Europa Report

[Fiffy]

Originally Posted by jblank

Why in the world are we not getting the 3D release here? GRRRRRRRRRRR!

The movie was not produced in 3D. This is one of those cheap (and usually crappy) German conversions that are only made for home video.

[Hintermann]

Originally Posted by Indiana Jones

Region A locked.

Are you certain? All information sites including this one say that Region information is not yet confirmed. I am very keen on getting this film.

[lemonski]

Originally Posted by jblank

Oh no guys.....oh no......I have been waiting for this film for some time, pre-ordered the instant I was able to on Amazon, and have an absolute LOVE for smart science-fiction, that focuses on the more scientific aspects, and less on Michael Bay-esque techniques. I'm an amateur Astronomer and am fascinated by films that deal with the potential for finding life, but guys, I hate to say it, but this is a BORING film. I am so disappointed with it that I might not even bother keeping it long enough to add to my collection on here. The acting is decent enough, but the story moves at a snails pace and the dialogue and direction, good lord......just bad. The drama is so un-dramatic and what tension there is just seems unnatural and completely awkward. I can't recommend the film at all, a 2 out of 10. It just isn't going to be what you expect and certainly wasn't what I thought the film was going to be.

I thought it was surprisingly good. OK, it had no budget, and the acting from some of them was pretty bad (that woman who was narrating was *terrible*)...but I didn't mind the slow pace too much. It's a long space journey to Europa, you have to expect some tedium Plus it kept mostly within the bounds of credibility, so overall I liked it. Not enough to pay full price for it, maybe when it drops a bit. 7/10

[Indiana Jones]

Originally Posted by Hintermann

Are you certain? All information sites including this one say that Region information is not yet confirmed. I am very keen on getting this film.

The person I bought it from told me it was region locked so I have no reason to doubt him but will try it in my Region B PS3 tonight.

[Hintermann]

Originally Posted by Indiana Jones

The person I bought it from told me it was region locked so I have no reason to doubt him but will try it in my Region B PS3 tonight.

Thanks. if it works on your Region B PS3, will it also work on my Region B locked BD player? Sorry to ask what you might consider a stupid question, but I am not very techy.

In either case, please let me know asap.

This is a film that I have been waiting for a long time. I know exactly what to expect, as do most others waiting for the film, I suspect. When a movie tries to use a 'realistic' semi-documentary approach, I watch it on a completely different wavelength and a slow build-up is what is required. In fact, rapid-fire action can easily ruin such a film.

[darry]

The problem with the movie is that the faux-documentary style used treats the audience like babies and thinks it's smarter than it actually is but it's just obtrusive to the plot. The times when something actually happens, like when they put the capsule into the ice, and the ending, are the best bits.

[jond76]

I really liked this. I didn't find it boring at all. By the end I really thought they pulled off the feeling that some important exploration had taken place. I love space movies that go for realism, so this didn't disappoint.

Copley's final bit creeped me right out.

[jblank]

Really? See, it seemed to me like they treated almost everything that unexpectedly happened with no real emotion. They treated the

[Show spoiler]life discovery

as no big deal (to me at least), they treated the

[Show spoiler]death of Copley's character

as relatively insignificant. I guess I looked at it this way, this is a film that deals with two events that are

[Show spoiler]truly human achievements and the discovery of life and the fact that we can get a ship out to Europa, far exceeding our furthest travel before, are so trivialized and presented with such little emotion or fanfare,

that it is funny. The film just went through the motions, there is almost no emotion anywhere and when it does pop up, it seems forced and contrived. By the end of the film I really could care less if the characters lived or died and it almost seemed like the writers of this, as well as the actors themselves could care less either.

They should have made the movie without the documentary/found footage angle, it added nothing, and a talented actress like Embeth Davidtz was misused and miscast.

[Member-222782]

First, I'd like to say that I genuinely enjoyed this film, it kept me riveted and glued to the screen throughout the screening. That being said, I think this would've worked better with a conventional 3-act structure as opposed to a documentary/found-footage format. Generally I've grown tired of that formula and I think it only serves to distract from the viewing experience. The whole time I'm watching something like this I'm looking (and finding) things that make me go, "oh, no - this or that would never happen" or I'm asking myself why is someone still holding a video camera and filming after all that's happened? I can deal with it if it's a short segment but not for 90 minutes.

[jond76]

I think that if it were real, you'd see it play out similarly. These are trained professionals. The other guy on the spacewalk was obviously distraught over the loss.

The last time we saw scientists goo-gooing over ET life, I saw it heavily criticized (Prometheus)

The emotions were there, just subdued, Davis had to stop talking for fear of crying, Katya was very emotional on touchdown, as were the rest, but tempered due to loss.

I guess its subjective, but it played genuine for me.

[Hintermann]

I really like semi-documentary films, found-footage or otherwise. But I do separately like idea found-footage if it is presented well, and it looks like this film has done just that. Paradoxically, what jblank has said makes me want to see the film even more. In a plot-driven (as opposed to character driven) film like this, it sometimes works better if the characters are kept relatively impersonal. That way it creates a greater sense of realism and 'being in it yourself' feeling because you look at the situation more than the people - or rather look at the people collectively rather than individually. The best recent example of such a film was United 93, which I consider one of the best that I have ever seen.

[jblank]

Originally Posted by jond76

I think that if it were real, you'd see it play out similarly. These are trained professionals. The other guy on the spacewalk was obviously distraught over the loss.

The last time we saw scientists goo-gooing over ET life, I saw it heavily criticized (Prometheus)

The emotions were there, just subdued, Davis had to stop talking for fear of crying, Katya was very emotional on touchdown, as were the rest, but tempered due to loss.

I guess its subjective, but it played genuine for me.

I don't need them to "goo-goo", but a bit of expression or amazement would have made it seem more realistic.

I suppose I'm in the minority, which really sucks because I had amazingly high hopes for the film and everything I read about it only made me anticipate it more. I hate that I didn't like it.

[jond76]

Originally Posted by jblank

I don't need them to "goo-goo", but a bit of expression or amazement would have made it seem more realistic.

I suppose I'm in the minority, which really sucks because I had amazingly high hopes for the film and everything I read about it only made me anticipate it more. I hate that I didn't like it.

Well, you can always transfer those hopes to The Last Days on Mars. That looks good too

[jblank]

Yes, it does. I'm hoping to hear some Blu-Ray release info on it soon.

[Monroville]

Originally Posted by jblank

Really? See, it seemed to me like they treated almost everything that unexpectedly happened with no real emotion. They treated the

[Show spoiler]life discovery

as no big deal (to me at least), they treated the

[Show spoiler]death of Copley's character

as relatively insignificant. I guess I looked at it this way, this is a film that deals with two events that are

[Show spoiler]truly human achievements and the discovery of life and the fact that we can get a ship out to Europa, far exceeding our furthest travel before, are so trivialized and presented with such little emotion or fanfare,

that it is funny. The film just went through the motions, there is almost no emotion anywhere and when it does pop up, it seems forced and contrived. By the end of the film I really could care less if the characters lived or died and it almost seemed like the writers of this, as well as the actors themselves could care less either.

They should have made the movie without the documentary/found footage angle, it added nothing, and a talented actress like Embeth Davidtz was misused and miscast.

I won't get into a huge "back-and-forth" about EUROPA REPORT, but how do you feel about PROMETHEUS and how it compares to ER?

I thought they acted like professional astronauts, as well as I thought they showed the emotions a normal person would. When

[Show spoiler]Copley dies

, they are mortified and solemn. They still have a mission to perform, but they still feel unsure about the mission. There is guilt from the russian engineer, as well as the captain (who shoves himself into his work to justify continuing the mission). I also felt that the "idiot plot devices" and "idiot character actions" were kept to a minimum, as well as the editing made for a very creepy film (which the music helped out a lot to develop).

Compare that to the contrived drama and action in films like PROMETHEUS. I have yet to see GRAVITY, so we'll see about that one.

[jblank]

Prometheus is one of my favorite films of all time and I realize this is all opinion but it runs rings around this film, in every way. To me that is like comparing any timeless classic to your typical Saturday night flick on the Sci-Fi channel.

I wish it had half the creepy factor Prometheus had.

[Hintermann]

Originally Posted by jblank

Prometheus is one of my favorite films of all time and I realize this is all opinion but it runs rings around this film, in every way. To me that is like comparing any timeless classic to your typical Saturday night flick on the Sci-Fi channel.

Thanks for that jblank. Now I know how to rate your reviews.

Prometheus was one of the worst films that I have seen this year and a total insult to Alien, even though the relationship is not direct. If you rate that as a classic, then I shudder to think what else might be in your BD collection.

Cannot wait to get Europa Report now.

[jblank]

Such an unnecessarily snarky reply. That was completely uncalled for.

I'll refrain from discussing my opinion on films any further with you if that is the kind of mentality you're going to have. I didn't and wouldn't insult anyone's opinion on the film and I'd like to think there are enough adults around here still that I wouldn't have to be insulted like that simply for engaging in a discussion on the film and expressing my opinion on it.

[RyanPom]

Prometheus was such a melodramatic movie.

[Hintermann]

Originally Posted by jblank

Such an unnecessarily snarky reply. That was completely uncalled for.

I'll refrain from discussing my opinion on films any further with you if that is the kind of mentality you're going to have. I didn't and wouldn't insult anyone's opinion on the film and I'd like to think there are enough adults around here still that I wouldn't have to be insulted like that simply for engaging in a discussion on the film and expressing my opinion on it.

I am sorry if you felt that it was personal or insulting. That was not my intention.
It was only a light-hearted legpull, fitting to the fact that we are discussing movies and not anything with serious implications.