Movies you've just watched

[EmperorIng]

You see, there are some movies that just aren't "Sit down with friends movie-night" movies.

Salo is one of those movies.

I watched an hour of the three hour version of Dune.
Is there a specific version that's best to watch? This one just had talking over still shots for 8 minutes before anything happened.

[jonny5]

Dude, Willow's better than Dark Crystal.

No, it's really not.

I promise you, it really is. Remove all fond childhood memories from the equation and watch them again. DC is a much harder watch.

I've watched both in the past few months. Willow, while not bad, wasn't nearly as good as I remembered(had it on VHS as a kid). Dark Crystal, on the other hand, was way better than I remembered, and still held up really well. The whole world/creatures and style of it, great stuff. Some of the sets were jaw dropping. Also had it on VHS as a kid. Hadn't seen either in at least a decade, probably longer.

Willow just struck me as that standard fare fantasy stuff of that era, nothing really new brought to the table. Dark Crystal was the exact opposite; everything was so imaginative and detailed, down to the characters, story line, creatures, etc, and surprisingly dark for a childrens movie.

There really is no comparison between the 2 films.

Obviously, opinions are like assholes....

[Skykid]

There really is no comparison between the 2 films.

Well I agree with that part.

Nah, honestly DC was okay. Pretty flat, unlikable characters, waffley as hell improv scripting, and just about watchable all the way though - but nice sets n' stuff.

[MX7]

While I probably prefer Labyrinth, I really, REALLY like The Dark Crystal. It was one of my favourite films when I was a kid, and re-watching it for he first time in 15 years I was really awed by how amazing it is. I guess the narrative could be seen as being a bit loose, though I prefer to regard it as woozy and dreamlike, in a similar manner to Ghibli films. But honestly, none of that really matters in comparison to how wonderfully evocative the film is. I think along with the films of Hayao Myazaki and Terry Gilliam, this is one of those films that manages to create a ridiculously engrossing and satisfying world that is also completely and utterly not like our own. It's also surprisingly dark and pretty scary/grotesque, which is rare for kid's films these days. One of my best friends who is the same age as me saw it for the first time the other day and was blown away. I guess the protagonist is pretty punchable, but that's par for the course with fantasy films!

I remember liking Willow as a sprog; will have to give that a razz.

What other awesome fantasy films are there, preferably 80's? I've got Krull ready to watch when I start drinking again in February, and I recently watched The Beastmaster and thought that was pretty shit-hot.

@Nijiska - Salo is a phenomenal film through it's extremely visceral attack on facism, but yes, it's almost impossible to actually enjoy... no wonder Michael Haneke lists it in his top ten films!

[system11]

Trading Places - 9/10

Another great classic comedy from the 80s. They just don't make films like this anymore. The blu-ray release is pretty good although it looks a bit DNRd in places.

[RGC]

Trading Places - 9/10

Another great classic comedy from the 80s. They just don't make films like this anymore. The blu-ray release is pretty good although it looks a bit DNRd in places.

Heh, caught this myself on Lovefilm recently. Put me right in the mood for some other classics of the era, like Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Coming to America, Golden Child, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Man with Two Brains, Roxanne, etc.

[emphatic]

Trading Places - 9/10

Another great classic comedy from the 80s. They just don't make films like this anymore. The blu-ray release is pretty good although it looks a bit DNRd in places.

Heh, caught this myself on Lovefilm recently. Put me right in the mood for some other classics of the era, like Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Coming to America, Golden Child, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Man with Two Brains, Roxanne, etc.

Don't forget Blind Date and Spies Like Us!

[Daigohji]

I watched an hour of the three hour version of Dune.
Is there a specific version that's best to watch? This one just had talking over still shots for 8 minutes before anything happened.

You're watching the awkward TV cut; much closer to the shooting script, but poorly edited. Sadly, there is no perfect version of Lynch's Dune. He did an admirable job of condensing the novel's complicated sequence of events, but along the way most of the character motivations and relationships were lost. My advice would be to read the novel, and then watch the theatrical cut on blu-ray. That way you can enjoy the stunning visuals and atmospheric music, and understand what the hell is going on. Unfortunately, it will also hammer home just how much was lost. The extra material in the TV cut isn't what the Dune movie needed to be better.

[RGC]

Don't forget Blind Date and Spies Like Us!

Indeed! Blind Date still has actual laugh out loud moments (alol), like when Kim Bassinger's crazy ex takes a swing at Willis at the 'art' exhibition.

[EmperorIng]

I watched an hour of the three hour version of Dune.
Is there a specific version that's best to watch? This one just had talking over still shots for 8 minutes before anything happened.

You're watching the awkward TV cut; much closer to the shooting script, but poorly edited. Sadly, there is no perfect version of Lynch's Dune. He did an admirable job of condensing the novel's complicated sequence of events, but along the way most of the character motivations and relationships were lost. My advice would be to read the novel, and then watch the theatrical cut on blu-ray. That way you can enjoy the stunning visuals and atmospheric music, and understand what the hell is going on. Unfortunately, it will also hammer home just how much was lost. The extra material in the TV cut isn't what the Dune movie needed to be better.

I actually just read the novel, so I wanted to see Lynch's adaption in the best way possible.

I have my own ideas on how to condense Dune into an acceptable movie version (ha!), but I admire the look and feel of Lynch's movie - at least from what I've seen.

Thanks for the advice - I'll look for the theatrical cut.

[null1024]

The Last Airbender

so bad
so damn bad

1/10. Fuck.

At least I had the foresight to watch it with Rifftrax. It fails to deliver in any way. Well, Iroh seemed decent enough, but one somewhat decent performance isn't enough if everything else is shit.

The SFX were nice though.

[Skykid]

Trading Places - 9/10

One of the best!

[Mischief Maker]

Trading Places - 9/10

One of the best!

Unfortunately after ogling Jaime Lee Curtis' first topless shot you'll turn off the player and the first thing on TV will be a commercial where she's grey-haired and hawking laxatives.

[Skykid]

Trading Places - 9/10

One of the best!

Unfortunately after ogling Jaime Lee Curtis' first topless shot you'll turn off the player and the first thing on TV will be a commercial where she's grey-haired and hawking laxatives.

Not in my country. Her tits are immortalised for us.

On topic: what happened to John landis? That guy was great in the 80's (Spies like us not included, no idea how that went so wrong) - I'm surprised he didn't carry on.

[Shmuppet]

The last movie I saw was Ted. I thought it was a great movie. Not a Seth MacFarlane fan though(Family Guy re-uses the SAME JOKE EVERY FREAKING EPISODE!)

I plan on watching Killing Me Softly and Friends With Benefits next.

[drauch]

Watched Salo or the Last 120 Days of Sodom with some friends last night. It was....... something. Not exactly a good movie, but intriguing in it's bizarre-ness. Certainly not a bad pickup for a $10 criterion Blu-Ray, but I doubt I'll watch it again.

Quite a deal on that Bluray, but yeah, Salo is a movie that I don't think I ever really want to own. I enjoy it and think it's a fine movie, but with friends or on a regular basis, I can't really imagine.

[njiska]

Watched Salo or the Last 120 Days of Sodom with some friends last night. It was....... something. Not exactly a good movie, but intriguing in it's bizarre-ness. Certainly not a bad pickup for a $10 criterion Blu-Ray, but I doubt I'll watch it again.

Quite a deal on that Bluray, but yeah, Salo is a movie that I don't think I ever really want to own. I enjoy it and think it's a fine movie, but with friends or on a regular basis, I can't really imagine.

Yeah, that's a pretty fair assesment, though I actually did watch it with friends. Friends that knew what they were getting into mind you.

[Skykid]

CONAN THE BARBARIAN

What an absolute treat.

I can't stress enough how much of a disservice cinema has done itself by becoming so CG reliant. It's as though they've become lazy to the point where they're forgetting the art of in-camera visualisation. After watching all these recent fantasy movies, with beautiful landscapes, real sets and live effects, the difference between this kind of hands-on creativity and post production 3D 'art' is night and day.

There's no way better to explain it, but CG just feels lifeless - and that's because it is lifeless: it doesn't physically exist.

Anyway, Conan ruled. The genesis of a hero, the raw violence and the wildness of the world were woven with real tangible expression. The lack of expository dialogue and the slow burn of its pacing were amazing to wallow in. There was even some very well-written dialogue in there, and Schwarzenegger is Conan, so by that virtue his performance was faultless.

There are some little weaknesses: the blonde was a little too American (Arnie's accent worked far better with all the accompanying foreign accents) and the cultists were amusingly hippyish, rather than pagan, as they were meant to be.

But these are minor criticisms. It was great, dark, gory fun, with plenty of beheading to the sound of drums. By Crom, this is what good fun movies are really about.

[KAI]

Watched it last week, this and Predator. Excellent movies.

[system11]

Now follow it up with Conan The Destroyer and Red Sonja for a full-on fantasy overdose. Play some Rastan for good measure too.

[drauch]

^Aye, I concur. By Crom, Skykid, was this your first time!?

[GaijinPunch]

Still never seen this. I need to get Netflix I guess.

[CMoon]

CONAN THE BARBARIAN

What an absolute treat.

I know we just talked about this movie at length on the last page (or so), but yeah, I'm to the point I don't think I can take anyone seriously who says they dislike this film. It seems WAY BEYOND the talents of all involved--there is almost no one, even the composer Poledorus (sp?) who would soar to these heights again, and often what is great is much more a product of context than raw talent. The lack of CG actually forces a more restrained film, and it works for Conan in the same way it worked for Jaws. Although a lot of people love Conan, I think (perhaps like Excalibur) it is a borderline classic--but I don't think serious movie critics will every give it the credit it deserves.

Shit, I love everything about that movie down to the film grade.

[blackoak]

^ what he said

funny little story about that movie: for a birthday present a few years ago, a friend performed a live one-man rendition of Conan the Barbarian at a bar in Portland one night. Like, memorizing the whole script (luckily, there isn't too much dialogue) and using a few props/volunteers for certain scenes. It was easily one of the most memorable/funny/awesome experiences of my life. This same friend participated in Point Break Live while it was playing in the bay area, and was regaled as the "best johnny utah" by the staff actors... memorrieeesss

on a far more degenerate note, I watched Zero Dark Thirty last night. I was mainly interested in the debate going about depiction/endorsement of torture. I don't really feel like doing a long writeup atm, but suffice it to say that Bigelow is full of shit and the movie is execrable. Her pathetic whining about censorship is just such bullshit: this is CRITICISM of a tone and a great deal of omission regarding the context of the events; she can make any movie she wants, but no one has to like it or agree with her professed artistic "neutrality." With this and Hurt Locker I've sadly lost all respect for her (Point Break, alas, we hardly knew ye). The Riefenstahl comparisons are quite apt.

[GaijinPunch]

I usually disagree with you on all counts, but I thought Hurt Locker was massively overrated. I was glad I watched it, and the scene where they were pinned down in the middle of nowhere was very well executed, but Best Picture? Egads.

[system11]

Re: Conan

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2479722/

WTF.

[blackoak]

Hahaha, on all counts? impressive But yeah, my problem with Bigelow isn't technical/aesthetic, though I wouldn't call her last two films particularly accomplished on those grounds, either. What I hate is their myopic, pro-military, status quo endorsement of US imperialism.

[Mischief Maker]

Star Trek [2009].

I remember enjoying this more when I saw it in the theater.
Ah well. Still a good movie.

also Spock is a diiiick

Remember Secrets of Vulcan Fury? That unused script just SITTING THERE with voice samples from all the original cast? Nah, lets bring in the guys who wrote the screenplay for Transformers. THEY'LL write a smart script worthy of the Trek franchise!

Lots of people were in denial over the Phantom Menace sucking for years before sanity finally prevailed. I wonder how long it'll take for Star Trek 11?

[drauch]

Re: Conan

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2479722/

WTF.

I thought we already talked about this? Or maybe that was in the "what are you reading thread." But yup, I'm excited. King Conan was originally written as being forty-ish or so, so Arnie is a bit old. Still, I'd take Arnold reprising his role than any other wanker any day.

[Skykid]

Re: Conan
WTF.

They better can the CG.

Although a lot of people love Conan, I think (perhaps like Excalibur) it is a borderline classic--but I don't think serious movie critics will every give it the credit it deserves.

Well it's a classic for me, but that really depends on how you're defining classic. Can it run with Ben Hur? Just about, I think, yeah. A Touch of Evil and Citizen Kane? Probably not, no.

Although being made in the 80's is its greatest asset, there are some dated elements that jar with the prehistoric setting: the blonde, as I mentioned, spouting catchphrases like "you wanna live forever!" aren't completely acceptable, but passable. Everything prior to her appearance is absolute gold, however.

Then you have brief but excellent scenes with Max Von Sydow and James Earl Jones raising the game considerably. And the part where the spirits come for his body is just all kinds of win (I've never read any of the novels, I wonder if this was directly extracted?)