Non-franchise films you'd recommend

[Barkworm]

If you have read some of my posts since I returned to the forums, you will have noticed my deep disgust for everything that's a sequel, reboot, re-imagining or any adaptation really. Like anyone who'd post on a message board about a franchise, there are several sequels and adaptations I have thoroughly enjoyed but in recent years it's become a huge problem in Hollywood. Right now, there is ONE film in the American box office top 10 that's doesn't belong to one of the categories mentioned above - 'Hypnotic' by Robert Rodriguez. And it seems like it's going to be a gigantic failure.

I'm really out of touch with modern pop culture so can anyone recommend any recent films that are actual originals? I'm talking about popcorn entertainment, not Palm d'Or candidates. If it's smart, that's a plus but I'd love to see some original films that are just entertaining which are not about geriatric childhood heroes or the billionth adaptation of the same tired sh*t we've seen before.

[ChosenOne]

"Everything Everywhere All at Once" might interest you.

[Barkworm]

It does look really good, though a little busy for my taste. I'll check it out soon.

[Barkworm]

So, I guess there‘s nothing apart from "Everything, Everywhere All at Once"? Sad.

[IMJ]

Robert Deniro's "Ronin" is an amazing heist movie with one of the best car chases ever put to film. It's also got a great story with compelling characters. If they clean that movie up on a great 4k release it would be a timeless flick.

And on the Deniro train, I'd say check out "Stone" which is a great flick about a convict manipulating his parole officer with Deniro, Milla Jovavich and Ed Norton.

On another note, a couple years back Ed Norton released a really great 1930's crime flick called "Motherless Brooklyn". It's a terrific period flick about a Detective with a stuttering problem. Norton acts the **** out of it, but it was lost in the shuffle of the era (2019). It's a great flick that got a pretty limited Blu Ray release and wasn't put out on 4k. Truth is that the Blu Ray is scarce as hell but it's not worth anything because nobody saw the movie to know to buy it.

While we are on the period piece thing, the amazing "The Untouchables" movie with Costner, Deniro and Connery got a really good 4k release and looks terrific. Personally, I think it's Brian De Palma's best movie - better than "Mission Impossible". "..... bring a knife to a gun fight...." Connery in top form there.

And if you want some more premium Connery in your life, maybe it's time to revisit Michael Bay's "The Rock". Especially with renewed interest in that one because of the recent James Bond theories about that movie being recirculated, which I think are great to be honest.

[CyberCubed]

Originally Posted by Barkworm

So, I guess there‘s nothing apart from "Everything, Everywhere All at Once"? Sad.

most good movies tend to get sequels, even if they don't start off as franchises.

I suppose you can look into gangster films from the 80's and 90's, most Robert De Niro films from the time were one and done.

[Barkworm]

Originally Posted by IMJ

And if you want some more premium Connery in your life, maybe it's time to revisit Michael Bay's "The Rock". Especially with renewed interest in that one because of the recent James Bond theories about that movie being recirculated, which I think are great to be honest.

Man, I loved "The Rock" back when it first came out. What are the theories about it?

Thanks for your other recommendations as well. "Motherless Brooklyn" sounds really interesting (the others too but I was looking for more recent releases) and I just found out it was a novel by Jonathan Lethem of whom I read and enjoyed "Chronic City". I might check out the novel first.

[IMJ]

Originally Posted by Barkworm

Man, I loved "The Rock" back when it first came out. What are the theories about it?

It's pretty in-depth - worthy of finding a three or four minute YouTube video about it. But the short of it is that there is some continuity in Connery's James Bond where he escapes Alcatraz, the dates sync up to what is presented in The Rock, he is cited as a British Agent and then there is more continuity in Connery's Bond flicks that indicate he could have been apprehended by the U.S. government in the Rock and has secretly been James Bond the entire time. There is also some shared dialog which adds to the whole thing.....

It's a pretty cool fan theory that I almost can't help but wonder if it was an intentional nod when making The Rock and of course with modern sensibility we don't say that it was a neat nod, but rather "it's secretly a James Bond Universe film". It's a great theory.