Movies you've just watched

[neorichieb1971]

The Abyss and True lies were good in their own rights too.

I loved Avatar. For all its flaws it was damn creative and most people who went to see it felt like they were witnessing a technological age movement in cinema. And nobody else is fighting Cameron for pole position on that. The worst thing about Avatar was that military guy with the scar, fucking die already.

[Skykid]

Avatar is absolute trash. Titanic, which is essentially the same formula, is superior in every possible respect.

[Skykid]

Yeah theatres in China are expensive especially when you think about the purchasing power in some areas.
I remember the first and only time I've been to one in Beijing (wudaokou) was about 50rmb and very shitty, back in 2001 that was a lot of money for the mostly student population of the district. Approximately the price of a rather high-class restaurant.

edit: 98 wtf

50 RMB in 2001?! Where was the cinema, in the Ritz Carlton? Almost nothing in China cost that much in 2001 - must have been the only one in the country or something.

98 RMB would be on the door for an IMAX showing at about 8-9pm, and only in one or two theatres. That's still vastly cheaper than buying a ticket in England for a shitty old venue with buggered speakers. I think China is really cheap for cinema-going compared to the UK, where 3D movies are about £14 at the cheapest, and £21 in central London.

Nearly everyone uses phone apps for everything here anyway, so like I said, on average you pay around 40 kuai even for the best venues (and since they're all brand new, you're spoiled for choice).

If only they would put some decent movies on it would be great.

[Squire Grooktook]

I enjoyed old rpg/warhammer website 1d4chan's OT article on Avatar

Fursona (sometimes called Avatar) is James Cameron's crack at creating the most expensive self-insert furry transformation fanfiction in history. He succeeded, creating an obnoxious story where he becomes a giant lanky cat-thing with USB hair and saves a race of ludicrously perfect, ludicrously stereotyped natives from evil rich white people other than him.

[Xyga]

@Skykid. A rather international-asian neighborhood I must say, lots of S-Koreans, many great unis (near Beida). And there was a high-class hotel accross the street, yeah.

The place as expected wasn't popular, at the time people didn't have smartphones of course so we bought loads of cheap pirate VCD's to watch home instead (could find those absolutely everywhere, sometimes with hilarious improvised subs)
There were certainly better and more affordable theatres in the city, but also relatively far-away, with the time it took to travel (there were still more bikes than cars, buses stank, and subway was slow) only a taxi would have made sense, but the additional cost would have evened it with our local tariff.

Wasn't that much different when I came back in 2006, but I can well imagine everything's changed radically now indeed (apps and surely big flat screens at home). *sigh*

EDIT: real coffee was around 18~20rmb /cup (rather large cup but heh) because no one but classy bars and restaurants offering foreign food would import any. Sorry for the OT.

[boagman]

Avatar is absolute trash. Titanic, which is essentially the same formula, is superior in every possible respect.

Absolute lie. Avatar was superior in special effects and such. By miles.

[kaicooper]

Never got the Cameron = god attitude. Terminator and Alien 2 were excellent flicks, but he made them a long time ago. In the meantime, we got Titanic (shitty, clicheed snoozefest) and Avatar (Dances with Smurfs with some decent action scenes and painfully clicheed noble savage bullshit/ primitive pro environment ideology rammed down the viewer's throat. looks like a fucking PS4 game)

Terminator 1, 2 + Aliens = Masterpieces
rest = average shit

[Durandal]

Avatar is absolute trash. Titanic, which is essentially the same formula, is superior in every possible respect.

Absolute lie. Avatar was superior in special effects and such. By miles.

Don't forget the superior advertisement campaign.

[Skykid]

Avatar is absolute trash. Titanic, which is essentially the same formula, is superco possible respect.

Absolute lie. Avatar was superior in special effects and such. By miles.

What is wrong with your eyes? Full scale ship practical effects merged subtly with CG embellishments to make for a convincing sinking, versus blue PS4 aliens in a CGI forest. Lol.

[Skykid]

Wasn't that much different when I came back in 2006, but I can well imagine everything's changed radically now indeed (apps and surely big flat screens at home). *sigh*

Mine is a 60".

I imagine Beijing has been transformed drastically. It's all changed beyond recognition since I was here in '06, it's beyond belief. That's why Trump won't STFU about it.

[GaijinPunch]

You gotta be kidding. Japanese media is a huge market here. There are 3 or 4 anime cons every year and the city is flooded with teens in cosplay carrying bags of merch, and all the fast food stores are constantly promoting TV anime serials and whatnot. Online gaming too. I think GITS will probably do fairly well here, at a guess.

That's why I continued with "in all seriousness". I think your'e right... it will probably do well. There's a ton of people, and the nerd count is high from what I can tell.

[neorichieb1971]

GiTS isn't that great of a movie. Unless nerdism makes you think something is great when its not. Its a GiTS world dressed up with Marvel overtones, and having Scarlett as the lead doesn't do anything to quash that thought.

Perhaps the premise of the movie along with the Chinese trailer can do something for it to sell.

[Zen]

Avatar is absolute trash. Titanic, which is essentially the same formula, is superior in every possible respect.

God damn it! Every time Skykid gives any kind of props to Titanic, its feels like we are being trolled.

[GaijinPunch]

GiTS isn't that great of a movie. Unless nerdism makes you think something is great when its not. Its a GiTS world dressed up with Marvel overtones, and having Scarlett as the lead doesn't do anything to quash that thought.

Perhaps the premise of the movie along with the Chinese trailer can do something for it to sell.

I'm sure it's total crap, but some at least some of the reasons it failed in the west won't apply to China.

[MintyTheCat]

Avatar is absolute trash. Titanic, which is essentially the same formula, is superior in every possible respect.

God damn it! Every time Skykid gives any kind of props to Titanic, its feels like we are being trolled.

Both are shit.

I saw Star Leaf, well, I watched it until I sought the communion with the angel of death to have it banished from time and space - an absolute pile of shite and a license for mandatory euthenasia if ever there was one. Of all places it was there looking at us all at my local Real Supermarkt trying to blend in with the "Evil Dead" films of this world; a good job I did not actually spend any actual fiat Geld on it. Avoid at all costs:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3973814/?ref_=nv_sr_1

[soprano1]

Streets of Fire (1984)
The dialogue was so bad it was good. The music was so 80's Pop, i loved it. I guess this was one of the many inspirations for Final Fight?

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Paramount Pictures studio is responsible for bringing the live-action version of Ghost In The Shell to silver screen to the tune of an estimated $110 million dollar production budget and only garnering lackluster U.S. box office earnings during it's debut weekend. When the live-action GiTS opens for both the Japanese & Chinese film markets, the studio hopes to fare better.

According to imdb.com site, the 2017 GiTS film earned:

Opening Weekend: $18,676,033 (USA) (31 March 2017)
Gross: $18,676,033 (USA) (31 March 2017) at the U.S. box office during it's opening weekend.

With the 2017 GiTS movie opening in most foreign film markets, it garnered a more modest $40.1 million at the international box office (according to John Coyle of the Associated Press).

Of course with the Japanese film market, (with the casting controversy of the live-action GiTS in the West) it hasn't resonated. But you'd think a properly Japanese casted lead female actress to play the Major would've been better (in hindsight) -- that's Paramount Pictures' big mistake in not honoring the original source material of the anime GiTS film (circa 1995).

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[boagman]

Avatar is absolute trash. Titanic, which is essentially the same formula, is superco possible respect.

Absolute lie. Avatar was superior in special effects and such. By miles.

What is wrong with your eyes? Full scale ship practical effects merged subtly with CG embellishments to make for a convincing sinking, versus blue PS4 aliens in a CGI forest. Lol.

Then you must never have seen it in IMAX 3D.

I pretty much despise the movie *except for* the special effects, which I witnessed in IMAX 3D. I'm here to tell you, bar none, it was the most impressive use of 3D I've ever seen. Anyone who hasn't seen the movie in this format didn't get the "wow factor" that Avatar truly delivered.

Other than the special effects, I've no issue with your statement, but had you seen them in the proper format, I have no doubt that you'd concede my point. Far more impressive than Titanic (or, really, anything since Avatar) has brought to the table, special effects-wise. The whizbangery of Avatar is unmatched to this day.

Hate the movie, was absolutely blown away with the whizbangery of the thing.

[GaijinPunch]

With the 2017 GiTS movie opening in most foreign film markets, it garnered a more modest $40.1 million at the international box office (according to John Coyle of the Associated Press).

Does anyone know how foreign profits work for a film? I"m sure it's different per cuntry, but let's say a movie costs $100 million to make. I assume that budget is for production + marketing in it's home cuntry. Now, X days/weeks/months later it's out in Japan, and brings in $20 mil in revenue. Does the local distributor get most of that, and give a percentage to the copyright holders? Does the distributor get a cut? Who takes the risk? Inquiring minds want to know.

[Skykid]

Then you must never have seen it in IMAX 3D.

I pretty much despise the movie *except for* the special effects, which I witnessed in IMAX 3D. I'm here to tell you, bar none, it was the most impressive use of 3D I've ever seen. Anyone who hasn't seen the movie in this format didn't get the "wow factor" that Avatar truly delivered.

Other than the special effects, I've no issue with your statement, but had you seen them in the proper format, I have no doubt that you'd concede my point. Far more impressive than Titanic (or, really, anything since Avatar) has brought to the table, special effects-wise. The whizbangery of Avatar is unmatched to this day.

Gravity.

[ChurchOfSolipsism]

The whizbangery of Avatar is unmatched to this day.

Hate the movie, was absolutely blown away with the whizbangery of the thing.

Everything looked sterile and lifeless in Avatar. Gollum in the LOTR was far more convincing, among else because he was an interesting character and had well done dialogue. LOTR, while far from being perfect, in general totally shits on Avatar in every relevant respect.

[BIL]

Streets of Fire (1984)
The dialogue was so bad it was good. The music was so 80's Pop, i loved it. I guess this was one of the many inspirations for Final Fight?

Fuck yeah. Also check out the st3 boss of The Combatribes, that sledgehammer should look familiar.

Fuck Resident Evil or whatever, SOF is one of the true "videogame movies" (see also The Raid and REC).

[EmperorIng]

Streets of Fire is one of the greats, which comes as no surprise with director Walter Hill.

It is pure style-over-substance, but the style is so damn through the roof that you love every minute of it. One of the few movies where the colors and lighting really stick out and make me say "Wow!"

Plus Bill Paxton! Another fun bit role. RIP

[boagman]

Then you must never have seen it in IMAX 3D.

I pretty much despise the movie *except for* the special effects, which I witnessed in IMAX 3D. I'm here to tell you, bar none, it was the most impressive use of 3D I've ever seen. Anyone who hasn't seen the movie in this format didn't get the "wow factor" that Avatar truly delivered.

Other than the special effects, I've no issue with your statement, but had you seen them in the proper format, I have no doubt that you'd concede my point. Far more impressive than Titanic (or, really, anything since Avatar) has brought to the table, special effects-wise. The whizbangery of Avatar is unmatched to this day.

Gravity.

Haven't seen it, can't comment on it. Missed my chance to see it on the big screen by about a day, and haven't bothered.

[boagman]

The whizbangery of Avatar is unmatched to this day.

Hate the movie, was absolutely blown away with the whizbangery of the thing.

Everything looked sterile and lifeless in Avatar. Gollum in the LOTR was far more convincing, among else because he was an interesting character and had well done dialogue. LOTR, while far from being perfect, in general totally shits on Avatar in every relevant respect.

I'm absolutely certain you didn't see Avatar in IMAX 3D. Had you seen the beginning of the movie wherein the people come out of their sleeping pods floating around, where the unobtainium is spinning in midair, and at the end where the stars in the sky are strewn throughout the theater, you'd remember it for a *long* stinking time.

Look, if you want to talk about how the characters look(ed), I'm not going to argue with you. Even the creatures, like the flying beasts or whatever-they-were...I'll spot that you're right (or at least that you may have a valid point), especially when you look at something like LOTR. But the wizardry necessary to basically bring the movie off the screen and into the closer-up, 3D field of view? The ability to feel like you're there via 3D and depth-perception? Like you could reach out and touch something at places? This is what I remember...*very* specifically, vividly, and impressively. It shocked the living crap out of me that they could spend so much time and money on getting this stuff absolutely *nailed*, and still have such a horrible, disgustingly stupid script, with performances to match.

[Mischief Maker]

The whizbangery of Avatar is unmatched to this day.

Hate the movie, was absolutely blown away with the whizbangery of the thing.

Everything looked sterile and lifeless in Avatar. Gollum in the LOTR was far more convincing, among else because he was an interesting character and had well done dialogue. LOTR, while far from being perfect, in general totally shits on Avatar in every relevant respect.

Gollum was also rendered onto an actual actor physically present in the room with the other actors, which is why he left a much stronger impression than the cave troll fight. Same thing for the Planet of the Apes reboot.

CGI is best when enhancing practical effects. The Dark Knight is a great example of CGI because if you're not looking for it, you'll never notice it. Unlike Dark Knight Rises and its stupid exploding football field shot.

[BryanM]

Hah? There were people who thought Ghost in the Shell could do ok?

Who was that supposed to appeal to? We already have Ghost in the Shell, and the weirdos who like it aren't interested in this Dragon Ball Evolution stuff. They're into art and long political exposition and crap.

This isn't a Transformers situation where everyone knows what Transformers is. Only a sliver of the population knows what a Ghost in the Shell is. Not only is the license not worth anything, it's worth less than nothing.

They could have made an original Sexy Android movie, without having tons of weabs furious at them for never putting anyone asian into movies.

Never got the Cameron = god attitude. Terminator and Alien 2 were excellent flicks, but he made them a long time ago. In the meantime, we got Titanic and Space Pocahontas.

It's not so much worship, as it is astonishment that someone competent can come out of the Hollywood machine.

You and I may not be fans of Titanic, but the seething masses loved it. Particularly so: women. Aka, people who do not make posts on the shmups.system11 general bullshit chat forum. The kind of person much more likely to spend eight bux on 90 minutes of ephemeral entertainment.

Red Letter Media's critique of the film is something I have to agree with completely. It's a very average film aimed dead at the very average generic masses, and that's why it made so much money. Ridiculously universally. Gods sake, it's popular even in the middle east.

There is some skill in that, and he does deserve some credit for trying to "raise the bar" compared to his contemporaries. Even if he doesn't want to spend his entire life making SciFi action flicks that appeal to our particular niche. (Honestly, if he can get some blood out of Terminator 6, that would be a heroic, superhuman feat. In my opinion. It's easy to create something interesting when it's new. It's nearly impossible to do so when it's old.)

While we're on the Ghost in the Shell thing, here's another example of James being too insightful. Remember that Battle Angel movie he was gonna make? He pawned it off onto some other sap to take the blame when it inevitably tanks.

Also: good lord there's some creepy sex stuff going on with John Conner, his dad, and his mother in the first Terminator film. When you stop and think about it, the robot's just trying to stop them from making a huge mistake.

CGI

There has been some interesting work done in adversarial networks in creating realistic images. In the distant but not too distant future, this stuff will be indistinguishable from reality if the director wishes it to be.

... it's hard to imagine The Matrix 2 without the CGI puppet men stuff.

Does anyone know how foreign profits work for a film? I"m sure it's different per cuntry, but let's say a movie costs $100 million to make. I assume that budget is for production + marketing in it's home cuntry. Now, X days/weeks/months later it's out in Japan, and brings in $20 mil in revenue. Does the local distributor get most of that, and give a percentage to the copyright holders? Does the distributor get a cut? Who takes the risk? Inquiring minds want to know.

It's different per deal. Small time outfits like Troma will just pay like $30,000 for a license, and then boom they have it.

We're talking about Paramount here, so it's pretty safe to assume their deal with Toho-Towa has them pocketing more than 50%.

Still, around half the box office take is shared with theaters. GITS is destined to haunt the $5 DVD bargin bin in a futile hope of breaking even.

[Skykid]

It shocked the living crap out of me that they could spend so much time and money on getting this stuff absolutely *nailed*, and still have such a horrible, disgustingly stupid script, with performances to match.

Welcome to my life. That's what I see almost every time I go to the movie theatre.

Red Letter Media's critique of the film is something I have to agree with completely.

Yes, I thought RLM's critique of Titanic was absolutely spot on bar one glaring and persistent error in saying DiCaprio "can't act"... Rather embarrassing but whatever. Otherwise the breakdown of the thing is fairly note perfect and I agree with pretty much all of it. It is a formula built blockbuster with cartoonish characters that trip only the required beats for superficial dramatic effect; but at the same time it's superbly executed with it - a veritable exercise in 'how to Hollywood' if you like.

CGI is best when enhancing practical effects.

Right. As embellishing additions that smudge the cracks in practical sets and effects, CGI has a benefit and a purpose. Certain movies still look fantastic now because they didn't go 100% reliant on CGI. The composites in True Lies are still superb, and the original Jurassic Park is probably still the poster child for why CGI should be handled with care. The aforementioned Gravity was, despite my reservations about certain other aspects of the production, an expert use of effects, and one of the only examples that impressed me in recent memory. Probably because it was creatively done, as opposed to just-watch-this-cartoon.

[Skykid]

Nightcrawler

Finally I got to watch an actual fucking movie.

Written and directed by one man. All script, no improvisation. Jabs at news media that go questionably below the belt, but who really cares, this is a deathly dark Travis Bickle-esque flick about a sociopath trying to make a living in a difficult world. Super blackly comic, and - I'm happy to say - with an absolutely superb performance from Jake Gyllenhaal (probably the best I've seen him) this is a really worthwhile thriller. Special mention to Riz Ahmad as well, a very good performance as the down and out. Stick to these scripts man, stay away from bad Star Wars wankery.

Recommended.

[MintyTheCat]

Nightcrawler

It was not bad, I like how he is trying to shag the MILF boss lady to 'get to the top of the pile'

But what a nutjob he was. Reminds me a bit of the sort of material that the defunct mexican Alarma! paper carried:

Spoiler