The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[iam1bearcat]

Watchmen: The Director's Cut

i can't believe i just spent 179 minutes on this
i could've watched The Fountain two more times during that span! and definitely should have.

i didn't hate the film, even thought those opening sentences sure make it seem like i did. but i just found it very uneven in almost every aspect:

some scenes i loved. some scenes i found boring, drawn out and uninteresting.
some characters i loved (Dr. Manhattan, which may be the coolest comic character i've yet to learn about ) and some characters i didn't care at all for (Adrian / Ozymandias).
some songs chosen i thought were perfect. and some songs seemed incredibly out of place and didn't fit the mood.

i didn't read the comics / books so i have no idea how close / real / great the adaptation is compared to those things. the acting by the cast i didn't have an issue with and while i liked most of Snyder's directing, i really felt he was trying to over-do it here. there was way too much flash and not nearly enough substance. i didn't like that.

visually it looks great on blu and i'd give it a 5/5 easy. no complaints.
sound wise, i found it to be kind of a pain in the ass. with the gf sleeping, i had to keep adjusting the volume because some characters talk so quietly and then BAM! something gets shot or smashed over here and then suddenly... back to quiet. quite aggravating. but i guess that's just because someone was sleeping. but dialogue still seemed low to me at times. 4.5/5

i really liked the first 90-120 minutes. the atmosphere was great. but after that 2 hour mark, the atmosphere really felt like it fell apart and the whole movie kind of changed. the pace was still as slow as a snail smothered in crazy glue slugging its way over freshly paved black top that hasn't dried yet, but the world in Watchmen suddenly didn't feel as dark and grimy as it started out with.

i also wasn't a big fan of the ending.
it definitely was a let down and i was left about the entire film once it was (finally) over.

i'll probably never revisit this again, and glad i rented and didn't blind buy.
i'm not a big comic book / superhero fan to begin with, but i went in with an open mind, and i was interested in the world and story and loved how unique and frightening it started, but was way too long and deflated as it continued on.

3.5/5

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Diesel

I think I might be the only person in the world who didn't either love or hate the film

I gave it a 3.5/5 I think. It was interesting, and Hugh Jackman was great in it, but it just wasn't my cup of tea I suppose (which nothing is, because I don't like tea ).

I might revisit it one day down the road and see what I think then.

@ your "because i don't like tea" comment
yeah, i didn't really fully digest the story or dive in to all the themes and meanings (at least i tried not to) but because there was so much i loved (score, set design, acting, story, atmosphere, directing...) and i have had it stuck in my head ever since it finished, i knew it was a 5/5 and over time that will only get stronger.

definitely check it out again sometime, definitely worth it

Originally Posted by surfdude12

sorry to hear about the DVD, and full-screen?? Yikes! As if the DVD news wasnt bad enough!

great theory about

[Show spoiler]the "real world" and "Spanish world" co-existing. I don't think I've ever heard that theory, or that Weisz is basically transcribing the Spanish World (that does exist) but can't finish it and needs Jackman to, such as perhaps going there and learning whatever he needs to learn about the (real) SPanish world to do so.

I won't even begin to give an explanation on this film -- Jhiggy and Squid have already provided more than I ever could in the Fountain thread

here is a great post from Jhiggy: (feel free not to read it if you still want to develop your own interpretation, not a bad idea. your call)
https://forum.blu-ray.com/blu-ray-mo...ml#post2163866

EDIT: Unlike Squid, who was impacted when he watched the film, this film HIT ME HARD as I was reading some of these explanation posts about it. I'll be reading Jhiggy's or Squid's theory and suddenly something clicks, and the entire movie that I just watched hits me like a ton of bricks and I think "HOLY S#$#$#*%" Not all films are like that for me, but some are.

yeah, the DVD was a bummer. and because of the awesome visuals / set design, i can't wait till this arrives from amazon (hopefully monday ) so i can digest this as i'm supposed to see it.

as for my theory, i think it's kind of shot to dust:

[Show spoiler]tbizzle told me that the 3 story lines all take place in certain years, but i guess since the Spanish world is "the past" Izzi could be seeing that as an 'afterlife' type deal, so i guess it still could apply

and leave it to me to think of something completely unheard of before. i don't know if that's good or bad

i think i'll wait on that post from jhiggy. i'll certainly read it in time, but i think for now, i'm gonna let it sink in. watch it a few more times, and then once it sinks in fully, then i'll have my brain exploded by whatever that post contains

ooohhhh i love when things suddenly click and connect. love films that have that ability as well. i wish there were more of them

and i blind bought Vanilla Sky today as well (on dvd of course). looking forward to finally seeing that

[Batman1980]

What I want to know is how Sound of Music isn't in IMDb's top 250. Are you kidding me? It's one of the 100 best movies of all-time, the thing even won 5 Oscars back when Oscars actually meant something and it can't even make an Internet site's top movie list?

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Stormcrow

What I want to know is how Sound of Music isn't in IMDb's top 250. Are you kidding me? It's one of the 100 best movies of all-time, the thing even won 5 Oscars back when Oscars actually meant something and it can't even make an Internet site's top movie list?

i haven't seen Sound of Music in a very long time, but i don't believe it has the following:

1) large explosions!
2) Harrison Ford!
3) CGI!
4) swearing!
5) nudity!
6) people breaking s***!
7) shaky cam and / or quick cuts!
8) a crappy sequel!
9) made within the last 30 years!

and those are all requirements for the imdb top 250

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

The Fountain

[Show spoiler]
first viewing.

note, the video store had what i found out was a DVD in a blu-ray case so i had to watch this on "that" format. and it was freaking full screen so i was a little unhappy, but we still watched it anyway.

i'll start this off simply with some smilies and facing expressions i had during the film:


that about sums iut up. not really in order, but those were many of the expressions / thoughts i had during the film.

+ the score. once the credits rolled and i saw that Clint Mansell was the genius behind the absolutely amazing score, it was official for me that he's the best at what he does. the music was absolutely haunting, perfect and added incredible depth and emotion to the film

+ the directing. even though i was confused as fudge during the film, the directing was exceptional. i have a soft spot for long, lingering hypnotizing scenes and while there aren't many here, there are a few and some great, great visuals and POV shots.

+ Hugh Jackman. i didn't even know he was in this! i was like, "i think i know this guy..." i can't say i've seen a lot of his work, but from what i have seen, it's hard to tell just how great of an actor he is / could be. usually he's just running around screaming, being a tough guy. but here he has a whole bunch of ranges and emotions that he executed wonderfully. he should definitely do more roles such as this

+ the atmosphere. easily a "top 10 best atmosphere" film for sure. even though the film (i think) is kind of

[Show spoiler]two different worlds in one

the atmosphere for

[Show spoiler]both

is terrific, and always has an eerie, haunting, uneasy, melancholy feel behind it. i loved it.

+ the visuals. kind of goes with the atmosphere, but the visuals really stood out. such a fresh film from not only a story / writing stand point, but from the visuals as well. some may see it and be turned off because it seems illogical and hard to follow... which it is... but i loved the visuals, colors and set designs. magnificent.

as far as the story goes and following it, all that i'll try and figure out on repeat viewings. but for the first one i tried to do what Squid said and just watch the film, enjoy the ride, and then later go back and dissect it. which was hard to turn my brain off, but i think i did my best and i believe this is going to be another film that has no right or wrong answers, and my thoughts once it ended and i sat through the credits (beautiful closing scene / music) i thought

[Show spoiler]that because the main theme is "living forever" that Tommy and Izzi did and are living forever. they were the characters when Spain was being attacked, they were the people in the bubble / tree world, and they were also living when Izzi died of cancer (was it cancer, or something else more specific?). i want to think that all 3 "worlds" were taking place at the same time, because at the end we see the nebula kind of "light up" when Tommy looks at it, but that's not set in stone, nor do i believe it matters one way or the other.

i also kind of thought, and was not disappointed, but was kind of... "let down" at first when i thought that

[Show spoiler]the "Spain world" was just what the book was about that Izzi wrote. at first i thought it was just that and was kind of saddened because it's something that's in a lot of films "reading a book / envisioning yourself there" but i'd like to think that while Izzi was dying, she saw this "other world" (that has already happened or was happening simultaneously) and then wrote about it, and that's why she couldn't finish it because she would die before she saw this. and that's why she wasn't afraid.

but like i said in the spoiler, i wasn't because of how the film continued on and changed my perspective on it.

i really had no complaints. i enjoyed it tremendously. and the only thing i could think of to "dislike" would have been

[Show spoiler]i wished we saw MORE of "Spain world" and "tree bubble world" and not so much of "real life world", but without seeing "real life world" we wouldn't have anything to connect it to, and we wouldn't feel for the characters. i guess i just liked / enjoyed the "Spain world" and "Tree / bubble world" so much i wanted more time spent there. and the "real world" was extremely necessary because how the film began, i was confused as fudge and of course had nothing to connect it to

but once i did then my "complaint" died down.

i also made sure, and told the gf the following: "don't say anything to me during the movie" so she wouldn't effect my thinking and how i was feeling about the film. i think that helped a lot because she likes to blabber and ask questions which would've caused me to miss crucial scenes / details / moments and we can discuss it later.

i could easily give the film a 5/5 for dozens of reasons, but because i want to watch it again after its sunk in for a few hours / days and put together what i feel the story is and all the meanings behind it all i will hold off on giving a "final" score, but if i had to give it a score, it would be exactly that: 5/5

5/5

Fantastic review!

I agree with your theory. Heck, I probably thought the same thing last time I saw it.

I also agree that Hugh Jackman is a quality actor (even when he is running around screaming, only he could do it so well! ), and Clint Mansell's score is awesome (heck, I think all the scores he's made have been great).

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

Watchmen: The Director's Cut

[Show spoiler]
i can't believe i just spent 179 minutes on this
i could've watched The Fountain two more times during that span! and definitely should have.

i didn't hate the film, even thought those opening sentences sure make it seem like i did. but i just found it very uneven in almost every aspect:

some scenes i loved. some scenes i found boring, drawn out and uninteresting.
some characters i loved (Dr. Manhattan, which may be the coolest comic character i've yet to learn about ) and some characters i didn't care at all for (Adrian / Ozymandias).
some songs chosen i thought were perfect. and some songs seemed incredibly out of place and didn't fit the mood.

i didn't read the comics / books so i have no idea how close / real / great the adaptation is compared to those things. the acting by the cast i didn't have an issue with and while i liked most of Snyder's directing, i really felt he was trying to over-do it here. there was way too much flash and not nearly enough substance. i didn't like that.

visually it looks great on blu and i'd give it a 5/5 easy. no complaints.
sound wise, i found it to be kind of a pain in the ass. with the gf sleeping, i had to keep adjusting the volume because some characters talk so quietly and then BAM! something gets shot or smashed over here and then suddenly... back to quiet. quite aggravating. but i guess that's just because someone was sleeping. but dialogue still seemed low to me at times. 4.5/5

i really liked the first 90-120 minutes. the atmosphere was great. but after that 2 hour mark, the atmosphere really felt like it fell apart and the whole movie kind of changed. the pace was still as slow as a snail smothered in crazy glue slugging its way over freshly paved black top that hasn't dried yet, but the world in Watchmen suddenly didn't feel as dark and grimy as it started out with.

i also wasn't a big fan of the ending.
it definitely was a let down and i was left about the entire film once it was (finally) over.

i'll probably never revisit this again, and glad i rented and didn't blind buy.
i'm not a big comic book / superhero fan to begin with, but i went in with an open mind, and i was interested in the world and story and loved how unique and frightening it started, but was way too long and deflated as it continued on.

3.5/5

Sorry you didn't like it that well, but I can't deny that it's a long and slow one (especially compared to other superhero films). Personally I like the film because it is so different. Especially the ending

[Show spoiler]and the way it twists the characters' morality around

; it made sense to me.

I read the comic shortly after, and found that it's about 95% the exact same, shot-by-shot and word-for-word.

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

i haven't seen Sound of Music in a very long time, but i don't believe it has the following:

[Show spoiler]
1) large explosions!
2) Harrison Ford!
3) CGI!
4) swearing!
5) nudity!
6) people breaking s***!
7) shaky cam and / or quick cuts!
8) a crappy sequel!
9) made within the last 30 years!

and those are all requirements for the imdb top 250

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Fantastic review!

I agree with your theory. Heck, I probably thought the same thing last time I saw it.

I also agree that Hugh Jackman is a quality actor (even when he is running around screaming, only he could do it so well! ), and Clint Mansell's score is awesome (heck, I think all the scores he's made have been great).

thanks Al!

haha good point about Jackman. he's able to do a lot of great facial expressions while still hauling ass. usually actors can't (or don't) do that. i wonder what made him interested in the project, or if he was a big fan of it. definitely seemed like something new and different for him to do. glad he did this though

i just looked up Mansell and was surprised to see some of the other films he's done scores for. i was shocked to see "Doom" and "Smokin' Aces" up there

Sorry you didn't like it that well, but I can't deny that it's a long and slow one (especially compared to other superhero films). Personally I like the film because it is so different. Especially the ending

[Show spoiler]and the way it twists the characters' morality around

; it made sense to me.

I read the comic shortly after, and found that it's about 95% the exact same, shot-by-shot and word-for-word.

i did enjoy the morality and darker aspects the film had compared to other superhero films - and films in general. but there was something about the film that as it progressed, i just kind of found myself falling out of its wonderful world

well i did hear it was the most "faithful" adaptation to the comic, so i guess making it almost shot by shot and word for word is a good way to make people like the film and keep it in line with the story. although it's not incredibly original i must say.

[Batman1980]

Well this should upset Diesel, bumping up the previous 2/5 score for Toy Story 3 to 3.5/5. Don't hate it now, still don't think it's as good as the first two or even the best animated feature of the year.

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Stormcrow

Well this should upset Diesel, bumping up the previous 2/5 score for Toy Story 3 to 3.5/5. Don't hate it now, still don't think it's as good as the first two or even the best animated feature of the year.

what didn't you like about it? one thing in particular? or a few things?

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

what didn't you like about it? one thing in particular? or a few things?

The villain just didn't work for me and for some reason I didn't like it as much as the first two, again it may have to do with the 11 year gap between 2 and 3.

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Stormcrow

The villain just didn't work for me and for some reason I didn't like it as much as the first two, again it may have to do with the 11 year gap between 2 and 3.

i was totally expecting you to say something other than the villain! i felt

[Show spoiler]Lotso

was the best villain - by far - in the entire trilogy, and maybe even the best in Pixar's history (although Hopper may still beat him out, i'm not sure...)

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

Watchmen: The Director's Cut

3.5/5

worst film I've seen in recent memory - 0/5 stars.

Just my personal opinion. Everyone is free to disagree:
-no likeable characters, other than

[Show spoiler]Rorshak dude

who was semi-likeable, but was

[Show spoiler]shat on

at the end.
-torture porn without any purpose, such as

[Show spoiler]the dog chewing a kidnapped girls' bones

or

[Show spoiler]the naked couple who i couldn't give two shi%s about doing it in the cockpit

. That imagery is ok, as long as there is some purpose behind it.
-Dr Man-whatever: full of holes.

[Show spoiler]he's god, he's not god, he only sees HIS past and future, yet he sees everyones past and future....
His powers are never explained (ok they don't need to explain every detail), but they weren't even explained on a general level. Then his emotions were supposedly toyed with based on how he got his powers...another plot line that was not explained nor made sense. Later in the movie, after his emotions were toyed with, Manhattan has an epifany, based on the past of another..wait?!?! i thought he only saw his own past...my bad...this isn't supposed to make sense

-I got so bored I watched most of the film on 1.5x speed on the PS3 (fastest speed where you can still read subtitles) <-- a retort of all the "2001 and TWBB is soooo slow and boring" posts

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by lDlisturb3d

Please dont use my NAME in vein! Thank You.

I didnt. I spelled it CORRECTLY.

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

worst film I've seen in recent memory - 0/5 stars.

Just my personal opinion. Everyone is free to disagree:
-no likeable characters, other than

[Show spoiler]Rorshak dude

who was semi-likeable, but was

[Show spoiler]shat on

at the end.
-torture porn without any purpose, such as

[Show spoiler]the dog chewing a kidnapped girls' bones

or

[Show spoiler]the naked couple who i couldn't give two shi%s about doing it in the cockpit

. That imagery is ok, as long as there is some purpose behind it.
-Dr Man-whatever: full of holes.

[Show spoiler]he's god, he's not god, he only sees HIS past and future, yet he sees everyones past and future....
His powers are never explained (ok they don't need to explain every detail), but they weren't even explained on a general level. Then his emotions were supposedly toyed with based on how he got his powers...another plot line that was not explained nor made sense. Later in the movie, after his emotions were toyed with, Manhattan has an epifany, based on the past of another..wait?!?! i thought he only saw his own past...my bad...this isn't supposed to make sense

-I got so bored I watched most of the film on 1.5x speed on the PS3 (fastest speed where you can still read subtitles) <-- a retort of all the "2001 and TWBB is soooo slow and boring" posts

greatest line ever!
as you know, i don't mind slow moving, slow burning films, but as long as they go somewhere. i never really felt like Watchmen went anywhere. and i'm with you, i didn't really care about the characters, so spending 15 straight minutes with some of them talking didn't make me very excited or entertained.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by tommyboy81

Sorry Squid it wasn't True Grit. It was Tron. just kidding. It was The Conspirator. 7/10

Dang it. Tell us a little more about The Conspirator.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

AMR!

seriously, what is this Baron title thing?? How'd you get that?? Oh wait...he's a Baron! He knows people and made backroom deals...*cough* Diesel *cough*

Just a post count thing. Nothing more.

Backroom deals with Diesel? LOL. I cant even get the SCHMUCK to watch Troy.

[Show spoiler]Super Charismatic Handsome Manly Universally Cool Kid

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by tbizzle

Yeah I knew where you were going with that, I just feel that they are very different so I wouldn't make that assimilation. I thought it would be a good idea to throw in my take to further Squid's interest in the film, being that all of our opinions differ greatly

Well, I have a pretty well rounded input on this one. You, kinda in the middle, Surfs liking it, and Jhiggys vile trash. Therefore, it an obvious must see.

Originally Posted by surfdude12

You're correct 100% -- if there's one thing you don't want to mess with it is: Squid + Fountain. Its a sacred combo. I'm glad I've (hopefully) brought his expectations back to earth (if they were raised high from what i said)

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Just a post count thing. Nothing more.

Backroom deals with Diesel? LOL. I cant even get the SCHMUCK to watch Troy.

[Show spoiler]Super Charismatic Handsome Manly Universally Cool Kid

Diesel needs to watch Troy if he wants to keep calling himself a Brad Pitt fan, I now actually like it more than Gladiator and just as much as Braveheart. Watching Amityville 2005, 4/5 all around, definitely taking it with me to Dallas next month.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

Thanks, nice post also.

Romulus (and anyone else who has seen Antichrist) -- check out this article:
http://www.opendemocracy.net/article...lars-von-trier
(great discussion that ties the themes to biblical references with awesome metaphorical insights)
Recommended Read!!!

Is it OK to read that before seeing the film?

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

EDIT: Unlike Squid, who was impacted when he watched the film, this film HIT ME HARD as I was reading some of these explanation posts about it. I'll be reading Jhiggy's or Squid's theory and suddenly something clicks, and the entire movie that I just watched hits me like a ton of bricks and I think "HOLY S#$#$#*%" Not all films are like that for me, but some are.

Thats what Triangle was like for me. I was so busy trying to survive it, that it wasnt until after, during the digestion process, that I went "Whoa".

And as I started to develop theories, I was more WHOA!

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

Watchmen: The Director's Cut

i can't believe i just spent 179 minutes on this
3.5/5

There were a number of really good scenes in this, but as a whole it left me meh as well.