The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

The Godfather

i've been thinking all day about The Godfather...

i watched it last night / into this morning for the very first time. and jotted some notes down along the way. then, instead of writing a review right away, i slept on it. woke up today, and started thinking about it, and just recently finished it a second time. although mainly to refresh my memory as i was working on other stuff, but i was listening and diligently taking notes.

but at the end of the day, if you were to ask me, "do you like The Godfather?" my answer would be, "no".

it's not a badly made film of course, i just found it a bit tedious, extremely drawn out and at times boring. it's a film where there's a lot to pay attention to and a lot of details (mainly names and faces you have to remember) and i found myself constantly rewinding and watching scenes over again because i found myself just zoning out.

held my attention it did not.

and i love slow burning movies. about 80% of my personal favorites probably fall into that "slow burner" category, but this just didn't do anything for me. and not to get anyone riled up, but the technical side of things didn't wow me either.

the atmosphere / cinematography? yeah, those i enjoyed and were great.
the directing? i didn't find anything to special about it or anything that made me go, "wow, that was directed really well". maybe i'm just NSE in that department.

and in the acting department. i didn't find anything that stood out as terrible acting (a few obnoxious, at times laughably over-exaggerated scenes maybe), but nothing that made me stand up and take notice. maybe because it's from a different era i don't see what most see. and maybe because i haven't seen that many films from before 1980 i don't understand or comprehend how advanced The Godfather was / is. but either way, when the credits rolled i said to myself the following things:

* "i guess i enjoyed it. glad i finally watched what many consider to be one of the best movies of all time"

* "i have absolutely no interest in seeing the sequels"

* "thank god i rented this instead of buying the trilogy!"

maybe The Godfather and mob / mafia movies just aren't my cup of tea. no matter what
i wasn't a huge fan of The Departed (3.5/5), or GoodFellas (3/5) and have no interest in Donnie Brasco and other movies of the same caliber.

if i had a "one and done" collection (i may have to start one just for fun ) The Godfather would definitely be on it.

simply put, nothing clicked with me, won me over, or made me take notice.

3/5

What is happening to you???? haha

[jhiggy23]

Room in Rome (IFC HD on demand)


Film: 4 stars (out of 4)


The most notorious film of 2010, Julio Medem's explicitly graphic film about two women who spend the night in a lavish room in Rome.

This is an exceptional film and I'm currently watching it for the second time in a row, which I honestly can't remember the last time I've done. The acting in this film is fantastic, with the woman who plays Alba being someone I will be watching out for in the future, as her performance is one of the finest I've seen recently. The direction and cinematography are top notch, as was the case with Medem's previous film Sex and Lucia. Every scene is meticulously crafted, emulating famous paintings or being very artistically created. The depth of the symbols seen in the film is extensive.

A lot has been made about the graphic sexual nature of this film and the fact that the entire film takes place in the hotel room, with 99% of the film involving the two characters being completely nude. The sex scenes are also very graphic. Gratuitous? Some might argue this, although it was argued in Sex and Lucia too. I disagree with both claims--in both films there's a point to the sex and the nudity.

While some may dismiss this film as simply intending to shock people with its graphic sexual nature, these people are narrow minded and did not pay attention to the film. The dialogue is eloquent and the characters are complex and deep. This is a poignant film. The stories of the two characters are involving and make you care for them.

Can't say enough about this film and it's truly too bad that the blu-ray, which comes out in two weeks, will be region B locked. This and Sin Nombre alone are making me get a region free player.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

The Godfather


3/5

Hey, at the end of the day, its just a movie, and not everyone is going to like it. I'm a little surprised that you didn't like it -- but give you a heads up for being honest enough in your review. Many would say they liked it just to avoid criticism, as its arguably the most acclaimed film ever. Stick to your guns and dont sway based on the herd -- great review from that standpoint.

From your review, I didn't get what you didn't like about it, other than you just felt it generally boring and didn't generate much traction with you. It seems that you don't like the mafia genre at all -- which is fine. Is it a moral obstacle to organized crime you have, which some have? Otherwise, do you find the organized crime/mafia personality fascinating? Most do I would argue, hence the wide praise for Godfather/Goodfellas/etc. There is a kind of unspoken adoration of the brute force of this type, coupled with the style and attitude. I ask these questions because your review seems to me to be a confirmation that you just don't like the genre (i.e., its not a Godfather problem, its a genre problem)?

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

What is happening to you???? haha

i have no idea!

Originally Posted by surfdude12

Hey, at the end of the day, its just a movie, and not everyone is going to like it. I'm a little surprised that you didn't like it -- but give you a heads up for being honest enough in your review. Many would say they liked it just to avoid criticism, as its arguably the most acclaimed film ever. Stick to your guns and dont sway based on the herd -- great review from that standpoint.

From your review, I didn't get what you didn't like about it, other than you just felt it generally boring and didn't generate much traction with you. It seems that you don't like the mafia genre at all -- which is fine. Is it a moral obstacle to organized crime you have, which some have? Otherwise, do you find the organized crime/mafia personality fascinating? Most do I would argue, hence the wide praise for Godfather/Goodfellas/etc. There is a kind of unspoken adoration of the brute force of this type, coupled with the style and attitude. I ask these questions because your review seems to me to be a confirmation that you just don't like the genre (i.e., its not a Godfather problem, its a genre problem)?

i think it could be one of the following, all of the following, or a mix of the following:

1. i'm an only child, and not really close with my family. and mafia / mobster movies usually have a tight knit group and family setting where family is very important and everyone has their role in the organization. so maybe subconsciously i don't understand that as much as other people would? of course being it's the mafia no one knows for sure, but i'd think for someone who grows up with a family setting and / or brothers and sisters, they know what "role" they play in the family and how they have to stay in bounds. i've never had that or understood it because that's not what i grew up with.

that probably sounds foolish?

2. i do have a fascination with the genre, but it seems i'm just not a fan of the movies of the genre. i remember being in school when i was younger and HEARING about cool mafia movies and mafia types so maybe the movies let me down because subconsciously i expected something different? even though The Departed, The Godfather and GoodFellas are all very different styles of mafia / mobster movies, they just don't win me over.

3. maybe i just wasn't ready for a 180 minute movie? i know some movies you just can't watch and enjoy while in a certain state of mind, so maybe i watched The Godfather while in a "bad" mood, and will need to try again later. i don't think my score will change a whole lot with a viewing later on (if i would), and i'm not going to use my mood as a reason for scoring it as i did, but i know that has effected my enjoyment of watching movies before (think we've all been there).

[jhiggy23]

Can't...get...Room...In...Rome...out...of...my...h ead.........

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

i have no idea!



i think it could be one of the following, all of the following, or a mix of the following:

1. i'm an only child, and not really close with my family. and mafia / mobster movies usually have a tight knit group and family setting where family is very important and everyone has their role in the organization. so maybe subconsciously i don't understand that as much as other people would? of course being it's the mafia no one knows for sure, but i'd think for someone who grows up with a family setting and / or brothers and sisters, they know what "role" they play in the family and how they have to stay in bounds. i've never had that or understood it because that's not what i grew up with.

that probably sounds foolish?

interesting. never thought of it from this angle. yes, family is huge, particularly in Godfather. Not so much in other mob movies I've seen. I can't comment on your situation as it'd be pure speculation but in my case - 1 sis and close to my dad/mom, it may have caused me to like GF more, but honestly, i don't think it mattered for me. no, doesn't sound foolish! logically it makes sense: in GF the family bond-ties are huge, so I can understand if you related only somewhat

2. i do have a fascination with the genre, but it seems i'm just not a fan of the movies of the genre. i remember being in school when i was younger and HEARING about cool mafia movies and mafia types so maybe the movies let me down because subconsciously i expected something different? even though The Departed, The Godfather and GoodFellas are all very different styles of mafia / mobster movies, they just don't win me over.

yeah, the expectation game again I wish I was taught mafia stuff in school Yeah, this may have played a role too.

3. maybe i just wasn't ready for a 180 minute movie? i know some movies you just can't watch and enjoy while in a certain state of mind, so maybe i watched The Godfather while in a "bad" mood, and will need to try again later. i don't think my score will change a whole lot with a viewing later on (if i would), and i'm not going to use my mood as a reason for scoring it as i did, but i know that has effected my enjoyment of watching movies before (think we've all been there).

or maybe...you just didn't dig the movie which is cool! by all means watch it again when you feel up to it -- as its probably worth another 1-2 viewings just based on its stature

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Can't...get...Room...In...Rome...out...of...my...h ead.........

nice review. seems like we're both captivated with films involving 2 girls hanging out in a bedroom. you with this film and me with Mulholland Drive

[Show spoiler]dont worry - i read the review: its not just about the naughty-naked-chicks covered in sheets , there is deep themes underneath it all ..LOL

I'll look into this one. thanks!

[lDlisturb3d]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

The Godfather

i've been thinking all day about The Godfather...

i watched it last night / into this morning for the very first time. and jotted some notes down along the way. then, instead of writing a review right away, i slept on it. woke up today, and started thinking about it, and just recently finished it a second time. although mainly to refresh my memory as i was working on other stuff, but i was listening and diligently taking notes.

but at the end of the day, if you were to ask me, "do you like The Godfather?" my answer would be, "no".

it's not a badly made film of course, i just found it a bit tedious, extremely drawn out and at times boring. it's a film where there's a lot to pay attention to and a lot of details (mainly names and faces you have to remember) and i found myself constantly rewinding and watching scenes over again because i found myself just zoning out.

held my attention it did not.

and i love slow burning movies. about 80% of my personal favorites probably fall into that "slow burner" category, but this just didn't do anything for me. and not to get anyone riled up, but the technical side of things didn't wow me either.

the atmosphere / cinematography? yeah, those i enjoyed and were great.
the directing? i didn't find anything to special about it or anything that made me go, "wow, that was directed really well". maybe i'm just NSE in that department.

and in the acting department. i didn't find anything that stood out as terrible acting (a few obnoxious, at times laughably over-exaggerated scenes maybe), but nothing that made me stand up and take notice. maybe because it's from a different era i don't see what most see. and maybe because i haven't seen that many films from before 1980 i don't understand or comprehend how advanced The Godfather was / is. but either way, when the credits rolled i said to myself the following things:

* "i guess i enjoyed it. glad i finally watched what many consider to be one of the best movies of all time"

* "i have absolutely no interest in seeing the sequels"

* "thank god i rented this instead of buying the trilogy!"

maybe The Godfather and mob / mafia movies just aren't my cup of tea. no matter what
i wasn't a huge fan of The Departed (3.5/5), or GoodFellas (3/5) and have no interest in Donnie Brasco and other movies of the same caliber.

if i had a "one and done" collection (i may have to start one just for fun ) The Godfather would definitely be on it.

simply put, nothing clicked with me, won me over, or made me take notice.

3/5

Dude u r loosing it! The Godfather is the best mob movie ever made! This is one of those movie that critics and other viewers agree on it's originality and overall impact on films! This makes me wonder what do u look for in movies? Or better yet what inpresses u?

[iam1bearcat]

i know it's off topic, and i'm sure there are 2,000,000 threads about it, but i don't feel like digging through all the threads to re-hash an older one, so i would like to place my post here it doesn't have to lead to discussion or debates, i just wanted to throw this out here because i want to share it will my fellow blu-ray.com movie seekers.

as of October 9, 2010: My 20 Favorite Films

[Show spoiler]1. Fight Club
2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
3. The Lives of Others
4. There Will Be Blood
5. Solaris (2002)
6. The Blair Witch Project
7. (500) Days of Summer
8. Zodiac
9. Moon
10. The Mist
11. Revanche
12. 2001: A Space Odyssey
13. Magnolia
14. Fargo
15. Garden State
16. Michael Clayton
17. Punch Drunk Love
18. Requiem for a Dream
19. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
20. The Last Kiss

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by lDlisturb3d

Dude u r loosing it! The Godfather is the best mob movie ever made! This is one of those movie that critics and other viewers agree on it's originality and overall impact on films! This makes me wonder what do u look for in movies? Or better yet what inpresses u?

Not everyone is going to enjoy every movie

Critical praise is completely irrelevant (to me at least).

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

The Godfather

i've been thinking all day about The Godfather...

i watched it last night / into this morning for the very first time. and jotted some notes down along the way. then, instead of writing a review right away, i slept on it. woke up today, and started thinking about it, and just recently finished it a second time. although mainly to refresh my memory as i was working on other stuff, but i was listening and diligently taking notes.

but at the end of the day, if you were to ask me, "do you like The Godfather?" my answer would be, "no".

it's not a badly made film of course, i just found it a bit tedious, extremely drawn out and at times boring. it's a film where there's a lot to pay attention to and a lot of details (mainly names and faces you have to remember) and i found myself constantly rewinding and watching scenes over again because i found myself just zoning out.

held my attention it did not.

and i love slow burning movies. about 80% of my personal favorites probably fall into that "slow burner" category, but this just didn't do anything for me. and not to get anyone riled up, but the technical side of things didn't wow me either.

the atmosphere / cinematography? yeah, those i enjoyed and were great.
the directing? i didn't find anything to special about it or anything that made me go, "wow, that was directed really well". maybe i'm just NSE in that department.

and in the acting department. i didn't find anything that stood out as terrible acting (a few obnoxious, at times laughably over-exaggerated scenes maybe), but nothing that made me stand up and take notice. maybe because it's from a different era i don't see what most see. and maybe because i haven't seen that many films from before 1980 i don't understand or comprehend how advanced The Godfather was / is. but either way, when the credits rolled i said to myself the following things:

* "i guess i enjoyed it. glad i finally watched what many consider to be one of the best movies of all time"

* "i have absolutely no interest in seeing the sequels"

* "thank god i rented this instead of buying the trilogy!"

maybe The Godfather and mob / mafia movies just aren't my cup of tea. no matter what
i wasn't a huge fan of The Departed (3.5/5), or GoodFellas (3/5) and have no interest in Donnie Brasco and other movies of the same caliber.

if i had a "one and done" collection (i may have to start one just for fun ) The Godfather would definitely be on it.

simply put, nothing clicked with me, won me over, or made me take notice.

3/5

There are many, many reasons people adore this film... there is no exact in a nutshell answer for why it is deemed brilliant. If you didn't care for it, it's not like your supposed to . One of its biggest strengths is the acting. We get some of the finest performances from an ensemble cast, Marlon Brando in particular. And although it's not likely to be noted upon first viewing, some scenes are timeless, cinematic classics.

[Show spoiler]Such as the horse's head scene, or the baptism scene with the hits being carried out simultaneously-- filmed, edited, and acted to absolute perfection.

[lDlisturb3d]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Not everyone is going to enjoy every movie

Critical praise is completely irrelevant (to me at least).

yeah you're right. Im just curious in his taste.

[CZAR]

Hurt - This was a low budget version of the Orphan but with a different twist and not nearly as good. It was a yawner to say the least. Took forever to get goin and when it did they played it safe. Ok film at best but didnt really care for it.

Film Rating - 2 1/2 stars (out of 5)

Got Em!!

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

nice review. seems like we're both captivated with films involving 2 girls hanging out in a bedroom. you with this film and me with Mulholland Drive

[Show spoiler]dont worry - i read the review: its not just about the naughty-naked-chicks covered in sheets , there is deep themes underneath it all ..LOL

I'll look into this one. thanks!

Still gotta see that!

[Batman1980]

Armageddon 4/5
PQ 5/5
AQ 5/5
To think I actually used to hate Liv Tyler...so hot.

[lDlisturb3d]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

i get the feeling someone has a problem with someone's opinion...

i do feel like Cars is the weakest Pixar movie but its still a 4/5. Here is what i think of the amazing pixar studio

A Bugs Life 4.5/5
Cars 4/5
Monsters INC. 5/5
Ratatouille 5/5 My Favorite!!!!
Toy Story 5/5
Toy Story 2 4.5/5
Toy Story 3 5/5
Up 5/5 2nd Favorite
Wall E 5/5 One of the Greats. Just not my favorite.

oh never mind the fact that all pixar movies are reference!!!! I love Disney Pixar!!!!

[lDlisturb3d]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Yes! That is an awesome story!

Dude for a minute i thought i was the only living guy that loved this movie. I really hope they release this on blu. They released Lonesome Dove (T.V. Mini Series) so i hope they give this movie some love or i'll just continue to watch it on DVD

[lDlisturb3d]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Didnt work fo me either. It was too dreary with all the characters being weasels.

Yeah im returning this to Blockbuster and getting another movie for 6.99

[lDlisturb3d]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

CHILDREN OF MEN

[Show spoiler]
first time viewing

i probably should love Children of Men more than i do.

original story? check.
bleak outlook on humanity? check.
dystopian sci-fi future where extinction appears imminent? check.
great performances? check.

while Children of Men gets a lot right, once it was over i knew it wasn't nearly 5/5 material, but it's still a damn good film and that's all that really matters.

the story of Children of Men is quite simple: the year is 2027, and set in the United Kingdom. but the entire world is facing the same problem: all females, all races are facing infertility. this has caused dozens of problems: from war, political uprisings, environmental issues, and small groups of cult like behaving citizens taking the law into their own hands. frightening to think if this would happen, what would our own, already pretty messed up and constantly destroyed world turn into?

however, hope is found in that a young woman named Kee turns out to be pregnant. but another issue is that she is a "fugee" - an illegal immigrant. she, and the group she is with, believes the government will take her baby, kill her and say the baby came from someone else. this leads to numerous other issues, because trust is a very hard thing to come by.

i loved how right off the bat you get to fill in the blanks of this world by yourself. the film starts with learning that the youngest person in the world has been killed. this has shaken up the community, and we quickly learn why. but also we learn information from newspaper clippings, tv news clips in buses and the constant graffiti and chaos in the cities.

i also love the atmosphere, cinematography, and the feel of the film. it feels gritty, looks bleak and is simply a dismal film to watch because there's barely anything good going on. there isn't much of a score, and there doesn't need to be. the film works and is beautifully layered with constant screamings, haunting silence, gun fire, chaos and the always underlying rumble of citizens causing issues. but the visuals can also be stomach turning. seeing people in cages and in "refugee camps" will certainly make connections to Concentration camps. at least for me it did. and thinking the world could suddenly, in any way be similar to that terrible time is history is completely depressing. and i think the film did this on purpose to how that no matter how far we've come, we're simply one problem away from being exactly where we were decades ago. and that applies to anything humanities history.

i enjoyed the camera work at times because of its distinct feel. there is camera movement, but it's usually just one camera. makes the film feel more real and more personal. it reminded me a lot of 28 Days Later both in camera work and the cinematography and atmosphere of the films. both are very bleak, but in very different ways.

i also enjoyed the original story. most stories of human extinction are either an asteroid killing us all instantly (Armageddon, Deep Impact), a virus escaping (28 Days Later, Outbreak), or some natural disaster or something close to that (the movie with the volcano, The Day After Tomorrow) or the horror route (zombies). but this? this is a slow death. this is a death that doesn't suddenly come like a gun shot to the head (quick death), this is like a shot to the knee, hand, elbow or thigh (slow death).

and maybe i've played MGS4 too much, but the third act in the refugee camp while Theo and Kee are trying to escape really felt a lot like MGS4. maybe MGS4 took away something from Children of Men? no idea, but the destroyed buildings, government forces attacking small militia groups, had a very reminiscent feel to it.

one haunting scene of hope in particular is near the end when

[Show spoiler]the military comes into one of the destroyed buildings and see Kee with her baby. they stop firing and you can sense that they all know that there is hope. because as different as people are either from race, sex, religion or place they live, it's a baby for the first time in 18 years

and they all know what that means.

the film also seems to get darker and darker, bleaker and bleaker as it continues on. could be exhausting for some to view this.

i don't really have any complaints with the film. a few pacing issues, and 2 instances where the film suddenly tries to be funny and lighthearted don't really work well when it suddenly gets grim again. aside from that, no major complaints that i made note of.

worthy of a rental for sure. probably won't be buying this though, but glad i finally saw it

4/5

[lDlisturb3d]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Yeah, personally I gave it a 3.5/5 (whereas I gave the original 4/5). Parts of the remake are very close to the original, and it does use some cliches (like using sudden jabs of music to make you jump! ), but I thought it had some cool parts.

It depends on how critical you are.

Dude you should try to become a Critic. I'd follow your reviews because you are very open minded about allot of movies! Theres nothing wrong with us have minute things we dont like but you are very open and could connect with a wider range of people.