The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I think graceful certainly has its place, often, in proper context, and when the mindset (denial/receptiveness) of of the targeted recipient is willing/able to receive a graceful delivery. But there are times where the wall is too high and deep for a gentle delivery to make its way through.

Examples:

1. At a big 4th of July BBQ bash at a neighborhood park I witness a man who has obviously had a few too many beers (clearly drunk) fishing for his car keys on his way to his vehicle. His 7 year old daughter in tow. He may hurt himself or others by driving in this condition. I would approach him and as elegantly as possible offer to call him a cab or give him a ride home. Message received, he agrees, and all ends well.

2. At a big 4th of July BBQ bash at a neighborhood park I witness a man who has obviously had a few too many beers (clearly drunk) fishing for his car keys on his way to his vehicle. His 7 year old daughter in tow. He may hurt himself or others by driving in this condition. I would approach him and as elegantly as possible offer to call him a cab or give him a ride home. He indicates that my meassage has fallen upon deaf ears and insists that he continue on his chosen path. He will NOT be persuaded otherwise. At that point I would do whatever necessary in order to prevent him from proceeding.

Sometimes people are so stuck in a pattern, or a state of denial, that only loud, obnoxious, and physical messages can break through.

Sometimes...

I see your point that these "intrusions" are to get people to "wake up" to these causes. But the examples of intrusions I gave are not efforts to resolve any immediate life-threatening situations. Instead, they would be more akin to seeing a guy drinking beer at a park and walking up to him and flashing MADD propaganda simply because there are keys in his proximity.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

I see your point that these "intrusions" are to get people to "wake up" to these causes. But the examples of intrusions I gave are not efforts to resolve any immediate life-threatening situations. Instead, they would be more akin to seeing a guy drinking beer at a park and walking up to him and flashing MADD propaganda simply because there are keys in his proximity.

Speaking of didactic docs, The 11th Hour takes the cake.

[legendarymatt92]

Since I have a backlog of films that I need to review, I'm going to do three mini reviews in one to save some time and just get some thoughts down. I won't be going in depth and discussing many plot details, or the backgrounds to the films, just the good and bad points in each.

Chronicle (dir. Josh Trank, 2012)

The Good Points: Incredible cinematography style that meshes with the found footage aspect superbly. Impressive take on the superhero genre. Great direction and well-written characters, each with vast emotional depth. Plot is simple but original. Atmospheric and ominous, with an important message that is delivered subtly. Great climactic build-up and third act.

The Bad Points: None that are important.

8/10

Rise of the Guardians (dir. Peter Ramsey, 2012)

The Good Points: Wonderful animation and well-written characters, again with great emotional depth and a balance between their mythological backgrounds and modern sensibilities. Whimsical story that affects the children in us all. Funny and charming.

The Bad Points: Stilted and sometimes pointless dialogue, especially from the villain. Tenuous plot, with an over-complicated "evil scheme" from the bad guy; within the context of the film, the plan is much more intricate and time-consuming than it needs to be. Even at under 90 minutes, the film feels too long and meandering. The third act is extremely rushed and the ending undoes the atmosphere the film had been working so hard to achieve; loose ends are tied up too quickly and neatly, or are never explained. Incredibly stereotypical dialogue from the Easter Bunny (Hugh Jackman) which is kind of off-putting after a while.

6.5/10

City of Ember (dir. Gil Kenan, 2008)

The Good Points: Dazzling visual style with some amazing cinematography. Delicious sets and costumes, with an intense and fantastic idea at its heart. Identifiable characters and emotionally satisfying ending. Surprisingly humorous at times. Great direction, with single-minded determination, for the most part.

The Bad Points: The epitome of style over substance. Plot is uneven and extremely illogical at times, with scenes that don't benefit the narrative in any way giving a strange sense of importance. Solid direction drops off in the final act (but this may be the result of heavy editing than anything else) and the film flails, becoming more and more preposterous as it goes on. The ominous and bleak atmosphere is ruined by terrible dialogue and ridiculous actions in the final third. Terribly miscast Bill Murray. Now outdated CGI effects.

6/10


-----

Will be watching The Raven soon, so a preliminary review may be made just after that.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

I see your point that these "intrusions" are to get people to "wake up" to these causes. But the examples of intrusions I gave are not efforts to resolve any immediate life-threatening situations. Instead, they would be more akin to seeing a guy drinking beer at a park and walking up to him and flashing MADD propaganda simply because there are keys in his proximity.

Thats why I said sometimes.

[legendarymatt92]

Finally taking the time to watch all the films from last year that I missed, The Raven was one that seriously interested me: I loved McTeigue's direction in V For Vendetta and the murder mystery aspect was intriguing.

The Good Points: Finely crafted atmosphere, with a visual style that compliments the story. Solid direction and a good lead character in Poe; despite thinking Cusack was the wrong casting choice, he delivered a great performance and helped bring the character to life. Impressive use of an historical figure's unknown demise to fit around a fictional story. Balance between gore and mystery. Decent twist. Ending finds right emotional balance.

The Bad Points: Story is above-average, but quite clichéd and conventional. Supporting characters are not very well-written and some seem inconsequential to the plot. Some minor problems in the final act (concerning the fate of Poe).

7/10

[jvince]

Senna (2010)
dir. Asif Kapadia

The Good: The legend himself, Ayrton Senna, a ridiculously talented driver who was like a god on the race track. Totally engrossing (and I don't know squat about Formula One). Perfect editing, pacing, and execution. Its rather unique approach, showing only various clips while ditching the traditional talking heads. Love the inclusion of those exhilarating in-car footage. Incredible score. The intense rivalry with French driver Alain Prost. Senna's first home win at Brazil. "Sid, I can't quit." *chillls* The ending's flashbacks. Wow. Wow. Wow.

The Bad: Nothing major.

The Bottom Line: A mark of a great documentary is when it manages to captivate its audience regardless of one's knowledge and interest in the subject matter, and Senna is no exception. Riveting. Electrifying. Goosebump-inducing. Devastating. Unforgettable. The Academy ought to be ashamed of themselves for snubbing such a fine work. One of the greatest documentaries I have ever seen. Highly recommended.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by jvince

Senna (2010)
dir. Asif Kapadia

The Good: The legend himself, Ayrton Senna, a ridiculously talented driver who was like a god on the race track. Totally engrossing (and I don't know squat about Formula One). Perfect editing, pacing, and execution. Its rather unique approach, showing only various clips while ditching the traditional talking heads. Love the inclusion of those exhilarating in-car footage. Incredible score. The intense rivalry with French driver Alain Prost. Senna's first home win at Brazil. "Sid, I can't quit." *chillls* The ending's flashbacks. Wow. Wow. Wow.

The Bad: Nothing major.

The Bottom Line: A mark of a great documentary is when it manages to captivate its audience regardless of one's knowledge and interest in the subject matter, and Senna is no exception. Riveting. Electrifying. Goosebump-inducing. Devastating. Unforgettable. The Academy ought to be ashamed of themselves for snubbing such a fine work. One of the greatest documentaries I have ever seen. Highly recommended.

Really need to get around to watching this.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by jvince

Senna (2010)
dir. Asif Kapadia

[Show spoiler]

The Good: The legend himself, Ayrton Senna, a ridiculously talented driver who was like a god on the race track. Totally engrossing (and I don't know squat about Formula One). Perfect editing, pacing, and execution. Its rather unique approach, showing only various clips while ditching the traditional talking heads. Love the inclusion of those exhilarating in-car footage. Incredible score. The intense rivalry with French driver Alain Prost. Senna's first home win at Brazil. "Sid, I can't quit." *chillls* The ending's flashbacks. Wow. Wow. Wow.

The Bad: Nothing major.

The Bottom Line: A mark of a great documentary is when it manages to captivate its audience regardless of one's knowledge and interest in the subject matter, and Senna is no exception. Riveting. Electrifying. Goosebump-inducing. Devastating. Unforgettable. The Academy ought to be ashamed of themselves for snubbing such a fine work. One of the greatest documentaries I have ever seen. Highly recommended.

Couldn't agree more. It's an immensely thrilling doc that I got to see in Brazil and I never forgot it. He really was like a god to the Brazilian people. The country even took a national holiday to mourn his death. His rivalry and determination were engrossing, partly because the film was so well-made. Definitely in the top 10 docs I've ever seen.

Every time I see a genuinely good Brazilian film it's like I'm shouting to an empty room. Nobody ever seems interested in their output, least of all the Academy, so it's no surprise to me that Senna was met with silence (it is like this with many countries that aren't US, UK, and the rest of Europe). The blu took so long to come out that my enthusiasm eventually dissipated so I'm waiting for a more affordable price. Even their Oscar contender last year (O Palhaço, a very good film) can't seem to find a distributor here in the States. [/rant]

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Couldn't agree more. It's an immensely thrilling doc that I got to see in Brazil and I never forgot it. He really was like a god to the Brazilian people. The country even took a national holiday to mourn his death. And his rivalry and determination were engrossing, partly because the film was so well-made. Definitely in the top 10 docs I've ever seen.

Every time I see a genuinely good Brazilian film it's like I'm shouting to an empty room. Nobody ever seems interested in their output, least of all the Academy, so it's no surprise to me that Senna was met with silence (it is like this with many countries that aren't US, UK, and the rest of Europe). The blu took so long to come out that my enthusiasm eventually dissipated so I'm waiting for a more affordable price. Even their Oscar contender last year (O Palhaço, a very good film) can't seem to find a distributor here in the States. [/rant]

Senna won 2 BAFTA's over here (Best Documentary and Best Editing) and nominated for Most Outstanding British Film, so it got quite a bit of attention over here

[Abdrewes]

Re: Senna

It's a fine technical achievement, and I know it was also about how he inspired a country, but damn, has there ever been a duller subject than Aerton Senna? Nothing about him as a person inspired me. He just liked to go fast

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Senna won 2 BAFTA's over here (Best Documentary and Best Editing) and nominated for Most Outstanding British Film, so it got quite a bit of attention over here

Nice! We need to take some lessons from you guys.

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

[Show spoiler]Re: Senna

but damn, has there ever been a duller subject than Aerton Senna? Nothing about him as a person inspired me. He just liked to go fast

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Nice! We need to take some lessons from you guys.

The film is pretty one dimensional in its depiction of Senna. Little of his personal life or that of his competitor is shown. As a topical ESPN doc it's fine, but Tyson for example is a much more fascinating character study.

Again, it's a marvelously edited film as I'm sure it was quite a task to string it all together, but that's just not enough.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

The film is pretty one dimensional in its depiction of Senna. Little of his personal life or that of his competitor is shown. As a topical ESPN doc it's fine, but Tyson for example is a much more fascinating character study.

Again, it's a marvelously edited film as I'm sure it was quite a task to string it all together, but that's just not enough.

Well that depends on what you get out of it. I know you feel it was not human enough, but I can tell you I got much more than "someone that just likes to go fast." I know I can't convince you of its inspiration, but I can tell you what it meant to me.

The film depicts how he championed what he sets his mind to. The soul of a race car driver is embedded in the love and thrill of speed, and the core dynamic of the film encapsulates that thrill and captures the essence of his love for what he does. It is the sum of his cut-too-short career, during which he produced a public image to inspire a nation. Its emotional resonance was not just from his personal life but how his life interweaved itself into so many others. The impact of his legacy could not have possibly been portrayed better. The film revealed so much of the good in him that we feel both what his family lost and what the world lost. Senna was definitely an intimate tribute. It is a triumph not just for its technicals, but for its story--its journey. I walked out both moved and inspired.

And Tyson is so different though. He had a terrible public image so anything positive about him is going to be insightful.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by jvince

Senna (2010)

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Couldn't agree more.

Wow. I thought the film took an amazing man's story (from an amazing world) and turned it into a big snoozefest.

I found the storytelling disjointed and the editing poor. And even though its a doc, not a drama, the film itself should possess at least some of the charisma and passion of the man and the sport it depicts. It felt cold and sterile to me.

While watching it I honestly asked myself "How on Earth could they make a film about Senna and F1 and have it come out boring? Its impossible."

But they managed IMO.

Did we see the same film?

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Re: Senna

It's a fine technical achievement, and I know it was also about how he inspired a country, but damn, has there ever been a duller subject than Aerton Senna? Nothing about him as a person inspired me. He just liked to go fast

Total opposite here. Senna was a fascinating man and there is a great story to tell. And I thought the films technicals were awful, they sucked the life out of a great story/era.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Wow. I thought the film took an amazing man's story (from an amazing world) and turned it into a big snoozefest.

I found the storytelling disjointed and the editing poor. And even though its a doc, not a drama, the film itself should possess at least some of the charisma and passion of the man and the sport it depicts. It felt cold and sterile to me.

While watching it I honestly asked myself "How on Earth could they make a film about Senna and F1 and have it come out boring? Its impossible."

But they managed IMO.

Did we see the same film?

How dare you go against 92% of critics and 95% of the audience! Oh wait...

You know why it felt sterile and cold, the filmmakers showed no curiosity regarding his private life. If you want to see a great doc about great men doing great things, see For All Mankind.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Total opposite here. Senna was a fascinating man and there is a great story to tell. And I thought the films technicals were awful, they sucked the life out of a great story/era.

Oh my, if you combine our takes, Senna is an absolute failure in every regard. Watch out Beyonce.

Maybe he was amazing, but he comes off as such a dullard.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Maybe he was amazing, but he comes off as such a dullard.

That was the film's fault, not the man's, and that's exactly my point.

Your earlier post indicated that you though he was a very boring character, unworthy of a doc. Your mistake was to judge him by the film, and the film had failed educate you.

Aryton was to F1 and Brazil what Valentino Rossi is MotoGP and Italy. Both are/were bigger than life characters. They are/were the Eberts of their worlds. Even bigger. Much bigger, actually.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

That was the film's fault, not the man's, and that's exactly my point.

Your earlier post indicated that you though he was a very boring character. You judged him by the film, and the film had failed educate you.

Aryton was to F1 and Brazil what Valentino Rossi is MotoGP and Italy. Both are/were bigger than life characters. They are/were the Eberts of their worlds. Even bigger. Much bigger, actually.

Well, it also doesn't help that I dislike sports (not necessarily sports movies), especially car racing.

So what made Aryton so interesting as a person, other than the fact he was such a prominent figure and inspired so many?

[Mahatma]

Originally Posted by jvince

Senna (2010)
dir. Asif Kapadia

The Good: The legend himself, Ayrton Senna, a ridiculously talented driver who was like a god on the race track. Totally engrossing (and I don't know squat about Formula One). Perfect editing, pacing, and execution. Its rather unique approach, showing only various clips while ditching the traditional talking heads. Love the inclusion of those exhilarating in-car footage. Incredible score. The intense rivalry with French driver Alain Prost. Senna's first home win at Brazil. "Sid, I can't quit." *chillls* The ending's flashbacks. Wow. Wow. Wow.

The Bad: Nothing major.

The Bottom Line: A mark of a great documentary is when it manages to captivate its audience regardless of one's knowledge and interest in the subject matter, and Senna is no exception. Riveting. Electrifying. Goosebump-inducing. Devastating. Unforgettable. The Academy ought to be ashamed of themselves for snubbing such a fine work. One of the greatest documentaries I have ever seen. Highly recommended.

Did you watcxh the TE or extended cut?Like the extended cut myself,but if you know nothing of formula one,and aren't interested much in racing,maybe the short version has better pacing.Got goosebumps when it switched to onboard footage at the end there.And what a great soundtrack too.Really good AQ on it.

Now watch TT3D:Closer to the edge!