The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[nolfoc]

Originally Posted by CZAR

[Show spoiler]Even if they knew the nun was dead no one is gonna think a kid did it haha. Cmon man. As a viewer its easy to think he would believe her about the kid based on what we see, but u have to put yourself in his shoes.

Got Em!!

[Show spoiler]oh i did, easy going life pre kid, all the wrong things happening present kid

[CZAR]

Originally Posted by nolfoc

[Show spoiler]oh i did, easy going life pre kid, all the wrong things happening present kid

Haha u crazy man. Hey it is what it is. I liked the film a lot. Let me ask u was it better than Ticks atleast? Got Em!!

[nolfoc]

Originally Posted by CZAR

Haha u crazy man. Hey it is what it is. I liked the film a lot. Let me ask u was it better than Ticks atleast? Got Em!!

haha yes, but Ticks was better then the New Freddy

[CZAR]

Originally Posted by nolfoc

haha yes, but Ticks was better then the New Freddy

Agreed hahhahahhaahhahaha. Got Em!!

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Hep

Great, I was hoping you'd like that one. I was pretty sure you would given your appreciation for Leonard and the gang .

I thought about you during the film. I thought Hep was right, this is koo-koo, but its the good kind of koo-koo.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Steve46

I found it very moving. The music was a vital component. I loved the camera work, placing you in Portman's shoes.

It was disturbing in places, but I won't attempt to improve upon what you have already said.

I still rate The King's Speech slightly above it, but Portman should win best actress with ease this year. She looked like a ballet dancer and acted like a woman possessed.

Overall 4.5/5

It must be fantastic.

Originally Posted by dallywhitty

This, ladies and gentleman, is how you review a film.

Gosh, thanks.

Originally Posted by Q?

squid

I'm pretty sure Aronofsky won't dissapoint me but damn, your review made the wait unbearable and my expectations unfair.

.

When does it hit your shores Q?

Originally Posted by Hep

Ya, he school's us in the art of reviewing all the time,

[Show spoiler]but be careful not to over-stroke his ego

.

I am weak, timid and lacking in self confidence. All the support I can get will help me come out of my shell.

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

why are we all suddenly bringing up a squid review from weeks ago? some of you fools need to stay on top these posts!

I was wondering the same thing.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Q?

Hopefully this week my german limited edition copy of Enter The Void will arrive, I'll write a review of it here definitely.

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

super anxious to rent / blind buy this soon

I had this in my Netflix queue but I removed it yesterday due to something I read in user reviews there. I am OK with the super abstract aspect of it, but I learned that there are some scenes that may be too gruesome for me. I'll be interested to hear your takes on it.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

Dog Day Afternoon [124 minutes]

[Show spoiler]year: 1975
director: sidney lumet
starring: al pacino, john cazale, charles durning, and chris sarandon

ATTICA! ATTICA! ATTICA!

another amazon blind buy ($9.99) and another major, major success!

i haven't seen any sidney lumet films before Dog Day Afternoon (plan on blind buying Network and have been anxious to see it ever since i learned it was Paul Thomas Anderson's favorite film) but after watching this, i'm definitely curious to see what else he has directed.

the story, at least the only thing i knew, is that Dog Day Afternoon is based on a true story and follows the story of a man named Sonny who along with his pal Sal attempts to rob a bank in 30 minutes. but very quickly the plan goes awry and a 24 hold up involving police, family, media and hostages takes place that shocks, amazes, surprises, confuses and humorously explores almost every wicked avenue of lifestyles possible.

i've also never been one to be a big fan or Al Pacino or even really see a lot of his work when he was younger (or in general), but much like how i've been extremely impressed with De Niro's earlier work, Pacino also has now amazed me and deserves a standing ovation for his portrayal of Sonny

Pacino... just wow. he was outstanding. absolutely riveting. every scene he was in, every time he was on screen my eyes light up anxious to see what he was going to do next. playing a character that isn't your typical bank robber was awesome to see. he's more than just a loose cannon. frenetic, anxious, spastic, tired, wreckless, worrisome, at times psychotically crazy but also a normal guy who connects with people and is a regular joe.

but more so than anything is the energy Pacino brings to the film. the story is riveting and exciting and curious (especially once we learn WHY he is robbing a bank... ) but Pacino's constantly moving about in a scene. jumping around, pacing back and forth, talking fast, huge eyes... the man had to have been on drugs because he it looked like he was about to die of exhaustion by the end of the film. i can't imagine how he did that day in and day out and talk about giving a role 100%. simply put: PACINO OWNED.

i loved the film, and only a few minor quirks i had with the film. all of which are mainly just a tragedy of the time (being filmed in '75) but none of which wreck the film:

mainly, the biggest issue is the extras. some of the police, bystanders, random ass people in the street... they just look so goofy and act so out of place and stupid it's hard to take the film seriously. Pacino is working his ass off and then there are stupid "cops" who hold their guns wrong, or are standing out of place, or don't act like actual cops. a few times might be fine, but this happens a lot and it really started to bug me lol.

only other issue is the extras dialogue, background dialogue, constant screaming in the street between Sonny and the lead sergeant, Moretti. some of it is mildly annoying. other times extremely distracting and awful

but honestly, those are my only issues. i loved how Sonny connected with the bank tellers and the relationship dynamics that are established. few films take the time to show such things, which is why i loved the Lumet did this. it really felt real, and didn't feel like Inside Man or any other heist movie where the robbers know exactly what to do and are programed like machines. Sonny is no machine, he's a normal (well, in a way lol) guy that makes mistakes and over thinks some things, just like the rest of us.

enough blabbering

a great film. glad i bought it. definite keeper. can't wait to listen to the commentary, watch the "making of" feature and learn more about the true story of what happened here.

PQ: 4/5 extremely solid. extremely clear. lots of detail
AQ: 3.5/5 some crappy "old school" sound effects and some dialogue / screaming is way too close and gets noisy

4.5/5 loved it

You are on a good run with blind buys lately. No duds for quite some time.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Steve46

I love Dog Day Afternoon.

Maybe it's time to give Lumet's first feature another try?

12 Angry Men

X 4,372,658 Oh, and PLUS 1 too.

[Batman1980]

I liked Salt enough, will say 3.5/5, may need to watch the alternate cuts sometime instead of the theatrical cut. Wasn't spectacular but was definitely a good action movie and Angie was fantastic as always.

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by killowertz

Not a bad duo there.

If you count DVD's, my last two rentals that ended up being purchases were The Expendables and The Karate Kid.

Those two were a pretty wide range of awesome and meh for me

I'd be surprised if it wasn't. RED is a better movie than The Losers in my opinion.

Good to know

Originally Posted by CZAR

Orphan is a great horror film. Are u a big fan of horror films in general? I ask because I havnt seen u do many reviews on horror films and also I remember u dont like bad language, gore etc......That may play a part in u not liking a film like Orphan. Got Em!!

I don't watch them often but I really do love when a film can make me scared and sit there going
But anything like Saw or that sort of "horror", I pass completely.

As for Orphan...the characters were annoying and stupid, the twist was pretty obvious I thought actually (I called it really early to one of my friends that

[Show spoiler]she wasn't a little girl

), there wasn't an ounce of tension in my opinion and the ending portion of the film was exactly what a viewer would (at least what I did) expect to get beat for beat. Which if it was something awesome, no problem if it is what I expect. But when it is the same old

[Show spoiler]"Oh they are dead....oh no! they are gone!!!!"

I have a big problem. That REALLY annoys me when that happens in a movie. If Zombieland has taught us anything...

[Show spoiler]double tap.

[CZAR]

Originally Posted by Diesel

I don't watch them often but I really do love when a film can make me scared and sit there going
But anything like Saw or that sort of "horror", I pass completely.

As for Orphan...the characters were annoying and stupid, the twist was pretty obvious I thought actually (I called it really early to one of my friends that

[Show spoiler]she wasn't a little girl

), there wasn't an ounce of tension in my opinion and the ending portion of the film was exactly what a viewer would (at least what I did) expect to get beat for beat. Which if it was something awesome, no problem if it is what I expect. But when it is the same old

[Show spoiler]"Oh they are dead....oh no! they are gone!!!!"

I have a big problem. That REALLY annoys me when that happens in a movie. If Zombieland has taught us anything...

[Show spoiler]double tap.

Yea I hear u. Are u sure u guessed the twist or was it just spoiled for u here online as it has been talked about a number of times. If not then good job because I didnt see that comin. The whole film worked for me but again I am a huge horror fan though. Got Em!!

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by CZAR

Yea I hear u. Are u sure u guessed the twist or was it just spoiled for u here online as it has been talked about a number of times. If not then good job because I didnt see that comin. The whole film worked for me but again I am a huge horror fan though. Got Em!!

If it was it would have been back when the film first came out; but I didn't know anything else about the movie so I'm guessing it was me figuring it out (well getting close enough to the truth) all by myself.

I think that's what it is, you're a big horror fan so somethings I may not like or that don't work for me probably work for you. Like how I'm much more likely to like a comic book movie than Surf

[AKORIS]

Originally Posted by CZAR

Yea I hear u. Are u sure u guessed the twist or was it just spoiled for u here online as it has been talked about a number of times. If not then good job because I didnt see that comin. The whole film worked for me but again I am a huge horror fan though. Got Em!!

+1 Czar-- I'll always step up to the plate and defend this movie-- it was one of the best horror films in years and I find it hard to believe that people would easily see "the twist" coming-- I found the ending of THE SIXTH SENSE much more obvious than I did with this one!

[CZAR]

Originally Posted by Diesel

If it was it would have been back when the film first came out; but I didn't know anything else about the movie so I'm guessing it was me figuring it out (well getting close enough to the truth) all by myself.

I think that's what it is, you're a big horror fan so somethings I may not like or that don't work for me probably work for you. Like how I'm much more likely to like a comic book movie than Surf

Hahaha yea and I am with u as far as the comic book films go as I like them alot as well. Especially the more recent ones. Got Em!!

Originally Posted by AKORIS

+1 Czar-- I'll always step up to the plate and defend this movie-- it was one of the best horror films in years and I find it hard to believe that people would easily see "the twist" coming-- I found the ending of THE SIXTH SENSE much more obvious than I did with this one!

Yea I can see that although I dont think I figured out the Sixth Sense twist either but if i had to guess which would be easier to figure out I would agree with u. Got Em!!

[Al_The_Strange]

Next greatest random selection: “The Simpson Movie.”

I must have been a “Simpsons” fan since its birth, which extends back for most of my life. Back then the thought of a “Simpsons” movie seemed thrilling. When it finally came around in 2007, I decidedly couldn’t care less. It’s strange how adulthood makes one jaded and critical.

After, what, twenty thousand seasons and a gajillion episodes, the show went from one extremity of comedy to another, covering all manner of subjects both absurd and real, and all corners of pop culture and American society (and in some cases, the globalized society). Countless issues, both trivial and hard-hitting, have been lampooned. Parodies, satirical commentaries, sight gags, slapstick, antics, character-driven comedy, romance, drama, and many other memorable elements were dispensed. It’s been an epic run. Personally, I believe it reached its funniest heights from season 4 to season 10, more or less; the latest shows have felt like such a hit and a miss, hugely displaced from its origins and its heyday in the 90s.

As such, many of the problems that make the latest shows off-putting have bled into the “Simpsons” movie. The comedy sometimes focuses on shock value, as Bart rides a skateboard nude, Homer flips people off, Marge curses, people die silly deaths, some large-breasted Eskimo lady makes an appearance… Not to mention, some of the jokes are pretty inane, as Homer is continuously tormented for some cheap laughs, and some things are just plain stupid (“Spiderpig, wth?!” ).

But in the end…none of this really bothers me personally. It dumbs things down a bit, but it is still an enjoyable ride. The comedy makes me laugh often; the dialogue is still hilarious, and there are plenty of good sight gags and funny scenes. The story moves about as fast as the show does, hopping from one crazy circumstance to another. Characters are every bit as lovable as in the show (even if they do cruel and stupid things sometimes).

The story is serviceable, for better or for worse. It is big in scale, it has its share of new characters, it does expand on the “Simpsons” universe tremendously, and it has a whole lot of drama among the characters. It is a rather ridiculous story, but creates a lot of good comedy. In the end, it’s satisfying, but feels a little bit like one long 90-minute episode.

The show has similar art design as the show, but with amped-up animation quality. It looks really slick with heightened detailing and shadowing, and smoother movements. Voice-acting is very strong. Production designs are clever. Music is wonderful.

4/5 (entertainment: 4/5, story: 3.5/5, film: 4.5/5)

Recommendation: Die-hard fans of the show should love it. Everybody else can rent it, see if it suits you. The classic episodes of the show deserve a hearty recommendation though.

The Blu-Ray looks darn near perfect. Sound quality is good.

PQ: 5/5, AQ: 4/5

[Q?]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

When does it hit your shores Q?

March 5th... that's like a whole life time...

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I had this in my Netflix queue but I removed it yesterday due to something I read in user reviews there. I am OK with the super abstract aspect of it, but I learned that there are some scenes that may be too gruesome for me. I'll be interested to hear your takes on it.

The director Gaspar Noé, I can imagine, never censors himself whenever he gets an idea. I've seen Irreversible 1.5 times and it's no picnic, knowing no details I can expect a gruesome experience definitely.

[Steve46]

The Social Network

Directed by David Fincher
Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake
120 minutes

I tend to enjoy Fincher's movies and was hoping that he could turn what I consider a boring topic into a compelling story.

He didn't.

I would rate Se7en, The Game, Fight Club, Zodiac and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button above The Social Network.

The movie was competent and told its story, but I didn't find myself truly engaged at any point. None of the acting performances were anything special and I wasn't given a reason to care about any of the characters. The script was trying to be clever, but merely consisted of a lot of dialogue thrown at the audience very fast.

I suppose this is the movie that will earn most of the Oscars, but none will be deserved. I would definitely rate six of the 10 best picture nominees ahead of The Social Network, and maybe as many as eight.

Overall 3.5/5

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Those two were a pretty wide range of awesome and meh for me

I know. I was going to mention that, but I figured you'd do it for me.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Q?

March 5th... that's like a whole life time...
.

I'll keep my fingers crossed that it comes to your favorite theater.