is always just the most mainstream films) or what I end up seeing when I'm around my father - which is not usually anything other than mysteries and old classics (BUT he did just decide he wanted to see THE WIRE so I've started watching that once a week or so.)

The Wire is definitely in my Top 5 shows of all time. Superb stuff. Requires some patience. It's a slow burn... but so worth it.

You CAN make a conscious decision on what media you choose to consume and I find most Cinemas now do interesting throwback screenings or occasional one offs, alongside the Hollywood dreck. There's so much amazing cinema from the past that I haven't seen, I feel bad spending time on anything new that's clearly sub-par. A bit of trashy easy watching stuff has it's place, but I do my best to see things that will broaden my horizons.

 

[Looney]

I should clarify. I go to the multiplex as a social function not necessarily out of a great desire to see everything that comes out. As a for instance, I went to see I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER (2025) Thursday night. I did not go because I really wanted to see it. I went because the person in the group who chose that title RARELY chooses what movie the group sees. It is a real conundrum because this person also RARELY goes with us, but does go more often than I think he would if we didn't do this as a sort of group activity. I also know everyone who works at the multiplex and in all honesty this is really my only real social activity, so I see a lot of stinkers. Thankfully Looney is often able to turn Looney's brain off. And Looney can usually find something good even in a stinker.

And yes my multiplex does offer classic film viewing on Sunday and Wednesday nights. Unfortunately the titles they show are mostly Hollywood Classics everyone has seen MANY times and the members of the group rarely want to pay to see things they likely already own. I don't attend these screenings nearly as often as I would like, but as mentioned above they rarely show films I don't already have in my home library and that makes motivation after a long day at work very difficult.

 

[Ubik]

ALIEN: Earth right now. Alongside new episodes of Foundation and Star Trek: SNW. All of them have been good. SNW S3 feels a bit weaker due to the over-reliance on Spock love triangle, but it's still leagues ahead of Disco. Nothing has yet equalled S2's 'Under the Cloak of War', which went down as a classic episodes for me.

Currently very impressed with Alien Earth (it looks freaking beautiful for a TV budget). Loving the little nods to Blade Runner.

 

[Looney]

Hollywood needs to fucking stop it with the reboots, never ending sequels and remakes. Creatively bankrupt nonsense.

Is it just me, or is all the really strong storytelling in TV these days as opposed to film? I've seen a handful of good films of late, but it seems like TV is now the long form medium that allows for more creative freedom.

I think an issue is that TV has realized long form storytelling is possible, this really started being highlighted by a TV Show I saw that started in the early 90's and ran 5 seasons of one big story arc. And now there are so many TV platforms and so many are controlled by the entities that produce the shows it is just more of a safe bet. Films that get theatrical releases have become such a risk financially that these corporations would rather go long form on a streaming platform they own rather than risk a flop and have share any profit with theater chains. I mean it is such an unpredictable market. I believe they are calling FANTASTIC FOUR (2025) a flop and look how much it made.

While I am speaking on it. Had to drive 60 miles to see SPINAL TAP: THE END CONTINUES (2025) this weekend. Went to an AMC Theater. It is no wonder people don't go to the movies. Discounted ticket for 10:50AM show... $8.95 + a drink + a snack $27.15. If I had gotten a Popcorn and Drink Combo that alone would have been $25.00. I tell you this knowing it is nothing new to most of you. BUT I want to brag because I have it SOOOOOOO good. I live in a small rural community that has an awesome movie theater. Nothing is really what you would call cheap and they keep creeping the prices up, but it is still much cheaper than the large chains. And their theater is much nicer than the big chain one I went to. I just wanted everyone to know how good I have it.

THE DOCTOR BLAKE MYSTERIES from Australia. Does anyone know this show? Made it to Episode #9 and then the show disappeared off of Acorn Streaming. Now I have to pay for a different streaming service if I want to continue. Plus there might be some confusion with episode order. Acorn had Season One Episodes 1-10. Other Services seem to have Episodes 1-9. Idk, it is very annoying so I'd like to know have good the series is before I go to any trouble. Episodes 1-9 of Series One were hit and miss.

Following up on what UBik just posted, I don't know what it is but I can't really get into Alien Earth. I keep falling asleep. I love so much of it, but overall it just isn't grabbing me.

 

[hypatia]

I think Doctor Blake Mysteries may be part of Brit Box (which is how I can watch the classic Doctor Who and Red Dwarf and a few other shows). I’ve never seen it but I may check it out. I need a new series now that Foundation and Wednesday have ended their current seasons.

 

[Looney]

Yes it is on BritBox, but their Series One says episodes 1-9, but IMDB says watch episode 10 on BritBox. I will have to investigate further and maybe look for a free trial.

 

[hypatia]

I can see episode 10 from season 1, so it’s definitely on Britbox. “Someone’s Son, Someone’s Daughter” is the title.

 

[Looney]

I can see episode 10 from season 1, so it’s definitely on Britbox. “Someone’s Son, Someone’s Daughter” is the title.

Thank you so much. I use a Roku and every time I look it up it says 1 - 9, but it also wants me to go through Amazon to BritBox, so I'm guessing there is some disconnect there. And when I think when I Googled it on my laptop it also only showed 9 available. Glad to know if I actually get into BritBox I'll be able to see it. I know you are all saying "This is still a thing?", but I watch A LOT so a show I am struggling to find isn't that high a priority, just enough for me to try to make it a question for others.

 

[hypatia]

Thank you so much. I use a Roku and every time I look it up it says 1 - 9, but it also wants me to go through Amazon to BritBox, so I'm guessing there is some disconnect there. And when I think when I Googled it on my laptop it also only showed 9 available. Glad to know if I actually get into BritBox I'll be able to see it. I know you are all saying "This is still a thing?", but I watch A LOT so a show I am struggling to find isn't that high a priority, just enough for me to try to make it a question for others.

I have some trouble when using tech sometimes, so don’t feel too badly. A lot of what I have doesn’t seem to want to work with other stuff, but Brit Box is pretty straightforward. I find it a bit difficult to find shows to watch unless I know the title,but I have the same problem with Amazon Prime. And Brit Box won’t let you download episodes, which can be an issue if I want to download things to watch in the event of an internet or power outage (we have a lot of those in the boonies of Arizona).

 

[LateArrival]

Amazon Prime's (Prime Video) search engine certainly has issues, particularly if there is more than one correct answer. If I purchased an extended edition of a given film then try to search for it, I'd end up "finding" the regular version with no results for the other. Would have to scroll right-to-left through the list of previously purchased titles to access it.

Friend of mine has repurchased titles by mistake since he would (years later) try searching for something he thought he purchased but search results were "buy for $14.99" instead of "you purchased this video". Same with purchasing titles if there is more than one version - have to be careful to not select the wrong one. Ex: Tried getting a version of Watchmen that apparently wasn't available to buy, but for some ??? reason it was available as a free Bonus Extra via Movies Anywhere if I purchased one of the other versions.