Movies you've just watched

[Raytrace]

A Chinese Ghost Story 2011... another remake, still prefer the original though!

wtf? why oh why - is that a remake of the original Jackie Chan film, marketed as 'Karate Ghostbuster' ( ! ) in some regions?????

[xbl0x180]

Glad to hear it's that good! I always meant to get that Noshame DVD, but then kinda forgot about it. I'll add it to the top of my list.

You cannot go wrong wit the NoShame DVD. It is choke-full of extras, including footage from the US premiere, poster gallery, and extra title bits from the American release they used in between the short films. Seriously, the Visconti film looked like a Visconti film: full of gaudy decor with Renaissance paintings and sculptures, the girl with extravagant haute couture, etc. It was fucking beautiful to see. I think his style of filmmaking has gone outta fashion 'cause I have not seen anything like it by any modern director. It's funny, but once you go from these works, Tarantino's stuff looks more revolting and unwatchable than usual

[PC Engine Fan X!]

What is interesting is that both the Region 1 DVD & Blu-Ray versions of Looper were already available for rental at the local Redbox kiosks a full day yesterday (on 12/31/2012) before it went on sale today on 1/1/2013 in the USA. Very rarely does a big name sci-fi movie like it appear for rental even on RedBox before it appears at retail for sale.

Stranger things have have happened in the past though.

Take for instance, the movie studio that was responsible for distributing the 35mm theatrical print version of Smoking Aces in February of 2007 stateside, decided to break tradition and release it directly to the home video market on DVD and HD-DVD formats in a mere two months time (in April of 2007). SA was originally going to have an April 2007 theatrical release but that didn't happen as it was rushed out a mere two months early.

The usual norm is for the Hollywood movie studios to wait about five to six months before releasing such a big name movie via digital d/l, DVD, Blu-Ray, and On-Demand formats after running their course on the big screen at the movie theaters nationwide. Of course, just last year, the proper Blu-Ray release of SA was done.

Some major movie studios decide to bypass the movie theater distribution system and see if they can recoup their initial investment by going with the home video market directly. The gore-horror flick of Hostel 3 went this particular route indeed.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Raytrace]

watching Lords Of Dogtown kinda flat in places, what the hell is Tony Alva doing skating in Yamato crew uniform near the end hahahaha

I'm still enjoying it though of course, basically I suppose if a film is a docu or docudrama or even just a 'based on' about a subject I like or have interest in, it's going to have to be utterly atrocious for me not to enjoy it :p

[rapoon]

watching Lords Of Dogtown kinda flat in places, what the hell is Tony Alva doing skating in Yamato crew uniform near the end hahahaha

I'm still enjoying it though of course, basically I suppose if a film is a docu or docudrama or even just a 'based on' about a subject I like or have interest in, it's going to have to be utterly atrocious for me not to enjoy it :p

I enjoyed the shit out of this film. Emile Hirsch was fucking awesome as Jay. I had seen "Dogtown and Z-Boys" prior and it saddened me to see Jay, who pushed
every boundary, every limit, change and define a sport then destroy his life. gonna check out "Bones Bridage. "

[null1024]

Galaxy Quest.

It's like Spaceballs for Star Trek. And it's fantastic. It's a loving mockery of TOS, with a bit of newer Trek in there, and it's superbly executed. 9/10.

[Raytrace]

I enjoyed the shit out of this film. Emile Hirsch was fucking awesome as Jay. I had seen "Dogtown and Z-Boys" prior and it saddened me to see Jay, who pushed
every boundary, every limit, change and define a sport then destroy his life. gonna check out "Bones Bridage. "

yeh Emile Hirsch was brilliant. It is very sad, because I remember back then you never actually heard of Jay Adams at all, I'd say the only way you would have was if you read the kinda 'parties' pages in Thrasher, which I never really did.

[RGC]

Just watched RAMBO

First Blood (1982), surely?

[GaijinPunch]

Short Carpenter run.

Big Trouble in Little China
The Thing

Do I have to mention how awesome these are? I think The Thing may have my favorite moving in ever. Definitely don't make 'em like that any more.

[emphatic]

Galaxy Quest.

It's like Spaceballs for Star Trek. And it's fantastic. It's a loving mockery of TOS, with a bit of newer Trek in there, and it's superbly executed. 9/10.

Awesome little gem.

I watched Tai Chi Hero last night. The second in the trilogy. Way better than Tai Chi Zero, but still only a solid 3/5. I hope part three is better, the fighting is more in focus in the second, so not so much MTV style-cutting in this one.

[neorichieb1971]

The Hobbit. (perhaps some spoilers)

I did like the movie but it suffers from the "magic" thing that all "magic" movies suffer from.

I'll elaborate.

1) Gandalf - At times during the movie he saves the day. But then at other times during the movie he could do the same act again, but doesn't. He also appears to rescue the Dwarfs and come out of nowhere once too often.

What if he did that move that made the orks go flying every single time danger presented itself? Just put him at the front and go BOOM! BOOM! Everything in the movie would be scared shitless and run for the hills.

2) Bilbo Baggins! Near the end he could use the ring. But instead decides to keep it a secret even though his life is in grim danger. I would have worn the ring ASAP.

3) Since the journey is to go to the Dragons lair why didn't they ask the hawks/birds/eagles just to take them there? Instead, they drop them on a mountain that will take a week just to climb down from.


Movies that entertain via magic should show that logic hasn't been lost in the equation. That goes for Harry Potter as well.

[Moniker]

Movies that entertain via magic should show that logic hasn't been lost in the equation. That goes for Harry Potter as well.

I think Tolkien's largely to blame here. For instance, in LotR, why didn't Gandalf have the eagles bring Frodo direct to Mount Doom from the Shire? There are a lot of plot holes like that throughout the books, which don't really bother me. The point is the journey and the world-building along the way.

[system11]

Grabbers - 8/10

Comedy horror about alien sea creatures terrorising a small Irish island, actually had some real laugh out loud moments - it's not quite a great film, but certainly a very good one. Aside from the very first scene the effects are great, the cast were likeable, the premise ridiculous - recommended.

[Randorama]

I think Tolkien's largely to blame here. For instance, in LotR, why didn't Gandalf have the eagles bring Frodo direct to Mount Doom from the Shire? There are a lot of plot holes like that throughout the books, which don't really bother me. The point is the journey and the world-building along the way.

Well, Tolkien often respected a traditional aspect of traditional fairy tales and myths: any help to the heroes in their journey must only advance them one "step", other the help would turn into a Deus Ex Machina device. Often, as the Gandalf example by neorichie is quite exact. I am fairly sure that his random use of Gandalf is simply a blunder that was passed onto the movie, which in turn should be an extremely faithful rendition of the book (I can't recall).

[Skykid]

Krull

Managed to forget almost everything about it since I was a kid, but it came flooding back in a wave of nostalgia for 80's fantasy and superb cheesiness. And you know what? It's damn enjoyable. It's hammy, clunky, goofy and pretty silly, with off-kilter dialogue and derivative plotting, but it's stuffed with imagination.

...imagination, oh that long forgotten movie making ingredient, how I miss it. Giant spider webs, spike pits, cool weapons, boulder avalanches, flaming steeds, teleporting castles, dead forests, swamps, seers, wise men, trials, cyclopses, mythology, romance, heroism, bad acting, good acting and some bollocks about saving the world with the bond of matrimony.
It might be for kids, but at least it's an adventure, y'know, with characters and ideas and interesting sequences. It's not a classic cinematic achievement, but it has a place quite high on my list of 80's sci-fi/fantasy swashbuckling adventure no-brainers, and that's a good list in and of itself.

Also, it's so Capcom scrolling beat-em-ups and Dungeons & Dragons board games/nostalgic orgasm.

[system11]

...imagination, oh that long forgotten movie making ingredient

QFT.

[Moniker]

...imagination, oh that long forgotten movie making ingredient

QFT.

[RGC]

Timecrimes (200?) - guess what, it's about time travel. While intriguing for the first half, once you realise its only point seems to be ensuring it is logically and temporally watertight (I bet if you could be bothered you'd identify flaws here), it rapidly becomes dull.

Language: Mild, strong in places
Violence: Yes
Sexual content: Tits

[RGC]

@Moniker: agreed. Their final appearance also marks the beginning of the film's decline.

[cj iwakura]

I can't think of a movie that's disappointed me more in recent memory than Hobo With A Shotgun. My friend lost interest immediately, but I wanted to see it through, hoping it would pick up.

And it did. For one scene.

THE PLAGUE.

Boy were they boss. The rest of the film took itself way, way too seriously. When the grindhouse trailer is better than the entire film, something's not right.

[Mischief Maker]

I think Tolkien's largely to blame here. For instance, in LotR, why didn't Gandalf have the eagles bring Frodo direct to Mount Doom from the Shire? There are a lot of plot holes like that throughout the books, which don't really bother me. The point is the journey and the world-building along the way.

Well, Tolkien often respected a traditional aspect of traditional fairy tales and myths: any help to the heroes in their journey must only advance them one "step", other the help would turn into a Deus Ex Machina device. Often, as the Gandalf example by neorichie is quite exact. I am fairly sure that his random use of Gandalf is simply a blunder that was passed onto the movie, which in turn should be an extremely faithful rendition of the book (I can't recall).

I haven't seen the Hobbit movie, but there's nothing wrong with Gandalf in Tolkien's "The Hobbit."

It's the standard children's story arc of the Father Figure saving everyone's asses and otherwise being awesome for the first third of the novel, then the Father Figure exits and the Child Audience Surrogate must deal with obstacles without Father Figure's assistance for the middle third, then in the final third the Child Audience Surrogate rises to take over the Father Figure's role of saving everyone's asses.

Anyhoo, the reason the Eagles were able to reach mount doom and rescue Frodo in the first place is because the Ringwraiths were dead and Sauron's armies were routed and scattered. If Gandalf "just" had Frodo fly to Mordor on the back of a flock of giant eagles, they'd have been pincushioned by thousands of orc arrows and ballistae bolts, and if by some miracle a couple eagles made it through that, there would be 9 undead wizards on pterodactyls ready to clean up.

[Skykid]

...imagination, oh that long forgotten movie making ingredient

QFT.

I'm on an imagination fantasy kick now, so just got myself Conan I & II, Willow, Raiders of The Lost Ark and the Dark Crsytal lined up. I've seen all except Dark Crystal, but not in a good long while.

Any other recommendations?

What about Legend, I've never seen that?

[blackoak]

What about Legend, I've never seen that?

Really great film, nothing else like it really in terms of atmosphere (actually, the elaborate sets and controlled lighting remind me of an updated Kwaidan in many ways). Watch it and weep for what Ridley Scott once was.

[Mischief Maker]

What about Legend, I've never seen that?

Visually gorgeous movie, but it doesn't have a single thought in its pretty little head. Watch it and weep for what Ridley "Prometheus" Scott has always been.

[Skykid]

Ha ha, you guys. I have a feeling I'm definitely going to connect strongly with one of the above opinions. I'll put it in the queue.

[blackoak]

Hahahaha, I don't know. Myths and fairy tales have a kind of illogical mystery to them that I think Legend captures really well. It also has a little D&D questing feel to it that I don't mind. I wouldn't call it a vapid film.

[Skykid]

Hahahaha, I don't know. Myths and fairy tales have a kind of illogical mystery to them that I think Legend captures really well. It also has a little D&D questing feel to it that I don't mind. I wouldn't call it a vapid film.

Well, although Scott the director has always been overshadowed by Scott the artist, I'm still a sucker for his visual creativity. In many cases, that's enough to make the film worthwhile for me. All of this discounting Blade Runner, of course, which is fantastic through and through.

[Mischief Maker]

Hahahaha, I don't know. Myths and fairy tales have a kind of illogical mystery to them that I think Legend captures really well. It also has a little D&D questing feel to it that I don't mind. I wouldn't call it a vapid film.

Are we gonna have this conversation again?

[blackoak]

hahahahaha

funny then, funny now

[CMoon]

I'm on an imagination fantasy kick now, so just got myself Conan I & II, Willow, Raiders of The Lost Ark and the Dark Crsytal lined up. I've seen all except Dark Crystal, but not in a good long while.

Any other recommendations?

What about Legend, I've never seen that?

Dark Crystal is a surprising gem. Not great enough to be top shelf material, but so trail-blazing original and creative that any other criticisms can be waved away. I hadn't seen this since it was in the theatres and had mostly dismissed it, but had to eat crow.

Can't say the same for all you Legend lovers...I just don't get the love. The most notable thing here to me are the two soundtracks by Tangerine Dream and Jerry Goldsmith. I like both.

While talking fantasy though, why not discuss Excalibur which IS top shelf. Excalibur would eat Legend for breakfast, but Excalibur doesn't eat pieces of shit for breakfast