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Alex B.
Watched The Brothers Bloom and liked it a lot. I venture to say I enjoyed it more than Brick, which is the movie everyone wets their pants about.
[Movies] Talk about the last movie you saw 2: Electric Threadaloo
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Philosopher B.
My rad-tastic awesome-possum teach in TV History and Appreciation II showed us Steven Spielberg's first film (made-for-TV) Duel (1971). It was a very sparse, simplistic movie, but very well set up and shot. The sense of bestial personality that the big-rig villain was imbued with was particularly effective, as were the constant cat-and-mouse games between the mysterious driver and the mustachioed protagonist. I liked that David Mann's inner thoughts cropped up but intermittently; the silence (but for the hum and roar of car engines and the occasional radio blather) heightened the infuriating sense of futility that built throughout the movie. I also fucking loved
I think I read somewhere that Spielberg dismisses any complicated interpretations of the story, although theme-wise, it did have a few obvious things cooking, such as masculinity and the 'modern man', as seen in Mann's insecurity and general inability to stand up for himself , especially physically. Yet it's funny because at the same time, he has a sort of rabbity indignant quality about him.
I can see how it might bore some people a bit, but I enjoyed it.
that no one came back up the hill after the truck/driver went over. I kept expecting it to happen at any moment ... but instead, Mann just sat there numbly, basking in his horrible brush with the 'jungle'.
I think I read somewhere that Spielberg dismisses any complicated interpretations of the story, although theme-wise, it did have a few obvious things cooking, such as masculinity and the 'modern man', as seen in Mann's insecurity and general inability to stand up for himself , especially physically. Yet it's funny because at the same time, he has a sort of rabbity indignant quality about him.
I can see how it might bore some people a bit, but I enjoyed it.
Princess and the Frog: Great Disney film. It's good to see them working with 2D again and showing us they can still get it right.
Emperor's New Groove: After we watched Princess and the frog we compared it to other great Disney flicks such as New Groove. A friend who was with us admitted to never seeing it so we gave him the opportunity.
Emperor's New Groove: After we watched Princess and the frog we compared it to other great Disney flicks such as New Groove. A friend who was with us admitted to never seeing it so we gave him the opportunity.
Watched Princess and the Frog. Found the music entirely forgettable save for "Friends on the Other Side" and most of the characters are stupidly boring save for the Shadow Man. I didn't hate it, but it's definitely nothing to write home about. The animation is pretty, but it felt like there were a lot of 3D cheats used where it wasn't necessary, like the minced food or magazines, and that kinda took me out of the movie.
New Moon: First, in examining the movie... piece of ass, though not as assy as the first one, mainly because Edward was absent for more than half of it. Now if only Bella could be absent too, there might be a decent movie here. It amazes me that you could pick almost any secondary character (besides the school friends) and you'd find someone more interesting than the main characters. It's like a bunch of people with interesting personalities were written, and then the story decided to focus on wallpaper.
Also, Bella is an utter bitch. True, she warned wolfy that she wasn't interested... but then instead of acting like that later, she leads him on. Even when he tells her he could snap and claw her face off (and the movie doesn't let us forget how obsessed Bella is about her looks), and that's really a perfectly valid point to say "You know what? I like you, but I can't deal with that", she continues leading him on, probably because the idea of being with a guy who can kill her easily at any moment turns her on.
I won't pick out all the plothole nonsense; Spoony picked it apart way better than I would. The soundtrack was something akin to demons wailing.
Now to review the reason we watched this dreck: The Rifftrax! It was fucking hilarious. Making fun of the characters' choices, their constant... needless... speech pauses, or Kristin Stewart's odd propensity to blink a mile a minute while talking, or even ripping the soundtrack a new one, the Rifftrax guys made this two hour slog enjoyable.
Also, Bella is an utter bitch. True, she warned wolfy that she wasn't interested... but then instead of acting like that later, she leads him on. Even when he tells her he could snap and claw her face off (and the movie doesn't let us forget how obsessed Bella is about her looks), and that's really a perfectly valid point to say "You know what? I like you, but I can't deal with that", she continues leading him on, probably because the idea of being with a guy who can kill her easily at any moment turns her on.
I won't pick out all the plothole nonsense; Spoony picked it apart way better than I would. The soundtrack was something akin to demons wailing.
Now to review the reason we watched this dreck: The Rifftrax! It was fucking hilarious. Making fun of the characters' choices, their constant... needless... speech pauses, or Kristin Stewart's odd propensity to blink a mile a minute while talking, or even ripping the soundtrack a new one, the Rifftrax guys made this two hour slog enjoyable.
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Philosopher B.
Really? I kinda wanna see it, if only because Craig Ferguson lent his vocals. :biggrin:
Yeah. I would give it three stars out of four. The story could have easily been cliche but it wasn't. The humor was versatile enough for both kids and adults. The soundtrack was mostly forgettable except for a few tracks. And Dreamworks kinda pushed the boundary on how badly injured a character can get.
My daughter was sick last night and I knew I would be spending a fair share of the night up with her so I wanted to pick up something from my local redbox.
I grabbed Justice Leadue: crisis on two earths. Bloody hell was I dissappointed in this. I'm not a huge comics fan (read very few and very rarely) but I have been known to sit down and watch cartoons with my little ones sometimes. Superman, Batman, Spider-man etc. But this was terrible I thought. I didn't think the voices went well with characters at all and the plot was rehashed from a hundred different sources.
In short, aside from those two things I didn't even care enough about it to actually pick it apart for faults.
I grabbed Justice Leadue: crisis on two earths. Bloody hell was I dissappointed in this. I'm not a huge comics fan (read very few and very rarely) but I have been known to sit down and watch cartoons with my little ones sometimes. Superman, Batman, Spider-man etc. But this was terrible I thought. I didn't think the voices went well with characters at all and the plot was rehashed from a hundred different sources.
In short, aside from those two things I didn't even care enough about it to actually pick it apart for faults.
Aw. Sorry to hear that, TN. I rather liked it a lot. Ah, well.
Sherlock Holmes
Damn good movie. Lots of fun and much more detective-orientated than the trailer made it out to be. As a wrestling fan, I totally marked out to see KURRGAN!! My only minor complaint is, as cool as see Holmes think fighting strategies in slow motion and then seeing that strategy in regular speed, there was no payoff to that bit. I was expecting him to use it one final time against, say, Kurrgan.
Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel
Don't laugh, please. I got it free from work and I kinda dug the first one. This was predictable and very kiddie-friendly, but oddly kinda fun. It got a couple of chuckles out of me and even one very hearty laugh, though I can't remember from what.
Out of the Past
I've recently realized that I effing love film noir. It could be due to the book that I'm writing, but I thought this interest was only in the last few years, with some books I've been reading. Thinking back, I realized how much I loved the film noir detective genre, even when I was younger. I loved the episode of Gargoyles when Broadway would dress up as a detective. Ditto for seeing the Ninja Turtles in trenchcoats, etc. Anyway, Out of the Past came as a recommendation out of a short essay about it in the comic book, Criminal. And goddamn it was awesome. So many great one-liners ("He couldn't find a prayer in the Bible") and surprisingly, a lot of really great camera work that I'd never seen before. For something done in the 40s, I was on the edge of my seat.
Sherlock Holmes
Damn good movie. Lots of fun and much more detective-orientated than the trailer made it out to be. As a wrestling fan, I totally marked out to see KURRGAN!! My only minor complaint is, as cool as see Holmes think fighting strategies in slow motion and then seeing that strategy in regular speed, there was no payoff to that bit. I was expecting him to use it one final time against, say, Kurrgan.
Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel
Don't laugh, please. I got it free from work and I kinda dug the first one. This was predictable and very kiddie-friendly, but oddly kinda fun. It got a couple of chuckles out of me and even one very hearty laugh, though I can't remember from what.
Out of the Past
I've recently realized that I effing love film noir. It could be due to the book that I'm writing, but I thought this interest was only in the last few years, with some books I've been reading. Thinking back, I realized how much I loved the film noir detective genre, even when I was younger. I loved the episode of Gargoyles when Broadway would dress up as a detective. Ditto for seeing the Ninja Turtles in trenchcoats, etc. Anyway, Out of the Past came as a recommendation out of a short essay about it in the comic book, Criminal. And goddamn it was awesome. So many great one-liners ("He couldn't find a prayer in the Bible") and surprisingly, a lot of really great camera work that I'd never seen before. For something done in the 40s, I was on the edge of my seat.
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Kitty Sinatra
Watched Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure yesterday. Holy Crap, it was better than I remembered it, and I remember liking it. It's just plain awesome goofy fun.
Once Upon a Crime: Eugene Levy directed Murder Mystery/Comedy with James Belushi, John Candy, and Richard Lewis. I admit I watched it hoping for something a bit better than an "ok" movie. Don't even felt I got that out of it. There were a few good lines, but otherwise it was pretty lame for a Murder Mystery. It's one of those ones where every main character is innocent of the crime because they are all elsewhere when it happens (and you already know this watching the film), and the true criminal is someone who was literally on screen for less than a minute. Stick with Clue or Radioland Murders.
I rented StarQuest: the odyssey. I haven't watched it yet but deciding that I really didn't know anything about this movie I sought out some reviews on the net. apparently this is supposed to be one of the biggest flaming piles of turd ever to grace a dvd player and it's entirely possible my brain will melt and pour forth from my ears and nose should i watch it.
Now I'm perversely curious. Should I not return let these be my final words and you all shall know what has happened to me.
Now I'm perversely curious. Should I not return let these be my final words and you all shall know what has happened to me.
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Philosopher B.
The last movie I watched was Rashomon (1950). The more Kurosawa films I see, the more I am in awe of the man's cinematic mastery. The sweet visual style, coupled with the manner in which the story was told, came together to form a very powerful and compelling film.
Toshirō Mifune was, as always, doing his thing and was a delight to watch, though I'd say my favorite perfomance I've seen by him so far would be that of Seven Samurai.
There was also this one scene which kind of took me aback in the movie a bit, during which a dead man spoke to the court via a crazed-looking medium woman. It actually reminded me strongly of something out of a Sam Raimi movie - though of course it obviously predated Raimi's writhing demons by decades.
The only quibble I had, and this is a mere trifle of a thing, would be some of the acting of the female lead. I know what Kurusawa generally shot for with his actors, and am used to his films, but something about the way she hiccuped after every peeling laugh had me wanting to tear my hair out.
Other than that, 'twas an awesome experience.
Kurosawa fuckin' rocks.
Toshirō Mifune was, as always, doing his thing and was a delight to watch, though I'd say my favorite perfomance I've seen by him so far would be that of Seven Samurai.
There was also this one scene which kind of took me aback in the movie a bit, during which a dead man spoke to the court via a crazed-looking medium woman. It actually reminded me strongly of something out of a Sam Raimi movie - though of course it obviously predated Raimi's writhing demons by decades.
The only quibble I had, and this is a mere trifle of a thing, would be some of the acting of the female lead. I know what Kurusawa generally shot for with his actors, and am used to his films, but something about the way she hiccuped after every peeling laugh had me wanting to tear my hair out.
Other than that, 'twas an awesome experience.
Kurosawa fuckin' rocks.
That's not how I remembered it.
Moon - purchased this on the recommendations of people on this very board and was not disappointed. Very good movie. You really get the feeling of Sam's isolation and his desperation at what is going on. i don't want to spoil anything, so I'll put the rest in tags.
Very good movie and I would have loved to see it in the theaters, but don't remember hearing about it until the posts on the forum.
The two most poignant scenes for me was first when the First Sam simply wants to shake the hand of the Second Sam to prove to himself that he isn't seeing things. Really underscores how lonely he is and what he's been going through. Second one was, of course, the call to his home on Earth and speaking with his daughter. He finds out she is much older and his wife is dead. It is the destruction of that last little piece that tells him everything is ok, he's the real Sam, and this is all a big joke or elaborate hallucination. After that, he is very changed, he knows his fate.
Gerty was interesting. Initially, he was working with the company to keep things running smoothly, but eventually switched sides to help Sam. The only clear motive for doing so was that his programming indicated for him to help Sam. So Gerty obviously has some advanced logic programming in order to operate independently and make decisions like that.
Gerty was interesting. Initially, he was working with the company to keep things running smoothly, but eventually switched sides to help Sam. The only clear motive for doing so was that his programming indicated for him to help Sam. So Gerty obviously has some advanced logic programming in order to operate independently and make decisions like that.
Very good movie and I would have loved to see it in the theaters, but don't remember hearing about it until the posts on the forum.
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Philosopher B.
That's not how I remembered it.[/QUOTE]
Hiccuping might not be the right word for it. It was in a scene near the end when she went ape on the dudes. Though I did like the overall implications of that scene.
Clash of the Titans (2010)
Overall I would describe this film as standard, run-of-the-mill fantasy fare, with little about it to excite aside from the special effects, which alone do not a good movie make. The script must have been very brief, as it seemed to exist solely to get the characters to the next scene in which something very large tried to end their shit. To be frank, I do not like Sam Worthington as a lead. There's just nothing about him that excites me in any way, and he spent the movie smoldering vaguely. Also, on occasion he made it sound as though he were still in Australia, not Greece.
I am glad I didn't pay to see it in 3D. I can think of no compelling reason to see an hour and a half of Sam Worthington's fuzzy head coming right at me.
Did he act like a tool? Because Perseus is really a tool. God of War II got him completely, utterly right. "I am the hero, Perseus!" is his attitude.
Where the Wild Things Are: I knew this wasn't a plot movie really, and Julie says I should've let her know that beforehand. She didn't care for it. I enjoyed it, from the weird kid logic used between Max and the monsters, to how very stream of consciousness it felt (and sounded). There's a looot of subtext going on in this and someday I'll have to watch it again. I enjoyed it and found it really interesting.
Where the Wild Things Are: I knew this wasn't a plot movie really, and Julie says I should've let her know that beforehand. She didn't care for it. I enjoyed it, from the weird kid logic used between Max and the monsters, to how very stream of consciousness it felt (and sounded). There's a looot of subtext going on in this and someday I'll have to watch it again. I enjoyed it and found it really interesting.
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Kitty Sinatra
Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day
Man, I don't know. This just wasn't as hilarious or ridiculous as I thought it would be. Probably because one of the plots revolved around the cliche of the businessman trying to con the little guys out of their land. And once Mr Leahy got drunk, the whole thing kinda devolved into a mess. Oh well.
Best line of the movie comes at the end when Bubbles is talking about the SPCA chick.
Suggested (Obvious) Drinking Game: Every time Julian takes a drink, take a drink.
. . . any non-Canuck have any idea what I'm talking aboot?
Man, I don't know. This just wasn't as hilarious or ridiculous as I thought it would be. Probably because one of the plots revolved around the cliche of the businessman trying to con the little guys out of their land. And once Mr Leahy got drunk, the whole thing kinda devolved into a mess. Oh well.
Best line of the movie comes at the end when Bubbles is talking about the SPCA chick.
Suggested (Obvious) Drinking Game: Every time Julian takes a drink, take a drink.
. . . any non-Canuck have any idea what I'm talking aboot?
It was a groundbreaking movie when it came out. It was also at a time when Hollywood Sci-Fi movies were actual Sci-Fi stories.
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Philosopher B.
Kinda wish I'd gone to see that instead of Clash.How to train your dragon
You can totally tell that the boy's dragon was modeled after Stitch.He's so adorable. This movie was funny, moving, and visually lovely. I left the theatre feeling very happy.
Cajungal
Staff member
Kinda wish I'd gone to see that instead of Clash.[/QUOTE]How to train your dragon
You can totally tell that the boy's dragon was modeled after Stitch.
You should see that next! It was delightful.
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Steven Soderburgin
Mother is the marvelous new film from the incredibly talented South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho (The Host, Memories of Murder). It follows a widowed mother as she attempts to prove her son's innocence in the murder of a young girl. In the hands of a less interesting and less talented filmmaker, this set up would result in a mediocre, cliche-ridden thriller. But Bong Joon-ho is not a conventional filmmaker, and this is not a conventional film.
As it begins, we see the unnamed mother cutting herbs and watching her son through the doorway of her apothecary. She sells herbal remedies and does unlicensed acupuncture on the side to make ends meet and take care of her forgetful and naive 27 year-old son Do-joon. He is outside talking with his friend Jin-tae, a man she clearly doesn't like or trust for reasons which may or may not become apparent later. A look of intense concern is on her face as she watches them and inattentively chops her herbs. Later, Do-joon drunkenly follows a young girl through a few alleyways and the next morning she is found dead. Do-joon is swiftly arrested after a golf with his name on it is found at the scene and the case is closed. His mother knows he is innocent. He is her entire life and her reason for living. Her son doesn't remember what happened that night, so it's up to her to prove that someone else committed the murder and framed him. As the story progresses in delightfully unexpected ways, we learn more about all three of these characters, the murdered girl, and the community they inhabit.
The character of the mother is intensely devoted to her son. She is played with ferocity by Kim Hye-ja. Her performance is incredible here, full of intense emotion and deep subtlety. Bong Joon-ho clearly knows what a talent he has, as he lovingly frames her expressive face to capture every nuance of her performance, and there is a goldmine to explore.
This is a difficult film to pin down, but an endlessly fascinating one. As Bong Joon-ho's previous films, Mother melds several genres and toys with different elements in each of them. The remarkably talented filmmaker weaves comedy and suspense masterfully through a beguiling and wildly inventive tale about family and guilt. It's an unmissable film from one today's most intriguing filmmakers.
As it begins, we see the unnamed mother cutting herbs and watching her son through the doorway of her apothecary. She sells herbal remedies and does unlicensed acupuncture on the side to make ends meet and take care of her forgetful and naive 27 year-old son Do-joon. He is outside talking with his friend Jin-tae, a man she clearly doesn't like or trust for reasons which may or may not become apparent later. A look of intense concern is on her face as she watches them and inattentively chops her herbs. Later, Do-joon drunkenly follows a young girl through a few alleyways and the next morning she is found dead. Do-joon is swiftly arrested after a golf with his name on it is found at the scene and the case is closed. His mother knows he is innocent. He is her entire life and her reason for living. Her son doesn't remember what happened that night, so it's up to her to prove that someone else committed the murder and framed him. As the story progresses in delightfully unexpected ways, we learn more about all three of these characters, the murdered girl, and the community they inhabit.
The character of the mother is intensely devoted to her son. She is played with ferocity by Kim Hye-ja. Her performance is incredible here, full of intense emotion and deep subtlety. Bong Joon-ho clearly knows what a talent he has, as he lovingly frames her expressive face to capture every nuance of her performance, and there is a goldmine to explore.
This is a difficult film to pin down, but an endlessly fascinating one. As Bong Joon-ho's previous films, Mother melds several genres and toys with different elements in each of them. The remarkably talented filmmaker weaves comedy and suspense masterfully through a beguiling and wildly inventive tale about family and guilt. It's an unmissable film from one today's most intriguing filmmakers.
Guess I forgot to post I saw How To Train Your Dragon. I really enjoyed it. For once the characters feel more like people and less like generic archetypes, and Toothless (the dragon) is adorable and hilarious. The music fits and doesn't just feel like background noise, the character design is great, the dragon design is a new take on the usual idea (instead of color dictating the dragon's temperament/powers, the breed does), and some of the shots are just gorgeous. This is easily DreamWorks' best CG film to date.
I saw Gommorrah. It was pretty depressing and powerful, and well-acted. But still, just a little bit as a sprawling crime epic, it felt a little paint-by-numbers/stuff I've already seen before.
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Philosopher B.
Adventureland
'Twas a laidback, well-written and fairly amusing little film. Plus it had Lou Reed songs. Which is totally rad. I personally would've utilized Bill Hader a bit more, but other than that I have no complaints.
It was kind of funny, though. I relaxed and watched the movie and had a good time, and afterwards, I was just casually looking over the back of the DVD case, when I saw it was rated R. I was like 'Wait, what?!' Then someone pointed out to me that the movie had multiple uses of the 'F' word and a sh!tload of weed. Lol, I find that sort of thing so inoffensive I barely thought about it.
'Twas a laidback, well-written and fairly amusing little film. Plus it had Lou Reed songs. Which is totally rad. I personally would've utilized Bill Hader a bit more, but other than that I have no complaints.
It was kind of funny, though. I relaxed and watched the movie and had a good time, and afterwards, I was just casually looking over the back of the DVD case, when I saw it was rated R. I was like 'Wait, what?!' Then someone pointed out to me that the movie had multiple uses of the 'F' word and a sh!tload of weed. Lol, I find that sort of thing so inoffensive I barely thought about it.