Movies you've just watched

[1up]

re-watched Back to the Future yesterday for the first time in a decade. ive really forgotten how good this movie is. Its probably the most well writen sci-fi movie of all time. Even though I knew what was happening in the end and that they would make it, I felt this tension which was pretty great

Also, watched Knight and Day the other night. Ok action flick, but nothing special.

and Skykid actually wrote something positive zombieland is an instant classic. Watched it on opening night in the theatre. Woody Harroldsons best role in a loooooong time.

[rancor]

Just finished Predators... Meh.. It was entertaining... Usually I FF movies when they get too cliche, or theres phony "character buildup" in an action movie. There was a lot borrowed from the Predator, Aliens, and Terminator movies. From scenes to entire lines of dialogue "If it comes down to it, I'll do us both"... I rolled my eyes at that. Already heard that line from Kyle Reese. Also, too many decapitations. I suppose thats the new "shocking" death..

Anyhow, not bad. I would recommend it.

[ROBOTRON]

Chronicles of Riddick

a true masterpiece of science fiction (my fav genre)....in set design alone. Terrific storyline which is very important and is not a rehashed crap movies like what floods the cinemas now.

[CMoon]

Chronicles of riddick> You know, the thing about this film is few will accuse the film of actually being good, but a lot of people like it. Myself included. We don't know why we like it, but damn! it's Chronicles of Riddick!!!

On to serious post:




Just saw Legend of the Guardians, henceforth to be known as the goddamn owl movie (GDOM or TGDOM if you prefer.) My short, short, short review is that if you like your talking animal movies to be serious such as films like The Secret of NIMH, Watership Down, and...uh...oh yeah, I guess that's about it. If you like those two movies, you will probably like this.

On to long, ponderous review: If you think watching an hour and a half of talking owls might be a bit much, consider the source material comes from a 15 book fantasy series for kids about owls. That's a lot of owls, though I don't really have any knowledge of those, so I can't blather on about whether this is a good adaptation or not. The film apparently crams three of them into an hour and a half, so to be certain this is probably fairly abbreviated.

Visually I have a rather comical notion that in fact the makers of GDOM were really inspired by the way that other goddamn owl looked in The Secret of NIMH--you know, the one with glowing eyes and all that. Yeah, it's like someone was sitting around thinking about the whole 30 seconds or so of that owl scene and decided to make an entire movie about it. Glowing eyes abound, weird cruel looking armor is attached to wherever birds can attach armor, and even some of the settings have that rather odd look to them that NIMH did (if anyone can think back that far or is currently sober to remember.) You might be thinking, well how much can you really do with owls?; but once you've invented super-evil looking owl armor, your going down a road that is definitely less traveled.

And yes, the film looks great. I saw it in 3D and strongly suggest doing the same if the weird avian urge strikes you. The plot is largely forgettable (I don't know whether that's the fault of the source material or not), but the film knows when to do all the right things--so even if we have seen all this before (albeit with non-owl characters)--it still feels well done and engages.

Snyder does not seem capable of avoiding bullet-time in his movies, and he does so here too. Maybe once per movie would be good; seriously the guy needs to lay off. There's also a gut wrenching pop montage which I'd directly deducting from the film's overall score. Having a head's up might help, but it pretty much blindsided me causing me to spit out my coke on the children in the row in front of me. Actually I'm lying. There were only 30+ year old furries in the theatre.

Fortunately, most everything was positive. I'm awarding two points for the following: A cute looking mouse is captured and eaten during the opening credits, and owl pellets play a major role in the film. I'm not hot-dogging you! I'll let you decide whether the talking snake character merits a point (certainly the echidna does not!), but it is rather interesting to see animals which often take the role of evil characters in various children stories <insert witty joke here> actually being the good guys. It's slightly surreal, but WTF you'r watching a talking owl movie!

Anyway, I've heard the movie is tanking which is too bad. I could go for more owl adventures like this. Somehow fucking Zack Snyder has made a film that's actually pretty damn competant if not of the same calibur as something like watership down. It also encourages me that the culture of childrens' books/film has changed and perhaps we're even seeing a slight return to the good 'ol days of Jack London and Rudyard Kipling--I'd rather see goofy fantasy/sci fi for kids win out over twilight!

Here's a decent review that seems to sum up matters well: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 1FHS7N.DTL

[QueZoReaL]

Oh no Twilight...

Twilight = biggest grossing stare athon ever.

I wish I could pull girls at school by staying in the corner of class, looking ill and all quiet.

Twilight is the worst vampire movie ever conceived.

why do you say that... twilight is amazing...

i had already watch twilight, new moon and eclipse and all i can say is it's the best..



it's even better than dragon ball evolution..

[DEL]

ROBOTRON wrote;

Chronicles of Riddick

a true masterpiece of science fiction (my fav genre)....in set design alone. Terrific storyline which is very important and is not a rehashed crap movies like what floods the cinemas now.

Whoever made the Chronicles of Riddick cared.
Quite a lot of effort was put into it.
I have to respect that film.

------------------------
One to make sure you watch is: FOUR LIONS
too funny

[RGC]

.

[drauch]

Looks like i'll eventually see The GDOM, then...

MARKED FOR DEATH with STEVEN SEAGAL. Seagal is the MAN.

[rancor]

White Noise.

If you haven't, don't bother.

That movie had so much potential, and just fell flat. Same with Stir of Echoes. Both had amazing beginnings and middles. The endings were such let downs.

[Skykid]

re-watched Back to the Future yesterday for the first time in a decade. ive really forgotten how good this movie is. Its probably the most well writen sci-fi movie of all time. Even though I knew what was happening in the end and that they would make it, I felt this tension which was pretty great

Also, watched Knight and Day the other night. Ok action flick, but nothing special.

and Skykid actually wrote something positive zombieland is an instant classic. Watched it on opening night in the theatre. Woody Harroldsons best role in a loooooong time.

Listen guys, I only slate movies that deserve it. If a film doesn't try to go beyond it's own boundaries and is totally successful within them, then it gets a thumbsup from me. Zombieland was great fun well done, so thumbsup!

And Back to the Future is one of the best films EVAR. We're getting a digital cinema re-release this October. Personally I would have preferred them to keep the film grain, but I'm happy just to see it in theatres again.

[Daigohji]

White Noise.

If you haven't, don't bother.

That movie had so much potential, and just fell flat.

As flacid as White Noise was, the sequel was much, much worse. In the final act:

Spoiler

Nathan Fillion comes back from the dead as a sentient lightning bolt that chases after Katee Sackhoff's ambulance to stop her turning into the devil.

...actually, that makes it sound too good. It really wasn't.

[drauch]

Can't get enough...of THE STUFF

[1up]

watched Back to the Future part II yesterday. This trilogy is amazing. Im actually really glad that its been more than 10 years since Ive seen these, as its like watching them for the first time again. You know the outlines of what happens in the movie, but the details is a blur, so while watching this movie, I felt the tension and the excitement even though I knew what was going to happen but all the little things just made it a really really good experience.

Its to the point where I might make a rule for myself, NOT to rewatch movies till after a decade

[Skykid]

watched Back to the Future part II yesterday. This trilogy is amazing. Im actually really glad that its been more than 10 years since Ive seen these, as its like watching them for the first time again. You know the outlines of what happens in the movie, but the details is a blur, so while watching this movie, I felt the tension and the excitement even though I knew what was going to happen but all the little things just made it a really really good experience.

Its to the point where I might make a rule for myself, NOT to rewatch movies till after a decade

Dude, you're having a great week. Back to the Future II is so much fun it's just unreal - they don't make movies like that anymore.

Unfortunately, great as the trilogy is, the third one is quite a lot weaker. Fun, but just not in the same league. And they played ZZ Top over the credits instead of the theme - not the right way to end the trilogy.

[Acid King]

I just watched the Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (goddamn that's a long title) and enjoyed it. Builds up nicely and it has lots of great landscapes. It's a bit long at 2 and a half hours but its a good watch.

[Daigohji]

I just watched Ghost in the Shell 2.0 on blu-ray. The changes were...utterly pointless, and quite detrimental in places. I was at least expecting that the new CG sequences would make some of the static moments in the original more dynamic. Instead they mimic the framing and camera moves of the original shots to the point where I wonder why they bothered changing anything. The new CG backdrops and vehicles are fine, but the scenes with CG Kusanagi are terribly distracting. In the opening scene it constantly cuts back and forth between this one plastic-looking CG model and the rest of the hand drawn cast.

Calling it 2.0 is also an overstatement. It's 1.1 at most, or more like Ghost in the Shell: Orange Edition, as most of the changes were to replace the green screen display elements with orange to match the look of GitS: Innocence. Oh well, at least it's a nice looking 1080p transfer. The original cut is included in SD form upscaled to 1080i, but the transfer is a hideous mess. I suppose I'll get used to the changes in 2.0 as most of them are subtle, but the changes to the opening scene were a mistake of the same magnitude as CG Jabba in Star Wars Episode IV.

[1up]

watched MacGruber yesterday with a couple of friends. Havent seen any of the SNL shows so I had no idea what I was getting into besides that it was probably a spoof of McGyver like shows.

And a spoof it was. Not as corny as Hot Shots and other 90s spoofs, but still silly. Was an entertaining watch, especially the sex scenes. Dont think Ive laughed so hard in a long time, besides Eastbound & Down episodes .

typical american spoof 3/5

[Square King]

Food, Inc.

A great example of a movie/doc that made me go even though I have a fairly decent understanding of the subject matter.

[undamned]

Was moving some stuff around the house and came across a VHS tape of "Real Genius." Watched it with the wife. Excellent 80's style cheesiness. I'm wondering if all of Val Kilmer's early works were silly ("Top Secret," ect.).
-ud

[emphatic]

Was moving some stuff around the house and came across a VHS tape of "Real Genius." Watched it with the wife. Excellent 80's style cheesiness. I'm wondering if all of Val Kilmer's early works were silly ("Top Secret," ect.).
-ud

Actually, Top Secret really is a work of genius. The Zuckers at their best form.

[1up]

circle is complete. watched Back to the Future part III yesterday. Entertaining movie, but 80% taking place in the 1885 with no real twists and turns in other time periods this falls short compared to the first two. Entertaining, and a lot of detail from the first two movies carry over to the third instalment. Im thinking about Doc obsessing about making a scale, and that its not the real size. Body Armor, as you saw it in alternate 1985 when Biff was watching the Clint Eastwood movie etc.

And I always hated the goddamn flying train in the end, and Doc being a total hypocrit. "Destroy the time machine. Its too dangerous blah blah blah", and he builds a another one? Runs on steam, ok, plausible, but how the hell did he make a flux capacitor in late 1900s? And how did he get the conversion done in the future. How did he even travel to the futiure in a train, not knowing if there would even be tracks? What about the futuristic train schedules? Impressive that he didnt create a wreck.

those were just a few of the frustrations this movie left me with yesterday

[Skykid]

those were just a few of the frustrations this movie left me with yesterday

And they play ZZ Top over the credits of the send off movie.

[njiska]

Just got Netflix in Canada. Have been pick through it's recommendations and so far we have:

Lord of War - Awesome, a long time favorite. Powerful message about the international arms trade but not necessarily a negative one. Easily one of Nic Cages few successful dramatic performances.

Wristcutters: A Love Story: Has that quirky independent comedy feel. Tells the story of a guy who killed himself only to end up in a special part of hell set aside for suicides that's exactly as bland as normal life, only more depressing. Meets a guy, meets a girl, finds out his old girl killed herself and sets of to find her. Well written and well acted. Good for a person with a slightly dark sense of humour

Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog: I've been meaning to watch this for years and finally got the change. NPH + Joss Whedon + Music = Awesome

Manhattan Murder Mystery: Quirky, albeit fairly typical, Woody Allen movie about a housewife with an over-active imagine who thinks her neighbour offed his wife. If you like Allen's work you'll probably like this.

Also got a few movies from Zip:

S. Darko: A terrible, terrible attempt at a sequel that makes even less sense than the infinitely better original. The plot deals with Samantha Darko coping with life after her brothers death, but in reality it's just another excuse to tell a story where everything is solved by one guy going back in time to kill himself. A completely pointless and miserable film only slightly better than American Psycho 2.

Gozu: Oh Takashi Miike, master of weird cinema. If youknow his works than you know how fucked up he can be. Only the whole Gozu is far tamer violence and sex wise than a normal Miike romp, but the sheer absurdity of this film is off the charts.

Defendor: A small budget Canadian film starring Woody Harelson as a mentally slow man who's taken on the guise of a comic book super hero in a quest to defeat his mothers murderer. Played completely seriously the film highlights his failure, yet also his triumphs against a world that's grown apathetic. Has a similar vibe to the Michael Rapaport vehicle, Special, but with better execution.

[xris]

Watched Devil this week. It was suspenseful and compelling to watch, but the ending was below average. A good concept and fairly well made film. I feel like it could have used a better rewrite, or better pacing for what happened while they were in the elevator. Can't really suggest it, unless you are a big horror fan that has already seen most of this years movies.

[SuperGrafx]

Harry Brown

I'm a fan of Michael Caine's work, this did not disappoint.

[KindGrind]

Watched Delicatessen after having seen it once 10 years ago. Didn't like it back then, but really enjoyed it now. I kind of knew what to expect, which is a huge plus here. Very over the top and burlesque, great stuff.

[Skykid]

Just finished the 3hr 20 minute directors cut of Das Boot. My first time watching it - certainly the best film of its kind. Some tense stuff.

[mesh control]

The Town

Could have left most of the corny romance stuff out, but it was better than I expected.

[CMoon]

Revisited 48 hrs after something like two decades (at least it feels that long.) All hail to streaming netflix for this one. This one is weird for both being rather good for this genre, but also nothing you'd really recommend or need to see that often. Without Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte, it's absolutely nothing--and while maybe not a great film; there's something iconic about this pairing.

Damn, I remember a lot of crime/cop action films from the 80's, but don't remember any names for the most part. Maybe that's a good thing though--I'm sure most of them were terrible.

[DEL]

Finally watched PREDATORS.
Liked the way it started. Thought Adrien Brody's gun suited him and laughed at the way he Growled his way through the whole movie . Good to see Oleg from 15 Minutes in the film.
Generally thought it was pretty good, but still a long way off Predator 1 and the awesome Predator 2.

CMoon wrote;

Damn, I remember a lot of crime/cop action films from the 80's, but don't remember any names for the most part. Maybe that's a good thing though--I'm sure most of them were terrible.

Quite the opposite really, most of the 80s and very early 90s movies were bigger budget and way more awesome than anything released in the last 15 years. 'Another 48hrs' was excellent. I still rewatch The Last Boy Scout every year or two.
The only bad/cheap one was Blue Jean Cop.

Without Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte, it's absolutely nothing

Well that's another thing to mention about the difference between those days and recently - there were more characters, more people with charisma. Now we have super-bland Shia LaBeouf and Matt Damon