Movie Review Thread

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Define "great movie".

[seireikhaan]

Martok, thank you! 300 was an abomination to history. I suppose its a fitting title to the movie, as it completely ignores everything and everyone who had an important role in the battle other than Persia and the Spartans. It is completely biased towards the Spartans. It never shows any of the Spartans's slaves, it never mentions that Athens helped burn the Persian city of Sardis to the ground, it makes Xerxes look like a pompous, effeminate fool, the whole grounds for the movie are mistaken. Persia's first and biggest target was Athens, not Sparta.

It also gives no credit to the Athenian effort to the battle, if not for their navy, Leonidas would have been crushed on two sides. In fact, the only mention of Athens in the entire movie was Leonidas calling them petophiles. It also doesn't give Persia any credit at all during the whole film, other than having a large army. Persia's main land force didn't arrive via navy, they built a pontoon bridge ACROSS the one MILE bosphorus to carry their army across. Persia was smart, their army was just not designed for the mountain pass like Thermopylae. Also, Greek armor consisted of, well, actual armor, not just a cape, helmet, and leather bikini bottom. Lastly, limbs simply do not slice off that cleanly, the movie actually should have been bloodier than it was. Also, since I like to be a bit of a prick about historical movies, I would also like to point out that the Persian cavalry was using stirrups, which weren't invented yet. There were still more errors, but I'm trying to cut this short, and I also won't point out the obviously wrong aspects that nearly everyone else should be able to figure out.

Although, if you look at it without knowing much about the event, the movie is sort of entertaining, which is the whole point of the movie industry, I suppose. However, I was simply too furious with the biased and inaccurate representations made to enjoy it.

[ajaxfetish]

My most recent forays to the cinema:

Casino Royale
Quite possibly my favorite Bond movie to date. It's much grittier than the average Bond flick, and is a separate beginning rather than a continuation of the series, so could potentially upset some loyal fans. A free running chase scene early in the film is one of the most gripping and original chase scenes I've seen in a long time, and the shower scene is the single manliest moment I've ever seen in a Bond movie. That won my respect. My biggest gripe: the movie continues for about another half hour after the main story arc winds to a close. Throughout that portion it's uncertain how much longer it will go on. Somewhat anticlimactic and confusing from a literary perspective.

Stranger than Fiction
I'm not a big follower of Will Farrell, and generally avoid movies that include him, but here in his first fairly serious role he does a fantastic job. The characters are believable and invite empathy, the concept is fairly original, there are some very amusing lines (especially for a borderline literature geek like me), and the overall feeling of the movie is somewhat mournful, somewhat comic, and surprisingly satisfying.

Ajax

[seireikhaan]

Ajaxfetish, I would agree with most of what you said about Casino Royale. I thought it was very good up until about the last twenty or so minutes. I would also like to point out that it hurt just to watch that torture scene, that was brutal. If you haven't seen it yet, just let me say that it was probably one of the most painful things you could ever do to a man.

[CountArach]

V for Vendetta - I really like this film. A chilling look at a potential future. Very much for those who enjoy the whole dystopic view of humanity's future. What you would expect if you had Huxley or Well's movies turned into a movie.

[sapi]

V for Vendetta isn't perfect but is a damn good movie :thumbsup:

[Fragony]

V for Vendetta - I really like this film. A chilling look at a potential future. Very much for those who enjoy the whole dystopic view of humanity's future. What you would expect if you had Huxley or Well's movies turned into a movie.

A shame the main character was the least interesting character of the movie, that's a pretty big nono for this genre.

The good sheperd: kewl, more espionage goodness, with the obligitory Matt Damon who is once again excellent. But if I was the head of the CIA, and my son looked me in the eyes like that with that sad 'please hugsie time' he might just get an accident or a sex-change.

[pevergreen]

V for Vendetta was awsome! :2thumbsup:

Saw Thank you for Smoking. Very funny.

BTW if anyone wants a movie reviewed, its the holidays here, and i work in a video store.

[Soulforged]

A shame the main character was the least interesting character of the movie, that's a pretty big nono for this genre.
Agree there. I think that the main problem with the movie is that the main character doesn't play as an human, he plays as a force of reckoning stripped from all human weaknesses and desires, he is just that Revenge. This forces the scripters to face the story from the point of view of the woman who accidentally stumbles into his life, depraving the rest of the story of any real insight on the person of V.

Solyaris(Solaris)
Andrei Tarkovsky (Russian)
with Donatas Banionis and Natalya Bondarchuk
209 minutes
1972
Original language: Russian
Score 8.5 out of 10

You've probably seen the remake of this movie by now, directed by Soderbergh and starring George Clooney (on 2002). And if you're like me you also probably have been sucked in by the unpenetrable of the subject.

Kelvin has to make a travel to the Solaris space station, located on orbit around the planet called Solaris, after a long conversation with Burton who claims rare things are happening in the station, probably produced by the Solaristic sea wich is composed of a rare and unnamed matter. Once on the station he finds two scientists on the edge and one friend dead (who supposedly commited suicide). One of them tells him to not be afraid of the things he would see. After that we begin to see that the station is a mess, there's parts hanging and thrown all over the place, a lot of things out of place and then what we think, at first, are visions. Later we find that this are not visions, they are materializations of the memories of the inhabitants of the station, it seems that after bombarding the sea with X-Ray, the sea reacted (as a thinking substance) by probing the inhabitants with its own "tricks", and their memories became real.

Andrei Tarkovsky (1932-1986), persued and exiled by the communist regime, never attached himself to any rules of the material life, he tried to look deeper, tried to find meaning in simplier things wich are hard to understand, not because they're complex, but exactly because they seem to simple to be true. All of Trakovsky's movies are completely separated from anything resembling a good pace, and this is part of his method, he makes long shots of single scenes, analyzing the shadows, the lights and the forms with unforgivable meticulousity, but he isn't telling you anything with this, the insight is made refering to the previous scenes, he only gives you time to make it with incredible long scenes with no script, only the same image over and over. There's one scene that I found hard to believe because of its lenght, it covers almost 20 minutes of movie showing us the travel of a car through a highway, but what's important is what happened before it. Every scene, composed by image and conversation, is very important on its own. Everything needs to be contemplated and comprehended to enjoy the movie.

The special effects are nothing major today, but the director still gets a good image with a low budget, even when graphic quality is not what he's after. At the end of the movie the effects are used to show what's that truth that the director is trying to show us, insinuated all along the script. The main character, Chris Kelvin, is a psicologist, who's so attached to his scientifical convictions that, even if we don't feel bad for him, when he falls from reason to passion we fall with him.

In the end this movie will make you question a lot of things, not exactly reality, but it will make you doubt of how you see reality, even if it's in the most basics of aspects: What's an human relationship? But still it doesn't get a full score because it could have used a little more pace, and some things could have been cut out. This is a mistake that Soderbergh tries to overcome, and finally achieves, unfortunatelly it loses a part of its ambition too.

[doc_bean]

A shame the main character was the least interesting character of the movie, that's a pretty big nono for this genre.


I liked that the main character was barely human, it made the movie 'stand out' imo.

As for 300, I could barely contain my laughter when I saw a small preview clip or the movie posters that are all over my train station. It looks like either an adolescent fantasy or homosexual subtext gone horribly wrong, possibly both. I might rent it for a laugh.

[Geoffrey S]

Not certain if I've mentioned Children of Men, but I shall now. Brilliant film, stunningly shot, and absolutely haunting. Rarely have I seen a film containing so little hope that I was at the edge of my seat for every bit that presented itself. Clive Owen proves that he can act, as do all other actors and in particular Michael Caine (yet again, after The Prestige).

A shame the same can't be said for Paycheck. I presume Affleck, Thurman and Woo got a big one, because no money went into the script or anything else. Thoroughly boring.

[CountArach]

A shame the main character was the least interesting character of the movie, that's a pretty big nono for this genre.

I don't know. I sort of liked it.However, it didn't leave much room for character development, I will admit that.

[The Spartan (Returns)]

My most recent forays to the cinema:

Casino Royale
Quite possibly my favorite Bond movie to date. It's much grittier than the average Bond flick, and is a separate beginning rather than a continuation of the series, so could potentially upset some loyal fans. A free running chase scene early in the film is one of the most gripping and original chase scenes I've seen in a long time, and the shower scene is the single manliest moment I've ever seen in a Bond movie. That won my respect. My biggest gripe: the movie continues for about another half hour after the main story arc winds to a close. Throughout that portion it's uncertain how much longer it will go on. Somewhat anticlimactic and confusing from a literary perspective.

Ajax
i just saw it, it was great totally agree you there.

[doc_bean]

Little Miss Sunshine: funniest road movie/disfunctional family movie in ages, see it !

:2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup:

[sapi]

Just saw Hot Fuzz

It's well worth a look :yes:

[nokhor]

Solyaris(Solaris)
Andrei Tarkovsky (Russian)
with Donatas Banionis and Natalya Bondarchuk
209 minutes
1972
Original language: Russian
Score 8.5 out of 10

You've probably seen the remake of this movie by now, directed by Soderbergh and starring George Clooney (on 2002). And if you're like me you also probably have been sucked in by the unpenetrable of the subject.

In the end this movie will make you question a lot of things, not exactly reality, but it will make you doubt of how you see reality, even if it's in the most basics of aspects: What's an human relationship? But still it doesn't get a full score because it could have used a little more pace, and some things could have been cut out. This is a mistake that Soderbergh tries to overcome, and finally achieves, unfortunatelly it loses a part of its ambition too.


i saw the original solaris about a year ago. i dislike slow paced movies unless there's some witty dialogue going on, and i dislike mood movies if the whole point of a movie is to evoke a certain emotion. nothing wrong with those types of movies, just personal preference. i liked the mystery aspect of the movie in terms of bondarchuk's reappearances and what exactly is going on down there on solaris as well as the station, but the dialogue and those long shots just bored me. and then there's the things like the rain inside the house which i guess is part of russian religious cinematography, but if i have to research russian religious cinematography to understand why its raining inside of the house, then the movie kinda loses some of its appeal to me. in conclusion, i am glad i saw it, but i would never want to watch it again. not necessarily because it's bad, but rather because it's not my type of movie.

[Soulforged]

i saw the original solaris about a year ago. i dislike slow paced movies unless there's some witty dialogue going on, and i dislike mood movies if the whole point of a movie is to evoke a certain emotion. nothing wrong with those types of movies, just personal preference. i liked the mystery aspect of the movie in terms of bondarchuk's reappearances and what exactly is going on down there on solaris as well as the station, but the dialogue and those long shots just bored me. and then there's the things like the rain inside the house which i guess is part of russian religious cinematography, but if i have to research russian religious cinematography to understand why its raining inside of the house, then the movie kinda loses some of its appeal to me. in conclusion, i am glad i saw it, but i would never want to watch it again. not necessarily because it's bad, but rather because it's not my type of movie.
That's exactly why it looses some points: pace. However the philosophic value of the movie is undeniable, not only because it exists, but because it persists. Are you going to tell me that you could erase this movie completely from your mind? I certainly couldn't, it arises strong questions and the final scene is one of the most powerful ever made.

[Puzz3D]

That's exactly why it looses some points: pace. However the philosophic value of the movie is undeniable, not only because it exists, but because it persists. Are you going to tell me that you could erase this movie completely from your mind? I certainly couldn't, it arises strong questions and the final scene is one of the most powerful ever made.
I saw Solyaris in 1972 during its theatrical release, and it has stayed with me all these years. I recently saw Avalon (2001) which is another film that explores the boundary between dream and reality. Both films are slow paced. I don't see that as a problem in a contemplative film.

[Soulforged]

I saw Solyaris in 1972 during its theatrical release, and it has stayed with me all these years. I recently saw Avalon (2001) which is another film that explores the boundary between dream and reality. Both films are slow paced. I don't see that as a problem in a contemplative film.
Yes but it has an excess of slow pace, long scenes without nothing in particular, 20 minutes long, is no kosher. Contemplative films need them to allow the viewer to understand what just happened, but when there's an excess it also serves to bore the public, wich is not something you want. And by the way I'll try to see Avalon, wasn't that an anime project?

[Puzz3D]

And by the way I'll try to see Avalon, wasn't that an anime project?
Avalon (2001) also known as Gate to Avalon directed by Mamoru Oshii is a fantasy/sci-fi/drama which explores the boundary between reality and virtual reality, and between individual effort and teamwork. Oshii has done anime films such as Ghost in the Shell which explore boundaries, but in Avalon he uses live actors. I've seen this picture 5 times, and I noticed new things each time. I find it thought provoking, but it is slow paced.

[nokhor]

That's exactly why it looses some points: pace. However the philosophic value of the movie is undeniable, not only because it exists, but because it persists. Are you going to tell me that you could erase this movie completely from your mind? I certainly couldn't, it arises strong questions and the final scene is one of the most powerful ever made.


no, the movie certainly sticks in my mind, i will give it that. and i can see why it is often compared to '2001'. both movies came out around the same time and while nominally sci-fi about human-alien exchange are really about the human condition and what it means to be human.

that being said though, i hated the ambiguity of the ending of 2001. it's a pretty linear film until the ending where it just veers off. to me the ending of 2001 would have fit in something like 'a clockwork orange' or a david lynch film, it seemed way out of character for the rest of '2001.'

[Puzz3D]

that being said though, i hated the ambiguity of the ending of 2001. it's a pretty linear film until the ending where it just veers off.'
It's still linear, but the ending is symbolic of the death of the Homo Sapien species along the path of evolution as well as the death of each individual along that path. The middle part of the film is about the threat of man's technology to cause his own extinction. The moving part of the film is that if man does loose control of his technology and become extinct then the star child will never be born, and that after millions of years of the evolution of life originating on Earth, that star child is still an infant in evolutionary terms.

[Fragony]

Hard Candy, dear god, but you go girl! Brilliantly acted, great story, great idea.

[Alexanderofmacedon]

Saw The Persuit of Happyness and I have to say it's a very good movie. Quite inspirational.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Grindhouse is the best movie ever made.

[naut]

Saw Hot Fuzz, it's rubbish. Did not laugh once.

300 was well weak (the movie not the men). The acting was poor and the dialogue worse. The script was like a potholed road, its going along fine one minute, and then they open their mouths and boom its like a slap in the face. Many of the scenes were downright ridiculous and looked fake, like the rhino and the opening scene with the horses. However, some of the cinematography was impressive, such as the oracle scene and the fighting.

All-in-all, rather average.

[Fragony]

Borat. Switched it of first time, think I wasn't in the mood.

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL that guy is nuts. I haven't laughed like this in a long time, the Kazachstan song at the rodeo, absolute genius, maybe not smart, but genius nonetheless. Bear in icekart, dear god, 5 minutes afterwards I was still out of breath. Who would do such a thing, hehe.

[sapi]

Whenever I think about Borat I can't stop myself thinking about how much funnier it'd be if you didn't know it was a joke :laugh4:

[Beirut]

The Good Shepherd

Not as good as I heard or as good as it could have been. Most of the movie is Matt Damon looking wide eyed, stone faced, and silent. If he got paid by the word, he would have made about $50 for the flic. Interesting at times, but way beneath the level that a movie with this much talent should be.

It's billed as the best spy movie ever made. Ummmm... not likely.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

The Ring: I had the impression it was some cheesy horror movie but it was quite well done. Really nice atmosphere and ending.

Deliverance: Great movie. I'm amazed that it was directed by the same guy who directed "emerald forest". Rednecks make really good villains.

[doc_bean]

The Aviator: a biogrpahy about someone who doesn't turn out to be all that interesting after all, and worsethan that, rather unlikable. Rarely more than simply entertaining, it does have two great scenes (hitting on the waitress and meeting the parents). The senate hearings toward the end feel rather unrealisitc (commitee chairmans do have some control over a hearing, I presume) and the weak explanation for the main characters insanity is well, weak.

It's not a bad movie, but I wouldn't recommed it.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Shooter: Fun action movie. Mark wahlberg does an excellent job. Ending was a bit tacked on but otherwise it was good.

Goodfellas: Saw this for the first time. Tremendous acting. I prefer movies where I can sympathize with the main characters a bit more, so I'd still say Donnie Brasco is a better mafia movie, but this was a good movie. I don't know why ray liotta didn't become a bigger star.

Zodiac: I don't think this worked well in movie form. There was nothing in the movie that couldn't have been done better in a book. Also, it followed real events which hurt it a lot in terms of keeping the story going.

Babel: Terrible. There's no point to this movie unless you can sympathize with the main characters, and how can you do that when almost all of them are retarded? I don't like movies where the main characters do stupid things.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie: an awesome introduction to a cult franchise. I'm going to watch all eleven (!!!) seasons of the TV shows now. Hi-freaking-larious.

[Soulforged]

Babel: Terrible. There's no point to this movie unless you can sympathize with the main characters, and how can you do that when almost all of them are retarded? I don't like movies where the main characters do stupid things.
I didn't see the movie, but the main subject of the director has always been real people'a life on a fiction. Real people do a lot of stupid things. Still you're perfectly on your rights to say that you didn't like it.

[econ21]

Just watched The Inside Man on TV, a heist movie by Spike Lee. It's an entertaining film - the plot is decent in a "how - dunnit" kind of way, although like the detective, I found it lacked closure. The acting is excellent - I could watch Denzil Washington, Jodie Foster and Willem Dafoe read a telephone directory, they are all so good. Thankfully, Spike Lee gave them much better material to work with - straighter than most of his trademark stuff, but with some characteristic touches (the angry Sikh mistaken for an Arab and stripped of his turban by the police).

Possibly the best part of the film though was the amazing Bollywood song that played on the credits, so good I chased it down on Youtube. The original:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMsv3MrbDcs

And in the opening sequence to the Inside Man:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4I477MP5VY

[Bijo]

[B]Goodfellas: Saw this for the first time. Tremendous acting. I prefer movies where I can sympathize with the main characters a bit more, so I'd still say Donnie Brasco is a better mafia movie, but this was a good movie. I don't know why ray liotta didn't become a bigger star.
That's a very good movie. I'd say one of the best mafia films around. I'd even say that movie is flawless in its execution.

[Geoffrey S]

Just watched The Inside Man on TV, a heist movie by Spike Lee. It's an entertaining film - the plot is decent in a "how - dunnit" kind of way, although like the detective, I found it lacked closure. The acting is excellent - I could watch Denzil Washington, Jodie Foster and Willem Dafoe read a telephone directory, they are all so good. Thankfully, Spike Lee gave them much better material to work with - straighter than most of his trademark stuff, but with some characteristic touches (the angry Sikh mistaken for an Arab and stripped of his turban by the police).

Possibly the best part of the film though was the amazing Bollywood song that played on the credits, so good I chased it down on Youtube. The original:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMsv3MrbDcs

And in the opening sequence to the Inside Man:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4I477MP5VY
I quite liked the movie. Clever things going on, but it was too drawn out and the end repeated too many things. The main revelation was made halfway the film, and there wasn't much more to add.

Agreed, the Bollywood song was brilliant. It has absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the movie but I loved it.

[scooter_the_shooter]

Babel: Terrible. There's no point to this movie unless you can sympathize with the main characters, and how can you do that when almost all of them are retarded? I don't like movies where the main characters do stupid things.


Gotta agree with ya here. The characters we are supposed to sympathize with are (SPOLIERS)


A creepy perverted arab kid who spies on his sister and has no concept of gun safety.

A slutty Japanese girl who is sad because she can't get laid. (she is the only one I would call retarded...I just wanted to punch her in the face the whole movie, it's a miracle she doesn't get raped)

Two parents who went to a crappy third world country for no reason....and left their kids with their Mexican nanny.


A Mexican nanny who takes her employers children to mexico without permission. And later on has them get into a car with a drunk driver....then to top it off she leaves them in the desert!


All the while the movie tries its best to make you like the characters who are just well...unlikeable. There were three good characters. Creepy arab kid's dad, and The children of the parents who went to a third world country.

[Quid]

Possibly the best part of the film though was the amazing Bollywood song that played on the credits, so good I chased it down on Youtube. The original:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMsv3MrbDcs

And in the opening sequence to the Inside Man:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4I477MP5VY

If you like musicals go and see Bombay Dreams (http://www.reallyuseful.com/rug/shows/bombaydreams/) by Andrew Lloyd Webber. One of the more enjoying ones I have seen. The song is also featured there.

Quid

[Crazed Rabbit]

Saw Hot Fuzz earlier today.

A hilarious, brilliant movie throughout. The humor is great - none of the lame toilet jokes that pass for comedy in so many movies today. I'm just sad he didn't use the FAL more.

CR

[doc_bean]

Taking Lives was on tv yesterday, I wish I hadn't watched it. Angelina Jolie is very hot in it though, but the plot manages to be both incredibly implausible and predictable, which isn't something you'd expect in a non Sci-Fi or fantasy movie.

[The Spartan (Returns)]

I saw 300. (did not want to post in dead 300 threads that no looks at anymore)

anyways i was actually impressed. i love the slow motion action. however after the Captain goes bloodrunk the action disappears which turns me off. did not like ending, it would be better if they fought to the death. the King would die (super-dramatize that part of course) and the Spartans would try to recover his body which leads to more Spartan deaths.

[Kralizec]

Zwartboek (Black Book) is the best WW2 film since Der Untergang, possibly even better. Watch it!

[doc_bean]

Adam's apples, a danish 'comedy', very dark, very politically incorrect, pretty absurd at times, very funny thoughout.

Highly recommended :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup:

[Fragony]

Zwartboek (Black Book) is the best WW2 film since Der Untergang, possibly even better. Watch it!

Now it's good but not that good, well produced and deliciously cynical it is though, and Carice van Houten is a sweety. :beam:

[econ21]

I saw Spiderman 3 recently with my family. I thought it was the worst of the three films, but not as bad as the critics said. The main failing IMO was the lack of humour and charm that graced the other films. (J Jonah Jameson provided a couple of belly laughs, as usual, but otherwise it was slim pickings). The film probably suffered from too much going on - 3 or maybe 4 villains. The "everyone has some good and some bad in them" message was perhaps meant to be adult and subtle, but was engineered by giving people motivations or changes in motivation that seemed trite and inadequate. The chap who acted the Sandman was very impressive, but not given enough to do. All that said, my family thought it the best film in the series.

The other film I watched recently was United 93, on the small screen. This surprised me, as it was much less a movie and more like a drama documentary. I think I read a while back that the air traffic control "actors" were the real deal, but if not, it felt like they were. They took up about half the film and were very believable, but mainly showed the chaos of 9/11. Nothing they portrayed had the power of the real TV coverage at the time - which was briefly included in the movie. (One of the ironies of the film was that the civil and military authorities had to watch CNN to figure what was going on.) The portrayal of the plight of the passengers also had a "cinema verite" feel to it, but did not have the emotional kick I was expecting from it. The brutality of the hijackers did provoke a predictable feeling of rage, however. I left the film rather more bellicose than I started with. Worth watching, if only to understand or remember why America thought it appropriate to call counter-terrorism in the wake of a 9/11 a "war on terror" (air traffic control closed US air space saying someone was at war with America and you could completely agree with that assessment of the situation).

[lancelot]

I too recently saw spidey 3 and was likewise dissapointed.

Now I know people with spider powers, flying gliders and octupus arms is unlikely- but a man made of sand...just too far out there for me.

And the truck full of sand...just a little too convenient. No explanation as to the meteor strike...generally weak storytelling really.

They should have made venom even more badass and dropped sandman completely- it felt cluttered after the harry fight and sandman and venom.

The scene with the jazz club piano playing...errrgh. Note to Rami- you cant put anything in a film and expect people to love it.

[seireikhaan]

I'd like to chip in on the Spidey topic as well. My biggest disappointment was the ending. I mean, jeez, I saw the ending coming about 10 minutes before it started, it was painfully predictable. My other problem was spidey. I mean, in the first fight with the sandman, he got mulched through about three or four buildings while still able to keep going and fight. How? He's spiderman, not a god. I also quickly tired of the running "jammed door" joke that they kept pushing the entire movie as well.

All in all, it wasn't a terrible movie, but it certainly wasn't impressive, especially compared to the first movie. One thing I really liked was the oh so brief cameo by Stan Lee in the beginning. I thought that was pretty nice.

[Fragony]

American soldiers, gawd terrible. Tasteless cash-in.

[Alexanderofmacedon]

I saw Munich rescently and it's AWSOME! I can't believe it took me so long to see.

And no nothing is better than Der Untergang

[Fragony]

I saw Munich rescently and it's AWSOME! I can't believe it took me so long to see.


Gawd the assasination of that girl in her houseboat, the most chilling murderscene ever. Excellent indeed.

[Conradus]

I have to agree with Fragony and Alexanderofmacedon, Munich is an excellent movie, Eric Bana and Spielberg at their best.

Yesterday I saw Lucky number Slevin, if you're in the mood it's a very funny movie and I love the way the plot turns.

[Fragony]

Owwwwww good movie, Capote. Despite it's slow pace it should have been longer, the moral dillema's intended don't quite cut it, Capote is an interesting character and they could have fleshed out his personallity some more imvho. Acting, fantastic, Seymor Hofmann is Capote, haven't seen someone being someone this good since Ben Kingsley was Ghandi. Sure as 100% about picking up the book, the few passages that are read at the presentation of his book had me more then a little interested.

[Puzz3D]

Letters from Iwo Jima (2006) directed by Clint Eastwood is an exceptionally well done war movie that presents the Battle of Iwo Jima fought in February 1945 from the Japanese perspective. Some of the characters are fictional, but the events all seem quite realistically portrayed. I would rank this with the best wars films that I've seen.

[Alexanderofmacedon]

Letters from Iwo Jima (2006) directed by Clint Eastwood is an exceptionally well done war movie that presents the Battle of Iwo Jima fought in February 1945 from the Japanese perspective. Some of the characters are fictional, but the events all seem quite realistically portrayed. I would rank this with the best wars films that I've seen.

Yes I have to buy this. I saw it in theaters and boy was it worth almost getting caught sneaking in plus about $12.00! :dizzy2: :laugh4: :2thumbsup:

[The Spartan (Returns)]

I saw Gandhi. this was a great movie that was worthy of its nine academy awards. i never seen such a great portrayal of the man in a film. (or i have ever seen)

[sapi]

I finally got around to watching Munich the other day. It's not a movie which I would say that I 'enjoyed', but it is one that I would definitely reccomend watching.

[Banquo's Ghost]

If you like gentle, uplifting films I can recommend "The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill and Came Down a Mountain".

It starts Hugh Grant, so those who have a visceral hatred of his bemused Englishman routine might do better to avoid, but in this case it fits. It's a wonderful story about the pride of a village in Wales, with a moving sub-text about the Great War.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

That's about the Garth, isn't it? In Taff's Well?

If I recall correctly, the residents there have gotten a bit annoyed at people disturbing the bronze ages burial mounds, which has been attributed to the film you speak of.

[Banquo's Ghost]

That's about the Garth, isn't it? In Taff's Well?

If I recall correctly, the residents there have gotten a bit annoyed at people disturbing the bronze ages burial mounds, which has been attributed to the film you speak of.

Yes, though in the film it's known as Ffynnon Garw. Like most locals, they may get annoyed but they don't seem to worry about separating the tourists from their cash on the back of that notoriety. :beam:

[Alexanderofmacedon]

w00t. My name lives on through the thread!

Does Chappelle season 2 count as a movie? It's really funny!

[Spino]

Letters from Iwo Jima - Decent film with some excellent performances. Overall I'd rate it as good but it is by no means great. It is certainly superior to 'Flags of our Fathers' which felt cliched and ham fisted (although Flags clearly sported a better plot). One thing about Letters that I took exception to was how poor it was at giving you a sense of time and the progression of the battle. On the other hand it did a pretty good job of letting you know just how miserable the Japanese defenders were once their situation progressed from bad to worse to hopeless. Letters also cemented my opinion that Eastwood is grossly overrated as a director.

Hot Fuzz - Comedy by the same team that created 'Shaun of the Dead'. A total send up of every single buddy cop film ever made (both good and bad) as well as every single film that ever featured a policeman as the protagonist. Hot Fuzz is also a general tribute to the action genre and gives nods to the Mad Max films, spaghetti westerns, cult flicks (they even spoof the original Wicker Man with Edward Woodward, who has a supporting role in Hot Fuzz). Hot Fuzz is not nearly as funny or tight (it felt a bit long) as Shaun of the Dead but it's funny enough to make it worth a look.

Pirates of the Caribbean 3 - Bloated, directionless and meandering. Easily the worst film of the trilogy. At one point it seemed as if the filmmakers were just writing the script as they went because it is all over the damn place. Just when you think the film is going to end it keeps going... and before long you'll wish it would just end. It's not all bad, there are funny moments and decent action sequences. The real highlights of the film are the two fantastic performances by Bill Nighy and Geoffrey Rush as well as a surprisingly decent but tragically brief appearance by Keith Richards who, in his two to three minutes of screentime, puts all of Mick Jagger's cinematic forays to shame. I also found the scenes with wee Jack the monkey to be hysterical... no surprise since I'm a sucker for monkey humor...

[Puzz3D]

Stay (2005) is a mystery/thriller by director Marc Forster which goes to such an extent to mislead the viewer that it's impossible to make sense of the movie. The plot is about a psychiatrist trying to prevent one of his patients from committing suicide, and the psychiatrist being confronted by increasingly illogical events. Once the camera switches to an objective viewpoint at the very end of the movie, the situation is clarified. I suppose you could watch the movie again and try to make sense out of the individual scenes, but this film is no Mulholland Drive and I wasn't inclined to watch it again.

[Warluster]

Recent movies i've seen:

Spider Man 3: Boo! I walked out of the theaters with this one! Crap storyline,crap characters,didn't build on Venom enough (what happened to the Venom rfrom the comics? The guy who rips out intestines?)

Pirates of the Carribean 3- great,awesome movie! Probably one of the best I've seen! (Other then Saving Private Ryan) I loved the starting bit in Singapore,great action there with some funny suprises, like the small gun guy.lol.

Flags of our Fathers - I actually saw this one a while ago, but still remember it, great movie, a mixutre of what happened at Iwo Jima and what it was like when they came home...

[nokhor]

the thing i disliked about spidey 3 is that the characters were forced to go through the same emotional developments that had gone through in the previous movies yet again. parker has to deal with the murder of uncle ben again. i swear for a guy that died in the first 15 minutes of the original movie, that actor is sure racking up the paychecks from movie to movie. we get to see boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl again between parker and mary jane. we get to see goblin jr. torn again between his loyalty to his daddy and his friendship with parker. it's like these characters are caught in a twillight zone-esque vortex of repeatable story arcs with just the settings being changed. the only thing i really liked about the movie was the character of ursula, the landlord's daughter, who we came across in the previous movie. she has such a huge crush on parker that she is oblivious to the fact that he is using her. she's just happy that it is her that he is using as opposed to anyone else. there is such an innocence and joy of life in her character that parker's negligence and disdain can't even put a dent in, like for example with the milk and cookies scene.

[Puzz3D]

Flags of our Fathers - I actually saw this one a while ago, but still remember it, great movie, a mixutre of what happened at Iwo Jima and what it was like when they came home...
I took my mother, who was 16 when the USA entered WWII, to see Flags of Our Fathers. After the movie, she said the film depicted the people on the home front better than any another film she has seen.

Scarface (1932) directed by Howard Hawks is an excellent crime film from the early 1930's that has finally been released on DVD. It was actually filmed in 1930 but its release delayed because of film board disapproval. Howard Hughes, the producer, eventually went ahead and released it in States that didn't have film review boards. This film along with The Public Enemy (1931) and Little Caesar (1931) set the standard for crime films for a long time afterwards. The film was remade in 1983 with Al Pachino. Loosely based on AL Capone and events in 1920's Chicago, it has a great performance by Paul Muni in the lead role, George Raft at his coldblooded gangster best in a secondary role and fine performances by the entire supporting cast. The film is well paced and has some interesting camera work as well. Watch for a symbolic X in scenes depicting a murder. A long montage sequence in the middle of the film depicting the gang warfare at its height is striking in its sustained violence.

[Gawain of Orkeny]

I saw Munich rescently and it's AWSOME! I can't believe it took me so long to see.


I have to agree with Fragony and Alexanderofmacedon, Munich is an excellent movie, Eric Bana and Spielberg at their best.


I thought it was the worst movie I saw all year. What a bunch of propaganda.

It shouldnt even be mentioned in the front room as its definetly back room material :)

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Wow I have to stop posting late at night :help: Munich was a great film I was thinking of Syriana

:oops: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall:

[Puzz3D]

28 Weeks Later (2007) is a sequel by a different director to the horror film 28 Days Later (2002). Stylistically it's similar to the first film, but this sequel doesn't have as good a plot, characters or acting, and it isn't as suspenseful either. The first 5 minutes is good if disorientating in the action scenes with the shaky, fast cutting, hand held camera of mostly closeups. An interesting moral dilemma is established in the first 5 minutes, but nothing comes of it except that the victim gets victimized again later by the same person! There are far too many implausable plot devices used to advance the story which in itself struck me as uninteresting. There are no sympathetic characters, and almost no character development. Disappointing in comparison to the first film.

[Crazed Rabbit]

Saw Smokin' Aces last night - a surprisingly good movie. I was expecting a predictable mindless action movie, but I got much more - a good plot, good character development and pace up to the hotel scenes that keep the tension up very well.

I saw Stranger Than Fiction a week ago - a good movie with a strong performance by Will Ferrell.

CR

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Scarface (1932) directed by Howard Hawks is an excellent crime film from the early 1930's that has finally been released on DVD. It was actually filmed in 1930 but its release delayed because of film board disapproval. Howard Hughes, the producer, eventually went ahead and released it in States that didn't have film review boards. This film along with The Public Enemy (1931) and Little Caesar (1931) s

Three of the greatest movies ever made. I love Cagney, Robinson and Bogart, their my favorite actors. They dont make movies like that anymore. Who cares if they were in B&W they are true works of art. Key Largo is another. And was Lauren Bacall smoking hot with Bogey in The Big Sleep?

http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/54/54_images/noir_faulkner_bigsleep.jpg

[Fragony]

Well finally saw 300. Not what I expected. Had a good time but was hoping for a testosteronfilled campfest, the kind of movie that makes you laugh.

[nokhor]

I liked Metropolis when i saw it about 10 years ago. silent movie. boy meet girl, different worlds, haves vs haves not. classic. and i could see the cinematic influence it spawned as a lot of stuff that was used in that movie for the first time has become commonplace now.

[Puzz3D]

They dont make movies like that anymore. Who cares if they were in B&W they are true works of art.
I wouldn't say Little Caesar is as good as Scarface or The Public Enemy. Apparently, Louise Brooks turned down the female lead in The Public Enemy which is most unfortunate. Edward G. Robinson did a couple of very good films noir, The Woman in the Window (1944) and Scarlett Street (1945) with Joan Bennet. She won an Academy Award for the film Sunrise (1927) which is a highly regarded silent film, but hard to get on DVD. Both films were directed by Fritz Lang who also did Metropolis (1927). Double Indemnity (1944), The Big Sleep (1946) and Out of the Past (1947) would be my favorite films noir, but I might be forgettng a couple of others.

I think B&W is actually preferable for the expressionistic, film noir and gothic horror film gendres. The characters tend to blend in with the surroundings and can easily disappear into or come out of the shadows. Some of these early crime films had film noir characteristics. For instance in Scarface, the opening shot is highly expressionistic in style, and later in the film the light coming through venitian blinds casting a shadow on the wall is clearly a metaphor for prision bars. This is 14 years before Billy Wilder used it in Double Indemnity (1944), which is considered to be the first and posibly the best film noir, as a metaphor for a character becoming trapped in a situation, and of course you see it all the time in later films noir.

Technically, B&W film has finer grain and more dynamic range than color film, and B&W cinematography was brought to a high level of artistic expression by the best of these cinematographers. These gendres can also be done well in color, but the art director has to do a lot of work in the color coordination of the sets to get the same effect.


"I killed him for money and for a woman. I didn't get the money... and I didn't get the woman."
Walter Neff - Double Indemnity

[Csargo]

SLC Punks. If you're a punk you have to see this movie

[Puzz3D]

The Painted Veil (2006) is a romantic drama, well directed by John Curran, that is set in China in 1925. It's based on the novel by W. Somerset Maugham, and is the 3rd time this story has been made into a movie. The film stars Naomi Watts and Edward Norton who together co-produced the film, and they turn in excellent performances in this character study of two people. The supporting actors are all very good, and the screen play, cinematography and music are all excellent as well.

[econ21]

Shaun of the Dead: the middle segment with the appearance of the zombies was one of the funniest things I have seen for a long time. For example, Shaun walking distractedly to the supermarket; throwing small objects at the zombies; sitting on the sofa and realising they had forgot to lock the front door; the various scenarios about rescuing the mother etc. It fizzled out a bit towards the end, when it seemed to be more like a real zombie movie than a comedy, but was pretty inspired up until then. The funniest bit for me was the step father switching the car music off.


Shaun (emphatic to mother): "There is absolutely nothing left of the man you loved in that car."

Zombifiied stepfather switches off the car music.

Shaun (brisk): "We should leave now."

[naut]

V For Vendetta. Enjoyed it, but Natalie Portman was average at best. Good action scenes, and the plot was solid.

I really liked how in the credits, it played extracts from Malcolm X's and Glora Steinem's speeches.

[Lord Winter]

The messengers A not so good horror movie, about a 3 year old that can see dead people. The plot was weak and it seemed like it was trying to hard to scare you from the begaining.

[Martok]

V For Vendetta. Enjoyed it, but Natalie Portman was average at best. Good action scenes, and the plot was solid.

I really liked how in the credits, it played extracts from Malcolm X's and Glora Steinem's speeches.
I second this. When my dad dragged me to the theater with him, I confess I was pretty much expecting little more than a plain old "rebel without a clue"-type flick. I was pleasantly surprised, however, by both its depth and intelligence.

It's one of the very few movies where I've purchased the DVD the same week in which it was released. In fact, I would actually go so far as to rank this as being somewhere in my top 10. I'm sure most people -- even those that liked it -- didn't think it was *that* great, but there's something about the movie that just grips me. It probably has something to do with Hugo Weaving's performance, which I found absolutely mesmerizing. Not to mention which, the movie had a pretty strong cast all around, including (and especially) the villians. :yes:

[nokhor]

a movie i liked recently was the host. from the same clique that brought us the 3 vengeance movies including one of my all time favorite movies oldboy. remember that three eyed radioactive fish that used to pop up during the opening sequence of the simpsons? well in the host, the fish is all grown up and it means business. there is a sense in all these movies by this clique that reminds me of that line from that song. 'it's only funny until someone get hurt and then it just hilarious.'

[The Spartan (Returns)]

Night At The Museum quite funny, but very little replay ability. It sometimes seems the director made up things along the way.

[Puzz3D]

The Prestige (2006) is a fictional drama/thriller that will keep you guessing. It's about an intense rivalry between two turn-of-the-century London magicians. There is a single element of science fiction that you have to accept to make the story work. All aspects of the film are very well done, and the acting is very good, although I thought Scarlett Johansson's performance didn't fit the time and place.

[doc_bean]

Thank You for smoking a satire on spin doctors and lobbyists, pretty funny black comedy though isn't quite as good in the middle section. They really did nail the lobbyist persona though (we once had a pretty infamous lobbyist explain the proces in an American politics class, he used virtually the same words). Recommended :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup:

[Puzz3D]

Deja Vu (2006) is a crime/sci-fi/action movie directed by Tony Scott. The crime investigation in the beginning and action in the end are well done. The camera work and production values are very good. However, the science fiction element is improperly handled, and the resultant flow of events doesn't stand up to logical analysis. Also, some of the decisions made by the characters in the last half of the movie are questionable and seem to be there simply to create a particular climactic situation.

I wonder if Deja Vu, The Prestige and The Forgotten herald a trend where a sci-fi element is introduced into an otherwise different gendre of movie. None of these films were advertised as sci-fi films.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

I thought the car chase scene from deja vu was particularly clever.

[Fragony]

Devil wears prada, great fun. After the Hours and this one I am slowly refinding my respect for Meryll Streep, she's quite the character here.

[Fragony]

Owwww hilarity.

Dark Habits, spanish comedy. Just too absurd. A whatsitcalled these things with nuns where everything is far from holy. The chief nun is a lesbian heroinaddict, another nun has LSD trips where she meets jezus, a nun is writing erotic novels and they even have a pet tiger you get the idea

http://www.cornerhouse.org/pictures/_ac-100-100/film/2019/Dark%20Habits.JPG

Look at that cheeky smile on that nun on the right :yes:

[Fragony]

Ok this rocks. The Queen. Helen Mirren has to be one of the best actresses ever and continues to stand firmly on my women that could be my mother list. She really is the queen. The guy that does Blair is just scary, seperated at birth? Awesome movie of a institution that was completily out of touch with the population at the time of Diana's death. Have to add one thing, refusing to meet the queen after playing her so passionatly isn't just rude, it's cruel.

[Banquo's Ghost]

Ok this rocks. The Queen. Helen Mirren has to be one of the best actresses ever and continues to stand firmly on my women that could be my mother list. She really is the queen. The guy that does Blair is just scary, seperated at birth? Awesome movie of a institution that was completily out of touch with the population at the time of Diana's death. Have to add one thing, refusing to meet the queen after playing her so passionatly isn't just rude, it's cruel.

I get scared sometimes, Fragony, that our tastes in film and books coincide so closely. I agree, this is an excellent film (if one is interested in the subject) and extremely well acted - most impressively, understanding of Her Majesty's perspective in the hysteria, whilst not glossing over the colossal faultline in the monarchy that the Diana foolishness exposed.

I can't agree however, that Helen Mirren should be on the mother list. Apart from her stuff in "The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover" and "Caligula" (the latter only worth watching for La Mirren) I saw her on stage as Lady MacBeth, and believe me, the desires she provoked were in no way maternal. :embarassed:

[InsaneApache]

She was a proper hottie in The Long Good Friday. A bit older than me but hey what the hell, Mrs. Apache is a bit older than me as well. :yes:

Anyone heard about the remake of The Dambusters (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dam_Busters_(film))?

What I want to know is, what are they going to call Guy Gibsons dog? :dizzy2: :laugh4:

[Fragony]

I get scared sometimes, Fragony, that our tastes in film and books coincide so closely.

I may be a barbarian but I am a cultured one ~;)

[Duke John]

I just had to go to Transformers and I quite liked it. Although you should better accept a "few" flaws in the plot. It didn't bother me that much as all I wanted to get out of the movie where a some good views of big bots fighting it out and the longs shots during the battles definitely made it worth it! The fights between the robots were sometimes a bit messy and the shaking camera is a bit cheap.
And there are quite a few good laughs too, which I didn't really expect. My girlfriend hesitated to go see it, but afterwards she found it quite a good movie.

[sapi]

Oceans Thirteen is alright. Don't go in expecting a great film, and you won't be overly disappointed.

Not sure about transformers, to be honest, even with Duke John's recommendation - it just seems a bit clichéd ~:) Still, I'll probably end up seeing it, and will just have to suspend disbelief over the fact that we didn't just nuke the bloody things ~:)

[seireikhaan]

Well, the whole 'reason' why we didn't nuke 'em all is because the big fight scene where they all were gathered together took place in NYC. I guess they didn't want to annihialate NYC as well. Personally, I thought it was rather good, with a few exceptions, such as Anthony Anderson as a computer whiz. He fit the rest of the role nicely, basically acting like he usually does, but the computer part I just didn't buy from him. And as Duke John said, there were actually quite a few good laughs, which I, as with he, didn't expect. But again, a lot of the latter part of the movie is just a lot of rock 'em sock 'em robot action, with some jet fighters thrown in the mix as well. Lastly, I disliked how they end up defeating Megatron, I thought they were kinda cheap with that.

[Bijo]

Apocalypse Now (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocalypse_now): a superb film criticizing the Vietnam war and showing much more. One of the few war movies I joyously heed that has noteworthy philosophical background even if slim.

Gladiator (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladiator_%282000_film%29): a remarkable (well-known) film displaying the (...glorified) brutality of the Roman empire, an unjust follower to the emperorship, injustice to a loyal General, pain, suffering, and so forth.

[Conradus]

Over the last two weeks I've seen many movies, but I'll only rate the last two.

L.A. Confidential: a very good movie with a decent plot that was unfortunately predictable because I saw James Cromwell play an equal part in another movie The acting of Crowe, DeVito, Spacey and Basinger really added to this film.
(pretend to be good, but actually lead the bad guys)

Lost in Translation
I instantly liked this movie but I can't really say why. Scarlet is cute and adorable, the acting is great and the situation recognizable. Apparently that's enough.

[Fragony]

Loved Lost in Translation, men's romantic movie. Also watch Leaving las Vegas. It biggest plus is a distinct lack of Meg Ryan.

gah Meg Ryan.

No money this weekend, and every reason to rewatch KAOS is a good one. Incredible movie from Sicily, especially the epilogue 'conversation with my mother' is a work of art. Watch this one if only for the soundtrack, majestic and tragic, like the island itselve.

[Samurai Waki]

Watched 28 weeks back in May;

Not quite as harsh as Puzz3D's review; but there are certainly some glaring flaws in the story line, and character development is fairly little. Altogether not as good as the first, and the Story gets a little over the top in some places. Seems more like a filler that will connect the 1st to the movie after 28 weeks. If you allow yourself to actually get sucked into the movie and keep an open mind about it, there really is little need for Character Development, the situation itself is utterly despairing, more depressing than scary (or maybe depressing in a scary way). And it does make you think what would happen in a situation like that. Can't wait for 28 months later (god willing it comes out in the next 5 or so years).

[Cowhead418]

Well, the whole 'reason' why we didn't nuke 'em all is because the big fight scene where they all were gathered together took place in NYC. I guess they didn't want to annihialate NYC as well. Personally, I thought it was rather good, with a few exceptions, such as Anthony Anderson as a computer whiz. He fit the rest of the role nicely, basically acting like he usually does, but the computer part I just didn't buy from him. And as Duke John said, there were actually quite a few good laughs, which I, as with he, didn't expect. But again, a lot of the latter part of the movie is just a lot of rock 'em sock 'em robot action, with some jet fighters thrown in the mix as well. Lastly, I disliked how they end up defeating Megatron, I thought they were kinda cheap with that.I agree with pretty much all that was said here. I thought it was definately a film worth watching, but I too thought Megatron's defeat was lame. I also didn't like how much of a pansy Optimus Prime was in the movie. He was getting beat pretty good in the fights with Megatron.

[naut]

Blood Diamond - pretty good, well produced and semi-believable plot. The thing that made it all worth it though was Di'Craprio's attempted Rhodesian accent. And too be honest it's a huge step forward for him, he's much better acting a role with an actual personality than as a vile heart-throb. I also enjoyed how the characters actually developed and progressed, something that seems to be forgotten in modern movies.

[Bijo]

The Hard Way. A good detective/police film. The character of John Moss is one of the... well, funniest and best I've seen (though obviously there are better ones). It's his character that is beutifully displayed by... eh, the guy whose name eludes me at the moment.

Michael J. Fox also partakes playing an annoying actor who is known for his silly action movies.

Basic plot: the actor wants to get a new role and he seeks help of the police (Moss) to get into his role. So an arrangement is set up for them to "be undercover partners". Of course, Moss doesn't like it and the two characters are very opposed to each other.

[econ21]

Just saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and very much enjoyed it.

It is perhaps less magical than earlier films, but moves along at a good pace, focussing on the core characters and plot. No quidditch, thank goodness. The opening few scenes - including a dementor attack and a flight down the Thames - are perhaps the best, but it held my attention throughout. The film is less downbeat than I remember the book - Dumbledore's Army is shown as a more of a mass movement than I recall and Umbridge's detention torture is more underplayed.

The supporting actors and characters are a delight, as always, although the interesting membership of the Order of the Phoenix don't get that much time. Snape, in particular, has little to do but squeezes more dramatic effect out of the word "Obviously" than one would think possible. I guess the next film will be his. There are some impressive additions - a 14 year old playing a perfect Luna Lovegood; Helen Bonham doing a fine Captain Jack Sparrow imitation and of course Imelda Staunton as a blood curdling Dolores Umbridge. I still wish JK Rowling had made the series "Hermione Granger and ..." rather than "Harry Potter and..." though. Hermione's character is so much more engaging, as is the actress who plays her, than HP.

The plot is very much focussed on the Harry vs Voldemort main story arc and really wets your appetite for the final offering in the forthcoming book.

[Puzz3D]

Dead Silence (2007) is a gothic horror from the writer and director of the Saw trilogy. The film gets off to a good start, but quickly becomes tedious since the suspense is undermined by the predictability of most of the scenes some of which are drawn out too long as well. There are a couple of good scares along the way and the ending was good, but the protagonist, played by Ryan Kwanten, is not a very good actor and fails to engage the viewer emotionally. The screenplay and lack of character development are also not helping here. The sets were well done and spooky as was the makeup for Mary Shaw (Judith Roberts who had a small role in David Lynch's Eraserhead (1977) who is very good in the short segment where she gets a chance to act.

Dorm (2006) is a coming of age drama combined with a ghost story. Ton Chatree is a 12 year old boy who is sent against his wishes to a boarding school by his father, and he has trouble fitting in. The boys tell each other ghost stories to scare one another, but there might be something to one of the stories. The film is very well done with very good performances by the actors, and I think successfully combines the two gendres into a emotionally moving story.

Shooter (2007), already recommended by Sasaki Kojiro, is an action/thriller that's far fetched (what action movie isn't these days) but also quite entertaining. A lot of government employees get killed in this film.

Black Snake Moan (2006), also recommended by Sasaki Kojiro, by director Craig Brewer is an allegorical drama about the healing power of being connected to another person, and about the stability that faith, family and community can bring to a person's life. Christina Ricci and Sam Jackson are excellent in their roles, and the supporting actors are also very good. Blues music is well researched and used brilliantly in the film. Sam Jackson learned to play blues guitar for this movie. The production values, camera work and script are all very good.

Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Dianne Arbus (2006) by writer Erin Wilson and director Steven Shainburg is an allegorical drama which attempts to visualize, using a poetic realism style of film making, the emergence of the artistic impulse in the famous photographer Dianne Arbus. The movie has been heavily criticized for its non-biographical nature, and for the inner transformation of Dianne Arbus being visualized as a romance between her and the imaginary character Lionel. Since in reality Dianne Arbus was very much self-actualized and did not receive her new sense of identity from a romantic relationship with man, I think the film fails if the character of Lionel is taken literally. However if he is viewed as a metaphor for the suppressed aspect of Dianne's personality, I think the film works as a tribute to Dianne Arbus and shows the difficult decision she had to make to pursue her art.

What actually caused Dianne Arbus' transformation is unknown. Shainburg has said that Lionel's upstairs apartment represents Diane's subconscious, and that Lionel, at least partly, represents people who had influenced Arbus. Since Lionel is never seen in the movie without Arbus present, I think he can be viewed as the suppressed aspect of Diane's personality. Fur is used throughout the movie as a metaphor for what is blocking Dianne's suppressed inner self, and Shainburg says that in some sense the whole movie takes place down inside that fur as the initial shot of the movie implies. Indeed, the first time we see Nicole Kidman as Arbus she is wearing a fur coat, but it's unlike the fur coats her father sells. It's her own fur that she now inhabits before the movie jumps back 3 months to show what her life was like before her transformation.

The visual references to Alice in Wonderland seem appropriate to me because Dianne Arbus likened her journey to that of Alice since her favorite thing to do was to experience things that she hadn't experienced before, and the fable was a favorite of hers. Although there is some visual reference to Jean Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast (1946), this film is not a retelling of that fable. The art direction and cinematography are outstanding in this film, and Nicole Kidman and Robert Downey Jr. give very good performances. I thought the soundtrack was fine for the mood of the film, but some think it's overbearing. The film could be considered as exploitative of Dianne Arbus' name, but it does contain many facts about her and it influenced me to buy Patricia Bosworth's unofficial biography of Dianne Arbus to learn more about her. Her photographs can be quite unsettling since they are confrontational (the subject usually stares directly back at the viewer), and most of her subjects were people on the fringes of society.

The Hidden Blade (2004) by director Yôji Yamada who did The Twilight Samurai (2002) are very similar films about a low level samurai, but this time more elements such as social caste, morality and the transition to western methods of warfare come into play. The characters are less extreme and therefore I felt more believable, and there are no children, demented mother or dead wife to ratchet up the sentimentality. The film is slow moving, but I liked it better than the earlier film. The hidden blade itself is awesome when you finally see the technique used.

Sunshine (2007), just released, is a philosophical sci-fi movie by director Danny Boyle which I found to be visually impressive. The movie incorporates a number of ethical paradoxes into the story. The visuals are worth seeing on the big screen, and the character development is just enough to give the story some emotional impact by the end, although, the ending was rather disorientating. The science doesn't stand up to scrutiny, but it's a pretty interesting premise just the same. The films 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Dark Star (1974) and Conquest of Space (1955) are all referenced, and it has a hybrid plot similar to Alien and Event Horizon. So, if spurious science or non-sci-fi elements are not to your liking you might want to skip this one.

[lancelot]

TRANSFORMERS THE MOVIE (2007 live action version)

Bloody fantastic! If you were a fan of the cartoon this film has it all and thats all that needs to be said. As soon as you hear Prime's voice- its like coming home.

If you were not a fan or have not had much exposure, this is simply a great action movie with some good comedic moments for good measure, a good 2 and a half hour of action, adrenaline, explosions and a hot chick as well- what more could a man want in a movie?

[Fragony]

Blood Diamond, oh boy. Isn't africa a fun place or what? DiCaprio is great, I am close to forgiving him for being dragged to the movies to watch Titanic no less then 3 times, and he doesn't sound like a backstreet-boy anymore, phew. Movie, cynical and violent, like Hotel Rwanda strangely not very engaging but worth watching for that glad I am not you that goes so well with a beer.

[Fragony]

Now here's a little gem. Princess mononoke

Go watch this asap, I can only describe it as magical. Animation is so good it leaves you breathless, full of japanese folklore, shogun, gods, warriors, all things that makes orgers happy. It's funny, it's an english dvd and it's pg, but it is pretty violent and quite graphic at times, would most definatly been a 12+ here. Amazing amazing amazing, did I mention that it is amazing?

GO.WATCH.THIS. :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup:

[Puzz3D]

Another excellent Japanese anime is Spirited Away (2001). It won the Oscar for best animated feature of 2003. The animation is superb, and the coming of age story of a 10 year old girl is enchanting. The english dubbing is outstanding in quality, so if you understand english you can use that option without it detracting from the quality of the movie.

[Fragony]

Aye, same maker. Howl's moving castle is also great, but Princess Monomoke is heaps above these two.

Man, really great. Puts even classics like Akira and Ghost in the Shell to shame.

[Blodrast]

Aw, hell, ALL of Miyazaki's movies are great, and you should check them out.
Nausicaa was also among my favourites, although I really liked Kiki's Delivery Service a lot, as well.
Like I said: y'all should check them all out, they're really really good.

[Fragony]

I'll sleep when I am dead.

I slept a whole lot sooner, ohhhh nothing happens how incredibly clever!

meh.

[Beirut]

Another excellent Japanese anime is Spirited Away (2001). It won the Oscar for best animated feature of 2003. The animation is superb, and the coming of age story of a 10 year old girl is enchanting. The english dubbing is outstanding in quality, so if you understand english you can use that option without it detracting from the quality of the movie.

Agreed. An outstanding movie. Cost $35 to buy the DVD but it was worth it. Incredibly imaginative. I have yet to hear from anyone, kid or adult, who didn't think it was five-star.

Saw Cashback last night. A standard (British) love affair movie but with enough twists, humour, and interesting film technique to make it worth watching.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Rush Hour 3: Best of the series I think. Funniest.

[nokhor]

The Great Silence or Into Great Silence: it's a documentary about life in a chartusian monastery with those monks who have taken 'a vow of silence' the movie is about as silent as the monks. relatively austere living compared to the rest of the modern world and use of a lot of repetition and doing the same things over and over. interesting look on how other people choose to live but at 3 hours i feel it was a little bit too long of a snapshot, though i could understand if the filmmaker made it that long to pound into the viewer's conciousness the totality of the experience.

[Bijo]

De Lift (http://imdb.com/title/tt0087622/) For its time not so bad. Still, I must find things to criticize it.

It has lousy Dutch actors (which is obvious for it is a Dutch movie -- good Dutch actors do not exist). Huub Stapel, who plays the main role, is not that bad however... in any case he is a Dutch actor, so I rest my case on it there.

The music is of very poor quality -- almost too cheap I would say, though it more or less fits the film. The sound effects are simple and poor.

The start of the movie is horrible. There is a party of few people (of whom two are female and two male) in an elevator. The apparatus ceases to function and they are trapped. Life support ceases and they commence to perish slowly. Of course they are foolish so one man and a woman start to **** each other (though the scene is not that expressive). That's real smart, ain' it? You are running out of air, the room is hot, and you start to ****.

Anyway... the acting is bad. It is so.... so.... bad and... BAD. The actors hardly show any body language (which may be on purpose but still... argh). They speak in manners that are so "neat" or "clean" as if they have trouble to remember their lines and correct pronunciation limiting their efforts to actually ACT out their roles properly.

It also shows a womanly role who is just.... arrgh. So someone, a man, has been seen with another woman and this information is passed to the wife so it automatically implies to her he's cheating on her? Oh ******* please. Women.

And the fact that this man is left by her as she takes the kids is silly. Actually, what is silly is that the film doesn't work it out more. Man is left by wife who takes kids to stay at her mother's place. After this occurrence there is hardly anything in the film that shows anything of it like a DEVELOPMENT. Perhaps this is good as it shows the role of the actor who is obsessed with a certain case, but at first sight is bad.

Anyway, enough ranting. I will purchase this old movie which is a bad product, a piece of ****, and utilize a hammer on it just so I can say honestly that I have destroyed a tape of it. Yes, it will be a tape, no DVD: the cheaper the better. A tape will also provide more gratification as I reduce it: a DVD can hardly be satisfactorily destroyed.

[Bijo]

American Ninja (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Ninja) (series).

I used to watch this film as a kid. I adored it much, but when I see it now... well, I might enjoy it due to nostalgia but I would certainly criticize it. I often criticized it in the past because I simply enjoy it. That is sufficient reason. It is a terrible movie.

It's about an amnesiac called Joe Armstrong who does not know where he is from nor what has happened to him. He is forced to join the army. As the silent type he doesn't speak much and is an outcast soldier disliked by his fellow soldiers.

He occasionally gets strange flashbacks to what happened to him before which are cheaply displayed and so cliché-like. You even see him as a kid as he trains in martial arts. Indeed, martial arts. He is a ninja. An "American Ninja" who does ninja stuff.

All the actors in this movie are bad. They are so bad I... well, I don't know, but they are so bad I cannot think of anything worse that could transcend it. Well, perhaps Dutch actors are worse. Yes, they are worse indeed.

But this movie has it all, though: hero, hero's sidekick, villain, henchman of villain, girl, girl's father, bad story.

The evil black ninja, who is Japanese, carries a secret small ninja gun on his arm or hand that he can sneakily use unexpectedly. When I saw it the first time I was thinking "What the **** What is this???! A ninja who has a secret firearm (!)"

Some scenes are very bad. For instance, I remember a scene where people suddenly randomly start fighting each other, shooting each other. An army jeep roles in and this Jackson guy operates its machine gun. He aims at a couple of guys in the distance to the side and shoots as they stand there on some platformish surface with the side thing to lean your hands on. Instead of showing their deaths properly, if you look carefully, you see one of them actually CLIMB over the thing (with difficulty) to fall down. It's like the actor was thinking: "Oh! Arrrgh! I'm hit! I must play dead, but **** I forgot... I'll just climb over the thing while I'm being shot at and fall down, even if I was supposed to drop dead already.... this looks better." They don't even show bullet impact damage as he was hit (!) Arrgh!

This movie is terrible.... simply terrible, but enjoyable and funny if you watch it with a buddy and criticize it. Part 1 was the best of the series, and if part 1 is bad, you don't want to know the rest. (I think they went up to part 5, situated in Africa or something with the same stupid idea... creating an army of super ninjas for evil purposes. What the ****! Super ninjas!! They die so easily! They aren't super ninjas! In part 2 I think they were even genetically enhanced super ninjas where the evil villain even said they were as powerful and strong as steel in their arms.... and STILL they died so easily by mere military soldiers, mere men, humans, who have no martial arts training at all! Arrrrgh!)

Well, at least it's not Dutch actors or a Dutch film (or worse.... Belgian TV) :clown:

(Language - Beirut)

[Fragony]

De Lift still manages to frighten me, very effective little horror-movie. And Bijo there are tons of great dutch movies, Simon, Karakter, Offscreen, Lek, Van god los, Zwartboek just to name a few recent ones, all fantastic movies with great acting.

[doc_bean]

Had to entertain a little one, so we went to see Ratatouille: predictable and rather lame story, with a couple of all too convenient plot devices and 2dimensional characters (the animation in animated movies might improve, the scriptwriting took a step backwards here). Still, some funny scenes and despite being a rather lengthy movie it didn't feel 'too' long.

Go see it if you need to take kids to a movie, there are probably worse options.

[El Diablo]

I have discovered how to determine if a movie is any good or not.

Just put it on the shelf in the video store and let my gf go in.
If she picks it then it will be awful.

I let her go down on Friday and she came back with three howlers.

First NORBITT a truely horrible experiance.
Eddie murphy should have put the fet suits to bed after The Nutty Professor, this one is just weak with a few (minor) laughs.

Second MAN ABOUT TOWN while Ben Affleck was okay is was just boring. Plain boring.

Third OPEN SEASON whislt probably infair to call it poor I was so depressed after the first two that I had to go and play RTW. It was pretty standard stuff really and having the dude out of that70's show as the deer was irritating.

But the worst bit was my gf then telling me that my taste in movies was off becasue I made her sit through BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA AND ABSOLUTE CLASSIC!!!

Huh - I never win!

[seireikhaan]

But the worst bit was my gf then telling me that my taste in movies was off becasue I made her sit through BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA AND ABSOLUTE CLASSIC!!!

Huh - I never win!
Alas, my friend, there might not be any hope left for her if she could not enjoy Big Trouble in Little China. An enjoyable movie, imo. My guess is she probably does not enjoy other classics, such as Liar Liar, and Austin Powers.

[El Diablo]

Mind you I also made her sit through the hillarious FLASH GORDON The one with Brian Blessed as the King of the Hawkmen and the sound track by Queen.

I just live the way Flash runs around with a t-shirt with "Flash" on it. I may have to get me an "El Diablo" t-shirt to impress the ladies :laugh4: :laugh4:

Classic line of that film is the evil queen or whatever she was ..

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, FLASH GORDON APPROACHING"

Cracks me up everytime.

[Ronin]

But the worst bit was my gf then telling me that my taste in movies was off becasue I made her sit through BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA AND ABSOLUTE CLASSIC!!!



I think it is probably better if you just break the relationship off right on....I mean....how can you trust someone that is not into the adventures of Jack Burton??????:inquisitive:

This is Jack Burton in the Porkchop Express and I'm talkin' to whoever's listening out there. :laugh4: :2thumbsup:

[El Diablo]

"Just Remember what ol' Jack Burton used to say..It's ALL in the reflexs"

That and the end when he gets asked

"Are you not even going to kiss her" [Kim Cattrell]

"Nope"

Ha ha what an acting god.

[naut]

Die-Hard 4, IMHO it was good. I really enjoyed when he said his catchphrase:

"Yippy Ki-ay Mother-******!"

Too much:

Computer related stuff. Since the plot was all based around computer hackers etc.

Nice special effects though.

[Blodrast]

Romeo is bleeding (1993).
Wow. I loved this; haven't seen a movie that I enjoyed so much in a very long time.
Excellent plot, lots of twists, and amazing play by the two leads (Gary Oldman and Lena Olin). The female lead is by far one of the most ... striking, and certainly unforgettable characters I've seen.

I don't have enough thumbs and toes to give it.

[Conradus]

I saw a lot of movies, the last month, so I'll highlight some of them.

Taxi Driver

One of De Niro's best films, so they say. I must admit his acting here is superb, but the film left me a bit confused. Especially the end.
I mean, he just killed three people, without any reason, and still gets a medal for it?

Scarface

It was the first time I saw this movie, and because I heard a lot of great comments of some friends, I had high expectations. Too high, apparently. Al Pacino can't convince me with Montana, like he could with Michael Corleone. If you've seen the Godfather, this one looks pale in comparison, imo.

Eragon

It's a pity that not every fantasy movie can be a LotR. That has never been more clear than with Eragon. Jeremy Irons acts convincingly, but he's the only one. The others are just too inexperienced, or don't get enough screentime. Saphira looks beautiful, but it's a shame the movie was done in such a hurry. A shame because the books are actually quite well.

Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer

Obviously, you don't watch this movie for its plot or its acting. But the special effects were nice. Jessica Alba was gorgeous and I enjoyed its humour better than I did the Simpsons'.

Starship Troopers

I don't know why, but I loved this movie. Perhaps because it has been quite a while since I've seen a good sf-film. The story wasn't anything like Heinlein's book, but I didn't expect that. They keep the central point of the book, but the battles are off course more highlighted. And the aliens looked really nasty. And Denise Richards :love:

I'll quit my review here, though I still have other films left to viewed and rated...

[Puzz3D]

Taxi Driver

One of De Niro's best films, so they say. I must admit his acting here is superb, but the film left me a bit confused. Especially the end. I mean, he just killed three people, without any reason, and still gets a medal for it?
The final scene can be interpreted as a fantasy that Travis Bickle is having as he lay dying. Martin Scorsese has said that the ending is open to interpretation.


The Invasion (2007) is a sci-fi/thriller remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), (1978) and (1993). The plot is highly predictable. If director Oliver Hirschbiegel, who made Downfall (2004), was able to create something new out of this story it has been largely lost because the producers brought in another director to do massive reshooting on this film. I suspect that Hirschbiegel's version was done as a dark psychological thriller, but the producers wanted over-the-top action sequences that you get in Hollywood movies these days. The movie ends up having a schizophrenic feel to it. The cast is very good, and the three main characters, a psychiatrist and two medical doctors, act in an understated way which would fit in with a thriller rather than the more exaggerated acting that you get in a horror film. Nicole Kidman is particularly well cast as the psychiatrist who has to hide her emotions to conceal that she isn't one of them. If you are looking for a scary film, this isn't it. If you like Nicole Kidman, you get to see her in every scene since the story is told from her perspective.

[Conradus]

The final scene can be interpreted as a fantasy that Travis Bickle is having as he lay dying. Martin Scorsese has said that the ending is open to interpretation.

Hmm, I never thought of it that way, thanks for bringing this up, Puzz3D.~:cheers:

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Stardust: Surprised me by being really funny.

[Puzz3D]

Premonition (2007) is a nicely filmed psychological thriller/drama with very good performances by all the actors. It's non-linear story telling mixing dream/premonition scenes, reality scenes and a couple of flashbacks with the transitions between these scenes very well done. It's a difficult movie to figure out in one viewing. However, there is a serious logical error apparently introduced inadvertenly by the director when he made changes to the script while filming the movie. This error causes confusion in trying to make sense of the movie. The story covers a 7 day cycle from Sunday to Saturday. The real timeline days are shown in linear sequence except for Sunday which is shown to the audience between the Tuesday and Wednesday scenes. Unfortunately, the main character, Linda (Sandra Bullock), is shown knowing and doing some things on Sunday in the real timeline that she couldn't know about and therefore act upon before Monday. They make sense logically if they occur on Tuesday afternoon and evening, but they end up in the Sunday scene because that scene immediately preceeds the movie's dramatic conclusion on Wednesday. So, it appears that the director got confused with the sequence of events in the real timeline, and for dramatic reasons put things in Sunday that shouldn't be there. It's unfortunate because I don't see any other logical mistakes in the movie.

[Soulforged]

ICHI THE KILLER
by Takeshi Miike
Based on "Koroshiya 1" japanese manga
Starring Tadanobu Asano and Nao Omori
Drama
129 minutes
Cut and Un-cut versions realized (this review is about the latter)
8/10

Takeshi Miike doesn't see himself as a director of action movies. The popular japanese director is already famous for realising five or more movies of great quality every year, this movies, he says, are not about action, they're movies of violence. And this might just be true. Take "Ichi the Killer", for example a movie were entrails fly through the sky followed by members and tons of blood, rapes are a common sight, mutilations are even cosmetic. And this all happens on the context of japanese culture, wich has a lot to say about organized violence, centuries of warfare and organized crime, the bushido, they might teach the western world one thing or two about violence. But every movie of this peculiar director is about more than violence as an object of reality is a social study of how violence disturbs how it affects every layer of the social structure, at least in the Japan that Miike knows.

For starters every Miike movie involves a gang, usually Yakuza, and this one is no exception. One of the main characters, Kakihara, masterfully portrayed by Asano, is the right hand of one of the Yakuza gang leaders, decided to avenge his master after he finds that he was killed. What a character this is, if you want to find a character for wich the maker broke the mold after doing him, then take Kakihara, decided to brake all molds, and not just this one, Miike brings us one of those ultimate unclichéd characters. Kakihara is not ruthless as you might expect, he simply doesn't know what compassion or friendship means, if he's apparently looking to avenge his "beloved" master then you fell in his charismatic trap too. He loves only one thing: pain, pain inflicted on him might be good for his stress levels, but give him some finger nails to pierce or some good ol' human meat to boil alive and you'll know what really excites him. The movie tells us more about him than any other character, and if the movie has a flaw is the quantity of characters in this movie that are simply irrelevant.

Then there's Ichi, which may simply be translated as One. Ichi is a seriouslly mentally disturbed child trapped on the body of a teenager. He plays videogames non-stop on his friends appartment, he cannot find a job (technically he gets fired always), he has a thing with beating womans and raping them and he might explode in a slaughtering rage if you provoque him enough. But not any provocation will do against this rare subject, you've to trigger some old memories about bullies. You see, apparently, for the little that we get through the movie, the poor guy was seriously bullied back in high school, he even has memories of seeing a girl being raped before his eyes... After all these mentally braking experiences he's turned into a killing machine whenever needed, that's when his partner asks him to do so. And he can slice meat and bone like butter with his twin blades concealed on his regular shoes.

What Kakihara doesn't know at the start of his quest, is that his master is already dead, and that the man who killed him, Ichi, is set to kill him one moment or the other. The problem with Ichi is that he's really unpredictable, you may see him as pitty worthy sometimes, or even the rarest case of antiheroic personality, but he might just turn into that natural force wich cannot be stopped. And it happens a lot on this movie, the result is some kind of sadistic black comedy bathed on liters of red blood and guts. Ichi doesn't scream furiously when angry and about to kill, he starts crying and he usually eyaculates (yep), this are all clues that trace us to his past, past that you won't know during the movie, as said, at least not very much.

But that's the violent part, what about the other part? Well the other part are usually analogies, you can see Ichi as a lot of things, one of them is this force of nature that I already told you, or simply a mentally disturbed child with a fetish for running around with a superhero suit and twin sharped blades on his toes. What you get of the movie is your issue, I might tell you that this movie observes violence without prejudice and for that the script and the characters are rewarded with unique, not always good, performances, but the plot is blessed with originality, and there's one or two profound messages about vengeance that I've never heard in other movies, but you have got to like explicit violence and gore, otherwise you'll miss half of the movie's portrayals about violence in japanese culture.

My veredict is that if you can open your eyes for long enough, you'll be rewarded with a deep experience. Deeply disturbing, deeply depresing, deeply enlightning or deeply funny. Also good for otakus.:2thumbsup:

PS: If you actually thought the movie was deeply funny then go to the nearest psychiatrist ASAP.:2thumbsup:

[Decker]

Stardust: Surprised me by being really funny.
Was it actually funny or cheesy funny?

[Sasaki Kojiro]

actually funny

[doc_bean]

Finally saw 300, it was actually exactly like I expected: good and rather original visual style, ridiculous dialogue and story. I wished they had fought a little more orderly though, and perhaps, actually used the narrow way given by the pass occasionally instead of standing in front of it...

[seireikhaan]

Bah! Don't get me started on that movie.

[Soulforged]

AZUMI
by Ryuhei Kitamura
Starring Aya Ueto
Action drama
128 minutes
Japanese
1/10

Going on a japanese style cinema rampage are we?...:laugh4:

However this is one movie that won't get my approval. Were to start bashing this piece of crap? And I'm (or was at least) a serious otaku, so take my word if you want, avoid this movie at all cost.

But if I must start somewhere, how about the story, I won't tell anything about the characters, you can imagine them as two dimensional anime rip off (this movie is not based in any particular manga or anime) and you'll be getting the picture just about right, let's just say that Aya Ueto is as good an actress as I'm a good footballist.

***THIS WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS, NOT MUCH TO SPOIL THOUGH***

Well the story tells us the life of Azumi, since she witnessed her fathers dead and was rescued by her future ken-do master while staring at the dead body of her mother. From that we jump to an adolescent Azumi surrounded by partners (all male), also students of the same master, it's all lala world, pink and wonderful, and we witness some pretty lame attempts at profound philosophy, which will become preposterous as the plot progresses (if there's such a thing), this includes gems like *Azumi stares at the morning sky* "Where are all the stars", misterious silence (you'll know where are them at the end, for a good dramatic punch :rolleyes:). Then we get to know a little about the master even though it has little relationship to what is about to happen, suffice it to say that he's carrying the work of peace-keaper through assassins (we're at the times of Ieyasu Tokugawa), a fine premise but... All of the sudden he gathers all of the wannabe assassins (Azumi included) and makes them form pairs, then...He orders them to kill each other :laugh4: . You can stop watching the movie right now because it doesn't get any better. Not just this is a preposterous cheap turn of events, but is also nonsensical, even more if you plan to make your assassins work in groups to be more effective, they almost fail on their missions because they were less than when them started... the excuse for this nonsense: You've to follow orders without questions :rolleyes:, and they do it, instead of attacking the bad master :rolleyes:, but there's more philosophical gems on this scenery, the best friend of Azumi which happens to be her pair, tells her that those missions are their destinies, their dreams, ergo, we've to kill each other if we want to proceed... Then we move on to the first target (one of the lords that plan to get who they think is the rightful heir to the throne on his rightful place) and again defying all logic it seems that Azumi has forgotten that he's her target and starts talking with him friendly (not to talk about the sudden jump to this scene with no explanation whatsoever of whom that person is), but it gets better, an skillful assassin would have tried to leave as few traces as he could, making it look like an accident, etc. or at least attack with the shadows at night, and kill only his target...But of course we must have that mandatory swordfight of 5 against 100, so again, nonsensically everyone starts killing everyone, how original. To the next target, more swordplay, the bodies pile up and for every 500 enemies we see one of our "beloved" assassins fall. Some lame and pointless love stories that don't get developed, more swordplay, samurais that look queer (very stylish), more bodies, more nonsense, ninjas that look like monkeys (very funny), and so on, and so on, to the final battle between queer samurai and Azumi, some nice camera work, master's death, sudden unexplained jump (teleportation?) of Azumi to a ship on sea with the second target escaping, Azumi jumps from nowhere and opens his skull, then escapes with no visible transportation (teleportation again?), sudden unexplained jump to previous scenerio something about friendship (yes all of this afeter several abandonments of friends and even killing other friends :rolleyes:), something about stars being always there (stars as a metaphore of friends), lame photo of friends together, and it finishes opening the way for a second part (God forbid it) by stating that there was still a final target, even if her master had told her that she was free, apparently on some untold moment she gained a taste for blood...

I've to make some clarifications as to why all of this is elevated to even higher levels of preposterouness, imagine all of this generally disconnected scenes of slaughter being interwined with the assassins showing love to their master, and contrary to all sense, at the end of the movie we see Azumi (who hasn't shed a tear in the whole movie) shed tears for her master :wall: :smash: . Remember the same master who forced her to kill her best friend and to abandon another of her friends and then expelled her from the assassin group. Now if the movie had shown us some kind of redeeming quality on this wooden faced master, perhaps we could understand on some sick level why she is sheding tears, but as it stands, it remains, with no character development at all (except for Azumi), totally arbitrary.

Well there you've it. To be sincere I've never seen such a preposterous and disconnected plot in my whole life...

[Fragony]

Finally saw 300, it was actually exactly like I expected: good and rather original visual style, ridiculous dialogue and story. I wished they had fougth a little more orderly though, and perhaps, actually used the narrow way given by the pass occasionally instead of standing in front of it...

I expected it to be rediculous in a fun way, a completily over the top testosteron-fest, was pretty dissapointed that it takes itself too serious.

[doc_bean]

I expected it to be rediculous in a fun way, a completily over the top testosteron-fest, was pretty dissapointed that it takes itself too serious.

Yes, that was my main problem too. It's pretty obvious that it doesn't go for historical accuracy, but all that blabbing about freedom wasn't even internally consistent (as with some other things, but they were less bothersome) and just didn't fit with the over the top visual style.

[Conradus]

I second Fragony's and Doc_bean's opinions on '300'. Saw this movie yesterday and loved the slaughter, bloodshed, over the top fighting, but the 'dialogues' just allowed me to take a break from the film...

[Soulforged]

I WAS A TEENAGE ZOMBIE
by John Elias Michalakis
Starring Michael Rubin and Ignacio F. Iquino
English
Black comedy (unintentional perhaps)
0/10

http://i.somethingawful.com/mjolnir/images/pantsfish~IWATZ.gif

[Kralizec]

Kelly's Heroes
WW2 action/comedy, I give it a 9 :2thumbsup:

[Conradus]

Saw LA Confidential again, love that movie, I'd rate it a 8,5:2thumbsup:

[econ21]

LA Confidential is at least a 9.5, IMO.

I just watched Pan's Labyrinth. It is a very unconventional story - part Spanish Civil War tragedy; part child's fairy tale. Both parts work very well. The tragedy part is well acted and really engages your emotions. The fantasy is characterful and innovative (the sleeping ogre thing is amazing). It is pretty gory for kids (a 15), although kids around 9+ might find it rivetting. The ending seemed incredibly depressing, although that may be because I don't believe in fairies. Sort of like a live action Spirited Away, but darker and more "realistic". High recommended.

[Geoffrey S]

Pan's Labyrinth is stunning. I enjoyed it right the way through, and it contains one of the few villains who can make me cringe as soon as he just walk into a scene, due to his frequent sudden violence.

I thought the end could have been a bit stronger.
I wasn't certain if it was all meant to be in the girl's head, that it was all imaginary. The voiceover by Pan at the end pretty much confirms that it was all real, but it would have been stronger without the voiceover, just the flower blooming. But perhaps, that would have made the movie a little too depressing.

Stardust: Surprised me by being really funny.
I really want to see it. What I've seen reminds me of Princess Bride, that has to be a good thing. And it's directed by the guy who did Layercake (and is working on Thor!).

I must also mention The Illusionist. Great movie, it was fairly predictable but done very well. Style was perfect and the acting spot-on. Just a bit obvious.

And while I'm at it, Dark City. I think I've found a new personal favourite. I'm not saying anything about the plot, just that if you do decide to watch it don't read the back of the box, and perhaps skip the voiceover at the start. If that's done one of the most original movies I've seen in ages awaits, with a well-realised plot and a beautiful setting. It's probably one not everyone will enjoy, but I loved it.

[Fragony]

//adds Pan's Labyrinth to must see list

[Ramses II CP]

Pan's Labyrinth is exquisite, and painful in a way that very few US made films ever manage. A whole genre of bad action movies has never been within spitting distance of the simple brutality found in some scenes from this film. :hmg:

[Geoffrey S]

Just thinking about some of those scenes again... the bottle, the tools, that creature... damned creepy film.

[Puzz3D]

"A long time ago, in the underground realm, where there are no lies or pain, there lived a Princess who dreamed of the human world. She dreamed of blue skies, soft breeze, and sunshine. One day, eluding her keepers, the Princess escaped. Once outside, the brightness blinded her and erased every trace of the past from her memory. She forgot who she was and where she came from. Her body suffered cold, sickness, and pain. Eventually, she died. However, her father, the King, always knew that the Princess' soul would return, perhaps in another body, in another place, at another time. And he would wait for her, until he drew his last breath, until the world stopped turning... And it is said that the Princess returned to her father's kingdom. That she reigned there with justice and a kind heart for many centuries. That she was loved by her people. And that she left behind small traces of her time on Earth, visible only to those who know where to look." - El Laberinto del Fauno

An individual's perception of reality is subjective. The film seamlessly weaves together two different perceived realities with many parallel elements linking the two. I can't recall ever seeing it done as well as it's done in this film.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

I saw Hot Fuzz recently, and would like to recommend this film to others. While explaining it any more would give away the film, the twist of which is unexpected and hilarious, I would say that a rental, at the very least, is worth it.

[Puzz3D]

Silk (Guisi) (2006) is a sci fi/horror film written and directed in Taiwan by Chao-Bin Su. This is a quite well done blend of science fiction and ghost story. It develops slowly in the first half which sets up the mystery and characters. The story becomes quite interesting and the action suspenseful and fairly scary in the second half. This is one of the few asian ghost films where the grotesque expression on the victims actually makes sense to me. The ghost is not a supernatural being which scares the victim to death.

[Bijo]

Are there by the way even any GOOD new movies made? I generally stopped watching the "new(er)" movies ages ago.

Hitch, a terrible movie. Explanation would be too much effort to this one so I leave it.

Moulin Rouge, oh please.... someone give me that bullet right now :laugh4:

Now Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is a good movie. A good satire on the tension between the US and the USSR. Dr. Strangelove himself is a splendid character whom I enjoyed seeing in the film from the moment my eye caught the ****** :laugh4: The whole film is great.

One notable character is the commander of a US bomber who has a stereotypical accent, and another worty one would be of course the American General who orders the plane to attack the Soviets. One notable good scene as he speaks to his English officer has a great typically known shot on him from below as he has a cigar in the mouth. It displays him as some kind "superior or powerful commander" (while he talks about communists). Great film :laugh4:

(Language - Beirut)

[Puzz3D]

3:10 to Yuma (2007) is a remake of the same western done in 1957. This film is receiving a lot of hype, but, aside form the acting and production design, I found the movie to be disappointing. It's nowhere near as good or realistic as Unforgiven (1992) or Open Range (2003). A lot of time is spent developing the two main characters, but in the end their motivations are confusing and the antagonist's actions are not at all believable. I had my doubts when the Lion's Gate logo came up at the beginning of the fiim, and sure enough this film ended with a chase scene featuring overblown action which is typical of Hollywood movies these days. I suspect that Lion's Gate insisted on including this action sequence where gunmen who never missed when shooting at anyone else, suddenly cannot hit the protagonist despite hundreds of rounds being fired at him as he runs with a wooden leg. That's just one of many unbelievable things in this supposedly gritty and realistic western film. There is a lot of graphic killing with guns which is the reason for the R rating.

[Fragony]

Moulin Rouge, oh please.... someone give me that bullet right now :laugh4:


Don't tell my mother, it would greatly worry her, but I love that movie. There is real chemistry between whatshisname and Nicole Kidman, the music is terrific, the movie just shines. The Roxanne song is one of the cleverest scenes ever made.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Knocked Up: hilarious. Great movie.

[sapi]

Knocked Up: A one joke gag where the joke simply wasn't funny ~:(

[Bijo]

Don't tell my mother, it would greatly worry her, but I love that movie. There is real chemistry between whatshisname and Nicole Kidman, the music is terrific, the movie just shines. The Roxanne song is one of the cleverest scenes ever made.
No, no... NO! It cannot be! You are to dislike this movie. *hypnotizes you* :P


---


To save time I will generalize some movies under one label: typical average (or lower) French films; no need to watch them... watch one of them and you've seen many of them since they will probably regard triangular relationships and the likes :laugh4:

[Decker]

I really want to see it. What I've seen reminds me of Princess Bride, that has to be a good thing. And it's directed by the guy who did Layercake (and is working on Thor!).
That sounds promising

SHOOT 'EM UP- Ridiculous and really cheesy which left a smile on my face after the movie was over due to the cheesy and ridiculous action scenes that erupted from the beginning of the movie to its very end.

[Banquo's Ghost]

Don't tell my mother, it would greatly worry her, but I love that movie. There is real chemistry between whatshisname and Nicole Kidman, the music is terrific, the movie just shines. The Roxanne song is one of the cleverest scenes ever made.

Ewan McGregor.

And I agree wholeheartedly. :yes:

:stupido2:

Does that mean we have to get married? :shocked2:

[Martok]

Wow. And here I thought I was the only heterosexual male on the planet who admitted to liking Moulin Rouge. Good to know I'm not alone. :2thumbsup:

[Decker]

High Noon-A good 'ole fashioned western, and a mighty good one at that. I had a fun time watching this movie and I noticed a lot of things that have persisted throughout westerns. One thing I did notice that stood out to me was that(from what it sounds like anyways) is that 3:10 To Yuma seems to kinda resemble High Noon a little bit and especially the train station. It looks kinda like the same(from what I've seen in the previews, have yet to see it). All-in-all a good fun western. 10/10

[econ21]

High Noon-A good 'ole fashioned western, and a mighty good one at that.

Yes, it's excellent - although I think at the time it was regarded as not being 'ole fashioned, but revisionist. The depiction of the townspeople as cowards foreshadows some of the Clint Eastwood/spaghetti westerns and the gradual disaffection with the Wild West myth that killed the Western. Apparently, High Noon annoyed John Wayne so much, he made Rio Bravo - where the Marshall is so kick-ass, he can rout the bad guys while turning down the offers of help from the townspeople. But to me, Rio Bravo is rather like a cartoon, whereas High Noon is real drama.


One thing I did notice that stood out to me was that(from what it sounds like anyways) is that 3:10 To Yuma seems to kinda resemble High Noon a little bit and especially the train station.

I never thought about that, but you are right. The original 3:10 to Yuma was a lower profile film than High Noon, but thoroughly enjoyable.

[Decker]

Yes, it's excellent - although I think at the time it was regarded as not being 'ole fashioned, but revisionist. The depiction of the townspeople as cowards foreshadows some of the Clint Eastwood/spaghetti westerns and the gradual disaffection with the Wild West myth that killed the Western. Apparently, High Noon annoyed John Wayne so much, he made Rio Bravo - where the Marshall is so kick-ass, he can rout the bad guys while turning down the offers of help from the townspeople. But to me, Rio Bravo is rather like a cartoon, whereas High Noon is real drama.



I never thought about that, but you are right. The original 3:10 to Yuma was a lower profile film than High Noon, but thoroughly enjoyable.
I watched it in my English class and my teach said that it came out during the time of McCarthyism and the director was blacklisted. So the film is seen as a kind of allegory of the Cold War and US foreign policy during the Korean War and that's probably one reason why John Wayne disliked it so much as he was quite the pro-American action hero kinda guy and totally macho too. And the townspeople thing is so true and you could almost feel for them at the same time you feel for the main guy. I thought it was pretty well done.

[Puzz3D]

Prix de Beaute (Beauty Prize) (1930) is a drama co-written and directed by Rene Clair and G.W. Pabst with Clair doing the first half and Pabst the second half. The film features Louise Brooks (http://www.pandorasbox.com/) in her last starring role, since after this 3rd European film she returned to the USA and obscurity in a film industry that blacklisted her. Stunningly beautiful with very expressive face and eyes, she is effervescent in this film, and the final scene as poignant and mesmerizing as anything you're likely to see in cinema. Her acting sytle is of the silent era, but is understated enough to give her performance more of a natural impression. The character she plays is infinitely more likable than the one she played in Pandora's Box (1929).

The version available on DVD is sound dubbed in french, and has some syncronization problems since it was one of the first if not the first French talking picture. Brooks didn't speak french, so it's not her voice. It has some very nice singing by Edith Piaf, especially over the final scene. There is apparently a very well done restoration of the silent version of this film, but it's not available on DVD. This film also has quite a bit of mean spirited actions, intended as comedy, from the male protagonist towards another male character in the first half which is quite annoying. It's interesting to contrast the resolution of the narrative in Prix de Beaute with that of L'Atalante (1934) since both are about husbands who cannot really provide what the wife wants out of life.

While this version of Prix de Beaute on Kino is certainly worth renting, I would say the recent restoration of Pandora's Box by Criterion is a much better value for a purchase. Although it's still missing about 10 minutes of footage, I don't think there is a better version available.

[Puzz3D]

Severance (2006) directed by Christopher Smith, who also did the horror film Creep (2004), is a biting satire of corporate employees who work for a company that makes anti-personnel weapons. The satire quite funny in places, and a sombre aspect of responsibility for producing such weapons is also present. The filmmakers skillfully blend satire and horror elements, and this film has a lot more to say than what happens to a few corporate employees who go on a team building weekend in an Hungarian forest. The film is rated R.

[Marshal Murat]

Moliere
I enjoyed this movie immensely. Despite some sloppy translation (it was in French) I enjoyed it all. The scenery, dialogue, it was all very enjoyable.

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
Thumbs up for High Noon. It's one of the two only Westerns (along with Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven) that I often return to watching again.

I'm starting to become a fan of Guillermo del Toro's works, after seeing his latest Pan's Labyrinth and earlier Cronos.

Other goodies, in no particular order:
Dead Calm (Nicole Kidman, Sam Neil)
Doctor Zhivago
The Recruit
A Farewell to Arms (David O. Selznick's 1957 version with Rock Hudson, Jennifer Jones and Vittorio de Sica)
Animal
Capitães de Abril (About the democratic military coup in Portugal, getting rid of Salazar and co.)
January Man
Million Dolar BabyRecently seen The Rogue Assasin with Jet Lee and Jason Statham. Not an ordinary kill'em all; recommended. Spoiler hint: Expect something along the lines of Usual Suspects.

.

[Decker]

.
Thumbs up for High Noon. It's one of the two only Westerns (along with Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven) that I often return to watching again.


Haven't seen Unforgiven~:( . I did see The Good, the Bad, the Ugly the other day tho, don't think I really need to give a super review for it tho as I am sure that most might have seen it. Let me say this....
You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig.

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
Unforgiven fits in the revisionist basket along with High Noon. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly stands somewhere in between.
.

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
Tonight seen Casomai (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0319147/). :2thumbsup:
.

[drone]

Welcome back, Mouzafphaerre! It's been a while. :bow:

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
Always a pleasure to be back, drone. :bow:
.

[econ21]

I watched We were soldiers last night on TV.

Overall, it felt authentic - as you might expect, being based on the book of the Colonel commanding the battle. The only bit that did not ring true to me was the last day - with the American bayonet charge at dawn being a lure for helicopter straffing of the NVA base. That felt a bit "Braveheart", where the seemingly doomed Scots suddenly revealed their stakes/pikes to the charging English cavalry etc. Strangely, my impression at the end - when they showed the list of US dead - was how few Americans died (60 or so?) despite landing on top of an NVA division of 4000. Even the cut off platoon seemed not to have been wiped out. However, the film did depict sufficiently impressive US fire support (helicopters, artillery, napalm) to help me understand that.

Dramatically, I thought the film was well done. Even Mel Gibson, who I do not warm to, was rather good - he looked old and grizzled enough to be the hard-ass Colonel. The stand-out sequence to me was the telegrams coming by taxi and the Colonel's wife taking over their distribution. That was very moving, with Madeleine Stowe doing an excellent job. The contrast between the sleepy American suburbs and the hellish jungle combat was jarring and brought home the strangeness of men dying in a war thousands of miles away from home. The supporting actors were also good - Sam Elliot and the chap playing the journalist. The Vietnamese were portrayed as humans, although not given depth. A depiction of the war from the side of the NVA or VC soldier would be fascinating, although we may not see it until the Communist Party in Vietnam has fallen or reformed itself out of recognition.

I missed the opening 30 minutes or so, when they introduced the characters, so if I had seen it, I probably would rate it even higher. However, I would include it among the small set of authentic and well made war movies.

[Fragony]

I....am.....gratefull..........to...have served.....my country..........gasp

:laugh4: :laugh4: :laugh4: :laugh4:

MAN that movie sucked jumbo-jets through a straw

[econ21]

I....am.....gratefull..........to...have served.....my country..........gasp

Well, I could not hear what he said, but yeah that sounds a plausible record.

I admit, I was a little in two minds about the film, as it could be seen as rather flag-waving. But then I read on a BBC blog a comment by someone claiming to the son of Snake, the brave helicopter pilot in the film. He made the interesting observation that all the lines that posters claimed were sentimental, overly patriotic or banal were things that the real people actually said or wrote. It seemed a valid point to me. 7th Air cavalry soldiers in war time in 1967 (or whenever) probably were a patriotic bunch.

I remember a writer saying about the American Civil War: the language and sensibilities of the people at the time were so sentimental and archaic[1], modern day readers could not accept it and so it had to be changed. Maybe something similar is going on here? Euro-weenies like you and I find it hard to stomach the language and mindset of those American soldiers?

The recent British film Atonement based on a modern novel but covering Dunkirk has received the opposite criticism from some in the UK - that by giving the character's "modern" sensibilities, it falsely gives them a lot of namby-pamby new age sensibilities and self-doubt, and fails to portrary the Dunkirk spirit of the real participants.







[1]This is my favorite example of such language - it is pretty sublime:
July 14, 1861
Camp Clark,Washington

My very dear Sarah,

The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days- perhaps tomorrow.Lest I should not be able to write again,I feel impelled to write a few lines that may fall under your eye when I shall be no more....

I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in the cause in which I am engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter. I know how strongly American Civilization now leans on the triumph of the Government, and how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood and sufferings of the Revolution. And I am willing -perfectly willing- to lay down all my joys in this life, to help maintain this Government and to pay that debt...

Sarah my love for you is deathless, it seems to bind me with mighty cables that nothing but Omnipotence could break: and yet my love of Country comes over me like a strong wind and bears me unresistibly on with all these chains to the battle field.

The memories of the blissful moments I have spent with you come creeping over me, and I feel most gratified to God that I have enjoyed them so long. And hard as it is for me to give them up and burn to ashes the hopes of future years, when, God willing, we might have lived and loved together and seen our sons grown up to honorable manhood, around us. I have, I know, but few and small claims upon Divine Providence, but something whispers to me-perhaps it is the wafted prayer of my little Edgar, that I shall return to my loved ones unharmed. If I do not my dear Sarah, never forget how much I love you, and when my last breath escapes on the battle field, it will whisper your name. Forgive my many faults, and the many pains I have caused you. How thoughtless and foolish I have often times been! How gladly I would wash out with my tears every little spot upon your happiness...

But, O Sarah! if the dead can come back to this earth and flit unseen around those they loved, I shall always be near you; in the gladdest of days and in the darkest nights...always, always, and if there be a soft breeze upon your cheek, it shall be my breath, as the cool air fans your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by. Sarah do not mourn me dead; think I am gone and wait for thee, for we shall meet again...

Sullivan Ballou was killed at the first battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861

[Geoffrey S]

Couple of films need mentioning. Ran, for starters. Having told myself ages ago that I'd watch that movie someday, I finally did. And it is thoroughly worth every minute, every line, every expression. I've rarely, if ever, seen quite such a moving film and I recommend it to all, considering it among my most highly rated movies. Just free up about three hours and let it move you too.

Also, Dark City. I found it surprisingly good. It's flawed, and a bit too ambitious for its means, but there were many moments in which I found the genius shone through. Genuinely original, certainly worth seeing as long as you're willing to overlook certain issues.

Renaissance. Impressive CG, good music, and a decent plot. It's just not very original, and too rarely attempts to make good use of the tricks computer imagery can offer. Nice visuals though.

Malibu's Most Wanted. Well, bits of it. What I saw was rather funny to be honest, plenty of jabs at hip-hop culture.

[econ21]

I....am.....gratefull..........to...have served.....my country..........gasp

BTW, my hunch was right - the movie was authentic on those last words:


One reviewer, for instance, took umbrage with, among other things, the line in the movie where a dying Lieutenant Henry Herrick softly and proudly tells his buddies, "I’m glad I could die for my country." The reviewer saw this as offensively maudlin and false. But Sergeant Ernie Savage, who was there at Herrick’s side amidst the blood and gore, says it is true. According to Savage, "He was lying beside me on the hill and he said: ‘If I have to die, I’m glad to give my life for my country.’"

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/htherrick.htm

Wikipedia is quite good on the film - it agrees that the final bayonet charge was "overdramatised". Apparently fixed wing aircraft supported the attack on the NVA base, not the film's converted "attack helicopters".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Were_Soldiers

I still think it was a pretty good film. I'm keen to watch it again and may read the book.

[Decker]

BTW, my hunch was right - the movie was authentic on those last words:



http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/htherrick.htm

Wikipedia is quite good on the film - it agrees that the final bayonet charge was "overdramatised". Apparently fixed wing aircraft supported the attack on the NVA base, not the film's converted "attack helicopters".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Were_Soldiers

I still think it was a pretty good film. I'm keen to watch it again and may read the book.
Well, the heli support coulda been a budget issue or something of that source.



I watched We were soldiers last night on TV.

Overall, it felt authentic - as you might expect, being based on the book of the Colonel commanding the battle. The only bit that did not ring true to me was the last day - with the American bayonet charge at dawn being a lure for helicopter straffing of the NVA base. That felt a bit "Braveheart", where the seemingly doomed Scots suddenly revealed their stakes/pikes to the charging English cavalry etc. Strangely, my impression at the end - when they showed the list of US dead - was how few Americans died (60 or so?) despite landing on top of an NVA division of 4000. Even the cut off platoon seemed not to have been wiped out. However, the film did depict sufficiently impressive US fire support (helicopters, artillery, napalm) to help me understand that.

Dramatically, I thought the film was well done. Even Mel Gibson, who I do not warm to, was rather good - he looked old and grizzled enough to be the hard-ass Colonel. The stand-out sequence to me was the telegrams coming by taxi and the Colonel's wife taking over their distribution. That was very moving, with Madeleine Stowe doing an excellent job. The contrast between the sleepy American suburbs and the hellish jungle combat was jarring and brought home the strangeness of men dying in a war thousands of miles away from home. The supporting actors were also good - Sam Elliot and the chap playing the journalist. The Vietnamese were portrayed as humans, although not given depth. A depiction of the war from the side of the NVA or VC soldier would be fascinating, although we may not see it until the Communist Party in Vietnam has fallen or reformed itself out of recognition.

I missed the opening 30 minutes or so, when they introduced the characters, so if I had seen it, I probably would rate it even higher. However, I would include it among the small set of authentic and well made war movies.
Excellent review of one of the better movies on Vietnam(imo).

[doc_bean]

Spiderman 3 is horrible.

[caravel]

"A long time ago, in the underground realm, where there are no lies or pain, there lived a Princess who dreamed of the human world. She dreamed of blue skies, soft breeze, and sunshine. One day, eluding her keepers, the Princess escaped. Once outside, the brightness blinded her and erased every trace of the past from her memory. She forgot who she was and where she came from. Her body suffered cold, sickness, and pain. Eventually, she died. However, her father, the King, always knew that the Princess' soul would return, perhaps in another body, in another place, at another time. And he would wait for her, until he drew his last breath, until the world stopped turning... And it is said that the Princess returned to her father's kingdom. That she reigned there with justice and a kind heart for many centuries. That she was loved by her people. And that she left behind small traces of her time on Earth, visible only to those who know where to look." - El Laberinto del Fauno

An individual's perception of reality is subjective. The film seamlessly weaves together two different perceived realities with many parallel elements linking the two. I can't recall ever seeing it done as well as it's done in this film.
I must admit to be being a big fan of this film and pretty much anything directed by Guillermo del Toro. The Devil's Backbone is also a must see ghost story in an orphanage also set during the Spanish Civil War, by the same director.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

I went to see Across the Universe the other day, and whole-heartedly recommend it to anyone who has the slightest interest in the Beatles. It's essentially Yellow Submarine meets Moulin Rouge, with the cast singing a vast selection of the fab four's hits in new arrangements-with a little help from Bono and Eddie Izzard along the way. The story is slightly trite-Liverpool docker goes to the States to seek his estranged father, ends up living in the east village-but it really doesn't matter, as this is all about the musical numbers and the sumptuous visuals. Superb fun. Big fans will also revel in all of the in-jokes and sight-gags.

[Mouzafphaerre]

I must admit to be being a big fan of this film and pretty much anything directed by Guillermo del Toro. The Devil's Backbone is also a must see ghost story in an orphanage also set during the Spanish Civil War, by the same director.
.
I saw El Laberinto del Fauno and Cronos, and loved them both, especially the Laberinto. :2thumbsup:
.

[RoadKill]

3 best movies

Texas Chainsaw Masscre, Resident Evil, Pirates of the Carribian 2 Dead man's chest.

[Marshal Murat]

Hotel Rwanda

I was initially very skeptical about the movie when I first heard about it. I, personally, was very glad that I didn't see it when I heard about it.
No, really. I probably would've been too immature to understand the movie. As I watched it, it felt so real. So alive. So painful, terrible, sad, true, and repulsive.

I, as a man, have trouble admitting it, but I cried. I cried so hard, and it felt like such a catharsis. It was just an outpouring of emotion, grief, pain, and sadness. It was a life-changing movie, to say the least.

I suggest the movie. I advise you to watch it.

[Fragony]

Didn't do it for me, so forced. I found myselve not caring at all which is strange because terrible things happen.

[Conradus]

Went to see Resident Evil: Extinction the other day. The action was good, and the film contained more horror than the previous two. Only one remark: it was rather short and again it had an open-ending to allow more movies to be made.

[Bijo]

We Were Soldiers is one of the best Vietnam war movies I have seen, among Platoon and Apocalypse Now and some others I have probably forgotten.

[Decker]

Just saw The Heartbreak Kid with Ben Stiller. Aaaand wholly moley, what a nutjob that was lol. Definitely not a date movie as I found out imo. Stiller was good tho but there were parts that were just crazy weird for me(personally).


And I also saw 3:10 to Yuma. A better than average Western movie than any of the recent ones(which ever those maybe- and the *blank* I aint talkin about BBM cuz that's just no), I wouldn't go as so far to say that it's the "best" movie of the summer or that it's the best western for that matter but, it definitely is one of the better ones made and the acting is top notch.

The two movies right know that I absolutely cannot wait for, is American Gangster and We Own The Night.

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
The Legend of 1900 (La Leggenda del pianista sull'oceano)

Tim Roth was... I can't find any suitable words at all! :2thumbsup:
.

[Fragony]

Dead Calm, what a great claustrophobic thriller, a shame about the ending that was no doubt forced upon the makers by suits. OWWWWWWW NICOLE KIDMAN

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/Fragony/Kidman3.jpg

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
Absolutely! :2thumbsup: One of the best Nicole movies. :smitten:
.

[Slug For A Butt]

Just seen The Number 23. It is the best film I have seen in some time.
Big thumbs up to Jim Carrey for a masterful portrayal of a man falling to pieces by paranoia. Nice twist in the plot, and a nasty aftertaste of something being just a little more than paranoia. :2thumbsup:

Also recently seen Outlaw. Sean Bean and friends set out to right some wrongs in society in a dark, violent manner that is becoming a trademark of British films recently. Liked it. :2thumbsup: It may not appeal to our American friends, but it is worth watching if you like gritty, believable violence instead of sanitised slaughter with big guns.

All time favourites of mine include The Sting, Dumb And Dumber, Angel Heart, Donnie Darko, The Village (remake) and Jacobs Ladder

My all time stinkers include Braveheart, Tankgirl, Psycho remake, The Magnificent Seven (inferior in every way to The Seven Samurai) and Four weddings And A Funeral.

[Fragony]

One huge recommendation for the sick puppy's under us. Or, how to make an effective horror movie without any horror. If it's anything, it's a family-drama. Absolutily fantastic acting, fantastic pace; you get the clue but it's no BAM but a hunch going to certainty.

'The Hamiltons '

A truly unique horror movie, or family drama whatever

gogo

[Spino]

Blade Runner - The Final Cut - This Saturday I took a trip to the Ziegfeld Theater to catch this wonderful film. Blade Runner is one of my top ten favorite films and the experience was made even more special by the fact that even though I caught the Director's Cut in the theater back in the early 90s this was my first time seeing it in a top notch theater and digitally projected in its 70mm glory. All I can say is wow... Seriously, just wow.

Prior to Saturday night I wasn't a believer in digitial projection systems but after Saturday night you can call me a convert. Back in the 90s I saw the restored version of Lawrence of Arabia projected in its native 70mm in a top notch theater and came away thinking it was the best looking film I had ever seen... until now. Speaking purely in terms of visuals and picture quality Blade Runner: The Final Cut is simply the best looking movie I have ever seen and a testament to Ridley Scott's extraordinary eye for framing and detail and Jordan Cronenweth's fantastic talents as a cinematographer. Technically speaking the experience was flawless; vivid colors, consistent picture quality and nary a scratch, smudge or speck of dirt to be found (or pixel for that matter). And, as you would expect from a digitally projected film, there was no trace of the famous 'cigarette burn' indicator on a single frame (the telltale dot that briefly appears in the upper right hand corner to warn the person running the projector to switch reels).

My only qualm with the film was Scott's insistence on keeping that incongruous unicorn sequence for the final cut.

The unicorn sequence is Scott's not-so-gentle way of implying that Deckard is a replicant. When taken at face value the logic behind this assertion sort of works. However when placed within the basic plot of the film and subject to the laws of the film's own fictional universe the argument falls apart miserably. Scott's heavy handed attempt at undermining the basic premise of the film smacks of hubris and seems to illustrate some contempt for the original material but that's for a another topic.
Even if you cannot stand Blade Runner or sci-fi movies in general do yourself a favor and catch this one on the big screen, you won't regret it.

[Kralizec]

The Remains of the Day
The story is followed through the eyes of the butler James Stevens (Anthony Hopkins, great performance as usual), who served an English aristocrat, Lord Darlington, throughout the thirties and fourties. Darlington was quite active in foreign politics, often receiving guests of various nationalities, trying to prevent the outbreak of another large war, what we now call appeasement. An important part of the film is the relationship between Stevens and the housekeeper, Ms. Kenton. Mrs. Kenton is probably just as proffessional as he but she doesn't hide her emotions or frustrations (such as when Darlington dismisses two housemaids because they're jewish), while Stevens always remains cold and distant.
Years later the war is over, Darlington is dead, Kenton has been gone for years and the mansion has a new owner, an American with more relaxed mannerisms. Under the pretence that the house needs more qualified staff, Stevens tries to contact Ms. Kenton again to see if she's willing to take back her old job.

Most of the story is told through flashbacks. The film really captures the atmosphere of an old English aristocratic household (or makes it feel authentic, anyway) during a time when the world is slowly sliding towards another world war. I give it a 9 out of 10.

[naut]

Turned on the TV today, and BAM!, Forest Gump was showing. It was really touching, and silly. Enjoyed it.

[Beirut]

Fantastic Four: The Silver Surfer

Gah! What a stinking pile of rotting and boring trash. Bleah! Even Jessica Alba didn't look good. The movie was boring, stupid, silly, badly written and acted, just trash from start to finish.

The Surfer guy did look cool and there were perhaps 45 seconds of neat effects, but the movie was terrible.

Did I mention it was boring, badly acted and horribly written?

One Star out of Five.

[doc_bean]

Letters from Iwo Jima

For some reason it just didn't grad me. Can't say there was anything really wrong with it, it just didn't click.

[Dutch_guy]

Turned on the TV today, and BAM!, Forest Gump was showing. It was really touching, and silly. Enjoyed it.

Love that movie, the part where he apologizes for 'ruining the Panther party' is hilarious. Also, Tom Hanks is great as Forrest.

:balloon2:

[ajaxfetish]

I know I'm about three months behind the times, but I just recently saw it.

Transformers:croc:
Biggest problem with the movie: they couldn't decide on their target audience. Half of the movie seems designed for kids and half for adults. It's a show that I could see working well either way, but trying to do both at once didn't work. Most of the humor is directed toward a very young audience, I would say roughly 8-12. This includes especially the whole segment with the Autobots hiding from the parents in the backyard, or anything involving Sector 7. As a child, I would have been pissing myself in glee at the sheer hilarity. As an adult, I find it cheesy beyond all measure, boring, and a needless distraction from the plot. Other parts would either bore such young children or make their parents really nervous, such as the violence, the romance, and the remaining humor (e.g. the Mom's masturbation lines). Prime's moral statements and defenses of human potential again would be perfectly satisfactory for a child, but seem incredibly shallow and simplistic to me as an adult. This could have been a great kids' film. It could have been a great adult action film. It ended up being neither.

Other cons: the shallowness and inaccessibility of the main characters. There was no one I really identified with, empathized with, or worried about. Also, there was too much going on. Stories such as the lost soldiers in Qatar or the intrigues of Sector 7 or the female computer analyst could each have been the central plot of a movie. As it was, they were all side-shows which looked more promising than they were able to be in the time given them.

Pros: The action sequences were very nice, and the transformation graphics were superb. Visually the film was very rewarding. The idea of having your car choose you or come to your defense in peril is very cool (part of the appeal of the transformer concept itself). Also, it featured the A-10, albeit briefly. The heroin is easy to look at.

Ajax

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
Great review there ajax! I urge you to submit it to imdb mate. :yes:

I saw part of Checking Out tonight on TV, with Peter Falk! :2thumbsup: He and Laura SanGiacomo make it a great movie single handed. Recommended!
.

[sapi]

I know I'm about three months behind the times, but I just recently saw it.

Transformers:croc:
Biggest problem with the movie: they couldn't decide on their target audience. Half of the movie seems designed for kids and half for adults. It's a show that I could see working well either way, but trying to do both at once didn't work. Most of the humor is directed toward a very young audience, I would say roughly 8-12. This includes especially the whole segment with the Autobots hiding from the parents in the backyard, or anything involving Sector 7. As a child, I would have been pissing myself in glee at the sheer hilarity. As an adult, I find it cheesy beyond all measure, boring, and a needless distraction from the plot. Other parts would either bore such young children or make their parents really nervous, such as the violence, the romance, and the remaining humor (e.g. the Mom's masturbation lines). Prime's moral statements and defenses of human potential again would be perfectly satisfactory for a child, but seem incredibly shallow and simplistic to me as an adult. This could have been a great kids' film. It could have been a great adult action film. It ended up being neither.

Other cons: the shallowness and inaccessibility of the main characters. There was no one I really identified with, empathized with, or worried about. Also, there was too much going on. Stories such as the lost soldiers in Qatar or the intrigues of Sector 7 or the female computer analyst could each have been the central plot of a movie. As it was, they were all side-shows which looked more promising than they were able to be in the time given them.

Pros: The action sequences were very nice, and the transformation graphics were superb. Visually the film was very rewarding. The idea of having your car choose you or come to your defense in peril is very cool (part of the appeal of the transformer concept itself). Also, it featured the A-10, albeit briefly. The heroin is easy to look at.

Ajax
Have to agree here; the movie was an alright one if you had no expectation of there being a plot (which, as far as I can tell, there wasn't :grin2:)

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
At First Sight (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0132512/). :2thumbsup:
.

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
Stardust (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0486655/)

:balloon: :2thumbsup: :balloon2: :smitten: :balloon3:

It's a little bit predictive, considering one of the ends, but that doesn't hurt the least. A must see! :yes:
.

[Kralizec]

Stardust is indeed great, I should havve written a review for that as well. Robert de Niro in one of his best roles yet ~D

[Puzz3D]

Lust, Caution (2007) by director Ang Lee is advertised as an espionage thriller, but is actually a character study of a young woman who gets caught up in a resistance plot to assassinate a high ranking official in the collaborationist Chinese government in 1942 Shanghai. At 158 minutes in length, english subtitles and NC-17 rating (should have been R rated), this slowly developing film is not for everyone, but it's very well made with a lot of attention to detail. The tension builds slowly but steadily towards a very non-hollywood but believable resolution. Wei Tang, in her first film, gives an excellent performance as does Tony Leung who starred in In The Mood for Love (2000). The theme has some similarity to the films Purple Butterfly (2003) and Zwartboek (2006), but those films are more action oriented and have less psychological depth.

[econ21]

I belatedly caught the latest James Bond, Casino Royale, staring Daniel Craig. To my amazement, I enjoyed it. I liked the first few James Bond movies (Dr No, From Russia with love, Gold Finger), but then found them cliched, repugnant, camp, mindless and boring. The whole genre should have been sucked up into the void of 1970s trash, as far as I was concerned.

However, Casino Royale was rather fun. The action was fast paced, without being too absurdly over the top. Craig was arguably too ugly to play James Bond, but captured the physicality of the role very well. ("Shaken or stirred, sir?" "Do I look like I give a damn?"). Eva Green was the most interesting Bond girl for a long while, with amazing big Goth eyes and some nice dialogue skewering Mr Bond.

The whole plot was daft - why play poker with a terrorist financier rather than just nab him? - the villains under-written and the protracted ending rather weak. But given my terrible tilt against James Bond films as a whole, I would have to rate this one a marked success.

[Decker]

I just saw Lions for Lambs with Meryl Streep(spelling?), Robert Redford, and Tom Cruise. There's more too it than meets the eye. It covers a lot of aspects of the USA at the moment. From a top government official(Tom Cruise) representing the GOP(republicans), a TV reporter who, in the middle of the review, decides that she needs to report the actual "truth" all the while knowing that it probably wouldn't work because the media has become all about politics/ratings while not actually reporting the news (as in things that are against the norm).
Then there is the perspective of 3 students and Robert Redford's character. And out of these scenes and interactions, you are "given"(depends on how you look at this), 3 choices and how you are going to live and drive your life. 1 is to sign up for the military and go on the ground and literally fight so that when you come back, you have something to stand, experience, so that when you decide to do something about it, you have fought and bled for it. 2 is become some sort of official/activist who is doing something to change the what is going on in the country's government and or with its people. 3 is sitting on your ass and doing nothing.

I could go into more but then it'd all become backroom stuff or mostly my opinion. I'd suggest that everyone goes to see it even if some movie review guy says it was boring, old, bland, nothing exciting. It should be for you to judge and not for somebody else to decide if you should/shouldn't see it. IMHO, this is nearly everything that you should know little about what is going on in the country, media, politically, and individually(in a way), in a nutshell- with a good script, top notch acting, and long enough so that you do not become tired of it.
10/10

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
Beowulf & Grendel. Great take on a part of the deathless story. Not a Beowulf movie per se, mind you, but not a 13th Warrior either.

Lions for Lambs. The best film...OK, one of the best, I've ever seen hitherto. Not your worn down Oliver Stone style left fist waving drama. Everybody can find something in it to his taste. The first time I acknowledge Tom Cruise a great actor, and place Robert Redford at the Pantheon, where Mery Streep already is. :yes:
.

[Mouzafphaerre]

.

I just saw Lions for Lambs with Meryl Streep...

Lions for Lambs. The best film...
I'm a dotard. :yes:
.

[Puzz3D]

Gone Baby Gone (2007) is a crime drama adapted from a novel by Dennis Lahane and directed by Ben Afflick. Very realistic and well produced and directed, this complex story goes beyond the story itself and illuminates several moral dilemmas concerning the well being of children. There is considerably more character development than is typical of crime stories. The acting and screenplay is excellent with the characters very believably portrayed, and the Boston neighborhoods depicted are accurately presented. Definitely a serious film aimed at an adult audience. This may very well be best USA picture for 2007.

[Fragony]

Pan's Labyrit

Weird movie, it starts out as a war movie, and some violencescenes are just sadistic, want to see how it looks how a skull is crushed with a baton it's there dear god. No wonder the main character dives into a world of her own. But what she finds there is just as bad and horrifying and most of all alien. When it changes back you don't know what the worst one is. From there you are treated with a great story, very cruel! People wanting a vilain they can hate here's your thing. I would want to say better this and that but I have really nothing to compare it to because it is so unique. It is also one of the best movies I have ever seen. Everything is put together with such extreme care it's impossible not to apreciate the obvious effort to make it more then the usual thing. Nothing but utmost praise from here.

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
I loved that one! Also what it's director says its spiritual prequel, Cronos.
.

[Geoffrey S]

Just a few I've seen over the last few weeks:

Stardust. Must-see. An absolutely charming fairytale that doesn't take itself too seriously. Tempted to consider it a Princess Bride for a new generation. Different from the novel (far sweeter), but all that means is it has a place of its own.
Lucky Number Slevin. Smart. Better than expected, quite a strong plot with a nice style, let down a bit by the haphazard ending.
Mission Impossible 3. Dear me, that was awful. Worthless acting, a random plot, and it appears that all the budget went into hiring big names rather than making an impressive looking film. It's more like some awful tv-action series than the big movie it's meant to be.
Dark City. Not certain if I'd already mentioned this one, but it's now a personal favourite. No-one else that I know liked it, so be warned, but I loved the visual style and the ideas behind the movie. Some extremely memorable moments.

[Fragony]

.
I loved that one! Also what it's director says its spiritual prequel, Cronos.
.

//makes note

hehe Syriane, it's a bit cheap but ah well what the hell, entertaining it is and well made. Tries too hard to show complexity. Bonuspoint for iranian hotties.

[Mouzafphaerre]

.

Stardust. Must-see.
Indeed! :2thumbsup:
.

[InsaneApache]

Just got back from watching Beowulf. Rather silly but enjoyable CGI movie.

[Beefy187]

Children of men : Greatest Scifi I seen in ages.. Loved the setting in Britain too

Disturbia: Crappy ending.. I really enjoyed the rest so its a shame...

[Innocentius]

Elephant (2003)

One of the best movies I've seen. The camera work was very interesting, and since I'm a fan of great realism in movies dealing with real life/realistic events (i.e. not sci-fi, fantasy, whatever), be they based upon true events or fictional, I appreciated how silent, and sometimes slow, the movie was. Acting was nothing special, but it shouldn't be - real life rarely contains any dramatic lines, just everyday talk.

The best thing with the movie however must be that it wasn't preaching or anything. It just showed a series of events, end of story; letting the audience form their own opinion. The only letdown was that it wasn't any longer.

10/10

[Fragony]

Kick in the teeth that one.

[Crazed Rabbit]

Superbad: Vul-gar, with a capital V. But funny if you like that, and with good jokes even if you don't like that stuff. But still, real, real vulgar.

Wild Hogs: A fun comedy, kept up a good pace throughout.

Beowulf and Grendel (2005): This was a poor movie, due to the plot disfiguration. Basically a politically correct version of Beowulf that loses almost all connection to the original story. Grendel becomes a noble, almost righteous beast, while Beowulf is hardly more than an ordinary man, not the legendarily strong man of myth. They also add in a new character, the embodiment of the film's politically correct 'man is bad' theme; a fortune telling witch, who, unlike every other character, speaks with a very out of place American accent.

CR

[Shahed]

2046 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2046_(film))

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a3/2046_movie.jpg

It is an outstanding film. Highly recommended.

The performace by Zhang Ziyi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Ziyi) is simply phenomenal, if for nothing else this film is worth watching just for her performance. Mandarin, Cantonese & Japanese. Watched it with French subtitles and from the little I did understand of the dialogue, it was exquisite. Zhang Ziyi's tonality and expression is stunning. It is remarkable how deep every little action of hers in this film goes. Her tact and cunning as she desperately tries to hold on to her heart.

Tony Leung (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Leung_Chiu_Wai) is great as well, and most men have a lot to learn from him on how he seduces women. His confidence, charisma, humor, steady nerve, and most importantly of all, his calculated & tempered indifference, prompting his ladies to feel rages of a spectrum of emotion. Fundamentally seductive qualities, which leave little choice to a woman but to fall in love with him.

[Crazed Rabbit]

Three Days of Rain. Remember Crash? Basically, this is that movie set in Cleveland. Except here, the various stories played out lack the life, meaning, drama, of Crash and basically were boring. They are short, almost self contained stories, though intercut - really trying to cram to many stories (six) into one movie.
Worse yet, the stories themselves are uninteresting, perhaps because they lack the time to provide a depth to their characters and a story arc. One was a older, well off couple who bicker about giving take out food to an unrealistically polite street bum, and the husband then tries to find and buy a sandwich for. Another is about a mentally retarded train station employee who may be fired. Another is of a tilemaker who's late on the rent. Another of a loser druggie exploited by a corrupt judge. Talk is the height of the drama you'll find here.
There are no great truths or emotional scenes, just dull scenes from dull lives, and it makes for a dull movie.

So dull, in fact, that me and my folks stopped watching the movie after almost an hour and popped in ...
Road to Perdition , a great movie about a man's struggle to save his son as he works for the Irish mob near Chicago. Great acting, plot, and pace. A drama, and very well done in all respects.

CR

[Fragony]

Someone is suffering from asiamania, you really ought to see 'In the mood for love', one of the best romantic movies ever/

[Shahed]

Hehe ! I always loved Asian movies. I admit I do have a motive in seeing Korean movies at the moment, a Korean air hostess. ;) I'm genuinely interested in her culture. Thanks for the tip I'll check out that movie ! I think it's one of the precursors to 2046. 2046 is not romantic in a traditional sense btw.

Anyone have any good Korean movie suggestions ?

[Puzz3D]

Anyone have any good Korean movie suggestions ?
Dae Jang-geum: A Jewel in the Palace (2003 - 2004 TV series)
Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War (2004)
A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)
Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005)
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002)
Old Boy (2003)
Natural City (2003)
The Host (2006)
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring (2003)
3-Iron (2004)
The Bow (2005)
Bad Guy (2001)

[Shahed]

Excellent! Quite a few I didn't have on my list already. I think I will really like Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring. Thanks very much Puzz.

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
All noted Puzz! I'm sure they'll be worth watching just for the chicks if nothing. ~;)
.

[Conradus]

Perhaps Bin-Jip should be added to that list? I thought it was a Korean movie anyway.

[Puzz3D]

Perhaps Bin-Jip should be added to that list? I thought it was a Korean movie anyway.
Yes that's 3-Iron and its my favorite of the last four that I listed all by director Ki-duk Kim. I'm going to watch another of his movies, Samaritan Girl (2004).

[Prodigal]

These are old films, & may have been covered, however thought it worth recommending them on the off chance younger members of the org may have missed them.

Excalibur
Swords, rumpy pumpy in full armour, the Grail, and Merlin, can't go far wrong

The Thing (Kurt Russell version)
Sci fi horror remake. An interesting look at survival, & trust.

Alien
If you haven't seen it ,watch it; if you have look again, there's always a scene you've missed

Scum
The voice of Beowulf in his best performance, set in a 1970's british borstal. Sounds boring right? "Where's ur tool?"

[Crazed Rabbit]

Rescue Dawn; an excellent and focused portrayal of the capture and escape of the only American to escape from one of North Vietnam's Laotian POW camp.

Unwavering in its story and its quality, and without unnecessary over-dramatizations forced in by the director.

CR

[InsaneApache]

Scum
The voice of Beowulf in his best performance, set in a 1970's british borstal. Sounds boring right? "Where's ur tool?"

Who's the daddy?

Great movie.

Whatever you do, never turn your back on Winstone when he's got an 8 ball in a sock. :no:

[Mouzafphaerre]

.

Samaritan Girl (2004)
Saw the final scene on TV. Will see it certaily (not because of the scene ~D).
.

[econ21]

I saw the Golden Compass yesterday and enjoyed it a lot. I was a huge fan of the Northern Lights and this film adaption of that book did not disappoint. The acting was uniformly good - especially Lyra, the main character - and the film was generally very faithful to the original story. Most of the fantasy elements were done well - the daemons, the armored bears, the witches, etc.

If I had one complaint, it was that the film raced ahead at quite a pace, so I don't think it caught some of the atmosphere of the book - for example, the fear of the Gobblers or the horror of Bolvanger. An unfavorable comparison might be with the Fellowship of the Ring, which I felt took more time to soak the viewer into the world of Middle Earth - starting with the Shire - and gradually lead them into the thrilling story.

Like the Lord of the Rings films, there were some cuts or deviations from the original that rankled a little. The anti-clerical agenda of the book was completely masked. The shocking end of the book was postponed, so we got a sacharine feel good ending instead. And a few of the darker elements of the beginning seemed to be lost - it's been a long while since I read the book, but I swear the college Master was in on the attempted poisoning and also that there was a severed child in Azreal's photos of the Northern Lights.

[Shahed]

I just wanted to say a quick THANKS to Puzz for recommending Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring (2003). This was an excellent recommendation. It is an absolutely stunning film. It really will help me in my current quest as well!

Do not read any reviews, do not watch any trailers, just go and get the movie.

[Lemur]

Saw No Country for Old Men today with some friends. All I can say is that it rocks from start to finish. Ignore anyone who says there are problems with the ending. There are no problems. The film is as close to perfect as any film ought to be.

Instant classic. From the guys who brought you Raising Arizona, The Big Lebowski, Fargo, etc.

[Ramses II CP]

I saw No Country for Old Men last night and I concur with Lemur. It's a very well crafted film which makes some of the best use of silence I've encountered in a recent movie.

The fact that every part of the film except one is grounded in iron clad, obvious, experienced truth for the watcher means that the somewhat unbelievable bits require almost no suspension of disbelief. You're so deep into the movie telling the truth and matching what you've seen that it doesn't naturally occur to you to question it.

After the movie read the book. Some of the smaller bits will fall into place for you. :yes:

:egypt:

[ajaxfetish]

Beowulf (2007):viking:

This is a new adaptation of a classic story (basically the oldest story in the English language). It uses a new visual medium and a big budget cast, and alters the story in some respects, but overall is true to the character of the original, which I would describe as a celebration of masculine ass-kicking. Coming away from the movie, my main thought was 'Man, that Beowulf is hardcore!,' which is similar to my thoughts after reading the story. One thing in terms of homage to the original that I really liked was the inclusion of some Old English dialogue. Grendel converses entirely in Old English, his mother uses some, and other characters throw in little words or phrases occasionally, though most of the film is in entirely recognizable modern English. The most significant alteration to the storyline is the addition of complex familial relationships between the monsters and the heroes (it makes Hrothgar out to be Grendel's father and Beowulf that of the dragon). While not in the original, this change helps make the story more cohesive, rather than just a series of Beowulf vs. monster viniettes, and does not in my opinion detract from the overall spirit of the original.

The story-telling is pretty good overall. One particularly good moment for me was the first introduction of Beowulf. The transition from Hrothgar stating that they needed a 'hero' to Beowulf approaching by ship was very well-timed, the music worked great, and overall the moment was very satisfying. Sometimes there are distractions, however. One particular example is during the mead-hall fight between Beowulf and Grendel. The movie accurately depicts Beowulf fighting in the nude, but does so by means of an Austin Powers-esque hide the junk behind conveniently-placed objects technique. This could work if it was done subtly, but instead it draws massive attention to itself, and the fight scene is mostly about how they'll conceal Beowulf's genitals next. The actual conflict between the two most recognizable characters in the story is sidelined to a visual gag.

The animation technique was a little off-putting at first. The entire film is computer-generated. However, all the characters are modelled on their real-life actor counterparts, and the generation is realistic enough to create a kind of creepy effect. After getting past the weirdness, however, that effect of being somewhere between fantasy and reality fits the mythical nature of the story quite well. Sometimes the graphical attempt to be 3-dimensional is taken a little too far in my opinion, including a moment with a spearhead in Beowulf's face and a shot of Grendel carried by his mother. The spearhead and Grendel's head look comically large rather than enhancing a sense of depth.

The fact that this film is all CG is probably the only reason it has a PG-13 rating. It is quite visually violent, and Angelina Jolie is basically shown in the nude. I expect it would definitely be rated R if it showed the same things in live action.

Overall, the show is a decent retelling of the ancient saga, and accurately adheres to it's 'point,' if you could call it that, but while it uses an interesting new medium to tell the story, but occasionally that medium calls too much attention to itself and detracts from the story instead of enhancing it.

Ajax

[JimBob]

Just saw No Country for Old Men as well. And have to concur. Instant classic, perfectly executed. So perfect that it almost seems like they're not trying. Tommy Lee Jones is excellent. Josh Brolin falls into his role effortlessly. But the high point of the acting is Javier Bardem who's Antony Chigurh is possibly the scariest bad guy ever.
The best part of movie, though, is that this is a world where movies that want to ratchet up the pressure and tension speed up. This movie slows down, and the tension becomes a physical thing.
Wow.

[sapi]

I mostly agree with ajaxfetish on Beowulf, though I did tend to think that the movie was a bit overdone; and certainly very predictable. The style of animation had me a bit distracted in several scenes, too, with the sort of 'second-look' reaction that distracts from what story there was in the film ~:)

But hey, it does what it says on the box, and quite aptly :yes:

I'll only say one thing about Hitman: the stunts budget obviously didn't stretch far enough to cover the story as well :grin2:

[Geoffrey S]

Well, one thing I have to say about Beowulf is that if you're going to watch it, do yourself a favour and find an Imax theatre with 3d goggles to do so; it was an incredible experience and really makes good use of the computer-generated nature of the film. That, and I found it deeper than I expected. Ultimately it was about flawed characters, it wasn't as one-sided as I'd expected. Well-written and quite spectacular.

[econ21]

I watched London to Brighton on DVD the other night. I had not heard of the film before, but it was quite an impressive offering. A simple and stark tale of a girl and woman on the run from London gangsters and pimps. The story was not much to write home about, but the acting by a cast of unknowns was excellent and the sleazy London lowlife depicted so compellingly, you had to wash your hands after watching the movie.

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
Kabadayı (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1051907/) :2thumbsup:

I proclaim that, from the day this film was released on, Turkish cinema exists! :yes:

Monumental acting, consistent storyline with all taboos hitherto untouchable turned upside down (corrupt Police etc.), a very well done final scene in which you swing between tears and laughter and overall bright regie... No Shakespearean heroes/villains; crafty and in depth character building and realization, including an antagonist whom you almost pity.

Especially a gem if you wish to hear the Istanbul dialect of Turkish, which is mostly fading into memories with the older generations, spoken with character and attire.

A hot, hot, hot babe notwithstanding. ~D

PS: A slightly modified version of this post has been submitted to IMDB.
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[Shahed]

I'm going to watch it. Thanks for the tip Mouz. Have you seen any of Fatih Akin's films?.
I personally haven't yet but they're very popular in Europe. I think the most famous one is Gegen Die Wand (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347048/). Turkish-German movie.


http://eur.i1.yimg.com/eur.yimg.com/ng/mo/emv/20070417/17/648430974.jpg

By the way has anyone seen Elizabeth: The Golden Age yet ?
I watched the first one and really loved it, few years ago.

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
I hear a lot about Fatih Akın's works and I believe I saw one on the TV. Not bad at all. :yes: I don't consider his films as "Turkish movies" though. ~;)

The chick on the poster... preceded her whitescreen career with a very successful p0Rn one. ~D
.

[MiniMe]

Seen this movie. Class. And she's very cute girl, methinks. And a good actress.
I wouldn't mind to see other fims where she acts =)

BTW, yesterday I've seen "Iklimler". http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0498097/ Great story.

[Puzz3D]

Samaria (Samaritan Girl) (2004) directed by Kim Ki-Duk is a visually symbolic film that deals with guilt and redemption, but goes beyond that to the unusual idea of recapturing innocence albiet at a high price. This film addresses an apparently serous social issue in South Korea of kids getting involved in prostitution to make money.

[Mouzafphaerre]

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Seen the final scene sequence.. The film has been on my "to get" list since then.
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[Fragony]

Reqieum, german movie. SO INCREDIBLY TRAGIC. Some movies are just unbrearable to watch, they suck the air right out of your longues. It's about a girl from the biblebelt who suffers from severe panic attacks, combine that with a harsh mouth against the priest, well that can mean only one thing right? It is based on a true story of a girl that died during an excorcism. Acting, dear god, name the oscars after her from now on. So cleverly done, in the beginning she is this extremily introvert girl, when she goes to college you start to notice she is actually actractive. She gets a nice boyfriend, she losens up a little, you go girl. But it all goes wrong. Great soundtrack, everything just screams 'mourn a life lost'. Not a movie for everyone, but if you are anything like me you have extremily good taste so you will love it.

oh so very 10/10

@minime, if you think she's cute there is some *cough* spicier material to be found

[Mouzafphaerre]

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Star Trek: The Motion Picture

and

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

on DVD.

I haven't had the chance to read the Patrick O'Brian series yet but I have to say that some deviations from them were too clearly recognizable without even having read them. The lame Holywoodish nationalism, most probably inserted, sucked badly. (I know so far that they replaced the American enemy with a French one and pulled down the date from 1814 to 1805.)

The acting, scenery, regie, everything in aspects of cinema, except the interventions into the story/ies were OK. Most enjoyable movie.

Star Trek is a cult work. (May or may not have seen it before, in my childhood.) It felt much like one of the episodes from ToS, except it was too long. Never ceasing music a là Wagner opera was at times disturbing. That aside, my beloved Trek. :yes:
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