Movies you've just watched

[Never_Scurred]

Just finished this Survival 1990.
Excellent '80's Canadian shot-on-video shit.

[DEL]

Just watched the latest Donnie Yen extravaganza
The Lost Bladesman

Very good. Plus it will appeal to anyone who has played the numerous Romance of the Three Kingdoms (I completed the SNES part II cart) - Cao Cao, Liu Bei etc.

[emphatic]

I just finished The Matrix. It's been a couple of years, but it was fantastic this time as well.

[neorichieb1971]

Tron Legacy, Anastasia, Return of the living dead.

[CMoon]

I just finished The Matrix. It's been a couple of years, but it was fantastic this time as well.

Strangely, I was just thinking about The Matrix the other day, mostly because there were some people I thought would be much better off stuck in tubes. Then it occurred to me that the whole tube idea was completely broken. There's just no way you could get more energy out of a person stuck in a tube than was being put into the tube (IE food.) I guess the fact its taken me so many years to realize how fucking stupid the premise to this movie is must mean that it is in fact pretty good.

Saw Tales from Earthsea the other night. I know this got panned by everyone including the studio that produced it (Ghibli), but its really a pretty enjoyable romp. I guess having not read the Earthsea books yet, I was allowed to enjoy it.

[Obiwanshinobi]

There's just no way you could get more energy out of a person stuck in a tube than was being put into the tube (IE food.) I guess the fact its taken me so many years to realize how fucking stupid the premise to this movie is must mean that it is in fact pretty good.

That was my issue with the concept from the very beginning. There was more things wrong with the film than just that and seems like even its former apologists just want to forget about it. Same with The X Files.
Quite amazing how Terminator 2, despite just as jarring concept, is being fondly remembered, whereas The Matrix keeps falling into oblivion.

[neorichieb1971]

Its a movie concept buried in Science Fiction. You might as well say Star Wars isn't based on research like 2001.

[Obiwanshinobi]

The fuck. In Star Wars nobody's explaining how lightsabers or hyperspace jumps work and - most importantly - nobody's even ASKING. Those are things somebody at some point had supposedly invented and they do not resemble anything we have in reality, that's why I don't have a problem with everybody in depicted world taking those things for granted. They are not trying to tell me an airplane powered by a Watt steam engine could fly on the planet Earth so to speak.
In The Matrix, however, there's a dude coming from seemingly our world and not your average dude at that but a supposedly outstandind individual, pretty much the Redeemer, and he's buying that bullshit. Suspension of disbelief shattered.

[neorichieb1971]

The Matrix is a good "imagination" piece though. So the concept isn't bullet proof but hardly anything is these days. I've seen super hero's wear training shoes that don't break even the stress of stopping a train, T-shirts that don't have bullet holes.

I have a bigger problem in that in Matrix 3 they go into warp 10, drop down at lightning speed, create a nuclear blast and crater in the ground without so much as creating a scratch. Yet they still kick and punch each other.

I think you don't grasp that most sci fi is exaggerated or made up completely. Its just that in the Matrix its struck a chord with you.

[Obiwanshinobi]

"Sci-Fi" means fuck all. The Matrix is badly made up.

[Acid King]

Strangely, I was just thinking about The Matrix the other day, mostly because there were some people I thought would be much better off stuck in tubes. Then it occurred to me that the whole tube idea was completely broken. There's just no way you could get more energy out of a person stuck in a tube than was being put into the tube (IE food.) I guess the fact its taken me so many years to realize how fucking stupid the premise to this movie is must mean that it is in fact pretty good.

I don't know that that breaks it. There are a billion ways to explain this point away, its just that they never bother to in the movie. I mean, slaves did a lot for never getting much in the way of food, I don't doubt that a futureeee robot civilization could figure something out. How much food does it take to maintain a coma patient anyway?

[Never_Scurred]

The fuck. In Star Wars nobody's explaining how lightsabers or hyperspace jumps work and - most importantly - nobody's even ASKING. Those are things somebody at some point had supposedly invented and they do not resemble anything we have in reality, that's why I don't have a problem with everybody in depicted world taking those things for granted. They are not trying to tell me an airplane powered by a Watt steam engine could fly on the planet Earth so to speak.
In The Matrix, however, there's a dude coming from seemingly our world and not your average dude at that but a supposedly outstandind individual, pretty much the Redeemer, and he's buying that bullshit. Suspension of disbelief shattered.

This forum seriously needs a "like" button.

[CMoon]

I don't know that that breaks it. There are a billion ways to explain this point away, its just that they never bother to in the movie.

Well there's no way to have this idea work without violating the first law of themodynamics (conservation of energy.) Of course, we can write all this off as entertainment, or future bullshit, but it just struck me as funny that at the time people accepted this premise (perhaps because it wasn't really played up). Maybe even thought it was a good premise. I'm not sure all sci-fi is BS, but definitely most American sci-fi movies are BS (basically just fantasy in a different setting.)

*shrugs*

[Acid King]

Watched Ossessione, the Italian adaptation of the Postman Always Rings Twice, yesterday. Well done, though a few spots are iffy if you're unfamiliar with the story because they imply, rather than show, several important plot points and character actions.

Well there's no way to have this idea work without violating the first law of themodynamics (conservation of energy.) Of course, we can write all this off as entertainment, or future bullshit, but it just struck me as funny that at the time people accepted this premise (perhaps because it wasn't really played up). Maybe even thought it was a good premise. I'm not sure all sci-fi is BS, but definitely most American sci-fi movies are BS (basically just fantasy in a different setting.)

*shrugs*

Unless they're consuming our SOULS!!! Seriously though, I think people probably just didn't care. You're asked to accept a lot of ridiculous shit in the Matrix and that some futuristic robot hive managed to violate the first law of thermodynamics seems the least of the problems. The premise of robots turning on humans or enslaving humanity is one that obviously has potential, but even at that most basic level it's nonsensical. Why would they enslave humans? It's counter intuitive at its base, they'd have no reason to do so because there's nothing for them to gain. We suck as slave labor and would only consume energy that they could use more efficiently. They just tried to offer some justification for the robots to keep us alive and I can't really fault them for not inserting an extra few lines of expository dialogue to qualify the robots motives, especially when the question would have never come up if it were instead presented as an inexplicable reality.

[CMoon]

I might have liked the Matrix more if they had been upfront about the robots consuming our souls, I mean seriously, that's just fucking awesome!

[Acid King]

Pickup on South Street - Awesome noir from 1953 about a pick pocket who inadvertently steals a secret microfilm from Commie spies. Richard Widmark is great, as usual, as the pickpocket and it's got an unusually upbeat ending for a noir. The Criterion release looks great and has a bunch of cool stills and information about the movie. Highly recommended.

[drauch]

I've owned Pickup on South Street for a good 4 years at least and have never watched it. SOME DAY.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Just came back from watching Super 8, a throwback to a simplier era...1979 to be exact. The reason why the movie is titled so is the main film format that a group of kids choose to make a short film. I won't spoil it for those wanting to go see it for themselves. Stick around after the ending credits scroll on by & you'll be rewarded with another cool film bonus!

I've noticed that on Netflix, they finally secured the rights to show the 2007 (crazy but in a good way) "God of Vampires" hybrid horror/kung-fu/zombie flick that nobody's done before This is the film that Rob Fitz started filming back in 2000 with a limited budget, run out of money -- rinse & repeat this over a period of seven years until it was finally finished in 2007. It was shown in it's entirety at the 2007 Shockerfest (cool sci-fi, horror, fanasty & animation festival). I was blown away by it's concept and stylized kung-fu mixed in with a vampire god and zombies + some very cool gunfights (borrowed or heavily influenced from the 1999 film, The Matrix) as well. It's about damn time that "GoV" got a wider distribution despite it's cult film status that the lucky few whom have seen it properly on the "silver screen".

After the inital showing of "GoV", there was a cool Q&A session with Mr. Fitz. He said that he shot the entire film in HD format and looks even better than the 480p DVD format that was shown at the festival. He also said as word of advice to those whom want to make a movie, "Be sure to have enough money to finish your movie...don't do like I did with coming into a bit of money and shoot some scenes and run out of money again." That's some proper sage advice coming from a director who knows firsthand from experience. I agree. ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[brentsg]

Just saw Kung Fu Panda 2 today. If you've got kids, I'd recommend taking them. It's easily entertaining enough for the adults too.

[Obiwanshinobi]

"Жил-был пёс" - watch it, folks. It's only ten minutes with English subs.

[Marurun]

I watched Michael Clayton last night. The ending was quite pleasing with how it ended with such a vengeful justice.

[rapoon]

Saw "Paul." was so-so.
"Mysterious Skin" - disturbing, but an excellent flick.
really nothing else worth mentioning; a few gruesome horror movies. all shitty

[Mortificator]

I watched Michael Clayton last night. The ending was quite pleasing with how it ended with such a vengeful justice.

Some flaws kept the film from being great in my eyes, but the strength of the final confrontation was such that I needed to bite my tongue in conversations for a while after to keep from bellowing DO I LOOK LIKE I'M NEGOTIATING at every opening.

Watched nu-True Grit. The first act was decent and the second was great, but things fizzled after that dick Chaney showed up.

[xris]

A few of the new movies out. X-Men: First Class, this was really good. What you want in a super hero movie, not the perfect one, but it was all there. A few of the scenes looked a little weird, in a James Bond movie way, being a period movie, but it worked. Lots of super powers, big fights, a tolerable story, and a surprisingly good cast. Everybody performed well, even McAvoy, and Kevin Bacon. I have to admit, Magneto is POWERFULL, one of the best powers.
Super 8, expertly made film. The kids were very good in it. It just wasn't interesting... There's all this crazy shit going on in your town, I do not care about your interpersonal dramas. I have friends for that, I came to see monsters tear shit up. Needed WAY more monster. Go see Troll Hunter instead. Not as well made, but a much better monster movie.

[drauch]

Triple feature of Deadly Prey, Strike Commando, and Boss Nigger.

[Skykid]

Watched a documentary called Catfish.

The internet is a scary place.

[jonny5]

Sucker Punch!

Why is nobody talking about this movie? This was quite possibly the best new movie I have seen in years!

Anyone who says otherwise is a closet homosexual who is very close to outing themselves with their questionable opinions.

You know sometimes in really intense movies you just randomly tear up, not at sad parts, but just because its so intense; a rare occurence. I did that like 6 times in this movie!

If you have not seen this movie, watch it NOW!!!

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Yeah, Sucker Punch didn't do too well at the box office Stateside thus only had a limited theatrical run...still hasn't been properly released on Blu-Ray or DVD yet.

The fastest release from theatrical print run to DVD & HD-DVD release would have to be Universal Studio's "Smokin' Aces" flick -- had a February 2007 theatrical run and was ultimately released on DVD + HD-DVD formats in April of 2007. Smokin' Aces finally got a proper Blu-Ray release just recently. It used to be that the Hollywood movie studios would wait about 5-6 months down the road to release their films (via digital satellite/streaming/DVD/Blu-Ray/3D Blu-Ray formats) have wised up to making that transition from the intial allotted time on the big screen to the home theater market much shorter.

There's always the direct-to-video market to consider as with the simultaneous DVD/Blu-Ray release of Universal's "Smokin' Aces 2" sequel since it didn't get a proper theatrical distribution run in the USA. It's business as usual.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[jonny5]

Yeah, Sucker Punch didn't do too well at the box office Stateside thus only had a limited theatrical run...still hasn't been properly released on Blu-Ray or DVD yet.

The fastest release from theatrical print run to DVD & HD-DVD release would have to be Universal Studio's "Smokin' Aces" flick -- had a February 2007 theatrical run and was ultimately released on DVD + HD-DVD formats in April of 2007. Smokin' Aces finally got a proper Blu-Ray release just recently. It used to be that the Hollywood movie studios would wait about 5-6 months down the road to release their films (via digital satellite/streaming/DVD/Blu-Ray/3D Blu-Ray formats) have wised up to making that transition from the intial allotted time on the big screen to the home theater market much shorter.

There's always the direct-to-video market to consider as with the simultaneous DVD/Blu-Ray release of Universal's "Smokin' Aces 2" sequel since it didn't get a proper theatrical distribution run in the USA. It's business as usual.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Apparently it comes out on Bluray and DVD on June 28/11, in Canada anyways.

[neorichieb1971]

Yeah, Sucker Punch didn't do too well at the box office Stateside thus only had a limited theatrical run...still hasn't been properly released on Blu-Ray or DVD yet.

The fastest release from theatrical print run to DVD & HD-DVD release would have to be Universal Studio's "Smokin' Aces" flick -- had a February 2007 theatrical run and was ultimately released on DVD + HD-DVD formats in April of 2007. Smokin' Aces finally got a proper Blu-Ray release just recently. It used to be that the Hollywood movie studios would wait about 5-6 months down the road to release their films (via digital satellite/streaming/DVD/Blu-Ray/3D Blu-Ray formats) have wised up to making that transition from the intial allotted time on the big screen to the home theater market much shorter.

There's always the direct-to-video market to consider as with the simultaneous DVD/Blu-Ray release of Universal's "Smokin' Aces 2" sequel since it didn't get a proper theatrical distribution run in the USA. It's business as usual.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Apparently it comes out on Bluray and DVD on June 28/11, in Canada anyways.

In an awesome steelbook as well.. ordered.