Movie Review Thread

[Scienter]

As a bit of a culinary enthusiast I enjoyed Ratatouille. Very cute.

That's part of the reason I love it so much. France, cooking, and rats are among my favorite things.

[Louis VI the Fat]

Up. The first 15 mins or so were surprisingly sad for a Pixar film, but overall I really enjoyed it. I think it had a good message to it as well. A friend at work said it was better than Ratatouille, but I've got to disagree, Ratatouille is still my all time favorite Pixar film.

I have never cried so hard at a movie as *spoiler*

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

as when Anton Ego got his plate of Ratatouille and was transported back to his mother's cooking. They had to mob me up.

In fact, tears are running down my cheeks as I write this, simply thinking about it. I cry like a baby every time I see the movie.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Not immediately apparant, but so much of the movie is based on actual persons, events and places! Genius.

Ratatouille is underrated. Such a great movie!



[/img]https://img696.imageshack.us/img696/4773/rata2.jpg[/img]

[Scienter]

Not immediately apparant, but so much of the movie is based on actual persons, events and places! Genius.

I had no idea that place was real! Thanks for sharing these pics!

[Hooahguy]

Gamer
as a guy movie, it was good. full of violence and boobs, and not much else.

but for us more intelligent folks, its was "meh."

[Prussian to the Iron]

anybody got any good "new couple" movies? asking out a girl tomorrow, not sure what movies are out though.

[Centurion1]

why the hell doesnt this have its own thread PI.

by the to answer your question take her to Dear John

Cent's Reasons to go to Dear John with a woman
1. It has channing tautm
2. It is by nicholas Sparks
3. It is about love, i think
4. It has channing tatum (who is an atrocious actor)

And as a bonus for you and me....... its all about like some marine deployed so for military areas like ours the girl you ask is probably military or used to be so another bonus.

[Centurion1]

oh and hurt locker was trash so unrealistic. Good action flick occasionally but seriously random eod humvee in middle of desert meets british special ops and then saved all their butts with their natural sniping abilites and some capri sun.

Edit: Avatar. Waste of my life. It was beautiful visually but let me just explain the story.

Military Evil
Business Evil

Science Good
Nature Good


At the end i expected some sort of collage showing all the atrocities white captialsits have had and a dedication to native guerillas.

The evil marines and their evil colonel. the oh so good scientist BS the scientist is the one who would want to cut em up and dissect them.

And there was not a single joke in the entire movie which i heartily disapprove of.

[Fragony]

Whicked Lake, bizarre! 4 beautifull girls get a surprise visit frrom some inbred redneck family, who abuse them. Then one escapes, there is a chase, and then she starts laughing 'it's getting late'. Well they came to the wrong house.

'the big question, why shouldn't we kill you '
'you are wrong, the big question is how you are going to taste'

heh (these aren't spoilers don't worry)

[Fragony]

District 9, what a complete letdown. Everybody was raving about what a smart movie it is but it doesn't even know what it wants to be. Have to give it to them, plot can go in several directions. And all of them are predictable in their own predictable way.

[Scienter]

anybody got any good "new couple" movies? asking out a girl tomorrow, not sure what movies are out though.

Depends on the girl. Ask her what she wants to see if you can't guess her taste in movies. Some girls aren't into "date movies" and might really want to go see a movie where things get blown up or shot.

Stuff that's out around me: Shutter Island, Dear John, Cop Out (looks dreadful, Tooth Fairy (kid movie?), Up in the Air (was awesome! Maybe not good date material?), From Paris with Love (Travolta), Valentine's Day, and I think the Princess and the Frog is still in a few places. Hrm. Not very many good things to choose from.

[Kralizec]

Avatar
Dumbt story (seriously, even Star Wars isn't as black and white as far as morality goes), but I knew that in advance so I still managed to enjoy it. Some good action scenes, and the 3D is of course pretty.
6.5/10

The Book of Eli
Not the best post-apocalypse movie I've ever seen, not the worst either. I'm not a relious type, and allthought that didn't ruin it for me, I probably would have liked it better if I was...
7/10

[PanzerJaeger]

The Crazies - 9/10

This could be l4d 3. Seriously. Same storyline, just a different location and cast of characters.

Surprisingly decent acting though... I actually loved it, except for a final scene at the very end. It was stupid in The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and it was stupid in this one as well. Didn't ruin the experience, though.

[Hooahguy]

Fight Club
cant talk about it. sorry.

[Azathoth]

Major League

7/10

Decent comedy; extremely American.

[Prussian to the Iron]

Just saw Shutter Island. great movie, completely unexpected plot twists. about half an hour prior to the end, i had already formulated my own theories as to the mystery characters and what was going on, totally wrong there.

movie makes you think alot. 9/10, only because i was dissapointed at the lack of massacre at the hands of Dicaprio and a Springfield rifle.

[ajaxfetish]

Just got back from a date with the wife to see Avatar, first time going to the movies in months. I'll agree with several others here that the story was not particularly original, but I think the artistry of the telling made up for that. It was visually gorgeous, and I was particularly impressed by the pacing. It was a long show, but it never felt like it was dragging, or like the material onscreen was unnecessary.

On a sidenote, I really liked the civilian in charge of the operation. Sure he was callous and motivated only by money, but he was believable and most importantly he was hilarious, in spite of limited screen time. I have no idea if they meant him to be at all sympathetic, but I for one can't hate the guy.

Ajax

[Centurion1]

On a sidenote, I really liked the civilian in charge of the operation. Sure he was callous and motivated only by money, but he was believable and most importantly he was hilarious, in spite of limited screen time. I have no idea if they meant him to be at all sympathetic, but I for one can't hate the guy.

yeah i thought he was funny too he felt regret at the end so i think he is allowed to be 'liked". I for one didnt find the one female doctor funny at all.

[Secura]

oh and hurt locker was trash so unrealistic. Good action flick occasionally but seriously random eod humvee in middle of desert meets british special ops and then saved all their butts with their natural sniping abilites and some capri sun.

I guess it might be seen as weird... but I loved The Hurt Locker. Recently watched it on Blu-Ray and was simply astounded. Sure, it's essentially just a film about Iraq or Afghanistan or I-can't-really-remember-istan, and subsequently there's lots of gunfire and explosions, but I found the film to be really emotive. Several parts genuinely had me moved close to tears.

The part I 'enjoyed' the most was when the man staggers into the US's cordoned off part of town wearing a suit that covers tonnes of explosives literally caged upon his body. The sheer terror in his eyes, the high-charged emotion of the bomb disposal guy as he realises he cannot save him... it was really moving.

My least favourite part was pretty much where the audience and characters meet the British Spec-Ops/mercenary types, who're promptly sniped to pieces; because some of the most well-trained soldiers in the world really need help from a few army grunts, right? I wouldn't expect any less from an American film though. ¬_¬

The Hurt Locker is a definite 9/10 for me.

Avatar. Waste of my life. It was beautiful visually but let me just explain the story.

I think I'm in the minority of people who have still not seen this film, and I'm genuinely unsure if I even want to. Everytime I hear about aspects of the plot, the only thing that comes to mind is Pocahontas.

An indigenous tribe (Indians in Pocahontas, Na'vi in Avatar) possess something of great economic/technological use (gold, 'Unobtanium'), which a bunch of greedy/nasty people are interested in (European settlers, humans).

The greedy/nasty people send in a single person (John Smith, Jake Sully) to integrate with the 'savages' in order to acquire the gold/Unobtanium, but the person falls in love with one of the tribe (Pocahontas, Neytiri). They learn about each other and begin to see beyond the conflict of their respective factions.

Eventually the greedy/nasty people get angry and decide to attack for the gold/Unobtanium, but are soundly defeated. Everyone rejoices, happy times, the end.

I've already seen Pocahontas more times than I would care to, so why would I pay to see it again just because it's got a different title and looks better? ¬_¬

Fight Club
cant talk about it. sorry.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think "+1 Internets" is the phrase to describe this? :P

[Fragony]

Saw Avatar, very well made, but very lazy and straightforward story-wise. It's a visual delight it is truly spectacular, but the patronizing is a bit too obvious to not annoy.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

I think I'm in the minority of people who have still not seen this film, and I'm genuinely unsure if I even want to. Everytime I hear about aspects of the plot, the only thing that comes to mind is Pocahontas.

That's what I thought when I saw the preview, but that part of the story is done legitimately.

The Europeans didn't support what was done to the native americans. But the people who went over their had no oversight, and were of the "make my fortune" type. That's how it's presented in avatar, except they are light years of space away from any authority instead of miles of ocean. And, not to spoil the movie if you do see it, but what the corporation thinks are just superstitious tribal customs actually aren't, unlike the native american ones.

But then, I think the "lacks a story" criticism shows a huge lack of perspective. Your mileage may vary.

****

Saw, Ghost Writer, fun movie.

[Prussian to the Iron]

I think I'm in the minority of people who have still not seen this film, and I'm genuinely unsure if I even want to. Everytime I hear about aspects of the plot, the only thing that comes to mind is Pocahontas.

An indigenous tribe (Indians in Pocahontas, Na'vi in Avatar) possess something of great economic/technological use (gold, 'Unobtanium'), which a bunch of greedy/nasty people are interested in (European settlers, humans).

The greedy/nasty people send in a single person (John Smith, Jake Sully) to integrate with the 'savages' in order to acquire the gold/Unobtanium, but the person falls in love with one of the tribe (Pocahontas, Neytiri). They learn about each other and begin to see beyond the conflict of their respective factions.

Eventually the greedy/nasty people get angry and decide to attack for the gold/Unobtanium, but are soundly defeated. Everyone rejoices, happy times, the end.

I've already seen Pocahontas more times than I would care to, so why would I pay to see it again just because it's got a different title and looks better? ¬_¬

thats the point. i mean, not much originality, but still it makes it relatable to us yanks. not like the evil brits, trying to kill us americans....

[Crazed Rabbit]

I think I'm in the minority of people who have still not seen this film, and I'm genuinely unsure if I even want to. Everytime I hear about aspects of the plot, the only thing that comes to mind is Pocahontas.

An indigenous tribe (Indians in Pocahontas, Na'vi in Avatar) possess something of great economic/technological use (gold, 'Unobtanium'), which a bunch of greedy/nasty people are interested in (European settlers, humans).

The greedy/nasty people send in a single person (John Smith, Jake Sully) to integrate with the 'savages' in order to acquire the gold/Unobtanium, but the person falls in love with one of the tribe (Pocahontas, Neytiri). They learn about each other and begin to see beyond the conflict of their respective factions.

Eventually the greedy/nasty people get angry and decide to attack for the gold/Unobtanium, but are soundly defeated. Everyone rejoices, happy times, the end.

I've already seen Pocahontas more times than I would care to, so why would I pay to see it again just because it's got a different title and looks better? ¬_¬

Well you've got most of the story. It's not really original, and the natives of pandora are more stereotypically Indian than actual Indians were.

I knew most of that going into the movie, and that's how I feel having seen it.

Still, it has amazing visuals the likes of which have never been seen on screen before. The film doesn't just look better - it was awe inspiring to watch. And James Cameron is a great director as well, so that made the movie more enjoyable. The movie never got boring, and the action is intense. I'm glad I saw it.

CR

[Azathoth]

I saw Avatar when it came out in December. I gave it 7/10 just for the special effects, but because the entire audience clapped once the credits rolled I have to give it a 2.

Do audiences usually clap in theaters? I've only gone out to see a movie a dozen times in the last 5 years.

[Hooahguy]

only twice: lord of the rings: return of the king, and avatar.

[ajaxfetish]

Do audiences usually clap in theaters? I've only gone out to see a movie a dozen times in the last 5 years.

I usually see movies once they've gone on to the discount theater, if not even later on video. Never seen an audience clap after a film. The one time I went to a midnight showing on release day (think it was one of the Harry Potter flicks), the audience clapped. Not enough for anything more than anecdotal evidence, but I suspect newness has an effect, along with anticipation and what the show actually delivers.

Ajax

[Centurion1]

That's what I thought when I saw the preview, but that part of the story is done legitimately.

The Europeans didn't support what was done to the native americans. But the people who went over their had no oversight, and were of the "make my fortune" type. That's how it's presented in avatar, except they are light years of space away from any authority instead of miles of ocean. And, not to spoil the movie if you do see it, but what the corporation thinks are just superstitious tribal customs actually aren't, unlike the native american ones.

But then, I think the "lacks a story" criticism shows a huge lack of perspective. Your mileage may vary.

this isnt a political thread or even a historical thread so im going to ignore the europeans didnt know about indian killing.

It really want a very good story and i dont think the acting was top of the line either so many lines felt forced. Like hwne that female doctor says jarhead, i cringed not just because its insulting but also because she sounded so stupid saying it.

[Azathoth]

It really want a very good story and i dont think the acting was top of the line either so many lines felt forced. Like hwne that female doctor says jarhead, i cringed not just because its insulting but also because she sounded so stupid saying it

.

She is Sigourney Weaver, though.

[Fragony]

War, inc, pretty damn funny if you are in the mood, lovingly politically incorrect and Joe Cussack is always win.

[Martok]

Alice in Wonderland: Not great, but definitely good.

It's got all of Burton's usual style and visual flare (which for me is a good thing). Stunning cinematography, beautiful CGI, wonderfully wacky/hammy character portrayals -- Depp and Carter clearly had a grand old time playing the Hatter and the Red Queen, respectively -- and excellent voice acting for the animated characters (Alan Rickman as the Blue Caterpillar and Stephen Fry as the Cheshire Cat were particularly delightful) all combine to provide a solid film-viewing experience.

Cons: Uneven pacing. A storyline that....well, I wouldn't say it was "weak" so much as it was poorly executed; the movie's basic premise was solid enough, but sometimes it felt like the plot didn't know where to go next. Also, Anne Hathaway's performance as the White Queen fell flat (although to be fair, I don't think she had that much to work with).



Verdict: If you generally like Tim Burton's movies, enjoy(ed) Alice in Wonderland in any of its previous incarnations, and/or desire a fun-but-not-too-deep fantasy outing, odds are very good you'll like this one. A solid 8 out of 10.

[Kralizec]

The Visitor
8/10
Short summary: a widowed economics professor, by coincidence, meets two illegal immigrants (from Senegal and Syria) and becomes friends with them. The guy from Syria is mistakenly arrested when two cops suspect him of trying to use the subway without a ticket, and is faced with deportation. Sad story, all in all.