The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[Foggy]

Ok it's time for me to get critical.

Jackie Brown (AKA The Tarantino movie everyone forgets about)

I'm say it here first, this is Tarantino's smartest film, but it's also he weakest (I haven't seen Death Proof). The plot is the best part of the movie, it's a cool crime movie, if it wasn't so damn long, this is on the longer side of 2 hours and a half, there isn't a need for it to be so long, but it's the fact it's a very slow moving movie, it never really gets round to the plot until to 40-50 min mark. It spends most it's time introducing the characters, none of which are very intresting, and all do very boring things, Sam Jackson plays Sam Jackson, Robert De Niro doesn't do much, he just sits around looking happy he's in a Tarantino flick. Jackie Brown is quite a badass but she's never really given a moment to shine. And the acting is good, it's just actors aren't really stretched very far.

I think Tarantino really falters as he's adapting something which causes him to wear restraints, it doesn't have everything that makes his movies work, there is very little memorable dialogue and characters, the soundtrack isn't up to his standards, there's very little humor, which makes the film seem very downbeat and dull, and sucks the life and unpredictability that QT's movies usually have. If this was done by someone else, this could of worked, but QT just wasn't right, he tries to make everything like his usual standards, but is bogged down by source material.

I know a lot of people really like this film, some even say it's his best, and watching the first few mins I had really high hopes for it, the gun conversation with De Niro and Jackson is great. But after an hour I started to regret starting to watch this one. As it dawned on me why no one seems to talk about this movie, or remember it, it doesn't feel like a Tarantino movie and doesn't work as a Tarantino movie.

I did like the part where you saw the money laundering scheme go though step-by-step, it was the only part I felt was inspired.

6/10

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by kpkelley

To me an Epic is filmmaking on an epic scale, thousands of extras, massive sets, etc. Films like Gone With the Wind, LOA, Ben Hur, Spartacus, Titanic, Braveheart, more recently LOTR and Red Cliff.

+1

Don't forget Lean's films though: Zhivago and Arabia fit in perfectly. India is debatable, although I personally don't think it's to that level, despite it's vistas, because it's more of a personal story.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

OMG....now I get Inception. It's the most greatest Timeless Classic Epic Masterpiece of all time. They fooled me. Actually, they fooled me out of $9.00.

[Riff Magnum]

Inception was that bad huh? I'm finally seeing it next week sometime.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Riff Magnum

Spot on review, although i see no reason not to give it perfect marks all around. Seriously though, you nailed it.

Here's why it didn't get perfect marks for each category:

PQ: I gave it a 4.5 (out of 5). Many scenes over the course of 4+ were demo material, with great depth and detail. The black and white scenes also looked excellent and looked how they were supposed to. However, the other half of the movie looked very good but a bit muddled. Don't get me wrong, PQ was always excellent, but to get a perfect score from me it has to be consistent throughout or so extraordinary for most that it overtakes the weaker moments (i.e. Australia, Band of Brothers, etc.)


AQ: I gave it a 4.5. Gunshots and explosions were always solid and sounded great. Dialogue was crisp. However, it never reached the level of immersion that I look for to warrant a perfect score (i.e. Band of Brothers, Black Hawk Down).

Film: I gave it a 3 1/2 (out of 4). I found the film to always be interesting and was technically great on every level (directing, acting, cinematography, etc). However, the sense of detachment and lack of emotional involvement, while purposeful, detracted a bit from the experience and made it not a four star movie. Also, the lack of narrative structure made the film suffer a bit. I'm all for unique narratives, but this film I think needed a bit more point A to point B and a bit more clarity in doing so. I also felt that as good as Benicio was, he didn't have quite as much charisma as he should have for his role. If Cuban villagers are going to follow him into battle, there has to be some sort of hook for them doing so and I don't think that was expressed.

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by Riff Magnum

Inception was that bad huh? I'm finally seeing it next week sometime.

I thought it was good.

Not great but good. Initially I gave it a 4.5/5 but a few days later decided on a 4/5.

Its gotten a lot of 4's and 5's in its rating thread, a lot of people seem to love it (which ones are actually loving the movie and which ones are buying the hype is unknown though )


It was well worth my $4.75

[Q?]

I'm a Nolan fanboy and I expect Nolangasm

[lDlisturb3d]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

I think I'll coin the following phrase to describe this phenomenon:

Different finds for different minds!

Yeah this is true, i think i loved the movie so much because i dont wanna view every movie i watch with a note pad, im not in student film. I LIKE TO BE ENTERTAINED. Its pretty simple, come up with something original, have great acting and the special effects are just an extra!

[lDlisturb3d]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

The word epic can easily be defined as; exceeds the ordinary in size, scope and scale.

An epic film can fail at the box office, fail among critical circles, make no waves in the industry, and still be an epic.

Think epic "proportions".

Lord of the Rings is an Epic. A journey across many lands, over much time, involving many battles and many peoples.

300 is not an epic. It covers a very brief period of time, focuses on ONE group of people, in ONE battle, in basically a single location.

Proof that I am being unbiased: I love 300 and dont care for LotR.

[Show spoiler]Are you happy now weasel...I measn Diesel?

Well you knw there are many definitions to the word EPIC, and its how comprehend it.

-very imposing or impressive; surpassing the ordinary (especially in size or scale); "an epic voyage"; "of heroic proportions"; "heroic sculpture"
-epic poem: a long narrative poem telling of a hero's deeds

or how about

An epic (from the Ancient Greek adjective (epikos), from (epos) "word, story, poem") is a lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation. ...

If 300 doesn't fall into all 3 definitions then im extremely retarded!

You made a great point but these other definitions clearly put 300 in the category of EPIC

[jawsfan1975]

I just watched BATMAN FOREVER, easily the best of the first 4 Batman movies. Good sound, excellent picture quality, just let down by not being letterboxed. 7.5/10.

[tbizzle]

Originally Posted by jawsfan1975

I just watched BATMAN FOREVER, easily the best of the first 4 Batman movies. Good sound, excellent picture quality, just let down by not being letterboxed. 7.5/10.

Haha, never heard that one before. Imo, first is by far the best (and the only one I want to own), second was significantly worse, but still a cool Batman film, third was ok and fourth was bad, but fun.

[jhiggy23]

disturbed, how many of your criterions have you watched so far?

[tbizzle]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

disturbed, how many of your criterions have you watched so far?

Interested as well. I'm excited to hear what you thought about Days of Heaven.

[lDlisturb3d]

Originally Posted by tbizzle

Interested as well. I'm excited to hear what you thought about Days of Heaven.

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

disturbed, how many of your criterions have you watched so far?

None so far. Im away from home and im watching movies on a 19inch with computer speakers. I want to have the full cinematic experience when i what these films. In addition i want my wife to watch them with me. She probably wont like them being that she's into comedy's and dramaedey's

[lDlisturb3d]

I want to watch them real real bad. I might slip in watch M, Repulsion and The Seventh Seal. Im trying my best not to tho. I really liked Bejamin Button and i gave it the right treatment and as far as i can tell its the weakest in the Criterion Collection so im in for a big treat .

Now i can see what critics say are Masterpieces M, 8 1/2, Summer Hours, Yojimbo, Vivre Sa Vie, Bigger than Life. etc.

[lDlisturb3d]

Do you think i should watch them anyway being that im not in my HT? Tell me guys.

[surfdude12]

Shadow of a Doubt (DVD)

Film: 3/5
-early Hitchcock
-good but not great. uncle and niece with

[Show spoiler]incest undertones was a turn off.

However, the niece in the script is 17 y.o. yet the actress was much older, so that affected it, IMO.
-no comparison to his later works. still, entertaining and I'm probably grading him on a tougher scale, because I expect more from him than other directors

[tbizzle]

Originally Posted by lDlisturb3d

Do you think i should watch them anyway being that im not in my HT? Tell me guys.

You can watch 8 1/2, The Seventh Seal, Summer Hours and Yojimbo right away, but definitely wait to watch Days of Heaven til you're back home! Haven't seen the others so I won't comment.

I wouldn't say Benjamin Button is the weakest of the Criterions, but it's definitely the most mainstream film they've done in a while. I love it, I think it's a great film... and it's got a killer soundtrack!

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by lDlisturb3d

None so far. Im away from home and im watching movies on a 19inch with computer speakers. I want to have the full cinematic experience when i what these films. In addition i want my wife to watch them with me. She probably wont like them being that she's into comedy's and dramaedey's

I thought I remembered you reviewing some of them? I must've been mistaken. Wait...so you bought 20 Criterions and haven't seen a single one yet???

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by lDlisturb3d

Do you think i should watch them anyway being that im not in my HT? Tell me guys.

You might as well wait.