The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[iam1bearcat]

like you said, you will catch flack for one particular entry i cannot believe you have Lost in Translation on this list!

[Foggy]

Brought The Godfather Trilogy for £20 today, hellah bargin

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

like you said, you will catch flack for one particular entry i cannot believe you have Lost in Translation on this list!

That surprised me. This is the first of his list I have actually taken the time to go through (sorry), and I stopped for a second after seeing that. I have yet to watch it myself (sorry again), but still.

Oh well though. It happens. I'm sure there would be the same reaction to some of mine if I did a list.

As for that list though, I actually like two of the movies (The Specialist and Miami Vice).

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by KilloWertz

That surprised me. This is the first of his list I have actually taken the time to go through (sorry), and I stopped for a second after seeing that. I have yet to watch it myself (sorry again), but still.

Oh well though. It happens. I'm sure there would be the same reaction to some of mine if I did a list.

As for that list though, I actually like two of the movies (The Specialist and Miami Vice).

ha, me too. i stopped and thought i clicked on the wrong spoiler or something



and then it turns out i didn't

[Al_The_Strange]

I can't like 'em all (contrary to popular belief ). In the past, I would have actually listed "LiT" a lot lower.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

like you said, you will catch flack for one particular entry i cannot believe you have Lost in Translation on this list!

Its a taste thing. Al's description of the film is accurate. There is no story. Nothing happens. There is no ending. Two lost souls wandering around while feeling vaguely connected.

Sounds like boring crap to me, but for some reason I loved it.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Its a taste thing. Al's description of the film is accurate. There is no story. Nothing happens. There is no ending. Two lost souls wandering around while feeling vaguely connected.

Correct!

Next in the list...

39:

[Show spoiler]“Domino”

Somebody needed to put a leash on Tony Scott’s style. It was bad enough watching “Man on Fire” with all its herky-jerky camera work, flashy editing, and gigantic subtitles taking up the screen. “Domino” took all that and intensified it, turning the movie into an erratic mess. Even if you can look past the slick veneer of Scott’s aesthetics, the story is pretty uninteresting, and the character is totally unlikable. For the most part, the style of the film got in the way (giant moving subtitles when they aren’t even needed…seriously?!).

Entertainment: Average | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: None

38:

[Show spoiler]“Hell’s Heroes”

I barely even remember this war flick, but on DVD, it’s advertised as the sequel for the 1978 film “Inglorious Bastards” (the influence to Tarantino’s “Inglourious Bastards,” although this original film is so cheesy and absurd that it’s hilarious). “Hell’s Heroes” shares the same spirit, and it does showcase plenty of shootouts and explosions and things. Story is weak, the film looks bad, and it is overall quite forgettable.

Entertainment: Average | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: None

37:

[Show spoiler]“The Toolbox Murders” (1978)

If this movie is memorable for anything, it’d be for the scene with the woman in the bathtub. Otherwise, it’s just another bland, generic, ugly-looking slasher film. Not much of a plot, not much of a film.

Entertainment: Marginal | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: Very Low

36:

[Show spoiler]“Airborne” (1998)

Steve Guttenberg stars as the main action hero! Stop and let that sink in…Steve Guttenberg, of the “Police Academy” fame, playing a hotshot spy. Every time he spoke, even the simplest of lines, I just couldn’t stop laughing! That’s how bad he was! Don’t even get me started about the stupid story (rendered completely pointless by an incredibly stupid plot twist at the end), or the cheapness of the entire film. The only real saving grace here are the performances of Sean Bean and Colm Feore, who manage to make the best out of the crap they’re given.

Entertainment: Pretty Good | Story: Very Poor | Film: Awful | Resonance: Very Low

35:

[Show spoiler]“Mortal Kombat: Annihilation”

I thought the first “MK” film was iffy as it was. Enjoyable, sure, but pretty cheap-looking at times. With the standard cliffhanger ending that Paul WS Anderson injects to all his films, it was only natural they’d make a sequel. I never imagined they could make it worse than the original, but surprise, they did! This is another one of those “so bad it’s good” type of films: high on the action and style, but terrible with the substance. Most sets look like they’re made of paper. Most special effects look like something off of the Sci-Fi (“Sy-Fy”) channel. Most plot points don’t make sense. Most of the acting is horrid. Most everything here is just plain bad.

Entertainment: Pretty Good | Story: Awful | Film: Awful | Resonance: Quite Low

34:

[Show spoiler]“Open Water”

I will agree that this film does touch upon a frightening danger that all SCUBA divers need to be aware of. Having the boat leaving you behind in the middle of the ocean is a really scary notion. Yes, it has happened before with tragic results, so the film is well-grounded in reality. I still couldn’t get over how boring this film is, how plain and poorly-shot it is (of course, it’s meant to have that camcorder-feel to it, but just about every scenes looks so pedestrian that it’s dull). I couldn’t get over the stupidity of the characters; come on, if I was stranded in the middle of the ocean, I wouldn’t just sit there, hoping the boat comes back. Swim to shore! Idiots…

Entertainment: Marginal | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: Very Low

33:

[Show spoiler]“Dementia 13”

Yep, even masters like Francis Ford Coppola has made some stinkers. This early work of his was made on a shoestring budget, and it does show. I got to admit that the film does have some very wicked killings, and the story for it is good in concept. It’s the execution that’s really poor (and having a low budget should not be an excuse; plenty of filmmakers have made great things out of low budgets). The film is pretty cheap, and has quite a few mistakes throughout (one of the most memorable of which includes seeing the boom mike on screen). Did I mention that this movie is rather boring?

Entertainment: Marginal | Story: Poor | Film: Awful | Resonance: Very Low

32:

[Show spoiler]“Rollerball” (2002)

The original “Rollerball” movie is a pretty decent sci-fi flick, and one of very few that portrays the possibility of futuristic death sports. A remake with modern effects and talent would be promising, but somehow this movie managed to muck it all up. The actual Rollerball matches are unmemorable, as are the story and characters. It might be more forgivable, if it didn’t have such a flashy, irritating style and gaudy-looking production design. I especially loathed the chase scenes toward the end, all filmed in night-vision. Despite all the flash and style, the film managed to come off as uninteresting and unmemorable; this film is another example of how a remake fails to live up to the potential of the original.

Entertainment: Poor | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: Very Low

31:

[Show spoiler]“Carnival of Souls”

This film looks like it was filmed by some guys running around Salt Lake City, randomly shooting scenes. There might have been a script, there might not have been. The story doesn’t really matter anyway; this film is just a woman wandering around randomly, being harassed by random ghosts and random (randy) strangers. The film looks nice at times, and has a few amusing scenes, but has absolutely no plot or point. There is a certain debut film by a certain M Night Shyamalan that told the same story in a much better fashion.

Entertainment: Pretty Good | Story: Awful | Film: Awful | Resonance: Very Low

30:

[Show spoiler]“The Cult” (2007)

Bland, cheap, unmemorable, ugly, just like most other movies on this list. I can’t remember any redeeming value to this movie, much less what it was about. Nothing really stood out as a story or as a film. All I can say is that it’s another bad movie.

Entertainment: Marginal | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: None

29:

[Show spoiler]“Hollow Man 2”

Some might say that the first “Hollow Man” is worthy of a worst-of list, but I’ve always felt that Paul Verhoeven’s film was plenty entertaining. This sequel, sadly, isn’t. Even with the prospect of seeing multiple invisible men fighting in the rain, the story is hollow, the production value is nonexistent, and the film overall might as well be invisible.

Entertainment: Poor | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: Very Low

28:

[Show spoiler]“Raving Maniacs”

This B-movie has a pretty unique premise, in which somebody at a rave gives out pills that turns the partiers into the living dead (or something along those lines). Nice idea, but the story is still weak, and the film looks horrid.

Entertainment: Average | Story: Poor | Film: Awful | Resonance: None

27:

[Show spoiler]“Piranha 2: The Spawning”

No, I refuse to believe that King-of-the-World James Cameron directed this garbage. This supposed directorial debut does feature some of his signature underwater diving scenes, and some focus on science and high-tech. For the most part, however, the film bears the footprint of Roger Corman and Ovidio Assonitis, who’ve turned the film into a bland, dull, plotless, pointless farce. With the premise of flying fish attacking people, I suppose this film would have suffered under Cameron’s control anyway, but at least the man knows how to make films fun. As it is, there’s very little to enjoy about this cheesy, stupid sequel. The first “Piranha,” and the cheeky 2010 remake, are way better.

Entertainment: Marginal | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: None

26:

[Show spoiler]“Barbarella”

Most people will cite the opening credits scene (where Jane Fonda strips off her space suit) as the best, most memorable, most redeeming value to this movie. From there, it all goes downhill with a vengeance. For the most part, I was appalled as to how weak the Queen of the Galaxy is. Pitted against armies of creepy little dolls, and a flock of birds, Barbarella is helpless. I just wanted to shout at her “Get a grip! Fight back! Do something!” Any other sci-fi heroine, whether it be Princess Leia, Queen Amidala, Aeon Flux, Sarah Connor, Ellen Ripley, the redhead from “The Fifth Element,” or anybody else, would have gladly kicked those stupid little dolls upside their heads, and ripped the heads off of those stupid birds. But no, that would defeat the point of the movie; “Barbarella” depicts a pacifistic utopia where nobody has any notion of fighting, even in self-defense. Thus, the story seems to take on a naive hippie viewpoint, and the characters are reduced to stupid ditzes. Don’t even get me started about the cheap-as-Hell production values (shag-carpet space ship and all…).

Entertainment: Average | Story: Very Poor | Film: Awful | Resonance: Very Low

25:

[Show spoiler]“Police Academy: Mission to Moscow”

I think everybody will agree that the “Police Academy” saga started strong, suffered a gradual decline in the quality of entertainment, until it reached rock-bottom with this seventh film. By this point, only a few members of the original cast are hanging around, and it’s a bit sad to see that they’re forced to play put this weak, silly story, filled with one too many weak, silly, goofy antics. The film is rarely funny, it has a bad story, and the film itself looks like it was made by amateurs. I especially cringe every time a cartoony sound effect plays on the screen.

Entertainment: Marginal | Story: Very Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: Very Low

24:

[Show spoiler]“Seeing Double”

The long-forgotten pop-music sensation S Club 7 starred in this ridiculously cheap and cheesy comedy. The movie serves merely as a platform for the band to play a few of their highlight songs in musical form (and in itself, that’s cringe-worthy enough). There is some kind of plot involving cloned pop stars, but the story overall seems completely shallow and insipid. The best that can be said is that some of the photography looked slick; the rest of the movie is just a shame. And you thought “Spiceworld” was bad.

Entertainment: Poor | Story: Very Poor | Film: Quite Poor | Resonance: Very Low

23:

[Show spoiler]"Gamera: Super Monster"

This chapter in the giant super turtle’s saga involves a giant spaceship (looking a little too much like the Star Destroyers from “Star Wars”) beaming down shapeshifting space ladies to wreak some havoc on Earth. The story’s cheesiness and stupidity is outmatched only its production value, which features a plethora of gaudy, fake-looking costumes, cheapskate editing, and horrid special effects. The film even resorted to importing some footage from anime shows (is that “Battleship Yomata” I see?) to fill in the gaps in the film. Good news is, the English dubbing version is so cheesy and bad, it becomes an instant comedy classic.

Entertainment: Average | Story: Very Poor | Film: Awful | Resonance: Very Low

22:

[Show spoiler]“Mega Piranha”

Leave it to the Sci-Fi (“Sy-Fy”) channel to produce something as cheap and dumb as this. It’s a military drama of sorts that pits soldiers against a hoard of killer mutant giant flesh-eating fish. Both “Piranha” movies managed to show more earnest craftsmanship than this; “Mega Piranha” is so cheap and cheesy, it’s laughable. Acting and dialogue are horrid; the film looks cheap; the special effects are special in a bad way; the story is pretty dumb; the movie overall spells Mega Fail!

Entertainment: Average | Story: Very Poor | Film: Awful | Resonance: None

21:

[Show spoiler]“Arctic Blast”

Well, at least Hell hasn't frozen over yet...

That’s right, it’s time for another bad disaster movie. This one operates under the unlikely notion that an ozone hole causes cold high-atmospheric air to blast down and bring on a new Ice Age in Australia (wait, I thought ozone holes made things hotter from the solar radiation. Wait, I thought the cold high-atmosphere air can’t touch land because of something called air pressure. Wait, I thought…ah Hell, you get the idea). Lots of stupidity ensues, as stupid characters either ignore the danger or run around like idiots. The film is cheap, as always.

Entertainment: Average | Story: Very Poor | Film: Awful | Resonance: None

20:

[Show spoiler]“Conquest” (1983)

This is one of those rare few fantasy films that carry a raw, brutal, primal sense of old-fashioned mysticism. Sadly, “Conan the Barbarian” still dominates this field; “Conquest” offers some very brutal scenes, but the plot leaves much to be desired. The craftsmanship looks extremely gaudy. Some folks may enjoy the atmosphere of this film, but I found myself bored by it. Worst of all, it’s unmemorable.

Entertainment: Marginal | Story: Awful | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: Very Low

--------------------
To be concluded...

[Pondosinatra]

Prometheus

Director: Ridley Scott

Main Stars: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Guy Pearce

Rating: 4 out of 5

Ridley Scott created my two favourite movies of all time - Alien and Blade Runner. So hearing that he was returning to the science fiction genre was exciting. Finding out he was doing a prequel of sorts to Alien sent shivers of anticipation down my spine. While not perfect, it is an excellent film nonetheless. I won't talk about the film directly as it would simply contain too many spoilers. Visually it is terrific and it looked great in 3D. It has a sharpness and unique look that I haven't seen before. In terms of the characters, Noomi Rapace is a worthy successor to Sigourney Weaver; but the standout performance comes from Fassbender as the android. Consider him a more cultured but equally creepy version of Ash from Alien. The musical score is also top notch. So that leaves the story. Anyone not familiar with Alien will probably be hopelessly lost, but still find it enjoyable. Those in the know however will be thrilled with how everything gets tied together. About the only downsides were that I thought a couple of the characters were extraneous. It would have been better if Scott had focused more on some of the others, notably the ship captain. There was also a subplot which while consistent with the previous films seemed awkward and out of place - however it did end up in an absolutely horrifying and cringe worthy scene involving some medical equipment. For any fan of Alien or Ridley Scott, this is simply a must see film.

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Correct!

Next in the list...

[Show spoiler]39:

[Show spoiler]“Domino”

Somebody needed to put a leash on Tony Scott’s style. It was bad enough watching “Man on Fire” with all its herky-jerky camera work, flashy editing, and gigantic subtitles taking up the screen. “Domino” took all that and intensified it, turning the movie into an erratic mess. Even if you can look past the slick veneer of Scott’s aesthetics, the story is pretty uninteresting, and the character is totally unlikable. For the most part, the style of the film got in the way (giant moving subtitles when they aren’t even needed…seriously?!).

Entertainment: Average | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: None

38:

[Show spoiler]“Hell’s Heroes”

I barely even remember this war flick, but on DVD, it’s advertised as the sequel for the 1978 film “Inglorious Bastards” (the influence to Tarantino’s “Inglourious Bastards,” although this original film is so cheesy and absurd that it’s hilarious). “Hell’s Heroes” shares the same spirit, and it does showcase plenty of shootouts and explosions and things. Story is weak, the film looks bad, and it is overall quite forgettable.

Entertainment: Average | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: None

37:

[Show spoiler]“The Toolbox Murders” (1978)

If this movie is memorable for anything, it’d be for the scene with the woman in the bathtub. Otherwise, it’s just another bland, generic, ugly-looking slasher film. Not much of a plot, not much of a film.

Entertainment: Marginal | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: Very Low

36:

[Show spoiler]“Airborne” (1998)

Steve Guttenberg stars as the main action hero! Stop and let that sink in…Steve Guttenberg, of the “Police Academy” fame, playing a hotshot spy. Every time he spoke, even the simplest of lines, I just couldn’t stop laughing! That’s how bad he was! Don’t even get me started about the stupid story (rendered completely pointless by an incredibly stupid plot twist at the end), or the cheapness of the entire film. The only real saving grace here are the performances of Sean Bean and Colm Feore, who manage to make the best out of the crap they’re given.

Entertainment: Pretty Good | Story: Very Poor | Film: Awful | Resonance: Very Low

35:

[Show spoiler]“Mortal Kombat: Annihilation”

I thought the first “MK” film was iffy as it was. Enjoyable, sure, but pretty cheap-looking at times. With the standard cliffhanger ending that Paul WS Anderson injects to all his films, it was only natural they’d make a sequel. I never imagined they could make it worse than the original, but surprise, they did! This is another one of those “so bad it’s good” type of films: high on the action and style, but terrible with the substance. Most sets look like they’re made of paper. Most special effects look like something off of the Sci-Fi (“Sy-Fy”) channel. Most plot points don’t make sense. Most of the acting is horrid. Most everything here is just plain bad.

Entertainment: Pretty Good | Story: Awful | Film: Awful | Resonance: Quite Low

34:

[Show spoiler]“Open Water”

I will agree that this film does touch upon a frightening danger that all SCUBA divers need to be aware of. Having the boat leaving you behind in the middle of the ocean is a really scary notion. Yes, it has happened before with tragic results, so the film is well-grounded in reality. I still couldn’t get over how boring this film is, how plain and poorly-shot it is (of course, it’s meant to have that camcorder-feel to it, but just about every scenes looks so pedestrian that it’s dull). I couldn’t get over the stupidity of the characters; come on, if I was stranded in the middle of the ocean, I wouldn’t just sit there, hoping the boat comes back. Swim to shore! Idiots…

Entertainment: Marginal | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: Very Low

33:

[Show spoiler]“Dementia 13”

Yep, even masters like Francis Ford Coppola has made some stinkers. This early work of his was made on a shoestring budget, and it does show. I got to admit that the film does have some very wicked killings, and the story for it is good in concept. It’s the execution that’s really poor (and having a low budget should not be an excuse; plenty of filmmakers have made great things out of low budgets). The film is pretty cheap, and has quite a few mistakes throughout (one of the most memorable of which includes seeing the boom mike on screen). Did I mention that this movie is rather boring?

Entertainment: Marginal | Story: Poor | Film: Awful | Resonance: Very Low

32:

[Show spoiler]“Rollerball” (2002)

The original “Rollerball” movie is a pretty decent sci-fi flick, and one of very few that portrays the possibility of futuristic death sports. A remake with modern effects and talent would be promising, but somehow this movie managed to muck it all up. The actual Rollerball matches are unmemorable, as are the story and characters. It might be more forgivable, if it didn’t have such a flashy, irritating style and gaudy-looking production design. I especially loathed the chase scenes toward the end, all filmed in night-vision. Despite all the flash and style, the film managed to come off as uninteresting and unmemorable; this film is another example of how a remake fails to live up to the potential of the original.

Entertainment: Poor | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: Very Low

31:

[Show spoiler]“Carnival of Souls”

This film looks like it was filmed by some guys running around Salt Lake City, randomly shooting scenes. There might have been a script, there might not have been. The story doesn’t really matter anyway; this film is just a woman wandering around randomly, being harassed by random ghosts and random (randy) strangers. The film looks nice at times, and has a few amusing scenes, but has absolutely no plot or point. There is a certain debut film by a certain M Night Shyamalan that told the same story in a much better fashion.

Entertainment: Pretty Good | Story: Awful | Film: Awful | Resonance: Very Low

30:

[Show spoiler]“The Cult” (2007)

Bland, cheap, unmemorable, ugly, just like most other movies on this list. I can’t remember any redeeming value to this movie, much less what it was about. Nothing really stood out as a story or as a film. All I can say is that it’s another bad movie.

Entertainment: Marginal | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: None

29:

[Show spoiler]“Hollow Man 2”

Some might say that the first “Hollow Man” is worthy of a worst-of list, but I’ve always felt that Paul Verhoeven’s film was plenty entertaining. This sequel, sadly, isn’t. Even with the prospect of seeing multiple invisible men fighting in the rain, the story is hollow, the production value is nonexistent, and the film overall might as well be invisible.

Entertainment: Poor | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: Very Low

28:

[Show spoiler]“Raving Maniacs”

This B-movie has a pretty unique premise, in which somebody at a rave gives out pills that turns the partiers into the living dead (or something along those lines). Nice idea, but the story is still weak, and the film looks horrid.

Entertainment: Average | Story: Poor | Film: Awful | Resonance: None

27:

[Show spoiler]“Piranha 2: The Spawning”

No, I refuse to believe that King-of-the-World James Cameron directed this garbage. This supposed directorial debut does feature some of his signature underwater diving scenes, and some focus on science and high-tech. For the most part, however, the film bears the footprint of Roger Corman and Ovidio Assonitis, who’ve turned the film into a bland, dull, plotless, pointless farce. With the premise of flying fish attacking people, I suppose this film would have suffered under Cameron’s control anyway, but at least the man knows how to make films fun. As it is, there’s very little to enjoy about this cheesy, stupid sequel. The first “Piranha,” and the cheeky 2010 remake, are way better.

Entertainment: Marginal | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: None

26:

[Show spoiler]“Barbarella”

Most people will cite the opening credits scene (where Jane Fonda strips off her space suit) as the best, most memorable, most redeeming value to this movie. From there, it all goes downhill with a vengeance. For the most part, I was appalled as to how weak the Queen of the Galaxy is. Pitted against armies of creepy little dolls, and a flock of birds, Barbarella is helpless. I just wanted to shout at her “Get a grip! Fight back! Do something!” Any other sci-fi heroine, whether it be Princess Leia, Queen Amidala, Aeon Flux, Sarah Connor, Ellen Ripley, the redhead from “The Fifth Element,” or anybody else, would have gladly kicked those stupid little dolls upside their heads, and ripped the heads off of those stupid birds. But no, that would defeat the point of the movie; “Barbarella” depicts a pacifistic utopia where nobody has any notion of fighting, even in self-defense. Thus, the story seems to take on a naive hippie viewpoint, and the characters are reduced to stupid ditzes. Don’t even get me started about the cheap-as-Hell production values (shag-carpet space ship and all…).

Entertainment: Average | Story: Very Poor | Film: Awful | Resonance: Very Low

25:

[Show spoiler]“Police Academy: Mission to Moscow”

I think everybody will agree that the “Police Academy” saga started strong, suffered a gradual decline in the quality of entertainment, until it reached rock-bottom with this seventh film. By this point, only a few members of the original cast are hanging around, and it’s a bit sad to see that they’re forced to play put this weak, silly story, filled with one too many weak, silly, goofy antics. The film is rarely funny, it has a bad story, and the film itself looks like it was made by amateurs. I especially cringe every time a cartoony sound effect plays on the screen.

Entertainment: Marginal | Story: Very Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: Very Low

24:

[Show spoiler]“Seeing Double”

The long-forgotten pop-music sensation S Club 7 starred in this ridiculously cheap and cheesy comedy. The movie serves merely as a platform for the band to play a few of their highlight songs in musical form (and in itself, that’s cringe-worthy enough). There is some kind of plot involving cloned pop stars, but the story overall seems completely shallow and insipid. The best that can be said is that some of the photography looked slick; the rest of the movie is just a shame. And you thought “Spiceworld” was bad.

Entertainment: Poor | Story: Very Poor | Film: Quite Poor | Resonance: Very Low

23:

[Show spoiler]"Gamera: Super Monster"

This chapter in the giant super turtle’s saga involves a giant spaceship (looking a little too much like the Star Destroyers from “Star Wars”) beaming down shapeshifting space ladies to wreak some havoc on Earth. The story’s cheesiness and stupidity is outmatched only its production value, which features a plethora of gaudy, fake-looking costumes, cheapskate editing, and horrid special effects. The film even resorted to importing some footage from anime shows (is that “Battleship Yomata” I see?) to fill in the gaps in the film. Good news is, the English dubbing version is so cheesy and bad, it becomes an instant comedy classic.

Entertainment: Average | Story: Very Poor | Film: Awful | Resonance: Very Low

22:

[Show spoiler]“Mega Piranha”

Leave it to the Sci-Fi (“Sy-Fy”) channel to produce something as cheap and dumb as this. It’s a military drama of sorts that pits soldiers against a hoard of killer mutant giant flesh-eating fish. Both “Piranha” movies managed to show more earnest craftsmanship than this; “Mega Piranha” is so cheap and cheesy, it’s laughable. Acting and dialogue are horrid; the film looks cheap; the special effects are special in a bad way; the story is pretty dumb; the movie overall spells Mega Fail!

Entertainment: Average | Story: Very Poor | Film: Awful | Resonance: None

21:

[Show spoiler]“Arctic Blast”

Well, at least Hell hasn't frozen over yet...

That’s right, it’s time for another bad disaster movie. This one operates under the unlikely notion that an ozone hole causes cold high-atmospheric air to blast down and bring on a new Ice Age in Australia (wait, I thought ozone holes made things hotter from the solar radiation. Wait, I thought the cold high-atmosphere air can’t touch land because of something called air pressure. Wait, I thought…ah Hell, you get the idea). Lots of stupidity ensues, as stupid characters either ignore the danger or run around like idiots. The film is cheap, as always.

Entertainment: Average | Story: Very Poor | Film: Awful | Resonance: None

20:

[Show spoiler]“Conquest” (1983)

This is one of those rare few fantasy films that carry a raw, brutal, primal sense of old-fashioned mysticism. Sadly, “Conan the Barbarian” still dominates this field; “Conquest” offers some very brutal scenes, but the plot leaves much to be desired. The craftsmanship looks extremely gaudy. Some folks may enjoy the atmosphere of this film, but I found myself bored by it. Worst of all, it’s unmemorable.

Entertainment: Marginal | Story: Awful | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: Very Low

--------------------
To be concluded...

I didn't like any of them... The few that I have seen of that group of course.

[volcomsocal]

Good Will Hunting - 1997

What a fantastic movie this is. It's been a long time since I originally watched it, so I had forgotten most of it. Well, I'm very glad to have revisited this gem. Almost everything that Matt Damon stars in is really good, and Good Will Hunting is no exception to that matter. This has quality written all over it. I'm sure just about everyone has seen this, but if you haven't, rent it asap.

Netflix Streaming

PQ - n/a
AQ - n/a

4.5/5


(I would have given it a 5/5 if only Ben Affleck wasn't in it. Yup, not a big fan.)

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Correct!

[Show spoiler]Next in the list...

39:

[Show spoiler]“Domino”

Somebody needed to put a leash on Tony Scott’s style. It was bad enough watching “Man on Fire” with all its herky-jerky camera work, flashy editing, and gigantic subtitles taking up the screen. “Domino” took all that and intensified it, turning the movie into an erratic mess. Even if you can look past the slick veneer of Scott’s aesthetics, the story is pretty uninteresting, and the character is totally unlikable. For the most part, the style of the film got in the way (giant moving subtitles when they aren’t even needed…seriously?!).

Entertainment: Average | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: None

38:

[Show spoiler]“Hell’s Heroes”

I barely even remember this war flick, but on DVD, it’s advertised as the sequel for the 1978 film “Inglorious Bastards” (the influence to Tarantino’s “Inglourious Bastards,” although this original film is so cheesy and absurd that it’s hilarious). “Hell’s Heroes” shares the same spirit, and it does showcase plenty of shootouts and explosions and things. Story is weak, the film looks bad, and it is overall quite forgettable.

Entertainment: Average | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: None

37:

[Show spoiler]“The Toolbox Murders” (1978)

If this movie is memorable for anything, it’d be for the scene with the woman in the bathtub. Otherwise, it’s just another bland, generic, ugly-looking slasher film. Not much of a plot, not much of a film.

Entertainment: Marginal | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: Very Low

36:

[Show spoiler]“Airborne” (1998)

Steve Guttenberg stars as the main action hero! Stop and let that sink in…Steve Guttenberg, of the “Police Academy” fame, playing a hotshot spy. Every time he spoke, even the simplest of lines, I just couldn’t stop laughing! That’s how bad he was! Don’t even get me started about the stupid story (rendered completely pointless by an incredibly stupid plot twist at the end), or the cheapness of the entire film. The only real saving grace here are the performances of Sean Bean and Colm Feore, who manage to make the best out of the crap they’re given.

Entertainment: Pretty Good | Story: Very Poor | Film: Awful | Resonance: Very Low

35:

[Show spoiler]“Mortal Kombat: Annihilation”

I thought the first “MK” film was iffy as it was. Enjoyable, sure, but pretty cheap-looking at times. With the standard cliffhanger ending that Paul WS Anderson injects to all his films, it was only natural they’d make a sequel. I never imagined they could make it worse than the original, but surprise, they did! This is another one of those “so bad it’s good” type of films: high on the action and style, but terrible with the substance. Most sets look like they’re made of paper. Most special effects look like something off of the Sci-Fi (“Sy-Fy”) channel. Most plot points don’t make sense. Most of the acting is horrid. Most everything here is just plain bad.

Entertainment: Pretty Good | Story: Awful | Film: Awful | Resonance: Quite Low

34:

[Show spoiler]“Open Water”

I will agree that this film does touch upon a frightening danger that all SCUBA divers need to be aware of. Having the boat leaving you behind in the middle of the ocean is a really scary notion. Yes, it has happened before with tragic results, so the film is well-grounded in reality. I still couldn’t get over how boring this film is, how plain and poorly-shot it is (of course, it’s meant to have that camcorder-feel to it, but just about every scenes looks so pedestrian that it’s dull). I couldn’t get over the stupidity of the characters; come on, if I was stranded in the middle of the ocean, I wouldn’t just sit there, hoping the boat comes back. Swim to shore! Idiots…

Entertainment: Marginal | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: Very Low

33:

[Show spoiler]“Dementia 13”

Yep, even masters like Francis Ford Coppola has made some stinkers. This early work of his was made on a shoestring budget, and it does show. I got to admit that the film does have some very wicked killings, and the story for it is good in concept. It’s the execution that’s really poor (and having a low budget should not be an excuse; plenty of filmmakers have made great things out of low budgets). The film is pretty cheap, and has quite a few mistakes throughout (one of the most memorable of which includes seeing the boom mike on screen). Did I mention that this movie is rather boring?

Entertainment: Marginal | Story: Poor | Film: Awful | Resonance: Very Low

32:

[Show spoiler]“Rollerball” (2002)

The original “Rollerball” movie is a pretty decent sci-fi flick, and one of very few that portrays the possibility of futuristic death sports. A remake with modern effects and talent would be promising, but somehow this movie managed to muck it all up. The actual Rollerball matches are unmemorable, as are the story and characters. It might be more forgivable, if it didn’t have such a flashy, irritating style and gaudy-looking production design. I especially loathed the chase scenes toward the end, all filmed in night-vision. Despite all the flash and style, the film managed to come off as uninteresting and unmemorable; this film is another example of how a remake fails to live up to the potential of the original.

Entertainment: Poor | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: Very Low

31:

[Show spoiler]“Carnival of Souls”

This film looks like it was filmed by some guys running around Salt Lake City, randomly shooting scenes. There might have been a script, there might not have been. The story doesn’t really matter anyway; this film is just a woman wandering around randomly, being harassed by random ghosts and random (randy) strangers. The film looks nice at times, and has a few amusing scenes, but has absolutely no plot or point. There is a certain debut film by a certain M Night Shyamalan that told the same story in a much better fashion.

Entertainment: Pretty Good | Story: Awful | Film: Awful | Resonance: Very Low

30:

[Show spoiler]“The Cult” (2007)

Bland, cheap, unmemorable, ugly, just like most other movies on this list. I can’t remember any redeeming value to this movie, much less what it was about. Nothing really stood out as a story or as a film. All I can say is that it’s another bad movie.

Entertainment: Marginal | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: None

29:

[Show spoiler]“Hollow Man 2”

Some might say that the first “Hollow Man” is worthy of a worst-of list, but I’ve always felt that Paul Verhoeven’s film was plenty entertaining. This sequel, sadly, isn’t. Even with the prospect of seeing multiple invisible men fighting in the rain, the story is hollow, the production value is nonexistent, and the film overall might as well be invisible.

Entertainment: Poor | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: Very Low

28:

[Show spoiler]“Raving Maniacs”

This B-movie has a pretty unique premise, in which somebody at a rave gives out pills that turns the partiers into the living dead (or something along those lines). Nice idea, but the story is still weak, and the film looks horrid.

Entertainment: Average | Story: Poor | Film: Awful | Resonance: None

27:

[Show spoiler]“Piranha 2: The Spawning”

No, I refuse to believe that King-of-the-World James Cameron directed this garbage. This supposed directorial debut does feature some of his signature underwater diving scenes, and some focus on science and high-tech. For the most part, however, the film bears the footprint of Roger Corman and Ovidio Assonitis, who’ve turned the film into a bland, dull, plotless, pointless farce. With the premise of flying fish attacking people, I suppose this film would have suffered under Cameron’s control anyway, but at least the man knows how to make films fun. As it is, there’s very little to enjoy about this cheesy, stupid sequel. The first “Piranha,” and the cheeky 2010 remake, are way better.

Entertainment: Marginal | Story: Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: None

26:

[Show spoiler]“Barbarella”

Most people will cite the opening credits scene (where Jane Fonda strips off her space suit) as the best, most memorable, most redeeming value to this movie. From there, it all goes downhill with a vengeance. For the most part, I was appalled as to how weak the Queen of the Galaxy is. Pitted against armies of creepy little dolls, and a flock of birds, Barbarella is helpless. I just wanted to shout at her “Get a grip! Fight back! Do something!” Any other sci-fi heroine, whether it be Princess Leia, Queen Amidala, Aeon Flux, Sarah Connor, Ellen Ripley, the redhead from “The Fifth Element,” or anybody else, would have gladly kicked those stupid little dolls upside their heads, and ripped the heads off of those stupid birds. But no, that would defeat the point of the movie; “Barbarella” depicts a pacifistic utopia where nobody has any notion of fighting, even in self-defense. Thus, the story seems to take on a naive hippie viewpoint, and the characters are reduced to stupid ditzes. Don’t even get me started about the cheap-as-Hell production values (shag-carpet space ship and all…).

Entertainment: Average | Story: Very Poor | Film: Awful | Resonance: Very Low

25:

[Show spoiler]“Police Academy: Mission to Moscow”

I think everybody will agree that the “Police Academy” saga started strong, suffered a gradual decline in the quality of entertainment, until it reached rock-bottom with this seventh film. By this point, only a few members of the original cast are hanging around, and it’s a bit sad to see that they’re forced to play put this weak, silly story, filled with one too many weak, silly, goofy antics. The film is rarely funny, it has a bad story, and the film itself looks like it was made by amateurs. I especially cringe every time a cartoony sound effect plays on the screen.

Entertainment: Marginal | Story: Very Poor | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: Very Low

24:

[Show spoiler]“Seeing Double”

The long-forgotten pop-music sensation S Club 7 starred in this ridiculously cheap and cheesy comedy. The movie serves merely as a platform for the band to play a few of their highlight songs in musical form (and in itself, that’s cringe-worthy enough). There is some kind of plot involving cloned pop stars, but the story overall seems completely shallow and insipid. The best that can be said is that some of the photography looked slick; the rest of the movie is just a shame. And you thought “Spiceworld” was bad.

Entertainment: Poor | Story: Very Poor | Film: Quite Poor | Resonance: Very Low

23:

[Show spoiler]"Gamera: Super Monster"

This chapter in the giant super turtle’s saga involves a giant spaceship (looking a little too much like the Star Destroyers from “Star Wars”) beaming down shapeshifting space ladies to wreak some havoc on Earth. The story’s cheesiness and stupidity is outmatched only its production value, which features a plethora of gaudy, fake-looking costumes, cheapskate editing, and horrid special effects. The film even resorted to importing some footage from anime shows (is that “Battleship Yomata” I see?) to fill in the gaps in the film. Good news is, the English dubbing version is so cheesy and bad, it becomes an instant comedy classic.

Entertainment: Average | Story: Very Poor | Film: Awful | Resonance: Very Low

22:

[Show spoiler]“Mega Piranha”

Leave it to the Sci-Fi (“Sy-Fy”) channel to produce something as cheap and dumb as this. It’s a military drama of sorts that pits soldiers against a hoard of killer mutant giant flesh-eating fish. Both “Piranha” movies managed to show more earnest craftsmanship than this; “Mega Piranha” is so cheap and cheesy, it’s laughable. Acting and dialogue are horrid; the film looks cheap; the special effects are special in a bad way; the story is pretty dumb; the movie overall spells Mega Fail!

Entertainment: Average | Story: Very Poor | Film: Awful | Resonance: None

21:

[Show spoiler]“Arctic Blast”

Well, at least Hell hasn't frozen over yet...

That’s right, it’s time for another bad disaster movie. This one operates under the unlikely notion that an ozone hole causes cold high-atmospheric air to blast down and bring on a new Ice Age in Australia (wait, I thought ozone holes made things hotter from the solar radiation. Wait, I thought the cold high-atmosphere air can’t touch land because of something called air pressure. Wait, I thought…ah Hell, you get the idea). Lots of stupidity ensues, as stupid characters either ignore the danger or run around like idiots. The film is cheap, as always.

Entertainment: Average | Story: Very Poor | Film: Awful | Resonance: None

20:

[Show spoiler]“Conquest” (1983)

This is one of those rare few fantasy films that carry a raw, brutal, primal sense of old-fashioned mysticism. Sadly, “Conan the Barbarian” still dominates this field; “Conquest” offers some very brutal scenes, but the plot leaves much to be desired. The craftsmanship looks extremely gaudy. Some folks may enjoy the atmosphere of this film, but I found myself bored by it. Worst of all, it’s unmemorable.

Entertainment: Marginal | Story: Awful | Film: Very Poor | Resonance: Very Low

--------------------
To be concluded...

Yikes I forgot there was an S Club 7 film The depths you fall to

[Foggy]

Mean Steets

This film has a mean soundtrack

This film has mean acting

This film has mean realism

This film has a mean script

Yet it looks like it was put together like an 8 year old with the editing Granted it's an old film with a small budget, but I wasn't quite expecting it to look that small

The film was great though, I dug the feel and the loose storyline It seemed to capture a gritty, unplesent place at a not so nice time

8.5/10

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Yikes I forgot there was an S Club 7 film The depths you fall to

I know, right? Haven't even listed that many Uwe Boll films yet...

Originally Posted by Foggy

Mean Steets

[Show spoiler]
This film has a mean soundtrack

This film has mean acting

This film has mean realism

This film has a mean script

Yet it looks like it was put together like an 8 year old with the editing Granted it's an old film with a small budget, but I wasn't quite expecting it to look that small

The film was great though, I dug the feel and the loose storyline It seemed to capture a gritty, unplesent place at a not so nice time

8.5/10

I didn't care for this one that much (thankfully, not to the point where I put it on the list ). But it seems to be a common trend with me and Scorsesse's work; I tend to like his films better on repeat viewings. So I might have to give this one another try some time.

That reminds me, I put "Raging Bull" and "The Last Temptation of Christ" on order, all blind-buys.

[Darth Anakin]

Rating the Terminator franchise now that I've seen all 4 of them again recently -
Terminator - 4.5/5
Terminator 2 - 5/5
Terminator 3 - 3.5/5
Terminator 4 - 4/5
Shame it doesn't seem we'll be getting 5 any time soon.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Darth Anakin

Rating the Terminator franchise now that I've seen all 4 of them again recently -
Terminator - 4.5/5
Terminator 2 - 5/5
Terminator 3 - 3.5/5
Terminator 4 - 4/5
Shame it doesn't seem we'll be getting 5 any time soon.

That's pretty close to how I'd rate them too.

[Romulus]

I watched my Godzilla Criterion last night.

I originally watched this for my Japanese cinema course and was incredibly impressed with it. When I originally envisioned Godzilla, I thought of some of the later sequels (there's 27 in all!) such as Godzilla vs Mothra and thought I was in for a cheesy monster-fest. Glad I couldn't be more wrong.

Godzilla is an excellent metaphor for the atomic bomb.

[Show spoiler]Everything from the footprints containing radiation, opening scene reminiscent of the Lucky Dragon No. 7 incident, widespread destruction of the city, etc. Also the dialogue with Serizawa is incredibly similar to the Manhattan Project. Serizawa is in a moral dilemma of being able to kill Godzilla or keep it a secret in case his weapon were to end up in the wrong hands.

I found the film to be more serious than I expected it to be. Once again I can attribute that to the metaphors and themes in the film. Special effects are as good as you can expect for a 1954 film, but suspension of belief causes the viewer to easily look past it.

The Criterion edition of Godzilla is very good overall. The picture quality I thought suffered in some areas, but I believe that can be mostly attributed to the original print. I thought some scenes were a little too dark, but once again, don't think that's the fault of Criterion here but the filmmaker.

I think a highlight of this edition is the inclusion of the American release, which basically butchered the original Japanese film. The American version is reduced in run time down to 81 minutes and the inclusion of an American actor Raymond Burr. The hilarious part I find is that Raymond Burr acts a narrator for the events, but comes doesn't interact with any of the main characters from the film (for obvious reasons, it would have been quite the technological feat to pull it off). Most importantly though, the American version completely eliminates the themes and metaphors of Godzilla being about the atomic bomb. Shouldn't be hard to explain why that is for many historical and cultural reasons.

Film: 4/5
Video: 4/5
Sound: 4.5/5
Criterion edition overall: 4.5/5

[Romulus]

Originally Posted by Foggy

My Kubrick rating would go

1. A Clockwork Orange
2. The Shining
3. Full Metal Jacket
4. 2001: A Space Odyssey
5. Dr. Strangelove

Ironicly enough I also haven't seen the ones you haven't seen yet

I've been really needing to revisit The Shining. What do you think about the theory of The Shining containing social themes on Native Americans? Do you think they hold any weight at all? It's been the main reason why I've been wanting to see it again.

And funny how our ratings are nearly completely opposite.

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Losing all that data may have put a temporary emotional crimp in our thread. In order to regain the proper mood and atmosphere, I will list some pleasant reminders of things we have discussed and established in the past. This should help us find our roots again.

1. My opinons are correct. opinion = subjective. correct = objective. thus, sentence makes no sense.
2. Your opinions are subject to my scrutiny, correction and approval. yes to scruitny, maybe to approval, no to correction
3. French New Wave is made by weirdos and can only be enjoyed by weirdos. YES!!!
4. The Fountain is the best movie of all time. #10 all-time, but nice try
5. Steve does not sound like a Canadian. I know, he never says eh or ouut.
6. Cars did not suck.never saw it
7. Melancholia did suck Ah. My posts destroying your arguments must have been lost in the Anonymous cyber attacks on blu-ray.com
8. Netflix discs do not crach PS3s or carry diseases. No, but they do SUCK at blu-ray format coverage!
9. Bearcat is afraid of 12 black and white old men. uh...ok
10. Diesel is afraid of Norman Bates. Dude, he lost all rights to ever posting a horror review for the rest of his life. unless he decides to write a proper Psycho review
11. DJMethod likes French New Wave (see # 3 above) so much for his genius
12. Triangle should be revisited for a few more pages. 4 months of my life I'll never get back - hours of work lost
13. Malick is a lunatic.got envy?
14. Al the Strange likes everything.yea, what's up with that? Clockwork Orange and Popcorn blockbusters? He also seems to DISLIKE a lot too - 100 WORST LIST!?! ANd I thought I had Movie List OCD
15. JHiggy only posts when his GF allows him to. HES SO WHIPPED
16. People who didnt enjoy Suckerpunch are NSE.uh, dang it! never saw it yet!
17. Surfdude could find a meaningfull THEME in a spaghetti western. touching. i'm literally wiping my cheeks with a kleenex
18. Musicals suck what's up with the unprovoked attack on musicals? did you receive some bad news with PHantom playing in the background?
19. ^Except for The Wizard of Oz oh dear. we've got work to do here
20.

see above.

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Musicals are too fake. People do not bust out into song and dance in real life, and therefore it should not be a film genre. They are way too happy and cheery and should not be tolerated.

They're not trying to be real. Yes, people don't burst out into song and dance in real life - but they want to - that is the point. When we were kids, we acted out our unedited and uncensored emotions via. playing, running, singing, dancing, etc etc. But as adults, we devolve, with fear of rejection, fear of maintaining a public image, etc etc and are crippled from fulfilling our deepest desires = to put our deep and raw emotions into action.
Musicals reconnect with our inner-child by showing us its possible as adults to give a voice to our unfettered emotions

and all musicals aren't happy/cheery. Sweeny Todd anyone? ACting out your unfettered emotions can be good or bad, depending on the emotions!

Wizard of Oz gets a pass because it is a "Fantasy" genre film that just happens to contain singing and dancing. It really isnt a musical.

all musicals = fantasy (fantasy in the sense = just meant to represented our unfettered emotions, not an actual realistic sequence in society)

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by Romulus

If I had to rank Kubrick at the moment:

1. Dr. Strangelove
2. 2001: A Space Odyssey
3. A Clockwork Orange
4. The Shining
5. Full Metal Jacket

Sadly haven't seen Paths of Glory (obviously), Lolita, Barry Lyndon, Eyes Wide Shut, or The Killing yet.

Kubrick ranking:

1. 2001
2. Eyes Wide Shut
3. The Shining
4. Clockwork Orange
5. Barry Lyndon
6. Paths of Glory
7. Full Metal Jacket

Still need to see: Lolita (netflix disk sitting at home) and Spartacus