Movies you've just watched

[1up]

The last couple of weeks I've watched

THX, Logan's Run, Tango & Cash and Red Tails

The first two were awesome sci-fi movies that I had never seen before. YES! I know it's wrong and I have failed humanity, but I got around to it. They are very similar in style and have those classic dragged out acid trip 70's bullshit in them. I liked Logan's Run the best.

Tango & Cash, the ultimate buddy cop movie. I've watched this lots of times in my teens as my parents had it on VHS. I appreciate the dialog even more now and the constant shittalking between sly and snake plisken is quite aweome. And so is the soundtrack lol Cheesy late 80's synth pop.

Red Tails, OH MY GOD, that's some of the worst acting I've seen in a long while. It felt like they delivered the lines like in slapstick movies? Like they were supposed to talk with 40's accents but failed miserably.

For some reason Cuba reminds me of a ninja turtle in this picture

[EmperorIng]

Here's my recent used dvd pickups, going to the local Disc Replay:

The Abyss
Terminator 2
Total Recall
Starship Troopers

I've only seen one of these films (Total Recall). What am I in for?

The movie shop, eternal enemy of my wallet.

[emphatic]

Here's my recent used dvd pickups, going to the local Disc Replay:

The Abyss
Terminator 2
Total Recall
Starship Troopers

I've only seen one of these films (Total Recall). What am I in for?

The movie shop, eternal enemy of my wallet.

Watch Starship Troopers with director's commentary for awesomeness.

[Daigohji]

Here's my recent used dvd pickups, going to the local Disc Replay:

The Abyss
Terminator 2
Total Recall
Starship Troopers

I've only seen one of these films (Total Recall). What am I in for?

You're in for a damn good time. Those are some of my favourite action movies.

The Abyss is two very different experiences depending on whether you watch the theatrical cut or special edition. The former is certainly tighter, but the third act makes a lot more sense in the latter. There's a whole major sub-plot that was excised from the theatrical cut.

Funnily enough, I just bought the blu-rays of the first two Terminator movies last week (playing Blood Dragon made me crave some 80s SF). Both hold up well, stylistic quirks of their respective periods aside, though if you're watching T2 for the first time in 2013, it will be difficult to appreciate how much it raised the bar for action movies in 1991.

Starship Troopers is Verhoeven presenting his most biting satire since Robocop. It's so gloriously over the top, and filled with effects that have aged far better than most movies from the 90s.

[GaijinPunch]

Here's my recent used dvd pickups, going to the local Disc Replay:

The Abyss
Terminator 2
Total Recall
Starship Troopers

I've only seen one of these films (Total Recall). What am I in for?

The movie shop, eternal enemy of my wallet.

Yeah, you're doing it right. I would save Starship Troopers as I think it's definitely the best out of all of them. I recently bought Total Recall on BR for a paltry $5. I figure if it costs as much as a rental and I would like to watch it once within the next year, I should get it.

Terminator 2 I loved when it came out but it's magic has faded on me a bit I'm afraid. Great movie... I think I've just seen it too many times. The Abyss I hardly remember. Should revisit it.

Starship Troopers is in a class all on it's own. Too bad it was too awesome for the masses.

[drauch]

Here's my recent used dvd pickups, going to the local Disc Replay:

The Abyss
Terminator 2
Total Recall
Starship Troopers

I've only seen one of these films (Total Recall). What am I in for?

The movie shop, eternal enemy of my wallet.

Yeah, pretty much what everyone else has already said. A+ stuff.

[CMoon]

Rather pleased to see how everyone identifies Starship Troopers as the best on that list. Yes, it is. I've never seen the director's cut of the Abyss, but not a big fan of the film. Read the book when it came out, so I imagine it is more of that. Total Recall was fun but pretty flawed, while Terminator 2...*sighs*...just couldn't live up to Terminator 1 for me. Everything was better, but there was no bite, nothing even slightly dangerous in that film. That film desperately needed some edge to it, but the Cameron that made T1 and Aliens was already gone. Still, so many things about the film are fucking amazing.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Yeah, the 2012 remake of Total Recall can't hold a candle to the original 1990 film of the same name (the remake still has the triple tits homage -- that part, they got right). With it's over-the-top ultra violence that the MPAA had given it an X rating upon it's initial screening. So it was back to the editing room for some much needed cuts here and there to get the more acceptable R rating to be given the green light for distribution nationwide that summer of 1990. It was quite an awesome experience to watch it properly on the big screen with the 35mm print version indeed.

PC Engine Fan X ! ^_~

[Ed Oscuro]

I thought P.K. Dick's stuff tended not to be violent, so what are they thinking remaking an Arnie classic by making it even more violent? The original's already got plenty of gross-out and shocking moments / deaths, anyway, I didn't think they needed more...

[GaijinPunch]

Still, so many things about the film are fucking amazing.

The CG in that movie was pretty ground-breaking. I remember being blown away.

So is the 2012 remake of Total Recall even more violent than the original? Never saw it... didn't hear good things about it.

[Ed Oscuro]

Trailer looked pretty garbage, the usual people flying around in a grimdark version of the Coruscant's sky streets, except with bigger and more industrial looking machines, and more faceless masked stormtroopers falling all over the place. Don't think that was in the P.K.D. original, either...

[boagman]

Rather pleased to see how everyone identifies Starship Troopers as the best on that list. Yes, it is. I've never seen the director's cut of the Abyss, but not a big fan of the film. Read the book when it came out, so I imagine it is more of that. Total Recall was fun but pretty flawed, while Terminator 2...*sighs*...just couldn't live up to Terminator 1 for me. Everything was better, but there was no bite, nothing even slightly dangerous in that film. That film desperately needed some edge to it, but the Cameron that made T1 and Aliens was already gone. Still, so many things about the film are fucking amazing.

*WOW* do I ever disagree with you. I like SST for sure, but better than T2? Not a stinking chance. Cameron being washed out at the point of T2? I'm not sure how much *more* I could disagree with you. While Cameron has certainly slipped since then...he was still kicking tail and taking names with T2.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Still, so many things about the film are fucking amazing.

The CG in that movie was pretty ground-breaking. I remember being blown away.

So is the 2012 remake of Total Recall even more violent than the original? Never saw it... didn't hear good things about it.

The 2012 remake of Total Recall isn't more violent than the original...the original takes the cake in that department easily. You will not miss anything if you decide not to watch the 2012 remake. Of course, with director Lens Wiseman and his wife, actress Kate Beckinsale, (whom stars in the Underworld films) at the helm with the remake, it's a different take/spin of TR indeed.

So, how's the Star Trek: Into Darkness sequel fare out? Hear that it went all-out with the digital 3D effects treatment this time around.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Vexorg]

A couple I've seen recently:

Oblivion: ***
Started off quite well, then as the plot got more and more absurd it started to fall apart, and by the time it was done it leaves so much fridge logic in its wake that it becomes pretty much impossible to take seriously. Oh, and there's at least a good 30 minutes worth of filler in here that they could have knocked out. Then again, I seriously want one of those ships Jack flies around in...

The Great Gatsby: **1/2
This was kind of a dragged-to-see-it movie for me (needed something to kill a few hours earlier this week.) As a retelling of the book it did a pretty decent job of things, But they overloaded it with gratuitous special effects and basically turned it into a mess. Then again, once they got away from the really overblown stuff they mostly did a decent job. Nonetheless, the story is ultimately "required reading in high school" level material in the first place (and yes, I did have to read it in high school), which kind of kills whatever entertainment value it might have had.

[system11]

Rather pleased to see how everyone identifies Starship Troopers as the best on that list. Yes, it is. I've never seen the director's cut of the Abyss, but not a big fan of the film. Read the book when it came out, so I imagine it is more of that. Total Recall was fun but pretty flawed, while Terminator 2...*sighs*...just couldn't live up to Terminator 1 for me. Everything was better, but there was no bite, nothing even slightly dangerous in that film. That film desperately needed some edge to it, but the Cameron that made T1 and Aliens was already gone. Still, so many things about the film are fucking amazing.

I actually prefer The Abyss out of that list Then Starship, Recall and T2 in that order.

[GaijinPunch]

So, how's the Star Trek: Into Darkness sequel fare out? Hear that it went all-out with the digital 3D effects treatment this time around.

The stupid butt-fuckers here that localize movies decided the end of August is the time to bring the new Star Trek here. Shameful. I think Syria and Iraq both get it before Japan.

[Skykid]

Legend

Finally got around to this. Watched the Blu Ray director's cut version with the original Jerry Goldsmith ST. Not sure what the Tangerine Dream one is like, but I can only imagine it would be very weird.

As Blackoak said, it is a stunning looking film. It's a distillation of everything Scott does brilliantly and terribly in one package. While the visuals are really seductive, I struggled with the first 40 minutes so badly I had to turn it off and come back to it the next day - it drags so hard.

Thankfully I took a breather at the right point. When Jack decides to grow a pair and get into the castle and rescue Rachel (okay, Lili) it's ten times more interesting to watch.

There's an interesting contradiction between how fine the aesthetics are versus how awful the editing is. Additionally, the dialogue ranges from fist-biting cringe to relatively decent. The acting is mostly a pile of cock, however, with exceptions for Alice Playten as Blixx (and the voice of that Gump kiddie-weirdo). It's funny how many times I find Ebert shit-talking like he knew anything when I look into past films, describing the performances of Tom Cruise and Tim Curry as excellent, even though Cruise is really dementedly bad. Curry's demon is amazing to look at, but the campiest prince of Darkness ever. It's bordering on farce, occasionally crossing the line, and I couldn't help but find him far too amusing.

Ebert made no mention of 16 year old Mia Sara, who actually gave a rather fine performance as the Princess, beyond her years and with impressive versatility. But what did he ever really know about film anyway.

On the whole, it's not a struggle to watch if you can get past the opening half, which is all a bit slow and girly. The best bit (for me) was the lady in the lake - all Evil Dead and pretty wicked. Definitely worth watching for fans of visual movie splendour, but it's not a film that does very much beyond that.

All in all, it wasn't the train wreck I was expecting, which is a good thing I guess.

[EmperorIng]

Tim Curry is easily the best thing about Legend. If that girl had any brains she would have hitched it up with a REAL man.

The worst being Tom Cruise and his asshole friends not doing anything substantial the entire movie. The dwarf falling asleep at the end was a real kick-to-the-dick moment for me.

Visually stunning though - every scene is memorable for its imagery alone. The witch in the swamp is my favorite scene, too.

I'm glad to see I've struck on some good movies in my pickup. I'll probably watch one of them today. Or start packing, I need to do that too.

[Skykid]

Tim Curry is easily the best thing about Legend.

Don't get me wrong, I realise I inadvertently ran him into the ground with Cruise as part of Ebert fail - but I didn't mean it to sound that way. His performance is perfectly decent, but the tone is weird. He's not in the least bit threatening because he's so camp it's beyond belief, but that's Tim Curry: he excels at melodrama and makes over acting part of his resume.

I liked him in the role and loved the design work, but I'm surprised they didn't go for something a little more fearsome with Bottin's prosthetics. Felt like beauty and the beast at points.

[EmperorIng]

It's a little known fact that the "Legend" the title refers to is in fact Tim Curry's legendary pick-up techniques he displays on the princess of the movie.

[CMoon]

I'd rather shit talk Legend than Ebert. Ebert reviewed thousands of films and is more on the mark than not, though there are some legendary (haha) examples of him missing the mark. Ridley Scott though is just the reverse; greatly revered but little to show for it. Even BR (his second best film) is flawed in some aspects. I think its funny how you (Skykid) are often just as brutal as Ebert used to be, while giving films like Legend and Willow a lot of slack. Is it because the rest of us have lowered your expectations so much?

If you want to respect Ebert, listen to his commentary on Citizen Kane, or for something more recent, observe him championing studio Ghibli before it had much in the way of western recognition. The reason we don't talk about Salinger sucking is because he only wrote 3.5 books. If he had written 50, it wouldn't be hard to take some pot shots.

And for what its worth, Ebert did go back and re-evaluate shit when people called him out. I don't get why Ebert never liked Blade Runner, but at least the guy (who probably watched a movie or two every single day of his life) went back and rewatched/re-evaluated it. Just think you're shit talking the wrong guy here Sky.

[Skykid]

It's a little known fact that the "Legend" the title refers to is in fact Tim Curry's legendary pick-up techniques he displays on the princess of the movie.

Ha!

He did get her into a sexy dress rather quickly.

I'd rather shit talk Legend than Ebert. Ebert reviewed thousands of films and is more on the mark than not, though there are some legendary (haha) examples of him missing the mark. Ridley Scott though is just the reverse; greatly revered but little to show for it. Even BR (his second best film) is flawed in some aspects. I think its funny how you (Skykid) are often just as brutal as Ebert used to be, while giving films like Legend and Willow a lot of slack. Is it because the rest of us have lowered your expectations so much?

Hmm, define a lot of slack?

I basically outlined the good and bad points in reasonable detail. Am I cutting something slack by saying it's not going to light the world on fire, but you might get some enjoyment out of aspects of it? Pretty sure there's very little wrong with Willow as a kid's fantasy adventure, but everything wrong with it if you're looking at it from a highly critical POV. Some films don't try or want to be Citizen Kane or 2001, so I judge them on what they want to be: popcorn entertainment.

And for what its worth, Ebert did go back and re-evaluate shit when people called him out. I don't get why Ebert never liked Blade Runner, but at least the guy (who probably watched a movie or two every single day of his life) went back and rewatched/re-evaluated it. Just think you're shit talking the wrong guy here Sky.

Honestly, every review, quote, reference to Ebert I come across is stuck with gaping flaws. The guy doesn't know an actor when he sees one, and that's pretty poor for someone considered a critic of the art. I usually find his scoring is way too high for dross, and too middling for great stuff.

Of course there will always be exceptions. You'd have to be a raving cucumber not to think Citizen Kane was a masterpiece.

[Obiwanshinobi]

I watched Streets of Fire last night.

Hot damn.

80s rock.
50s clothing.
40s cars.

It's everything I want in a single movie. And it has Rick Moranis!

The soundtrack is awesome too.

"Another Time, Another Place"
A place that is suspiciously like 80s Chicago, what with the neighborhood Elevated Train tracks, and steel girders everywhere. In other words, extra cool points. I can see why Japan loves this movie - it's practically live-action anime.

One thing that struck me was how great the use of color was on the sets. A lot of sets are doused in a moody blue, like this is a neo-noir film, and the lighting and shadows all-throughout are really something to marvel at. They did a fantastic job of turning Chicago/their sets into some other world, that at once is real - but unreal, too. It's a fantastic, cheesy, fun flick. With good guys, bad guys on motorcycles, beautiful women, crooked cops, and rock-n-roll. A love letter to the movies, and to a bygone age.

You may care to watch the aforementioned "Diva" (1981). Same epoque, similar gloss, pure fun film.

[ACSeraph]

Just finished watching Cabin in the Woods. What a fucking awesome movie! I don't know what took me so long to watch it.

[CMoon]

Of course there will always be exceptions. You'd have to be a raving cucumber not to think Citizen Kane was a masterpiece.

Not getting into differences of opinion on this, but just to clarify, I was talking about his commentary and analysis on Citizen Kane, not his review (doubt I've ever read his review.) I meant what actually accompanies the movie if you own the DVD.

[CMoon]

*WOW* do I ever disagree with you. I like SST for sure, but better than T2? Not a stinking chance. Cameron being washed out at the point of T2? I'm not sure how much *more* I could disagree with you. While Cameron has certainly slipped since then...he was still kicking tail and taking names with T2.

Didn't see this one, so sorry for the delayed response. My issue with T2 versus the previous films is a softening of the tone. Certainly Cameron is a more competent director by this point, but as I said previously, the bite is gone. Arnie is instructed not to kill people. When he rips the skin off his arm, despite the better effects, it isn't even gory. Compare this to the mood in T1 where regardless of limitations in budget and special effects, the film just feels so much more raw, dangerous and gorey.

It isn't like we haven't seen this pattern before. Look what happened to Spielberg in the early 80's. We're all welcome to have opinions, and I don't see any problem with liking T2 more than T1, and I think on a lot of technical levels it IS a better film. So disagreeing with me is fine; but for me it isn't a more effective film and actually fails to capture the rather horrific vision of the first Terminator. It also signifies where I start losing interest in Cameron, because despite his incredible technical ability, Aliens is the last film where I feel like he is something more than just a big hollywood director.

[Skykid]

Of course there will always be exceptions. You'd have to be a raving cucumber not to think Citizen Kane was a masterpiece.

Not getting into differences of opinion on this, but just to clarify, I was talking about his commentary and analysis on Citizen Kane, not his review (doubt I've ever read his review.) I meant what actually accompanies the movie if you own the DVD.

I haven't heard his commentary. My Bro's DVD, so he might have been through it. I'm sure it's a good appraisal.

Just so you know, I do completely understand where you're coming from w/regards to movies like Legend, Willow etc - I just think you percieve my acknowledgement of base entertainment value (or offhand aesthetic qualities) as placing them alongside cinema greats. I'm not doing that, I just think everything has it's place. It's still plenty easy to make a completely rubbish commercial no-brainer popcorn movie, happens all the time.

[Brasseye]

Just watched Less Than Zero. I don't know how I managed to miss it. I love that shitty spoiled 80's Beverly Hills bastard vibe.
It's like dark-side John Hughes. Would rec.

[Moniker]

Star Trek Into Darkness

Hehe, this is gonna be a controversial one. For my part, I really liked it (I also liked the first; if you didn't, you won't like this either). Won't say too much to avoid spoilers, but man, dat Sherlock boy got pipes. Visually fantastic; I noticed that ILM did the special fx. A lot of the combat sequences felt like they were precursors to Abrams's eventual Star Wars sequels, and if so, it's gonna be good. Probably incredible when seen in 3D (I can't coz of migraines ).

Oh, and there's nothing after the credits. Just go and pee. You're welcome.

[boagman]

*WOW* do I ever disagree with you. I like SST for sure, but better than T2? Not a stinking chance. Cameron being washed out at the point of T2? I'm not sure how much *more* I could disagree with you. While Cameron has certainly slipped since then...he was still kicking tail and taking names with T2.

Didn't see this one, so sorry for the delayed response. My issue with T2 versus the previous films is a softening of the tone. Certainly Cameron is a more competent director by this point, but as I said previously, the bite is gone. Arnie is instructed not to kill people. When he rips the skin off his arm, despite the better effects, it isn't even gory. Compare this to the mood in T1 where regardless of limitations in budget and special effects, the film just feels so much more raw, dangerous and gorey.

It isn't like we haven't seen this pattern before. Look what happened to Spielberg in the early 80's. We're all welcome to have opinions, and I don't see any problem with liking T2 more than T1, and I think on a lot of technical levels it IS a better film. So disagreeing with me is fine; but for me it isn't a more effective film and actually fails to capture the rather horrific vision of the first Terminator. It also signifies where I start losing interest in Cameron, because despite his incredible technical ability, Aliens is the last film where I feel like he is something more than just a big hollywood director.

I can totally understand what you're saying, and have no problem with the idea that T1 is more "raw" than T2 is. We're in complete agreement on that point. I'd say that T2 was the pinnacle of Cameron's stuff...after that, he became too much the Hollywood-y guy, and his material suffered a bit after it, falling *hard* in recent years. He's still the absolute freaking *master* of whizbangery, though: while "Avatar" was just an *awful* movie, the special effects were pretty much just mind-blowing. I can't hate the movie that makes my jaw drop in wonder...but I can hate its script with a vengeance with no problem whatsoever.

My biggest wince with your statement was the "SST is better than T2" thing. I just do not get that...*at all*. Don't get me wrong: SST is a nice little romp with a decent story and goofy characters, and I've certainly watched it multiple times (can't say that for any of its sequels, though...not sure SST was *that* good), but to these eyes and ears, it doesn't hold a candle to T2 in just about any area, save for maybe chick skin or something minor like that. As far as script, characters, special effects, and yes: direction? Again: I like SST. T2, though? That's ridiculously good stuff IMHO.

BTW, T1 and Aliens are fantastic, yes. I'm prone to agree with your point about Spielberg, too. It's a reasonable observation.