'Everything is illuminated', it was very good, I think I'd like to read the book when I have the chance too. I am not a big Elijah Wood fan but he was good in it, one of his best roles (his best being Sin City).
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'Everything is illuminated', it was very good, I think I'd like to read the book when I have the chance too. I am not a big Elijah Wood fan but he was good in it, one of his best roles (his best being Sin City).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Emil Miller
Under any circumstances, drawing conclusions about life from the movies is a rather naive course of action. And, as we know, your interpretation of film and your appreciation of perfomance is quite often awry in any case. So you're probably going to something a bit more concrete, Agatha.
With widespread flooding and lack of sunshine, the English summer remains out of sight. However there's still YouTube to brighten the day and so, instead of dutifully reading War and Peace, I took in Man Trap, a film made in 1961 that was quite good until, like so many others, it was unable to resist the barn storming ending that renders the whole enterprise null and void. However, I was hooked when I saw that Stella Stevens was in it because, although I don't usually go for glamorous blonds, no normal male could pass up on a woman who made Marilyn Monroe look like a vicar's daughter.
http://youtu.be/Joc9BnF0XQs
So, 'as WE know', is a sure indication that 'YOUR' individual opinion is worthless without the support of those mythical 'others' who have had no input into your unwarranted personalisation of my observations on a thread that asks for individual comment. Unless of course you are among those referred to in my comment as being those who relate to lowlife: in which case, your attitude is understandable.Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkBastable
~
R e m i n d e r
Please discuss the ideas, not each other.
Off-topic posts will be removed without further notice.
~
I saw Prometheus. I thought it was really good. Smart story, amazing effects and cinematography, and a strong female lead. I thought it better than any of the Alien movies, the first of which I find extremely overrated. The connections to the Alien movies are subtle, and Scott said many times it wasn't going to be directly connected to any of the previous films, so the fans were, for some reason, disappointed when it turned out not to have a bunch if aliens running around eating people. 8/10.
I'm glad you liked it Mutatis, but that's not why I was not enthused with it.
Hey, I just watched that tonight. It was better than I thought it would be. The weakest part of it, I thought, was that they didn't develop the Peter Vincent character as well as they did in the original. I noticed that they kept the oversized vampire fangs. I personally prefer a more understated look in fangs myself. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Buckthorn
All in all, I'd give it a 7/10. The original is still the best for good campy fun.
I like Prometheus, though it was seriously flawed, and it doesn't approach Alien or Aliens. Alien 3 and 4 are **** though, so it's better than them.
Of what I've seen recently:
Moonrise Kingdom 9/10
Quirky and beautifully filmed, not as good as Rushmore but another great production by Wes Anderson.
Rock of Ages 3/10
Tom Cruise is really good in it, but most of the film is painful.
Abraham Lincoln Vampire Slayer 2/10
This isn't even so bad its good bad, it's just bad.
Brave 7/10
Cute Pixar movie, and a princess movie where there finally is no prince charming! The film is actually about the mother-daughter relationship, which itself is rare in the generally male centred world of children's films.
I don't get why Alien and Aliens are lauded as being so good. The first one is so damn boring--an attempt to be artsy, I guess, but it seemed like Scott just needed to fill time. I've yet to watch it without falling asleep. And the effects aren't anything special. Then Cameron comes along with the sequel and overdoes it in the opposite way--macho guys with guns and tanks, plus an annoying little kid. "They mostly come out at night . . . mostly." Bleh.
I like the fourth one. At least it's fun.
/rant
As to Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter: I haven't seen it because it looks really stupid (if they just didn't have Lincoln spinning axes around like a ninja I'd give it a chance) but I have heard the effects and production are pretty good.
Prometheus spoilers ahead.Quote:
Originally Posted by qimissung
The reason he put the drop of alien-oil in the one guy's drink is because he was simply trying to find out what it did. In the scene before that, Theron's character confronts him to find out what their father told him to do, and his answer was "try harder," i.e., try harder to figure out what they were dealing with, so he did, at the expense of the man's life. Plus, he was sort of a dick to David. He supposedly has no feelings, but I doubt that was true.
As to why the aliens wanted to kill us--why they had that deadly stuff stockpiled and why we, as the human race were lead there--is a mystery, and was pointed out by the movie that it was. She even says at the end that that is what she is going to try and find out: why the engineers created us, and why they wanted to kill us. My theory is we were a genetic experiment that got out of control, and rather than chance us evolving to the point where we can navigate space, they decided to exterminate us. What went wrong with that plan is another mystery.
It's nota amazing movie, but I felt that the good outweighed the bad. The scene where she does self-survey was so intense, I haven't been on the edge of my seat like that in a long time.
That's nuts, both those films revolutionized genres, horror and action respectively.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mutatis-Mutandis
Meh, revolutionized or not, I didn't like them.
I haven't seen "Alien" in a long time, but I do remember liking it a great deal. After all, in space on one can hear you scream! Creepy!!!
"Aliens"-I actaully saw that in the theater. I liked it until the end. When the little girl was killed, that was it for me.
As far as "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" haven't seen it, and have, um, no immediate plans to see it, but love this review from Andrew O'Hehir:
– A great killer Lincoln. Dazzling design and awesome action scenes can't conceal the joyous idiocy of "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" ...
"joyous idiocy..":lol: The idea of the rather stolid Lincoln as a vampire hunter is absolutely hilarious. Still laughing.
That happened at the beginning of Alien 3, not the end of 2.Quote:
Originally Posted by qimissung
I was thinking that was the case, but it doesn't make any difference. It still ruins Aliens for me.Quote:
Originally Posted by Calidore
What about Bob? a funny movie, Murray is one of the best. I liked the baby-steps idea.
me and my boy are gonna spend 3 nights watching all 'Back to the future' movies. We just finished I and it's always good. He really enjoyed it and we are looking forward to number II.
Last night a little gem called Kick-***. I'd pvr'd it a few weeks ago for a rainy day. Well lately it's always a rainy day, and regardless this would have been good viewing at any time - but last night was the night: rain and nothing much else going. It just sort of works, and well. Even though the premise and characters are off-beat, it builds tension throughout and strikes with a quite brilliant final scene and climax.
9/10 (tricky because it kept not doing what I'd expected it to - it may get a 10/10 next time I watch it)
I saw 'Midnight in Paris' and 'Safe House'.
For MIP I give 7/10. It's the first Woody Allen movie I've enjoyed. I did expect a little more, though that could be because people made such a fuss over it at one point.
And Safe House gets 7/10 as well. I wanted to watch it mainly because of the setting (Cape Town and surrounding areas), but I got so distracted by it! I wonder if people who live in New York (for example) and watch movies set in NY feel the same? I don't know. It was strange to see Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds driving around streets I've walked and driven down so many times. It made the movie feel a little fake. Anyhoo, that's not the reason for the 7. It's a VERY predictable movie, and just another spin on something that has been done a million times before. That being said, it wasn't that bad either.
Since Nora Ephron died recently, the local library placed on display books and movies she worked on. I saw Hanging Up which I found entertaining. I think, however, it was her sister, Delia, who was mostly involved with this movie. In any case, Meg Ryan was great in it. I rate it 8/10. 7119 users on IMDb gave it an average of 4.4, but what do they know?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0162983/
It's so sad that she's gone. I really loved her movies...Julie & Julia, You've Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle. I watched Heart Burn and wasn't so impressed though. I think I should maybe try reading the book instead.Quote:
Originally Posted by YesNo
I am not a fan of romantic comedies but 'When Harry met Sally' is one of few I can watch again and again. I didn't like 'Hanging up' but like I said I'm not a fan of movies like that. Meg Ryan though she is more like the everyday woman than most Hollywood actresses.Quote:
Originally Posted by YesNo
Anyway, 'Back to the Future II' very good, I think my son liked it more than the first one because of the hover-boards and the weird future. I got the feeling Pepsi sponsored the movie... don't know why...
only one to go now
Yesterday I watched The Hill starring Sean Connery, Harry Andrews and other British actors from the mid sixties. Set in a North African British army prison camp during WWII, it concerns a fresh intake of five new arrivals who have been court martialed for various offences. The punishment meted out includes the repeated climbing in full kit, under a blazing sun, of a sand hill that has been constructed in the centre of the camp and that leads to the death of one of the prisoners.
Harry Andrews epitomises the megalomaniac officer in charge as do the various staff officers assigned to punish the prisoners comprising a mixed bunch of deserters, drunkards, thieves etc.
I had seen the film before but wasn't so impressed this time around as it seemed somewhat exaggerated in its relentless daily punishment routines and the constant barking of orders to the prisoners. There really wasn't a lot for the actors to do in a plot that was fairly weak anyway. Produced by MGM with the American director Sidney Lumet it nevertheless had an authentic British ambiance.
6/10
just finished 'Indiana Jones and the kingdom of the Chrystal skull' gotta say it's the worst indy movie!! I did like LaBeouf's Brando look though.
Watched The Green Lantern. Not bad if somewhat predictable. 6/10
Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol, it was good. Simon Pegg was awesome like only he can and Jeremy Renner was so great. Cruise kinda bugs me and the one thing that annoys me in all the MI movies is how he seems to be able to do everything, even with broken bones.
Renner is a big favorite of mine at the moment, can't wait for the Bourne Legacy and Hansel and Gretel...
The Amazing Spider-Man. Quite good if you're a fan of the genre. Much better than the horrible Tobey Maguire movies (aside from 3, he' the sole reason 1 and 2 suck). 8/10.
The Trip with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon was pretty entertaining. Alot of improv and pretty good script/plot.
I give it 7/10
The Ice Storm, it was good. Good actors and interesting plot, kinda liked the beginning cause it was similar to Wonder boys Maguire and Holmes in a class room.
Watched two movies today.
One was The Artist. It was really good, but not the amazing movie everyone was raving about. I think it got caught up in hype. 7.5/10.
The other was The Shawshank Redemption. In terms of pure story-telling, I think this may be the best movie ever made. There's literally no flaw. There's a reason it's the highest rated movie on IMDB. 10/10.
Melancholia 10/10 I really liked it. I'm a sucker for a good metaphor and I adore intense human interaction. Lars Van Trier, I guess, wrote as well as directed this. He did not squander his talents.
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World 10/10 Ah Hollywood. If only they could understand that we are actually hungry for thoughtful, well-written, well-acted material. This is what a romantic comedy (if such it is) is, or should strive to be. The final scene is sweetly affecting.
Prelude to a Kiss 10/10 This gets a high score for the sheer beauty of Alex Baldwin if nothing else. He actually does a pretty good job in it. Meg Ryan is decent, but really the weakest link. But what really makes the movie shine, apart from the screenplay (it was originally a Pulitzer prizewinning play), is Sydney Walker, a noted stage actor, as the old man. It's essentially one of a long string of movies in which two people switch bodies, so its plot is by now a highly cliched trope, but this one, unlike those other imposters, has a great deal to say about love, and what it is and what it isn't, and of course, how to live.
""Never to be squandered-the miracle of another human being," Alec Baldwin says as he leans in to kiss his bride.
The Amazing Spiderman- it was great! So much better than the other crap a few years ago! I did think the lizard was kinda badly done, it could have been done a whole lot better I think.
I liked Stan Lee's cameo, I heard he wanted a speaking role but didn't get it. Apparently he wanted to say something like 'Ah Dostoevsky, they say he's the Russian Stan Lee'
Oh he is always funny..
I haven't seen the new spiderman, but I like that actor guy.
Source Code. 8/10. Much much better than I was expecting. From the director of "Moon," which I love (9/10), this was very engaging. As a conceptual film, its premise held up nicely. It was suspenseful and endearing. Not over the top actiony.
I watched Johnny English Reborn, didn't really like it. 5/10
Johnny English was much better.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO9BK4X_38s
Saw 'Crimes and Misdemeanors' again. It's been a few years since I saw it and it's still one of my favorite Allen films. I also watched 'Annie Hall' the other day and it's great too!
Brokeback Mountain is one of the best films ever made and homophobes who hate on it are quite simply ignorant fools. Just had to put that out there.
What about people - some of whom are gay - who dislike it for reasons other than homophobia?Quote:
Originally Posted by Darcy88
Ted.
Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, and Seth McFarlene as the voice of the stuffed bear. Poop, farts, sex, Flash Gordon, bongs, hookers, handicapped jokes, etc. Like Family Guy, but not. Not currently able to form complete sentence.
Oh, and Giovanni Ribisi gave a disturbing lip sync/dance/singing performance of Tiffany's "I think we're alone now." He is so good at being creepy.
I don't know how to rate it. The theater was packed, and there was a lot of laughing.
I watched Paranormal Activity 3 on Saturday (on my own in the dark as I did with 1 & 2). It was OK but a bit disappointing, waiting around for things to happen - very similar to the first 2. 4/10
I watched Woman in Black with my cousins last night. I’m not fond of watching horror films but enjoyed this one. To my surprise Daniel Radcliffe acted well. 7/10
Wow qimi, you dish out 10's the way a pizza parlor dishes out pizza. Don't get me wrong. I'm glad you enjoy movies so much.Quote:
Originally Posted by qimissung
Now this I concur with. RIP Heath Ledger. The last two movies I saw were Pulp Fiction and L.A. Confidential. Both are easy 10sQuote:
Originally Posted by Darcy88