The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[lDlisturb3d]

Minority Report

Director: Steven Spielberg
Writers: Philip K. Dick and Scott Frank
Mains: Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell and Samantha Morton

"The system is perfect until it comes after you."

Plot (IMDb): In the future, criminals are caught before the crimes they commit, but one of the officers in the special unit is accused of one such crime and sets out to prove his innocence.

My Take: WOW!!!!!!! Before i get into the actual plot of the movie i have to take my hat off to Steven Spielberg. The story is around this "Minority Report" but the underline messages about technology are simply stunning. Everywhere you go there's eye recognition. Department stores remember who you are and what you bought last. Spielberg are truly put his back into the ideas and production value. The movie itself is very addicting and well directed. You get to watch Tom Cruise run for his life the entire movie (typical) and see special effects like none before. There are many who say good movie making can be done without special effects and i can agree for the most part but when movies like this are brought to the big screen one cant help but to hold his/her tongue with the comment.

Conclusion: This movie is great all the way!! Great story, great acting, great direction. A true popcorn flick that is nothing but "eye candy", it seems Spielberg is challenging technology. GREAT replay value and amazing special effects. If you pay close attention to the movie you will see the future or underline statements about the future. They say some movies are the motivation into future technology, you cant kill nor ignore a great ideal.... Steven Spielberg is the man!!!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

4.5/5

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by lDlisturb3d

Minority Report

[Show spoiler]Director: Steven Spielberg
Writers: Philip K. Dick and Scott Frank
Mains: Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell and Samantha Morton

"The system is perfect until it comes after you."

Plot (IMDb): In the future, criminals are caught before the crimes they commit, but one of the officers in the special unit is accused of one such crime and sets out to prove his innocence.

My Take: WOW!!!!!!! Before i get into the actual plot of the movie i have to take my hat off to Steven Spielberg. The story is around this "Minority Report" but the underline messages about technology are simply stunning. Everywhere you go there's eye recognition. Department stores remember who you are and what you bought last. Spielberg are truly put his back into the ideas and production value. The movie itself is very addicting and well directed. You get to watch Tom Cruise run for his life the entire movie (typical) and see special effects like none before. There are many who say good movie making can be done without special effects and i can agree for the most part but when movies like this are brought to the big screen one cant help but to hold his/her tongue with the comment.

Conclusion: This movie is great all the way!! Great story, great acting, great direction. A true popcorn flick that is nothing but "eye candy", it seems Spielberg is challenging technology. GREAT replay value and amazing special effects. If you pay close attention to the movie you will see the future or underline statements about the future. They say some movies are the motivation into future technology, you cant kill nor ignore a great ideal.... Steven Spielberg is the man!!!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

4.5/5

I never liked it but a lot of people do, I may need to give this movie another go, especially since I have a lot of acquired tastes and I'm a huge Tom Cruise fan.

[Riff Magnum]

Originally Posted by Marcus Wright

The New World

Another one of Malicks masterpeices.
His portrait of nature is perfect. One of the best cinematographies I have ever seen.

His storielines are not overexagurated, they protrait real life, as emotional and at the same time boring as they are. They are real stories to put in a short.

As for the ending, it was perfect. I appeciated Malick indefinitely for him making the choice that

[Show spoiler]the girl should choose her husband who supported her rather than his "so called" love

To me, movies like this which show what real life really is about are equal to 1000 Saving Private Ryans, which analyze with how a person should deal with man-made problems.

5/5

I guess you pretty much nailed it. I especially love the look and behavior of the whatever tribe. Although, let's say 10 SPR's.

[lDlisturb3d]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Stormcrow

I never liked it but a lot of people do, I may need to give this movie another go, especially since I have a lot of acquired tastes and I'm a huge Tom Cruise fan.

Well you being a Cruise fan is good enough to give it another shot! Its truly a well done movie with allot of production value!!

[Marcus Wright]

Originally Posted by Riff Magnum

I guess you pretty much nailed it. I especially love the look and behavior of the whatever tribe. Although, let's say 10 SPR's.

Thanks.
After seing this film I pretty much for the first time felt that I got a somewhat real idea of what the tribes life was like. It was so real that I freaked out.

P.S. Malick should have tried his luck in Nature Documentaries as well.

[Riff Magnum]

Originally Posted by Marcus Wright

Thanks.
After seing this film I pretty much for the first time felt that I got a somewhat real idea of what the tribes life was like. It was so real that I freaked out.

P.S. Malick should have tried his luck in Nature Documentaries as well.

Well, in a way, I think that's what he's doing. Dude's got balls.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by lDlisturb3d

Minority Report

[Show spoiler]
Director: Steven Spielberg
Writers: Philip K. Dick and Scott Frank
Mains: Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell and Samantha Morton

"The system is perfect until it comes after you."

Plot (IMDb): In the future, criminals are caught before the crimes they commit, but one of the officers in the special unit is accused of one such crime and sets out to prove his innocence.

My Take: WOW!!!!!!! Before i get into the actual plot of the movie i have to take my hat off to Steven Spielberg. The story is around this "Minority Report" but the underline messages about technology are simply stunning. Everywhere you go there's eye recognition. Department stores remember who you are and what you bought last. Spielberg are truly put his back into the ideas and production value. The movie itself is very addicting and well directed. You get to watch Tom Cruise run for his life the entire movie (typical) and see special effects like none before. There are many who say good movie making can be done without special effects and i can agree for the most part but when movies like this are brought to the big screen one cant help but to hold his/her tongue with the comment.

Conclusion: This movie is great all the way!! Great story, great acting, great direction. A true popcorn flick that is nothing but "eye candy", it seems Spielberg is challenging technology. GREAT replay value and amazing special effects. If you pay close attention to the movie you will see the future or underline statements about the future. They say some movies are the motivation into future technology, you cant kill nor ignore a great ideal.... Steven Spielberg is the man!!!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

4.5/5

Awesome!

Yep, this film has a lot of interesting (and somewhat frightening) futuristic stuff. Have you seen the extras yet? Spielburg and the gang gathered a whole "think tank" of scientists and professionals together to come up with a lot of these ideas.

[tbizzle]

Man, life's been crazy lately. I'll post a few reviews tomorrow when I have time, but I'll respond to a few posts here in a bit

[tbizzle]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

has anyone here seen Enter the Void? never heard of it until i read the news feed article that says it comes out on blu on January 25th.
the trailer is trippy as fudge!

Been looking forward to this for a while now, glad the blu is coming soon!

[tbizzle]

Originally Posted by Steve46

Closer

[Show spoiler]Directed by Mike Nicholls
Starring Clive Owen, Natalie Portman, Jude Law and Julia Roberts
104 minutes

I used to confuse this film with Control (a Joy Division biopic), because Closer is also the name of Joy Division's last studio album.

Mike Nichols (The Graduate) was in his 70s when he directed Closer and times have changed a lot since the days of The Graduate (1967). Both are excellent films though, despite the change.

What elevates Closer from the pack is the writing. Patrick Marber wrote the play and also adapted the screenplay. If you have ever seen a TV series starring Steve Coogan, Marber probably wrote it. He has a talent for writing comedy and it's the type of comedy I like. That said, Closer is not a comedy; it's a drama with plenty of humor in it.

Good actors can't really succeed without good writing, but this has both. All four do good work here. It has the feel of a Woody Allen film in some ways and also reminds me of Glengarry Glen Ross as both were adapted from plays. The dialogue comes at you at a fast pace and the actors play off one another well. Some conversations are a joy to experience.

Both men sleep with both women (not at the same time) and the story deals with the relationships in an amusing way. The main point of the film is to show how much people lie to one another. Even when they think they are speaking absolute truth, it often turns out to be a lie. Are they saying these things to convince themselves of their good intentions? Are lies preferable to truth in some instances?

The 104 minutes seem to pass very quickly. I was caught up in the story and the lives of these four people. It's more a romantic drama than a romantic comedy, despite the witty lines that appear throughout the story.

I'm not sure which character I liked the most. They all have redeeming qualities. It's just a fun thing to experience and the writing is smart. I think the actors enjoyed delivering this wonderful dialogue. Owen and Portman received Oscar nominations for their performances.

4.5/5

Great review. I love this one!

[tbizzle]

Originally Posted by lDlisturb3d

Im back fellas, and IM at HOME!!!! The first thing i did was played 9 and War of the Worlds. HOLLY CRAP! War of the Worlds has RETARDED LFE!!!!! I WAS BLOWN AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Glad you can experience some films with the proper setup man, enjoy! I'm interested in hearing your opinion of Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line.

Gotta love the LFE in War of the Worlds!

[tbizzle]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Natalie Portman gives an engrossing and captivating performance as Nina Sayers in Black Swan. Her portrayal of the reserved white swan hiding behind a façade of perfection is mesmerizing. She truly loses herself in the role, essentially taking up two roles. You can sense the pressure gradually building up inside her at a masterful pace as the tension can be seen across her face and through her actions and movements. Nina slowly approaches the brink of insanity as she undergoes her intoxicating metamorphosis until the breathtaking climax. The film pulls the audience in deeper and deeper until you lose all sense of reality. The experience is only heightened by Mansell's immersive and horrifying orchestral score. It is not as thematically rich as say The Fountain, but every last detail is metaphorically complex. The choreography was simply superb and Portman's ease and skill in dance speaks volumes of her effort and enhances her dramatic performance. The ballet, Swan Lake by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, is twisted yet elegant. Even while witnessing rehearsals throughout the film, the final performance will render you speechless. Prepare to have both questions and answers cleverly delivered to you in a fashion only director Darren Aronofsky can construct. Black Swan is the best psychological thriller I have seen in years, though I am sure I am just starting to scratch its surface.

5/5

Glad to hear the love, I'm so excited to see this. Been waiting too damn long

[tbizzle]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

My sister has "clown issues"

this one would send her into orbit...

http://www.chetzar.com/2008-clown-of-doom.html

I LOL'd.

[lDlisturb3d]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Awesome!

Yep, this film has a lot of interesting (and somewhat frightening) futuristic stuff. Have you seen the extras yet? Spielburg and the gang gathered a whole "think tank" of scientists and professionals together to come up with a lot of these ideas.

Yeah he kept mentioning that but i didnt watch all the Special Features to see what he was actually talking about. The movie was great and the ideas where even better!!

How about the the soundwave gun scene

[lDlisturb3d]

Originally Posted by tbizzle

Glad you can experience some films with the proper setup man, enjoy! I'm interested in hearing your opinion of Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line.

Gotta love the LFE in War of the Worlds!

Oh yeah im about to watch Apocalypse Now. Im gettin beat up about it so i need to check that out first and then Malick will have my attention.

[CZAR]

Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales - As I get prepared for the release of Cars 2 I wanted to check out my boy Mater's tales. Cars has been my favorite animated film to date although it may now be tied with Toy Story 3. This is just a series of short tales involving Mater and Lightning McQueen. Very entertaining and a nice setup to Cars 2. My favorite of the short tales would be Mater the Greater, Tokyo Mater, Monster Truck Mater, & Heavy Metal Mater. Definite recommendation. Got Em!!

Film Rating - 4 1/2 stars (out of 5)

PQ - 5 stars (out of 5)

AQ - 5 stars (out of 5)

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by CZAR

Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales - As I get prepared for the release of Cars 2 I wanted to check out my boy Mater's tales. Cars has been my favorite animated film to date although it may now be tied with Toy Story 3. This is just a series of short tales involving Mater and Lightning McQueen. Very entertaining and a nice setup to Cars 2. My favorite of the short tales would be Mater the Greater, Tokyo Mater, Monster Truck Mater, & Heavy Metal Mater. Definite recommendation. Got Em!!

Film Rating - 4 1/2 stars (out of 5)

PQ - 5 stars (out of 5)

AQ - 5 stars (out of 5)

I hope Cars 2 has a Tokyo Mater feel to it.

[CZAR]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I hope Cars 2 has a Tokyo Mater feel to it.

Haha yea that was a very nice spinoff to Tokyo Drift. Cant wait for it as Im sure it will be great! Got Em!!

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by Steve46

A Very Long Engagement

2004 - 133 minutes
Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Starring Audrey Tautou
French with subtitles

I love Amélie and it's now in my Top 20, so I decided it was time to see something by the same director with the same leading actress.

I don't like war films and knew that this dealt with WW1, but I hoped that Jeunet would use some of the storytelling techniques used in Amélie.

Full disclosure: I could happily stare into Audrey Tautou's eyes for...years. She can express so much just using her face.

The only Blu-ray version of this is French and costly to import for a blind buy, so I borrowed the DVD from the local library.

I spent the last three hours watching the movie and special features.

The opening titles hint at what it is to follow and it's because the atmosphere is set by Angelo Badalamenti's score. The music was excellent throughout.

Like Amélie, this was a visual feast. The film is vast in scope and includes period shots of Paris and many shots of the French countryside. The use of color really stood out too.

The opening scenes were gruesome as Jeunet made his intentions clear. War is not pretty. The mud and rain in the trenches illustrate just how desolate the lives of the soldiers had to have been. Hard to maintain any kind of hope under the circumstances.

The story is built around five soldiers who

[Show spoiler]are sent into no man's land after being found guilty of faking wounds, although one is innocent

. The main viewpoint is that of Mathilde (Tautou) who is engaged to one of the soldiers. It's a tale of hope and desperation as she refuses to believe that he's dead. She hires an investigator and makes enquiries of her own.

Tautou had to learn how to play the tuba for the part. The only instrument capable of sounding a distress call. She also had to learn to run with a limp as her character had polio as a child.

As in Amélie, Jeunet throws a lot of detail at the viewer. In particular, he goes into the background of his characters and makes them feel more real.

There are some amusing moments mixed in with the despair and sadness in what I believe is Jeunet's style. He also refers to character traits mentioned early in the film and they become more powerful throughout the story.

Like many good films, this has the ability to make you laugh and cry. The story flies by at just over two hours. There's a cameo from Jodie Foster acting in French and her character has an important role.

It's not quite as good as Amélie, but then not many films are. If you liked that, it's certainly worth investing your time to see this.

Now I have to figure out how to import the Blu-ray without breaking the bank.

Overall score 4.5/5

I just watched this again. This time on Blu-ray. It was a present from a friend in Australia

The presentation is excellent. It's Region B-locked, but well worth buying if you can play it.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by lDlisturb3d

How about the the soundwave gun scene

Coolest weapon in the movie!