What, does that make it 2 good films this summer, and we're in July.
In all honesty, I was getting worried about Predators getting closer to release, I was getting scared it would try and be the "ultimate homage" to the series, which meant saying all the awesome lines from the first one and re-in visioning it, without offering much new to the table. Gladly, it's doesn't do that, it tries a lot harder than I was thinking it was going to do.
The odd thing about Predators, is that it's characters are rather well written, they are quite dark and moody, which you want them to be, they're murderers for crisis sake, you don't want Seth Rogen trying to fight a Predator. Even when the writing lightens up to tell a gag, the humor is usually quite dark and twisted, and makes you see these characters are *******s. Now if you were expecting well written characters in a Predator movie, then your just psychic.
What you don't need a crystal ball to expect from Predators, though, is a load of gore and action, and this has plenty of it and it's awesome too, which is always an added bonus. Seriously, I was also getting worried as this received a 15, but they still kept most the violence from the original in there. What sort of gore, well that would be spoiling it.
The story isn't really complex, not that it needs to be, but I found this one far more intresting than the first Predator movie. If you put yourself in the situation of the characters during the movie, you would be terrified. And that what really works in this movie, the orignal your in a jungle on planet Earth, you feel there is a really a tiny bit of hope that you'll get out of this fine. But in this one, you're screwed, even if you survive, you're not leaving that planet, and I really like that in this movie. Plus the characters aren't dumb-ass's like in most horror/action movies as of recent.
But the movie does fall victim to it's own potential by the 3rd act, after a great 1st and 2nd act, it gets rather dumb, now not too dumb that it ruins the movie, but it just gets rather silly, there are a few fight scenes in this where it seems silly, like for one example, there's a sword fight with a Predator, and it just seems so idiotically done. There is another, but I think I'll be getting into spoilers then.
Also, for a so called PredatorS movie, there didn't seem to be an overwhelming amount of Predators on screen at once, like there were a couple of shots with a few on screen. But they don't really use the idea of plurality to the fullest. Even the money shot of all the Predators laser targeting on Adrien Brody isn't even in the final cut (can you say extended cut Blu-Ray?), though that's more of the fault of the Advertisement.
The film ends with a lead onto number 2, which after the movie felt like a bad idea to end on, but after thinking about it, a sequel could work well, they could use the idea of Predators much more, and go into further depths of the Predator history.
All in all, with all my complaints, Predators is a worth film, I got doubtful and it proved me wrong, and it was just a heck of a lot of fun, quite smart too (well two thirds of it). Hopefully, this will signal the start of a great time at cinema's, next week Inception, then the week after that I finally get round to seeing Toy Story 3, not a bad time at the cinema's then.
This is an incredible film, although it seems that not too many on this site have seen it (I remember getting verbally abused for saying it was my top want out of the digibooks a few months back!!!) I agree with squid about Pitt's performance. Big fan of the film and still waiting for a price drop.
I think I need to give this another shot. I saw it a few years ago and thought it was good but quite boring, but I've learned a lot and my tastes have developed a lot these last few years
I liked this movie a lot. It started off pretty slow for me, especially not knowing the story or any of the characters. After 30 minutes or so, I still hadn't connected with the film yet and it was looking like I wasn't going to. Well out of nowhere, that changed and I found myself immersed in the story and I had a handle on the characters. Anyways, it ended up being a great movie with a great look into the beauty of the Indian culture and I enjoyed it a lot. I think I'll enjoy it a lot more with each viewing after this because I won't feel so disconnected in the beginning. Definitely recommend it
Predators
Dudes, you probably won't be dissapointed, I loved it!
It brings back some of the 80's action movies for me, some cheesy lines, redundant lines & unlikely characters. Adrien used a macho voice and sometimes overplayed it, but it didn't annoy me, just made me laugh a little sometimes. The cast is great, I like every single one of them and Topher Grace wasn't annoying!! The score was great, even used some from the old movies which was very welcomed for me. Definitely a lot of homage from Predators, which luckily didn't feel misplaced for me.
8/10, maybe I'll bump it down to 7.5/10 on my second viewing after I BUY IT!!!!
Don't read this if you haven't seen it, don't rob yourselves of the experience.
[Show spoiler]I think it's great that there are two races of Predators now, the new design which was revealed at the end was great! The PreDogs were a fine addition too, I like that they added some new stuff.
Predators
Dudes, you probably won't be dissapointed, I loved it!
It brings back some of the 80's action movies for me, some cheesy lines, redundant lines & unlikely characters. Adrien used a macho voice and sometimes overplayed it, but it didn't annoy me, just made me laugh a little sometimes. The cast is great, I like every single one of them and Topher Grace wasn't annoying!! The score was great, even used some from the old movies which was very welcomed for me. Definitely a lot of homage from Predators, which luckily didn't feel misplaced for me.
8/10, maybe I'll bump it down to 7.5/10 on my second viewing after I BUY IT!!!!
Don't read this if you haven't seen it, don't rob yourselves of the experience.
[Show spoiler]I think it's great that there are two races of Predators now, the new design which was revealed at the end was great! The PreDogs were a fine addition too, I like that they added some new stuff.
Don't read this if you haven't seen it, don't rob yourselves of the experience.
[Show spoiler]I think it's great that there are two races of Predators now, the new design which was revealed at the end was great! The PreDogs were a fine addition too, I like that they added some new stuff.
hmm, its got the Q! stamp of approval? I'm intrigued...
I liked this movie a lot. It started off pretty slow for me, especially not knowing the story or any of the characters. After 30 minutes or so, I still hadn't connected with the film yet and it was looking like I wasn't going to. Well out of nowhere, that changed and I found myself immersed in the story and I had a handle on the characters. Anyways, it ended up being a great movie with a great look into the beauty of the Indian culture and I enjoyed it a lot. I think I'll enjoy it a lot more with each viewing after this because I won't feel so disconnected in the beginning. Definitely recommend it
Great review. I gave it 4/5 stars. Loved it. You're right: they do throw you into an unorthodox scenario at the beginning that i felt was kind of chaotic. But like you, I was immersed by the middle. At first, I was thrown off the by the English/Hindi audio mix: a character would change from English to Hindi mid-sentence. I asked about this in the Criterion forum and apparently that is very representative of modern Indian culture, so just adds to the authenticity of the film.
There is a lot of film grain and images are not clear like in other films, but this is the best example I've ever seen of a film looking exactly how it was supposed to look; this film was meant to mirror old photographs and is practically sepia tone throughout.
AQ: 4 stars (out of 5)
Film: 4 stars (out of 4)
Rottentomatoes: 90% (100% from top critics)
Ebert: 4 stars (out of 4)
Nominated for the Golden Globe for best foreign film, but wasn't nominated for the Oscar, somehow. Granted I haven't seen any of the nominees that year (shocking I know!) except Revanche, but this is a better film than that (I really like Revanche, though).
The Philadelphia Inquirer called this film one of those films that only comes around maybe once a decade, and I have to agree. While it is not as good as a film like The Lives of Others, it is much more unique. We see films like Others pretty often; topical films about difficult periods of time. We don't see films like Everlasting Moments, either storywise or shooting wise.
This film centers on a poor woman in 1910 Sweden who marries a charming but violent drunkard. She finds solace in a camera she won via lottery. It is a true story about an ancestor of director Troell's wife.
This film really touched me, as it's about the power of art and of finding beauty in the world. My ex gf's life was saved through photography; without out she probably wouldn't have been able to overcome her bipolar disorder.
I've never seen a film shot the way this film was shot. To say it mirrors old photographs is an understatement. Every shot is meticulously constructed and the color scheme used is quite beautiful. It really enhances the mood of the film, and this is the best example of a film making me truly feel like I'm in the time period through its cinematography.
I have to say that this very well may be my favorite Criterion film yet, which is really saying something for me. It is an incredible film and while it will never be compared to the likes of 8 1/2 or Last Year at Marienbad, which are far more complex films, I think it really holds its own. I will absolutely be purchasing this next Tuesday. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
I watched Hiroshima Mon Amour last week and haven't had the time to post my thoughts but must say this is absolutely the most mesmerizing and beautifully filmed movie I have ever seen.
There are not enough words to describe this film. Every shot framed brilliantly and the story deep and involving. It is a mix of highs and lows, love and sorrow, comfort and hopelessness, war and resolve, intimacy and isolation, the list goes on... but never does it feel convoluted. I cannot stress how intricately designed this film is. I was immediately hypnotized by Resnais' artistic vision and could not take my eyes off the screen. While it will probably require repeat viewings, there is some undeniable symbolism throughout the film. The pain of forgetting and the pain of remembering (tragedy, whether it be from love or war) is one of the main themes explored in the movie. This film is like a 90 minute poem with the words impeccably tied into the images on-screen. And the message is quite clear: Our memories are what define us.
Hiroshima Mon Amour is a masterpiece if I have ever seen one. Watch this film. It will stay with you. 5/5.
Great review. I gave it 4/5 stars. Loved it. You're right: they do throw you into an unorthodox scenario at the beginning that i felt was kind of chaotic. But like you, I was immersed by the middle. At first, I was thrown off the by the English/Hindi audio mix: a character would change from English to Hindi mid-sentence. I asked about this in the Criterion forum and apparently that is very representative of modern Indian culture, so just adds to the authenticity of the film.
Thanks buddy. I worked with a couple of Indian people and they did the same thing in conversations with each other. My best friends GF is Polish and their family does the same thing, guess a lot of cultures who are bilingual do it
i recently decided to re-evaluate my blu-ray collection and trimmed it down significantly. it was once sitting at 125 titles, but is now down to less than 50. the films / shows i have decided on keeping are personal favorites, films i can watch millions of times and never get sick of. my collection used to be "anything can be bought!" but now the mentality is "only perfect (in my eyes) films / shows can be lucky enough to join the shelf with the others". and thus, i decided that tonight, i would start reviewing all my films / shows, starting with my #1 film of all time: Fight Club.
REVIEW WILL ALL BE IN A SPOILER TAG TO KEEP SIZE OF THIS POST SHORTER SINCE IT WILL BE A LONG REVIEW
[Show spoiler]having watched Fight Club over 1,000 times (not kidding) since 2004 when i first saw it, and done about six million different reviews on it, there's little i could say here that i haven't already said, or someone else better than i ever could. but one thing if for certain when it comes to Fight Club for me: it came at the perfect time in my life. i don't exactly remember what it was that made the initial viewing - in which once credits rolled i already knew it was my favorite movie - so moving for me. but i assure you, had i watched the film maybe a year later, i might not view it as i do. but sometimes you see films at certain times and they just are then escalated to a higher level than if you would view it at a later / earlier date. this is why no other film will ever be my #1 film, unless another film comes at another perfect moment.
my moment was junior year of high school. when i knew little of the world, of film, of myself, and of the future. Fight Club certainly isn't a "feel good" film to build your future around, and i certainly haven't. but whatever i was thinking / feeling / going through at that time, i connected with Fight Club in a way i don't think anyone else has.
first and foremost, i still to this day find it incredibly eerie how the film touches on the issue of consumerism, our species becoming stagnant and not focusing on essentials but instead on false needs and how much i am exactly what the film portrays us as. sure, a lot of people may connect in this aspect, but i truly do. when the 'narrator' (played brilliantly by the underappreciated Edward Norton) says, "what kind of dining set defines me as a person?" i know exactly what that feels like. i have bought clothes, furniture, albums, movies, and an assortment of other "junk" that i thought made me complete. still to this day i have this thought from time to time. and i always remember that line from the film when i do.
but the thing is, how foolish am i to thinking that a random, soulless object could fulfill me? how did i get to this point in my life? i don't know the answer to these questions, and Fight Club doesn't answer them, but that's not the point. the answer is not necessary. it's remembering to ask the question to bring you back to a "primal" version of self that in our modern day and age, we all lack. if suddenly all electronics and clothes were gone and no McDonald's or Ihop's existed, how many of us would survive?
combating the 'narrator's' ideologies and search for "perfection" is Tyler Durden. a man who lives in a run down, almost unliveable house on Paper St. who specializes in making soap and other odd jobs of the night. when the 'narrator's' condo blows up in a suspicious manner, he lives with Tyler and soon learns what it is like to live a completely different lifestyle. slowly but surely, he learns to fall from grace.... or is it grace he is finally falling into? personally, i believe he is falling INTO grace, but personally don't think i could ever forego the luxuries i am lucky enough to have now. another film that is wrapped in this mentality, but has different variations of it is Into the Wild, which shows this is a much more organized and steady way. Fight Club certainly has a lot of quirks to it that may make it hard to see that the film isn't about violence, but's about reclaiming what makes us, us. in the most realistic and brutal sense of self. not someone obsessed with button down shirts, nice sofas (or even blu-rays ). and while the journey quickly unravels and gets out of hand, in the opinion of the 'narrator', it serves a purpose, but some will not see / appreciate how the film gets the message across. i found it magnificent, awe inspiring, and a gritty, frenetic ride that left me reeling with the big 'ol twist in the third act that had my jaw on the floor and my brain all sorts of
the acting? superb. after watching Fight Club, Edward Norton, Brad Pitt and Helena Bonham Carter were all on my radar and "must see more" list for their previous and future works. Pitt fits the bill perfectly as the sarcastic, witty, high energy, no stress Tyler Durden. Durden almost reminds me of a cleaner, neatier version of the character Pitt plays in the Ocean series, if that makes any sense. although it is ironic or almost breaking the proverbial fourth wall to see BRAD PITT talking (as a character of course) about how we "won't be all become rock gods and movie stars" when... well, obviously he actually is one. but Pitt still fits the character better than any 'no name' non Hollywood type would have.
Norton gets top billing though and for good reason. his character transition is blended together so well from "have it all" to "now i really have nothing, but have it all" that few other actors i believe could pull it off.
and Carter does a great job as the naggy and confused (for good reason) Marla who intrudes on the 'narrator's' self-help group weeknight activities.
David Fincher's directing is also something to behold. i never really used to pay much attention to directing, but watching Fight Club for the first time in about a month (give or take) i really was taken in by his fast cuts early on in the film and then how he slows down the camera and scenes as the film progresses. Fincher is my favorite director because of this movie, and i think it gets overlooked because of how many people dislike the film.
another area that is rarely mentioned (and something i never truly took in till tonights viewing) is the score. from the opening ear-piercing brain ride beats to the fantastic Pixies song that closes out the film, the score is at times haunting and completely entrancing.
and then we have the classic lines of dialogue that fill up the movie:
[Show spoiler]- "question of etiquette as i pass: do i give you the ass or the crotch?"
- "the things you own end up owning you"
- "i am jill's nipples"
- "yeah, i dig cancer"
- "self improvement is masturbation"
- "i haven't been ****** like that since grade school"
- "sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken"
- "it's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything"
- "working jobs we hate to buy things we don't need"
- "our great depression is our lives"
for me, Fight Club is the pinnacle of a classic movie going experience. it stays with you once it has finished. it has extreme replay value, it makes you think and while it plays it gives you an experience / feeling that cannot be replicated anywhere. i know i can't make anyone have different opinions of the film if they already have an opinion of the film, but i hope i am able to make at least one person either re-evaluate the film, or watch it for the first time. it's certainly the best 136 minutes i've ever spent watching a movie.
Ok i just need to mention how GREAT Quentin Tarantino picks out his movie soundtracks. Kill Bill Vol 1's Soundtrack is EPIC
I honestly think it's his best asset by far, and i like his movies. I'd love to see a version of "Forest Gump" where Q.T. picks the songs. I'm always amazed when people think those songs are "inspired" choices.
Great review man. I watched it several months ago after having not seen it in a few years and was blown away again, it was a lot better to me now that I was a bit older. This movie is one of the few perfect films that have come out in the last 10 years imo. And the blu is killer!
I just watched 300 for the first time in several years and that movie was worse to me lol! Still a cool movie, but I guess I was kinda caught up in the "300 is awesomeness" frenzy when it first came out to notice that the movie has a fair amount of cheeziness to it
Thanks buddy. I worked with a couple of Indian people and they did the same thing in conversations with each other. My best friends GF is Polish and their family does the same thing, guess a lot of cultures who are bilingual do it
Filipinos as well. A few of my friends will mix in English with Tagalog and their facebook status updates are a bit irritating to read. It starts off in English then they finish off the sentence in another language and I soon realize it was hopeless to read in the first place.
i recently decided to re-evaluate my blu-ray collection and trimmed it down significantly. it was once sitting at 125 titles, but is now down to less than 50. the films / shows i have decided on keeping are personal favorites, films i can watch millions of times and never get sick of. my collection used to be "anything can be bought!" but now the mentality is "only perfect (in my eyes) films / shows can be lucky enough to join the shelf with the others". and thus, i decided that tonight, i would start reviewing all my films / shows, starting with my #1 film of all time: Fight Club.
REVIEW WILL ALL BE IN A SPOILER TAG TO KEEP SIZE OF THIS POST SHORTER SINCE IT WILL BE A LONG REVIEW
[Show spoiler]having watched Fight Club over 1,000 times (not kidding) since 2004 when i first saw it, and done about six million different reviews on it, there's little i could say here that i haven't already said, or someone else better than i ever could. but one thing if for certain when it comes to Fight Club for me: it came at the perfect time in my life. i don't exactly remember what it was that made the initial viewing - in which once credits rolled i already knew it was my favorite movie - so moving for me. but i assure you, had i watched the film maybe a year later, i might not view it as i do. but sometimes you see films at certain times and they just are then escalated to a higher level than if you would view it at a later / earlier date. this is why no other film will ever be my #1 film, unless another film comes at another perfect moment.
my moment was junior year of high school. when i knew little of the world, of film, of myself, and of the future. Fight Club certainly isn't a "feel good" film to build your future around, and i certainly haven't. but whatever i was thinking / feeling / going through at that time, i connected with Fight Club in a way i don't think anyone else has.
first and foremost, i still to this day find it incredibly eerie how the film touches on the issue of consumerism, our species becoming stagnant and not focusing on essentials but instead on false needs and how much i am exactly what the film portrays us as. sure, a lot of people may connect in this aspect, but i truly do. when the 'narrator' (played brilliantly by the underappreciated Edward Norton) says, "what kind of dining set defines me as a person?" i know exactly what that feels like. i have bought clothes, furniture, albums, movies, and an assortment of other "junk" that i thought made me complete. still to this day i have this thought from time to time. and i always remember that line from the film when i do.
but the thing is, how foolish am i to thinking that a random, soulless object could fulfill me? how did i get to this point in my life? i don't know the answer to these questions, and Fight Club doesn't answer them, but that's not the point. the answer is not necessary. it's remembering to ask the question to bring you back to a "primal" version of self that in our modern day and age, we all lack. if suddenly all electronics and clothes were gone and no McDonald's or Ihop's existed, how many of us would survive?
combating the 'narrator's' ideologies and search for "perfection" is Tyler Durden. a man who lives in a run down, almost unliveable house on Paper St. who specializes in making soap and other odd jobs of the night. when the 'narrator's' condo blows up in a suspicious manner, he lives with Tyler and soon learns what it is like to live a completely different lifestyle. slowly but surely, he learns to fall from grace.... or is it grace he is finally falling into? personally, i believe he is falling INTO grace, but personally don't think i could ever forego the luxuries i am lucky enough to have now. another film that is wrapped in this mentality, but has different variations of it is Into the Wild, which shows this is a much more organized and steady way. Fight Club certainly has a lot of quirks to it that may make it hard to see that the film isn't about violence, but's about reclaiming what makes us, us. in the most realistic and brutal sense of self. not someone obsessed with button down shirts, nice sofas (or even blu-rays ). and while the journey quickly unravels and gets out of hand, in the opinion of the 'narrator', it serves a purpose, but some will not see / appreciate how the film gets the message across. i found it magnificent, awe inspiring, and a gritty, frenetic ride that left me reeling with the big 'ol twist in the third act that had my jaw on the floor and my brain all sorts of
the acting? superb. after watching Fight Club, Edward Norton, Brad Pitt and Helena Bonham Carter were all on my radar and "must see more" list for their previous and future works. Pitt fits the bill perfectly as the sarcastic, witty, high energy, no stress Tyler Durden. Durden almost reminds me of a cleaner, neatier version of the character Pitt plays in the Ocean series, if that makes any sense. although it is ironic or almost breaking the proverbial fourth wall to see BRAD PITT talking (as a character of course) about how we "won't be all become rock gods and movie stars" when... well, obviously he actually is one. but Pitt still fits the character better than any 'no name' non Hollywood type would have.
Norton gets top billing though and for good reason. his character transition is blended together so well from "have it all" to "now i really have nothing, but have it all" that few other actors i believe could pull it off.
and Carter does a great job as the naggy and confused (for good reason) Marla who intrudes on the 'narrator's' self-help group weeknight activities.
David Fincher's directing is also something to behold. i never really used to pay much attention to directing, but watching Fight Club for the first time in about a month (give or take) i really was taken in by his fast cuts early on in the film and then how he slows down the camera and scenes as the film progresses. Fincher is my favorite director because of this movie, and i think it gets overlooked because of how many people dislike the film.
another area that is rarely mentioned (and something i never truly took in till tonights viewing) is the score. from the opening ear-piercing brain ride beats to the fantastic Pixies song that closes out the film, the score is at times haunting and completely entrancing.
and then we have the classic lines of dialogue that fill up the movie:
[Show spoiler]- "question of etiquette as i pass: do i give you the ass or the crotch?"
- "the things you own end up owning you"
- "i am jill's nipples"
- "yeah, i dig cancer"
- "self improvement is masturbation"
- "i haven't been ****** like that since grade school"
- "sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken"
- "it's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything"
- "working jobs we hate to buy things we don't need"
- "our great depression is our lives"
for me, Fight Club is the pinnacle of a classic movie going experience. it stays with you once it has finished. it has extreme replay value, it makes you think and while it plays it gives you an experience / feeling that cannot be replicated anywhere. i know i can't make anyone have different opinions of the film if they already have an opinion of the film, but i hope i am able to make at least one person either re-evaluate the film, or watch it for the first time. it's certainly the best 136 minutes i've ever spent watching a movie.
I honestly think it's his best asset by far, and i like his movies. I'd love to see a version of "Forest Gump" where Q.T. picks the songs. I'm always amazed when people think those songs are "inspired" choices.
hmm, its got the Q! stamp of approval? I'm intrigued...
I've got a stamp?
Just turn your brain off, it is a stupid movie but with mostly great F/X, it is after all "only" a sci-fi action movie. But you can't go wrong if you want some good old fashioned fun.
Just turn your brain off, it is a stupid movie but with mostly great F/X, it is after all "only" a sci-fi action movie. But you can't go wrong if you want some good old fashioned fun.
All countries
Argentina
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Bulgaria
Chile
China
Colombia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Estonia
Denmark
Finland
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
India
Latvia
Lithuania
Malaysia
New Zealand
Norway
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Singapore
South Africa
South Korea
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Turkey
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
The PreDogs were a fine addition too, I like that they added some new stuff.
). and while the journey quickly unravels and gets out of hand, in the opinion of the 'narrator', it serves a purpose, but some will not see / appreciate how the film gets the message across. i found it magnificent, awe inspiring, and a gritty, frenetic ride that left me reeling with the big 'ol twist in the third act that had my jaw on the floor and my brain all sorts of 
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