The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Romulus

A few quick reviews:

The Killing Fields

Definitely one of the best films of the 80's, in my opinion. I honestly didn't know a whole lot about the Cambodian Killing Fields going into this film. Right after I was finished watching I ran to my computer and did some more reading on the atrocities. The film is superbly acted. Haing S. Ngor is one of two non-professional actors to win the Academy Award, and deservedly so. I think the cinematography captures South East Asia better than most films about Vietnam/Cambodia, sole exception being Apocalypse Now.

8.5/10

Blade Runner

I think the more times you watch this film the better it gets. I thought it was one of the most overrated films of all time on my first viewing. Over the years I've become to appreciate Scott's vision. I actually think this is one of Harrison Ford's better performances. As a whole I think he's a pretty stagnant actor that doesn't show a whole lot of range. Also, as dated as the soundtrack is I still enjoyed it.

8/10

The Messenger

This was and still is my favorite film of 2009. I was a little unsure watching it this evening if I would enjoy it as much as I did in theaters. Each and every time they notify a family that their son/daughter has been killed I get major chills. There are two films last year that covered the War in Iraq, The Messenger and The Hurt Locker. I feel that The Messenger is the better film. I connect more with this story because it deals with a different and unique perspective to the war. Woody Harrelson definitely deserved a Best Supporting Actor nomination and I think an argument could have been made for Ben Foster and Samantha Morton. Overall I love how everything played off in the end.

8/10

I like the Messenger a lot, but come on it can't be rated the same as arguably the two best films of the 80s! The Killing Fields is without a doubt one of the top 3 films of the 80s, prob along with Blade Runner and Raging Bull. Imo, it's clearly the best film of the 80s, although I still have to see Amadeus. It's even sadder that Ngor was murdered in in LA because he refused to hand over the locket that contained the photo of his deceased wife.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

Revanche (netflix streaming)
(sorry jhiggy, didn't see your post about the PQ till i finished watching the film )

first things first: damn it jhiggy, surf, and squid. you guys and your brilliant recommendations are really screwing with my mind and my favorites list pretty brutally lately. first it was The Lives of Others which has skyrocketed up to the #2 spot possibly () and now Revanche. i don't know where exactly it is "number wise" but it certainly will grow on me in the coming days.

to be honest, after the first 30 or so minutes, i was not into this film at all. i wasn't really interested in the story or the characters, very little was happening and i just didn't seem to "get it". hell, i was this close to turning it off and trying again at a later date. but, i decided to keep with it.

holy jebus i'm glad i did.

but, i don't really understand why i enjoyed the film so much. after the first 45-50 minutes, it's a completely different film in feel, setting, structure and tension. i completely forgot how the film began until it ended and i began thinking about it. don't know if that's technically good or bad, but either way i've rarely had that happen before.

but, man oh man, the thing i can't shake is that

[Show spoiler]NOTHING HAPPENS! for about 20 minutes it seems like we see Alex chop wood and chop wood and chop wood in between looking at Tamara's picture, and sitting at the lake

but i don't hate the film for that. i don't dislike it for what it is. i actually really love it and at times was like, entranced by it. it suddenly became a very emotionally driven story. little dialogue. little action. little forward progression - it seems on the surface. but the underlying tension and connection between the characters of Alex and Robert. the fact that

[Show spoiler]both men must live with essentially the same consequences. in a sense Robert and Alex are both equally responsible for Tamara's death. she didn't need to be in the car, like she and Robert said. she wasn't along with the robbery, so why have her along? if i was Robert that would drive me crazy as well. and Alex, has to live with the fact that he wanted her along in the car and said she would be fine. that would also drive me to the breaking point. you can completely understand both men's situations and see how much they care.

few films can pull off the

[Show spoiler]regret and guilt

as well as Revanche does. and the main story-arc being

[Show spoiler]revenge / vengeance, and when does a man attempt to get it? but what does that get you?

it is subtle though i believe and slowly builds up until you can't look away from it. genius? yes dammit, yes!

and then the relationship dynamic between

[Show spoiler]Alex and Susanne

, which at first i didn't really find all that believable, but it has grown on me since i finished the film. the

[Show spoiler]ending was almost haunting as she figures out that the girl that her husband killed is the girl who was with the robber... who is Alex... who she slept with and is now pregnant with his baby, to make her husband happy thinking it is theirs and that he can have children...

all i can say is that makes my head spin in a wild panic thinking about all that and how the layers build on top of each other slowly but surely.

i was thinking of giving Revanche 5/5, and maybe in time with repeated viewing and more hours of thought behind it i will, but i still feel the opening act was off and not as layered or well structured as the rest of the film, and the lingering of the first hour had me a little ansy. but the second half / third act are incredibly remarkable. i almost thought surfdude was crazy when he said i'd love Revanche, but damn him, he was right!

oh, and about the ending:

[Show spoiler]i think the film should've ended with Alex and Susanne at the table, both holding massive life changing guilty secrets over each other, but was the final scene supposed to show us that he was still living on the farm many months later?

i don't know the exact time the film took place in (season wise) but it definitely

[Show spoiler]seemed different in the final shot. so i took it to mean that they had both kept their screts, and that Alex was never caught and that he was now living a quiet, solitary life on the farm, and that his grandfather had probably passed away and he was keeping it going for him.

if i'm wrong though let me know. but if that's what it means / shows, then i'm more than satisfied with how it ended.

4.75/5

I think you're right about the ending

[Show spoiler]although Alex doesn't seem to care much if he's arrested, due to his guilt. But I think you're def right

[Show spoiler]the fact that nothing happens is one of the great things about the film because there is still the tension that something might happen.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by LordoftheRings

Film: 2/5
Picture: 3.25/5
Sound: 4/5
Extras: 1/5
Overall: 2/5

* Last comment: ...And I felt I was generous! Save yourself the trouble, and watch "Zombieland" instead.

This is considered the second best in the series and actually had talk of an Oscar nom at one point! How could you "generously" rate it a 2?? I take it you prob didn't like the other films, in which case your rating is understandable. If you did like the other films, then your rating is very confusing.

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

now time for Mulholland Dr.!!!!! - EDIT: nevermind, the disc i rented is scratched! can't get past the 27 minute mark!

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[Steve46]

One of the films often mentioned here, 12 Angry Men, is on TCM at 8pm ET tonight for those interested.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by steve46

one of the films often mentioned here, 12 angry men, is on tcm at 8pm et tonight for those interested.

Thanks! Pretty safe to say I love the film.

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

I like the Messenger a lot, but come on it can't be rated the same as arguably the two best films of the 80s! The Killing Fields is without a doubt one of the top 3 films of the 80s, prob along with Blade Runner and Raging Bull. Imo, it's clearly the best film of the 80s, although I still have to see Amadeus. It's even sadder that Ngor was murdered in in LA because he refused to hand over the locket that contained the photo of his deceased wife.

Actually, yes it can, because he obviously doesn't think as highly of Blade Runner as you and a lot of others even though he does like it better now. I may give the film a second chance someday, but I watched it streaming on Netflix either earlier this year or sometime last year and didn't like it very much. I would rate it much lower than some movies that aren't considered anywhere near as good. Hey, at least I love Serenity and recently mentioned it in the name 1 movie that people probably don't own thread.

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Thanks! Pretty safe to say I love the film.

Your wish list says it all.

It's No. 73 on my all time list. Excellent tension created through dialogue and camera angles and all set in one room.

Anyone curious should invest 95 minutes to check it out

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Steve46

Your wish list says it all.

It's No. 73 on my all time list. Excellent tension created through dialogue and camera angles and all set in one room.

Anyone curious should invest 95 minutes to check it out

Very specific! So I take it you have a full hundred list in order? If so, it'd be cool to see it.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by killowertz

Actually, yes it can, because he obviously doesn't think as highly of Blade Runner as you and a lot of others even though he does like it better now. I may give the film a second chance someday, but I watched it streaming on Netflix either earlier this year or sometime last year and didn't like it very much. I would rate it much lower than some movies that aren't considered anywhere near as good. Hey, at least I love Serenity and recently mentioned it in the name 1 movie that people probably don't own thread.

haha I was more joking than anything, especially since I give Blade Runner 3 stars and The Messenger 3 1/2 (out of 4), which makes me a hypocrite! Blade Runner is a good film but it's not one I love. I have a great deal of respect for it and I think it's wonderful thematically. The Killing Fields I give basically the only rating you could give for the film, 4 stars (out of 4)

And I'm a big fan of Serenity.

[Q?]

Originally Posted by Romulus

Blade Runner

I think the more times you watch this film the better it gets. I thought it was one of the most overrated films of all time on my first viewing. Over the years I've become to appreciate Scott's vision. I actually think this is one of Harrison Ford's better performances. As a whole I think he's a pretty stagnant actor that doesn't show a whole lot of range. Also, as dated as the soundtrack is I still enjoyed it.

8/10

Glad you enjoyed the soundtrack, but I think you're wrong (imo of course) when you say it's dated, the end credit song I can agree to is pure 80's. Just not the rest, yes there are synthesizers, but the music itself is timeless to me. Anyways, this happens to be my favourite soundtrack ever, so I jump at the chance of any comment.
The movie is a 10/10 for me btw.

[Romulus]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

I like the Messenger a lot, but come on it can't be rated the same as arguably the two best films of the 80s! The Killing Fields is without a doubt one of the top 3 films of the 80s, prob along with Blade Runner and Raging Bull. Imo, it's clearly the best film of the 80s, although I still have to see Amadeus. It's even sadder that Ngor was murdered in in LA because he refused to hand over the locket that contained the photo of his deceased wife.

Well I generally rate films on a scale to 5. Yet for some reason on this site I always rate out of 10. So I would rate all of them 4/5 everywhere else. I think The Messenger was the best film of 2009 for myself.

The Killing Fields and Blade Runner are among my favorites from the 80's along with Amadeus, The Elephant Man, and a few others.

[ajvdbg]

The Incredible Hulk 3.5/5
Great PQ and AQ - love the park scene!

Lost in Translation on DVD - 4.5/5
Great screenplay with excellent acting....

[Downhere]

Toy Story 3 - 10/10

Just a perfect ending to a great trilogy. It's amazing how much heart and humor is stuffed in this film. Just awesome.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Romulus

Well I generally rate films on a scale to 5. Yet for some reason on this site I always rate out of 10. So I would rate all of them 4/5 everywhere else. I think The Messenger was the best film of 2009 for myself.

The Killing Fields and Blade Runner are among my favorites from the 80's along with Amadeus, The Elephant Man, and a few others.

Yeah, I get ya. Even when films have the same rating, it shouldn't really be an issue. When rating a film you should rate the film itself, and not compare it to other films. That's a rule that Ebert and others subscribe to. Thus, just because Inception got a 4 star rating from Ebert doesn't mean it's better than The Lives of Others or Apocalypse Now (two other films he gave four stars to), it just means it has the same rating.

[AKORIS]

THE WOLFMAN

first of all let me say that I'm a huge fan of older horror films from the classic Universal titles to the Hammer series--

with that being said I was hoping that this troubled production would at least turn out decent. I was truly surprised to see how good this movie turned out!
Multiple delays and post production reshoots almost always mean a bad movie-- this one was an exception to the rule.
Beautifully shot with wonderful atmosphere this movie delivers what I enjoyed so much about the older films. Not since SLEEPY HOLLOW has there been such a delightfully visual horror flick (ie--the backdrops of the European countryside, fog and mist, dark forrests, etc etc-- loved it!)
The effects were excellent-- I was very worried about fakey CGI but they did it right-- no ridiculous jumping up and down like a ping pong ball for the wolfman (think VAN HELSING) and no cartoonish transformation scenes.
The gore was a bit overdone and a twist at the end was something that I would have decided against but I can forgive both in such an enjoyable film--

4/5

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Steve46

Your wish list says it all.

It's No. 73 on my all time list. Excellent tension created through dialogue and camera angles and all set in one room.

Anyone curious should invest 95 minutes to check it out

i already have this higher up on my queue, but this description really has me intrigued.

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

i already have this higher up on my queue, but this description really has me intrigued.

See it free tonight on TCM with no ads if you have that channel. I like a lot of Sidney Lumet films and this is one of the best I have seen.

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

I think you're right about the ending

[Show spoiler]although Alex doesn't seem to care much if he's arrested, due to his guilt. But I think you're def right

[Show spoiler]the fact that nothing happens is one of the great things about the film because there is still the tension that something might happen.

i forgot to put it in my review, so i'll just put it here. i agree entirely about the

[Show spoiler]tension and anticipation if something will happen.

every time Alex and Robert would pass each other on the path or by the lake, i would be all sorts of and wondering what was going to happpen. and then, with the interactions of the characters, it lead to more sinister possibilities. the whole time it was like waiting to see when Alex was going to lose it / or slip up and have Robert figure out who he is.

great, great stuff.

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Steve46

See it free tonight on TCM with no ads if you have that channel. I like a lot of Sidney Lumet films and this is one of the best I have seen.

once again that damn thing we all need to survive, i think it's called a "job", gets in the way of what i actually want to do so i won't be able to watch it tonight. blast!