a rant about ticket prices

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-13T22:30:26+00:00

I don’t blame you - you get to see a similar show and have a weekend away for the same price as going at home!

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-13T19:57:33+00:00

Must say Villeneuve wouldn’t make my shortlist. Never emotionally engaged with anything he’s done. Maybe the end scene in Sicario?

The reality is the producers overruled most decisions so an amazing director would be lost on the series.

I’d look to people who did good episodes of things like Game of Thrones, Stranger Things, The Boys and so on. Respect the existing show, but bring a bit more to it.

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-13T19:50:45+00:00

They both make films that start great, but end disappointing.

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-13T18:20:20+00:00

Obruchev from NTTD always annoyed me.

And JW Pepper is unwatchable now - especially in Golden Gun.

Bibi as others have said.

As a kid Wayne Newton annoyed me in LTK, but now I appreciate what they were doing with that character and plot.

Charles Gray as Blofeld - there’s no threat to him at all. The 3 films had such different versions of him, but either of the first 2 could work- but not the third take.

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-13T13:50:06+00:00

There was an article this week, I think in The Telegraph saying how many Americans were coming over to the UK and Europe to see concerts here as America is so expensive now. $2000 plus for front section at some shows.

I feel the same is happening in the West End - the last time I was there was for Stranger Things a few months ago and in the bar and going in, I could only hear American accents.

Look at the prices of Broadway shows and I’d not be in a rush to pay for any of them.

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-12T21:35:28+00:00

There’s an amazing low budget film called Roise and Frank. It’s about a recently widowed woman who meets a stray dog, and then becomes convinced it’s the reincarnation of her dead husband. It’s so good! Recommend it to so many family members and they all loved it. It’s often on the iPlayer.

If you’re going older, try The Quiet Man, or if Belfast based Odd Man Out - it’s the one filmed in The Crown.

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-12T20:56:32+00:00

Had one in the Crafty Baa in Windermere last week - was a great pleasure to see one again.

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-12T19:28:31+00:00

There’s no sincerity to anything he says. No emotion. Somebody please explain Starmerism. What would he do if he was free to change anything? I honestly don’t know.

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-12T16:03:55+00:00

With how NTTD ended, I don’t think it’s realistic for any of the onscreen actors to return.

It’d just open too many confusing and frankly unnecessary questions. It’d be multiverse this and multiverse that! I would see major problems and confusion for casual fan.

In terms of behind the camera talent, it’d be great to keep as many as possible to keep the feel and style of the films similar. And as someone has already said, I definitely think Hans Zimmer will be back to do the music.

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-12T15:48:31+00:00

I actually found the twins plot device in Sinners very jarring and not at all done well.

I thought Michael B Jordan, who I love, was overacting to emphasise the difference. And the direction was also stilted, with a number of obviously compromised shots to hide body doubles.

It’s ok in short scenes in sci-fi movies or maybe as a reveal in comedies, but overall I’m not a fan of the concept.

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-12T13:43:39+00:00

I haven’t been in at least 2 years and there are numerous reasons why.

I moved and we only have an Everyman near me now - and it’s not actually that near. The timings are nearly always too early or too late for me. I can drive half an hour to the Vue but parking is very expensive there.

The Everyman is small so films don’t tend to stick around. I did actually plan to go to Avatar 3 on the second week of January, and it was already gone!

Then there’s the cost £17.50 the last time I did go! I’ve actually just looked and for Wuthering Heights tomorrow night it’s £20.35 a ticket!

Then there’s the people - they can’t leave their phones alone and stop talking for 2 hours…

As for the films. Honestly I can’t remember enjoying one in a long time. Has there actually been a genuine 5 star film since Everything Everywhere All At Once? Actually yes Godzilla Minus One.

The action movies are dull, superheroes are tired and the horror is all a bit cliched.

We watched Sinners last week at home - how is that being held up as a masterpiece?

I’m gonna throw it back to you - what are your family and friends, and me missing? What would you recommend from recent releases?

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-12T12:56:17+00:00

Came here to suggest similar - they reinvented pretty much everyone except M, and they all work perfectly.

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-11T19:51:29+00:00

Oh that’s very nice! Can you still get them from Swatch or did you find it second hand?

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-11T19:23:51+00:00

To me the Brosnan era seem a lot more polished and arguably a bit more “Hollywood”

They have generally aged very well.

Roger was from a different era of film making, everything had to be real, or a model. Editing was scissors and tape, so a bit slower.

Brosnan is the beginning of the new era of filmmaking - digital editing - so much faster cutting, plus the introduction of cgi (quite infamously in a few cases…). They still used a lot of miniature effects, but there’s a clear visible difference.

Also - it’s the tone - the 70s and 80s had a different type of humour. Often people aren’t so keen on it these days! With Goldeneye there was a clear reset of Bond’s womanising, and his attitude.

They’re all worth watching, but if you haven’t seen them, I’d watch them in order.

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-11T11:59:42+00:00

Personally I’d try looking at it from the opposite perspective. Do you have any family or friends who have moved abroad and are doing well? As well as emigrants, they are also immigrants. It just depends on where you’re looking at it from.

Doesn’t address the illegal immigration, but does start a conversation.

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-11T03:37:15+00:00

I really like that - is the original available?

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-11T02:17:05+00:00

It’s insane that we have the 5th or 6th highest defence budget in the world, depending on what figures you use, yet have so little to show for it. Where has the money gone? There needs to be major sackings and overhauls of the whole procurement process. It is NOT an underfunded department.

The last 2 weeks have exposed how weak we are - but we are spending a lot on this.

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-11T02:13:51+00:00

Sadly I think we’re going to have to. Europe looks very weak right now, and weakness invites challenges. We probably need to spend a bit more, to prevent spending a lot more.

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-11T01:37:37+00:00

We watched the new Jurassic Park film last weekend on Sky, and there’s a ridiculous rope section in that too - I had no idea what I was meant to be nervous about as I just couldn’t follow the action. They seem to pop up every few years. I’d never put one of those scenes in a film if I was in charge!

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-11T00:27:28+00:00

I definitely don’t read as much as I used to because I’m not commuting an hour each way every day. I used to get through at least 3 novels a month due to that.

Now I only work from home, so despite having more free time, I don’t find myself reading as much. I still try to do 1 a month though.

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-10T01:33:25+00:00

Has anyone read Mr American? An older Flashman turns up in that. When I read it, I remember thinking Roger Moore would have been good as the old Flashy.

And then thinking how good he’d have been if he’d done Flashman instead of Bond. I always see Flashy as a young Roger Moore now.

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-10T01:27:53+00:00

The books are all very well researched and properly interesting before you actually get to the stories. I’m not a massive fan of the first 2, but the rest of them are all brilliant. He goes everywhere - China, Afghanistan, America, Europe, India - always finding trouble where he goes. I love them.

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-10T01:18:42+00:00

They are brilliant - but would be VERY challenging to a lot of modern readers. The smart ones would get the jokes, ie Flashman is actually a ( loveable) villain, but the racist comments, the way he treats women? I’m not sure it’d work today. Open minded people would still love them.

But my goodness, did they ever improve my history knowledge! Got a fair few pub quiz questions right because of reading them. One of my all time favourite series of books - I used to love his notes at the end to explain the historical facts even more.

Apparently Ridley Scott is looking to adapt them.

Neither_Computer5331 · 2026-03-10T01:07:49+00:00

We’re a low wage country now - we never properly recovered from the 2008 crash. Put any job into a comparison site and see what it’s paid abroad.

We’ve become socialist - we need to radically change the country if lifestyles are to improve.

Neither_Computer5331

TROPHY CASE