Honestly I didn't expect this movie to be good at all, so I really wasn't let down. I thought it was going to be bad and it was. Ridley should have no involvement with this franchise anymore.

@C-Dubb said:

Honestly I didn't expect this movie to be good at all

So confirmation bias then. Did you like Oculous? I can't imagine you would like that film and not A:C.

yep. it's those other people who are self important and disingenuous.

@BarkingBaphomet said:

yep. it's those other people who are self important and disingenuous.

Yeah, that argument goes in circles. It's old-hat.

@cleft_asunder said:

@C-Dubb said:

Honestly I didn't expect this movie to be good at all

So confirmation bias then. Did you like Oculous? I can't imagine you would like that film and not A:C.

Never saw that film, but it's probably better than AC.

@mechajutaro said:

@mechajutaro said:

I had a horrible nightmare about the neomorph.

Both yours truly and everyone else here on TMDB, i'm sure, would've been far more disturbed had you dreamt of an erotic encounter between you and that neomorph, cleft!!! Hope it didn't spoil the rest of the night's sleep, at least. At any, rate I enjoyed Covenant as well. Yeah, every plot twist was visible from half a continent away and there's not much depth to the story; had I walked into a P.T. Anderson or David O. Russell movie, such shortcomings might have been problematic.

Covenant harkens back to a simpler time, when not one character was contractually obligated to slip on a cape and tights for the sake of fighting cookie cutter villains bearing monikers like The Joker and Ultron, audiences were more interested in the actors selling us on the characters they portrayed than in whether or not they passed the Bechtel test,and the screen was awash in blood and gore instead being mercilessly paired down for the sake of that all important PG 13. Cinematic comfort food, and it's delicious

Good points. I want to add to your second point: In the old days, movies were "self-contained" in the sense that they weren't made for the audience to be entertained, but rather for the audience to FORGET they are the audience and to be immersed in the world. (The Thing, Blade Runner) At what time did you ever feel that Blade Runner was acknowleging your existence? When did you feel it was speaking directly to YOU? The Force Awakens is CONSTANTLY acknowledging the audience unlike episodes 4-6.

But now in 2017, it's like we have a non-meditative audience that expects to be acknowledged in the theatre. And THEY ASSUME they are being acknowledged by every movie. In other words, the demanding "me complex." They sit down to a movie and have a very heavy sense of self (ego), rather than setting themselves aside and just watching in a meditative state. (Being open and free rather than closed and tense) When I watch a film, I put 95% of myself on the back burner so that I can become 95% aware instead.

What I'm trying to get at is meditation versus ego; consciousness versus compulsive thinking. (The Buddhist Advaita concepts of spirituality.) The way you're supposed to watch movies is to not think too much, and to just watch. If you think too much, the ego springs up and the picture always gets distorted. That's what the ego does, it makes the positive negative and filters reality so that it is a dark and dull version of itself. For example, an anorexic person looks in the mirror and genuinly see's themselves as fat because the ego is distorting reality. Or, you lose your glasses, and every time you check the table, you don't see them because you BELIEVE that they are missing. (Finally you find them on the table -_- )

@cleft_asunder said:

@BarkingBaphomet said:

yep. it's those other people who are self important and disingenuous.

Yeah, that argument goes in circles. It's old-hat.

i wasn't presenting an argument. i was mocking you.

@mechajutaro said:

I want to add to your second point

That's a relief; for a second I was dreading you firing back with "well, now that you mention it..." in regards to that erotic dream featuring a neomorph. Seems I'm getting squeamish with age.

In the old days, movies were "self-contained" in the sense that they weren't made for the audience to be entertained, but rather for the audience to FORGET they are the audience and to be immersed in the world.

Do share your sources for the above, as I must confess, I've never heard or read of this epoch in cinematic history prior to today.

(The Thing, Blade Runner) At what time did you ever feel that Blade Runner was acknowleging your existence? When did you feel it was speaking directly to YOU? The Force Awakens is CONSTANTLY acknowledging the audience unlike episodes 4-6.

You're likely to find me a bit of a killjoy here, cleft, as I found Force Awakens enjoyable in a straight-to-video-on a million dollar budget-kinda way; not a production I have any desire to sit through again, nonetheless amusing enough for that one showing. Haven't seen Blade Runner in a while and The Thing's most endearing and enduring components lie in the movie's appeal universal apprehensions: isolation, helplessness, estrangement and distrust, losing power over one's own body. This counts as acknowledging the audience's existence, methinks. Regarding your final two paragraphs, the notion of a "meditative audience" is something of an oxymoron, at least to my understanding of meditation. There's no mistaking an auditorium decked out in Dolby and 3D for a monastery in the Himalayan wilds, where all that's audible is the grasshopper at one's feet.

You're making me laugh dude. And I knew you were an old b_stard from the get-go.

I don't have time to reply right now, but I will give you a short reply soon. * cheers *

@cleft_asunder said:

Wow, so you guys saw all the problems with the film just like everyone else in the theatre. Congratulations, you're so special. I'm really getting tired of this narcissistic-style movie reviewing where a person goes to the theatre, expects to see certain things, then throws mini-fits throughout the film because it's not going the way they imagined. And while they are nitpicking the flaws, none of the good parts stick or matter. There's a reason these types of people DON'T end up enjoying enjoyable things; because they are full of it. A person who is full of it is going to be infatuated with the negative things in life. Glass half full, or glass half empty? I trust kids way better when it comes to movies like SW episodes 1-3 because they actually watch those films the way they are meant to be watched.

Sorry, this movie wasn't supposed to cure autism or cancer, it was meant to stir the imagination, which it did more than any movie I've seen since Prometheus. That's how Ridley makes movies; like a typical artist who is right-brain-dominant. He can see the forest, but details tend to fly past him. He's just not all that interested in why the crew landed 8km away from the signal, and why Walther wasn't sent intead of the crew. He SHOULD BE, no doubt, but he's not. Note: Btw, I think the reason the ship landed in the water was to avoid starting a fire. Yes, it's still stupid because what if there are pirahna-like fish in the water??

I see the same flaws you guys do but they don't ruin it for me because there's too much treasure here. The CGI on the aliens is often amateurish. It's like standards get established, then the standards are erased. How does this happen? Also... the part in the movie where the crew disperse in the citadel. One woman goes to... wash her face? Are you kidding me!? The neomorphs would throw your pysch into low morale, then into possible insanity. The black goo/spores/neomorph are so brutal and sinister, that even to describe them doesn't do them justice. The crew maintain composure too well, and I would have loved to see them breaking down over time instead.

Aside from that, I just loved it, especially the writing/dialogue, the flute scene, the payload dump on the engineers was crazy,; David meets neomorph, and the fight between David and Walther. I had a horrible nightmare about the neomorph. Maybe you didn't find it scary at all, but this is one of the most psychologically terrying movies since Oculous the The Shinning for me personally.

Hi troll

agreed i thought it was a great improvement. loved the first two acts, my only problem is the terrible third act.

@Vob Idem said:

@cleft_asunder said:

Wow, so you guys saw all the problems with the film just like everyone else in the theatre. Congratulations, you're so special. I'm really getting tired of this narcissistic-style movie reviewing where a person goes to the theatre, expects to see certain things, then throws mini-fits throughout the film because it's not going the way they imagined. And while they are nitpicking the flaws, none of the good parts stick or matter. There's a reason these types of people DON'T end up enjoying enjoyable things; because they are full of it. A person who is full of it is going to be infatuated with the negative things in life. Glass half full, or glass half empty? I trust kids way better when it comes to movies like SW episodes 1-3 because they actually watch those films the way they are meant to be watched.

Sorry, this movie wasn't supposed to cure autism or cancer, it was meant to stir the imagination, which it did more than any movie I've seen since Prometheus. That's how Ridley makes movies; like a typical artist who is right-brain-dominant. He can see the forest, but details tend to fly past him. He's just not all that interested in why the crew landed 8km away from the signal, and why Walther wasn't sent intead of the crew. He SHOULD BE, no doubt, but he's not. Note: Btw, I think the reason the ship landed in the water was to avoid starting a fire. Yes, it's still stupid because what if there are pirahna-like fish in the water??

I see the same flaws you guys do but they don't ruin it for me because there's too much treasure here. The CGI on the aliens is often amateurish. It's like standards get established, then the standards are erased. How does this happen? Also... the part in the movie where the crew disperse in the citadel. One woman goes to... wash her face? Are you kidding me!? The neomorphs would throw your pysch into low morale, then into possible insanity. The black goo/spores/neomorph are so brutal and sinister, that even to describe them doesn't do them justice. The crew maintain composure too well, and I would have loved to see them breaking down over time instead.

Aside from that, I just loved it, especially the writing/dialogue, the flute scene, the payload dump on the engineers was crazy,; David meets neomorph, and the fight between David and Walther. I had a horrible nightmare about the neomorph. Maybe you didn't find it scary at all, but this is one of the most psychologically terrying movies since Oculous the The Shinning for me personally.

Hi troll

It's my genuine opinion, fool.

I went in with very low expectations so I can't say I was too disappointed with it. As another poster pointed out I was entertained for the first two acts but I thought it really fell apart in the third act. I'd stay rank it as the 5th best film out of any movie with xenomorphs. It's still better than resurrection, and the two alien vs predator films.

Excellent film? Is this before or after you smoked the crack sir?

Alien: Covenant (2017) - 2.5 outta 5 stars

@cleft_asunder said:

... I'm really getting tired of this narcissistic-style movie reviewing where a person goes to the theatre, expects to see certain things, then throws mini-fits throughout the film because it's not going the way they imagined. And while they are nitpicking the flaws, none of the good parts stick or matter...

I concur... Fully

@cleft_asunder said:

Wow, so you guys saw all the problems with the film just like everyone else in the theatre. Congratulations, you're so special. I'm really getting tired of this narcissistic-style movie reviewing where a person goes to the theatre, expects to see certain things, then throws mini-fits throughout the film because it's not going the way they imagined. And while they are nitpicking the flaws, none of the good parts stick or matter. There's a reason these types of people DON'T end up enjoying enjoyable things; because they are full of it. A person who is full of it is going to be infatuated with the negative things in life. Glass half full, or glass half empty? I trust kids way better when it comes to movies like SW episodes 1-3 because they actually watch those films the way they are meant to be watched.

Sorry, this movie wasn't supposed to cure autism or cancer, it was meant to stir the imagination, which it did more than any movie I've seen since Prometheus. That's how Ridley makes movies; like a typical artist who is right-brain-dominant. He can see the forest, but details tend to fly past him. He's just not all that interested in why the crew landed 8km away from the signal, and why Walther wasn't sent intead of the crew. He SHOULD BE, no doubt, but he's not. Note: Btw, I think the reason the ship landed in the water was to avoid starting a fire. Yes, it's still stupid because what if there are pirahna-like fish in the water??

I see the same flaws you guys do but they don't ruin it for me because there's too much treasure here. The CGI on the aliens is often amateurish. It's like standards get established, then the standards are erased. How does this happen? Also... the part in the movie where the crew disperse in the citadel. One woman goes to... wash her face? Are you kidding me!? The neomorphs would throw your pysch into low morale, then into possible insanity. The black goo/spores/neomorph are so brutal and sinister, that even to describe them doesn't do them justice. The crew maintain composure too well, and I would have loved to see them breaking down over time instead.

Aside from that, I just loved it, especially the writing/dialogue, the flute scene, the payload dump on the engineers was crazy,; David meets neomorph, and the fight between David and Walther. I had a horrible nightmare about the neomorph. Maybe you didn't find it scary at all, but this is one of the most psychologically terrying movies since Oculous the The Shinning for me personally.

You forgot to add /s for sarcasm. I really really wanted this movie to be good, but them doing the exact same dumb shiat as Prometheus, lost it for me. High school drop out would've done the crap they did in both movies.