The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Q!

I thought the "hyperbolic emotions" I showed with the smileys were enough?

Or should I have used "" instead?

shows how educated i am in forum speak!

[kpkelley]

Knight and Day (3/5)

Nineties-era Action comedy. There were some interesting set-pieces, but the comedy was hit or miss throughout.

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2.5/5)

They whittle the book down to as few necessary pieces as possible, increase the characters ages to late teens instead of early teens(may have been pre-teen), and axe all the gods except for the big three plus Athena. There are a few interesting special effects sequences, but the film seems aimed at a younger audience than the "comedy" was written for. Left a similar taste in my mouth as Airbender did, i.e. could have been a film filled with huge epic sequences but was pared down. As much as I find it difficult to believe, those were two films that could have used the Michael Bay touch.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Thats a temporary opinion. You havent seen Meryl in Sophies Choice yet.

Perfect example of my words failing me---I meant MALE performance. Wait...that sounds strange. Damnit. Let me rephrase again. Male acting performance.

Since male and female roles are generally much different, I try not to group the two together although I have equal respect for both. I think there are more great male acting performances (of course, b/c there are more major male roles), but the best of the best female performances are truly incredible.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Q!

[Show spoiler]I'm very tempted to just say it and I won'y, but it's the kind of person that eventually gets banned, seen it so many times before

And I'm fine with being NSE

Seriously Q, stop stalking me. Ahh, our fallen comrades. Elvis, where you at?

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

May I make a suggestion? I gave this same advice to my sister and she said she was glad I did.

Take a break between the 2. Take a couple/few days if you can. There is a 9 year gap between the two, and allowing the first one to "settle in" pays off when you watch the second one.

Just a thought.

I would be getting them on netflix, so probably a Wednedsay and a Saturday. Do you think that's enough time or should I get a few others in between the two?

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

Taxi Driver (1976: directed by Martin Scorsese)

FIRST TIME VIEWING

continuing on my quest to watch older classics that i have missed, i just finished Taxi Driver.
and... not really sure how i feel about it.

Robert DeNiro? amazing in a role where he had to display a lot of subtleties, and not express himself with a lot of dialogue. however, i don't think it will be a role that stands out when compared to other characters by other actors. but that may just be me.

i loved the look and feel or the film. i find it remarkable how most films from the 70's and 80's have that era built right into them. i don't know if the 90's or 00's have that. definitely not the 00's, unless massive amounts of CGI count but older movies definitely feel like they have more heart than newer, shinier films. the grittiness of Taxi Driver was amazing. the seedy underbelly of New York was on full display and i enjoyed every gross feeling moment of it.

two main complaints, one of which may be rectified with repeat viewings and insight from far more intelligent people on here, bring the film down for me. the first complaint is the structure of the film. i can see a lot of people hating the pacing because the first hour is a slow burner of sorts with a lot of odd, short conversations with characters that have virtually no impact on the story. i don't need every character to have a full blown story and purpose, and while most of the cameo roles were well acted, and hilarious (the guy who likes Betsy is s particular scene stealer) i kept wondering what the connection was. but the structure of the film is what bugged me here. trying to connect the dots, i don't really see any connection and the jumps from Travis outside of a governer's campaign speech to a breakfast with a hooker just seemed so disconnected.

and now my major complaint, or at least confusion:

[Show spoiler]the ending. or more so, the moral of the story. i understand that Travis wanted to "wash away the trash" in the city and the world, but was Palantine one of these people?

did Travis actually

[Show spoiler]work for the government like he said to Easy and in a letter to his parents, or was he lying? or just crazy because he was discharged from the Marines?

i just don't get what i was supposed to get from the movie when it ended. i was following it along well, but was Travis

[Show spoiler]just scared of shooting Palantine? or because he almost got caught he changed his mind?

once i see this in a different way or if someone can clue me in a little bit here, i might raise my overall score. but for now i can sum up Taxi Driver like this:

great performances, seedy but fantastic atmosphere, a slow burning film with a message (or two) however that message i don't believe i either connected with or understood exactly because of the structure and third act.

4/5

I love the movie--probably my fav Scorsese, although I still have to see Kings of Comedy and Mean Streets (I think Raging Bull is his best directing performance though). It's just one of those films. Great review and your concerns are absolutely legitimate and are common complaints. I'll respond more in depth later.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

There are better ways to get iron into your diet.

Ohhh snap!

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by snowball_iv

Grizzly Man 3/5
Before even watching this movie, I thought i would feel sorry for the guy, thinking he would be a Al Borlin looking guy, a lover of outdoors, with a big bushy beard and flannel shirt, but he was annoying and a bit off his rocker. The more I watched the show, more i was ready for this guy to die.

Without a doubt one of the finest documentaries ever made. That being said, I really don't know of anyone that reallllly had sympathy for Treadwell, because he put himself in that situation. But that was Herzog's point.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Q!

Blu-ray.com is going down the drain
Insiders bickering and people calling each other stalkers....

Mine were jokes Q. You knew that, I hope.

[Q?]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Mine were jokes Q. You knew that, I hope.

No worries mine was a joke too...

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat but also Squids future post :p

shows how educated i am in forum speak!

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

EXACTLY!
good to know Eraserhead is the toughest. i don't know how much more i could handle. although the first 15 seconds of Mulholland Dr. made me puzzled and say, "oh god... no!" so i had to save that. haha, but Lynch definitely seems like quite the character if Eraserhead is any indication.

The best way I can describe other Lynch films is to say that they are coherent. They are still filled with weird people, creepy imagry and events, but the stories can be grasped. Unlike Eraserhead, that to me, was just a colage of disturbing images designed to punish me for something bad I had done earlier in life.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Diesel

I watched Casino Royale last night. Pretty sure I've reviewed it here before. So...

4.75/5
)

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Perfect example of my words failing me---I meant MALE performance. Wait...that sounds strange. Damnit. Let me rephrase again. Male acting performance.

Since male and female roles are generally much different, I try not to group the two together although I have equal respect for both. I think there are more great male acting performances (of course, b/c there are more major male roles), but the best of the best female performances are truly incredible.

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Blasted .25 ratings!

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

I would be getting them on netflix, so probably a Wednedsay and a Saturday. Do you think that's enough time or should I get a few others in between the two?

That would be perfect. They age a bit during the gap. The gap in viewing will provide the second film with a sense of reminiscing, which builds upon the themes of the movie itself. Strongly.

Ahhhhh, I remember a hugely patient and romantic tracking shot from Sunset....warms my heart.

[GLaDOS]

Watched: Ben-Hur

You know, if this was on Blu-ray I wouldn't have to do all that side flipping with the DVD I have. Still, a great epic adventure. 10/10

[Freekman]

Letters from Iwo Jima - 9/10

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Blasted .25 ratings!

i think i kinda like the .25 ratings
every once and awhile i see a film that is just a tad better than 4.5, but not deserving of a 5/5
so where does that leave me? well, 4.75 would work perfectly
i might have to start using this system.

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

i think i kinda like the .25 ratings
every once and awhile i see a film that is just a tad better than 4.5, but not deserving of a 5/5
so where does that leave me? well, 4.75 would work perfectly
i might have to start using this system.

Squid is beginning to corrupt you like he corrupted me with his .25 ratings



Just remember, when you switch over you'll have to re-evaluate each movie you've already rated here

[Sith]

She's out of your league.

I'll give it a 3/5, wasn't horrible. Wouldn't buy it, definate rental

pq was good and aq was good, nothing to complain about.