The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[CZAR]

Originally Posted by killowertz

Once again, you're welcome for recommending Minority Report back before it came out on Blu-ray.



I knew I would get those reactions. As far as The Karate Kid goes, I thought it started out slow, but once he

[Show spoiler]started training with Jackie, it took off. In a way, it would have been cool to see Jackie fight the teacher, but in the end I agree with their choice not to include that.

Yo did u watch the alternate ending?

[Show spoiler]Jackie fights the teacher!

Got Em!!

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by CZAR

Yo did u watch the alternate ending?

[Show spoiler]Jackie fights the teacher!

Got Em!!

No, I didn't. It was actually from Netflix, so no special features were on the DVD. No big deal anyways though. If I liked it well enough, I planned on buying it on Blu-ray. I probably will buy it when it goes on a good sale, so I'll watch the alternate ending then. I read about it on here, but I'd still like to see it. I'm glad they went with the ending they did though.

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by killowertz

I knew I would get those reactions. As far as The Karate Kid goes, I thought it started out slow, but once he

[Show spoiler]started training with Jackie, it took off. In a way, it would have been cool to see Jackie fight the teacher, but in the end I agree with their choice not to include that.

where did that come from? not saying its a bad idea, just never thought of it. I guess the teacher did ask

[Show spoiler]Chan to fight at the gym, didn't he?

. I thought they did a great job of staying true to the original while still having some differences , like

[Show spoiler]Chan losing a kid in car accident to Myagi losing wife

. THe last film I thought I'd like -- believe me, nothing would have made me happier than to rip this remake to shreds (not a big remake fan in general), but I couldn't

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by CZAR

Yo did u watch the alternate ending?

[Show spoiler]Jackie fights the teacher!

Got Em!!

yeah, glad they left that as the alternate ending. didn't see it but let's leave

[Show spoiler] the kids fight the kids and leave the adults do the mean stare-downs. that is karate-kid essence right there.

another subtle reason I preferred the original was that

[Show spoiler]Johnny dated Allie before Daniel got in the skuf with him, whereas with CHeng never dated Mei (that we know). It makes you more pissed when the dude thats bullying you also dated your woman. YOu're 1000000000x more fired up. THe audience is 100000000x more fired up. Its not just your manhood and respect on the line -- its your woman's approval.

I did think it was great though how they had

[Show spoiler]Cheng pay Dre respect at the end with the trophy

, I never saw that coming, as the original was great on that front with

[Show spoiler]Johnny doing the same thing and saying "you're alright Larusso!"

[iam1bearcat]

The Shawshank Redemption (netflix instant)

year: 1994
director: Frank Darabont
starring: Tim Robbins (Andy) and Morgan Freeman ("Red")

i apologize in advance for what may be a 60,000 word essay on a film almost everyone has already seen being as it's intensely popular, well known and has been out for 16 years.

first thing's first: i enjoyed the film tremendously i was a little surprised the film was as upbeat as it was. i was kind of expecting a more bleaker film that had a happy ending. the whole film, aside from a few moments is generally lighthearted and not difficult to watch or sit through. i guess it makes sense seeing as it sit at #1 on imdb's top 250 list, and i'm sure most people don't like dark, bleak and depressing films as much as i and a few members on here do but i didn't deduct points for the film not being what i thought it would be.

the story is wonderful, as true friendship is found inside the walls of Shawshank prison. Andy, a new prisoner at Shawshank who has been sentenced to two life sentences for a double murder he states he did not commit, becomes good friends with "Red" who is well known, liked, has resources and has been in prison for a very long time and knows all the ropes. Andy's former career as a banker makes him much more special to the Warden than all the other prisoners and this leads to him learning things and having facts / proof that no one else does.

a great ending also gives the film a solid feel good ending which easily makes The Shawshank Redemption great for repeat viewings. the performances of the two main leads Robbins and Freeman also help as both are likable and charming men inside a vicious place.

however, a few minor quirks i had with the film:

1) the atmosphere. it just never felt like a prison. prison's are dangerous places, filled with brutal people, and hostile environments. but aside from a few scenes, Andy's prison sentence is essentially a walk in the park. it felt completely unrealistic in this sense that everyone in the Red's group likes him and he has almost no problems. and when he does have a problem

[Show spoiler]the guards take care of it for him.

but even if he doesn't have an issue, because he is who he is, we don't see anyone else having a problem either. yes, the

[Show spoiler]guy on the first night gets beaten, but that's it. the tense "this is gonna be brutal" atmosphere dies after that.

not a huge complaint, and i know the film isn't centered around that. but seeing everyone all cheery and laughing and best friends is not how prison is.

2) Morgan Freeman. i didn't have any issue with him in the film, don't get me wrong. but Freeman as a

[Show spoiler]convicted murderer?

that just was hard to believe and take in. i know a lot of debate on this site goes over "great actors" and i know Squid says certain actors suffer from being themselves (a la "Harrison Ford syndrome"). and while Freeman is always great, he suffers from that here. i think because of the upbeat, positive nature of the film he fits the role well. but maybe they should have made him

[Show spoiler]innocent as well, because having him actually be a murderer?

i found that kind of hard to believe because he's just so peaceful and nice. and as David Fincher says in the Seven commentary, "i thought Freeman was great as the President in Deep Impact. i think he should run in real life. i would totally vote for him" and that sums it up perfectly. Freeman is a great actor, but he always place the nice guy role (from everything i've seen him in) so this was a tad odd. but nothing that ruined or came close to wrecking the film or the story - because he did fit the rest of the role well.

ironically enough, while the film was going on i said, "wait. who's the villain? what's the issue? is this just a character piece of two men who form a friendship in the most unsuspecting place? or is there something else i'm missing? i'm 90 minutes in and... there's no drama or issue anymore... and we're in a prison...?" and then right after i thought that

[Show spoiler]we see that the Warden obviously has an issue with Tommy knowing who actually killed Andy's wife and lover

and thus, we now know the villain / problem of the film i was kind of surprised it took that long (over half way through the film) to get to it, but i didn't mind that much

for a 2.5 hour film, it goes by amazingly fast. which is always a plus

i liked it a lot, although i must admit, it was a bit to cheery ho-hum for me. i know that sounds strange because most people like a good, positive story and this will be one i would more than likely revisit from time to time because of that fact, but it's not exactly my area of enjoyment for film. but of course i'm not saying Shawshank is bad, quite the contrary. glad i finally watched the film so i know what all the buzz is about. well worth it.

+ love the friendship between Andy and Red. it feels real. it is real. and the two men seem to respect and understand each other, while at the same time learning a lot about each other and other things while in prison together. and seeing that they

[Show spoiler]stay friends when they are outside of prison

is also a great thing. i wasn't expecting such a "true friendship" story line to unfold.

does it make my top 50? no. does it make my list somewhere between 100-150? probably quite easily once i do make that list and get that far. and chances are i would pick this up someday, so on a rainy day if i don't feel like getting depressed and down i can watch this and cheer myself up

4/5

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by CZAR

Fixed it for u. Got Em!!

Oh, it's not an opinion

[tbizzle]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Oh, it's not an opinion

Haha I almost expected the word "objective" to appear in that response.

Btw, I wholeheartedly agree. Being such a mainstream film, it's very good but pales in comparison to some of the truly great films out there.

[tbizzle]

Squid, I was reading through some of the Avatar discussions from this summer and stumbled upon this marvel of a post. Dunno why, but I seriously LAUGHED MY ASS OFF when I read this again!

https://forum.blu-ray.com/movies/127...ml#post3462566

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

Ponyo

[Show spoiler]
year: 2008
director: Hayao Miyazaki
voice cast: Matt Damon, Lily Tomlin, Tina Fey, Liam Neeson, and Betty White.

to be completely honest i had absolutely no interest in seeing Ponyo. it wasn't on my radar, it was something i had heard of and seen at the store on the shelf, but never even thought of looking at it. but a recommendation from steve46, and my reasoning behind giving anything a chance - even when it isn't necessarily my style or taste, led to me to watching Ponyo.

and it wasn't half bad. i went in with super low expectations and it surpassed them. did i love the film? no. but was i able to enjoy it for the duration of its run time and not be bored? yes. visually, the film is a delight and i'm sure on blu-ray, like all animated films, this looks great (very bright, colorful color palette), and the story is wholly unique and filled with quirky humor and characters.

the story follow a fish, who a small boy named Sosuke finds and named Ponyo. like most kids with a pet, he's obsessed with taking care of Ponyo, who seems to not be any ordinary fish. as it turns out, Ponyo has powers and holds the key to the "universe" so to speak.

the film has deep themes of loving and caring for something that isn't "normal" or like you, or something you're accustomed to. friendship, bravery and then, later on, themes or mortality (i think) and living your life fully

[Show spoiler]i think, i got this from the old folks who believed they were dead (i think) when in the underground aquarium and then when they were walking up the hill instead of being assisted.

.

i liked it, enjoyed it, much more so than i thought i would, and even though the animation and feel of the film is very Japanese in nature, it's not what i thought it would be in terms of feel, atmosphere and story. maybe the voiceovers with English speaking actors was what changed it? i have no idea, but if you're a fan of unique, quirky animated pictures, Ponyo should be looked at for possible viewing. i don't regret my decision to watch it. just overall it didn't do a lot for me, but i liked it more than i envisioned.

thanks again to steve46 for the recommendation

3/5

At least you gave it a chance and saw some value in it! I think it's one of the cutest movies ever...

I wouldn't give up on Miyazaki there though; most of the other movies I've seen of his are pretty upbeat and adventurous, and I would say are better than "Ponyo." I still prefer "Nausicaa" and "Castle in the Sky" the best.

Originally Posted by DjMethod

I think Ponyo is wonderful but definitely very shallow for a Miyazaki film. I think it is one of his weaker efforts, focusing more on visuals this time than theme or memorable characters (with the exception of the character Ponyo of course). If you are just beginning Miyazaki, Ponyo is a great taste for things to come but I wouldn't consider it a masterpiece (that said, it is still miles ahead of Wall-E or any other nominee that year). On the other hand, Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away certainly are masterful.

Exactly!

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

yep. my first Miyazaki film. i'll have to look and see what else he has done so i know which director directs what when i'm watching some of these foreign animation films.

i have not yet seen Grave of the Fireflies but i'll make sure she's home when we watch it. Squid and numerous people have told me it brings on the waterworks and is bleak and depressing, which i love of course lol but i think she's still a fan of "normal, upbeat" films. she doesn't fully get yet why i watch so many depressing films and aim in that direction for my favorites list and tastes. but of course that type of thing is hard to explain.

It kinda ticked me off, before I realized how depressing it really is. You'll see why.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

The Shawshank Redemption (netflix instant)

[Show spoiler]
year: 1994
director: Frank Darabont
starring: Tim Robbins (Andy) and Morgan Freeman ("Red")

i apologize in advance for what may be a 60,000 word essay on a film almost everyone has already seen being as it's intensely popular, well known and has been out for 16 years.

first thing's first: i enjoyed the film tremendously i was a little surprised the film was as upbeat as it was. i was kind of expecting a more bleaker film that had a happy ending. the whole film, aside from a few moments is generally lighthearted and not difficult to watch or sit through. i guess it makes sense seeing as it sit at #1 on imdb's top 250 list, and i'm sure most people don't like dark, bleak and depressing films as much as i and a few members on here do but i didn't deduct points for the film not being what i thought it would be.

the story is wonderful, as true friendship is found inside the walls of Shawshank prison. Andy, a new prisoner at Shawshank who has been sentenced to two life sentences for a double murder he states he did not commit, becomes good friends with "Red" who is well known, liked, has resources and has been in prison for a very long time and knows all the ropes. Andy's former career as a banker makes him much more special to the Warden than all the other prisoners and this leads to him learning things and having facts / proof that no one else does.

a great ending also gives the film a solid feel good ending which easily makes The Shawshank Redemption great for repeat viewings. the performances of the two main leads Robbins and Freeman also help as both are likable and charming men inside a vicious place.

however, a few minor quirks i had with the film:

1) the atmosphere. it just never felt like a prison. prison's are dangerous places, filled with brutal people, and hostile environments. but aside from a few scenes, Andy's prison sentence is essentially a walk in the park. it felt completely unrealistic in this sense that everyone in the Red's group likes him and he has almost no problems. and when he does have a problem

[Show spoiler]the guards take care of it for him.

but even if he doesn't have an issue, because he is who he is, we don't see anyone else having a problem either. yes, the

[Show spoiler]guy on the first night gets beaten, but that's it. the tense "this is gonna be brutal" atmosphere dies after that.

not a huge complaint, and i know the film isn't centered around that. but seeing everyone all cheery and laughing and best friends is not how prison is.

2) Morgan Freeman. i didn't have any issue with him in the film, don't get me wrong. but Freeman as a

[Show spoiler]convicted murderer?

that just was hard to believe and take in. i know a lot of debate on this site goes over "great actors" and i know Squid says certain actors suffer from being themselves (a la "Harrison Ford syndrome"). and while Freeman is always great, he suffers from that here. i think because of the upbeat, positive nature of the film he fits the role well. but maybe they should have made him

[Show spoiler]innocent as well, because having him actually be a murderer?

i found that kind of hard to believe because he's just so peaceful and nice. and as David Fincher says in the Seven commentary, "i thought Freeman was great as the President in Deep Impact. i think he should run in real life. i would totally vote for him" and that sums it up perfectly. Freeman is a great actor, but he always place the nice guy role (from everything i've seen him in) so this was a tad odd. but nothing that ruined or came close to wrecking the film or the story - because he did fit the rest of the role well.

ironically enough, while the film was going on i said, "wait. who's the villain? what's the issue? is this just a character piece of two men who form a friendship in the most unsuspecting place? or is there something else i'm missing? i'm 90 minutes in and... there's no drama or issue anymore... and we're in a prison...?" and then right after i thought that

[Show spoiler]we see that the Warden obviously has an issue with Tommy knowing who actually killed Andy's wife and lover

and thus, we now know the villain / problem of the film i was kind of surprised it took that long (over half way through the film) to get to it, but i didn't mind that much

for a 2.5 hour film, it goes by amazingly fast. which is always a plus

i liked it a lot, although i must admit, it was a bit to cheery ho-hum for me. i know that sounds strange because most people like a good, positive story and this will be one i would more than likely revisit from time to time because of that fact, but it's not exactly my area of enjoyment for film. but of course i'm not saying Shawshank is bad, quite the contrary. glad i finally watched the film so i know what all the buzz is about. well worth it.

+ love the friendship between Andy and Red. it feels real. it is real. and the two men seem to respect and understand each other, while at the same time learning a lot about each other and other things while in prison together. and seeing that they

[Show spoiler]stay friends when they are outside of prison

is also a great thing. i wasn't expecting such a "true friendship" story line to unfold.

does it make my top 50? no. does it make my list somewhere between 100-150? probably quite easily once i do make that list and get that far. and chances are i would pick this up someday, so on a rainy day if i don't feel like getting depressed and down i can watch this and cheer myself up

4/5

Excellent review! Congrats for seeing one of the best films ever (so other people say... officially I thought "Citizen Kane" was the best, jeez ).

I also give it a 4/5, and probably will get a copy on BD, even though I haven't seen it in years. I know what you mean about it being so upbeat, but I seem to remember it had a few mean parts. I figure the warden was the movie's villian (aren't they always? ). But in the end, I give it high points for the story (it is Stephen King, you know).

Thinking about this film reminded me of another film I enjoyed, called "The Last Castle." It's like Shawshank in a military prison, and with a more kick-butt ending. And of course, "Cool Hand Luke" comes reccomended too.

[iam1bearcat]

Paranoid Park (netflix instant)

year: 2007
director: Gus Van Sant
starring: Gabe Nevins

Paranoid Park, AKA: Awful Film. :vomit:

i remember seeing previews for Paranoid Park a few years back and it looked extremely interesting. so i was glad to see it on netflix instant and decided to end my night / start my day with it.

what a terrible, terrible mistake

the film centers around a teenager who has to live with a terrible tragedy that he was involved with and how it effects him personal and with his relationships. the film starts with the "end" and is told through flashbacks as we piece together what happened. but it's awful and no one should waste their time. i'd rather drink paint thinner than watch this again.

NEGATIVES
1. Gabe Nevins: he plays the most important character, Alex, and the one with most screen time, but the kid can't act his way out of a wet paper bag. he's awful. truly, truly awful. even his voice overs are so annoying, mind numbing and "oh my god where is a pick-axe to stab into my cranium with?" anger inducing words cannot describe. simply pathetic. i honestly thought he was 10 years old. and he's playing a 16 year old. and i just looked him up, and in 2007 he would've been 16. and he got hired when he was auditioning as an extra. and this is his only role. ever. it really, really shows. great casting

2. everyone else in the movie. i can't remember the last time i saw so many people stare at the camera or look at the camera and not have that take taken out of the film. horrid. absolutely horrid. and the acting by everyone is awful. like they took awful lessons or something.

3. the directing / atmosphere. i swear the director has watched 2001: A Space Odyssey too many times and thought that the slow burning nature with minimal dialogue that 2001 uses would work great with.. skateboarding :vomit: absolutely not. it's laughably bad. there are about 4-5 moments when, for about 2-3 minutes a piece we see a crappy montage of skateboarders doing tricks or riding around in slow motion with some horrid song behind it.

4. the structure. another complete mess. but by this time i could barely even see how bad the structure was behind the craptastic directing, "random guy at the bus stop" acting of the cast, and the 'look me at me trying to be artsy' slow motion montages of gobildigook.

i could go on and on.

POSITIVES
1. the film is only 82 minutes. but it still felt like 4 years off my life :death2:

i'm trying not to give every film i hate a 0/5, and Paranoid Park really tested my patience. i'm gonna gave it a bit more of a score (1/5) because it was so laughably bad i wanted to see how much worse it could get. so i guess that's something.

avoid with all caution!

1/5

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

At least you gave it a chance and saw some value in it! I think it's one of the cutest movies ever...

yep. even though it may not be my style or what i'm used to or generally interested in, i'll give it a shot. the worst that could happen is i dislike it and stop watching. so it does no harm, and in this case i enjoyed it, just not as much as others of course

but you're right, it is cute. not many films are genuinely "cute".

I wouldn't give up on Miyazaki there though; most of the other movies I've seen of his are pretty upbeat and adventurous, and I would say are better than "Ponyo." I still prefer "Nausicaa" and "Castle in the Sky" the best.

hmm. seems to be the general consensus that Ponyo is like, right in the middle of Miyazaki's films are far are "best" and "worst" go, so i'm glad i started here.

It kinda ticked me off, before I realized how depressing it really is. You'll see why.

oh!...

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Excellent review! Congrats for seeing one of the best films ever (so other people say... officially I thought "Citizen Kane" was the best, jeez ).

I also give it a 4/5, and probably will get a copy on BD, even though I haven't seen it in years. I know what you mean about it being so upbeat, but I seem to remember it had a few mean parts. I figure the warden was the movie's villian (aren't they always? ). But in the end, I give it high points for the story (it is Stephen King, you know).

Thinking about this film reminded me of another film I enjoyed, called "The Last Castle." It's like Shawshank in a military prison, and with a more kick-butt ending. And of course, "Cool Hand Luke" comes reccomended too.

thanks Al! and i'll have to make note of Cool Hand Luke. i've heard of it for many years, but have no idea what it's about it. i'll have to add it to the queue and look into it

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

The Shawshank Redemption (netflix instant)

That sounds pretty good overall.

I think most of the performances were strong. Apart from the main two, James Whitmore as Brooks was great. The role of Brooks was one paragraph in Stephen King's short story, but I like how Darabont expanded it and used it as a precedent to influence our feelings later in the film.

The title was a mistake. Any marketing graduate will tell you that the name of a product should at least hint at its use if not downright spell it out. The Shawshank Redemption is a fairly meaningless title and it took a year for people to discover it on video after it was released.

I take your point about the atmosphere. I think Darabont used a few scenes to set that up so that you know it's there, and then he focuses on the story. The part about

[Show spoiler]the Sisters beating up Andy on a regular basis

is a clear example of that. Another is the

[Show spoiler]brutality of Captain Hadley

which was essential to add tension to the best scene in the film when

[Show spoiler]Andy approaches him on the roof

.

The most dangerous men in the prison

[Show spoiler]happened to be the person running it and Hadley enforcing his rules

which I found interesting.

The way that Andy dealt with his captivity

[Show spoiler]building the library

and

[Show spoiler]teaching other inmates

showed that you can impact the things around you in any setting. Was it realistic? Probably not. But I certainly enjoyed it.

When Andy says

[Show spoiler]don't you ever feel that way about music

I usually find myself answering out loud. I understand the power of that completely. Only two of my friends feel the same way. It's so important to me and I love the scene where

[Show spoiler]he plays the record over the loudspeaker

and how he

[Show spoiler]uses music to occupy his mind in the hole

.

The last 30 minutes is extremely uplifting and I didn't see some of it coming.

I'm glad you enjoyed it. Excellent review.

The Green Mile weighs in at just over three hours and also features some strong acting performances. It's another Darabont adaptation of a Stephen King short story. It's also set in a prison, but, like Shawshank, focuses on the characters. Hanks, Rockwell and Clarke Duncan stand out in that one if you're ever in the mood.

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

yep. even though it may not be my style or what i'm used to or generally interested in, i'll give it a shot. the worst that could happen is i dislike it and stop watching. so it does no harm, and in this case i enjoyed it, just not as much as others of course

but you're right, it is cute. not many films are genuinely "cute".

hmm. seems to be the general consensus that Ponyo is like, right in the middle of Miyazaki's films are far are "best" and "worst" go, so i'm glad i started here.

I hesitate to suggest other Miyazaki titles, but I would go for Spirited Away (which won the Oscar) or Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind which is massive in scope and more adult in its outlook than most of his work.

I love them all so I'm not too objective.

[Riff Magnum]

Yeah, i'd say "Cool Hand Luke" and "Papillion" are better "prison" movies than Shawshank, but Shawshank has the great Roger Deakins behind the camera and that counts for quite a bit. It's a solid, solid movie even if it's a bit sentimental.


And now for the Riff Magnum Thread Crap of the day:

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Deadw...Blu-ray/13179/


This is the best piece of art ever. Bettter than any movie. Better than any book. Better than any album. Better than any drug. Better than any sex you THINK you've had........................and it will be MINE!!!!!

[surfdude12]

Robin Hood (2010)

Film: 3.5/5

Let me get the bad part out of the way:
-I had it rated at 4/5 until Marion

[Show spoiler]suited up in 50lb armour, with a heavy sword, charges on a horse -- with a pre-K class charging behind her, and knocks the head villain off his horse in the middle of a crowded battle

...I mean really???? Forget the "squid test", that doesn't even pass a 100 IQ test. Ridley Scott said he was aiming for a most-realistic Robin HOod tale with everything being as historically accurate as possible. The realism was a 9/10 until that moment
-Other than that, I loved the film! I don't know what all the griping was about. Yes, there was less action than Gladiator/etc, but it felt very "Kingdom of Heaven'y" (i.e., more emphasis on plot/characters, and less on action).
-Great theme of tyranny v. liberty, one that never dies and is even more relevant in today's world
-GORGEOUS COUNTRYSIDE FOOTAGE!!! I could watch this film on mute and be enthrailled!! Plus, I love the Ridley-Scott use of bluish hue he always has, almost like you're watching the film through a bluish filter. Looks gorgeous!
-Crowe and SCott made a great point: these type of epics with real sets and real extras are a dying breed with the CGI (Avatar, INception, etc) and Pixar/Cartoon movies that are hot now. Do you guys see these type of epics with real sets/real extras dying off?? It makes me sad if so

PQ: 5/5 (reference!)

AQ: 4.5/5 (great)

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

question for the folks of the thread:

since my reviews tend to get a bit... 'wordy' shall we say do you think i should:

1) just put my review in one big spoiler tag so it doesn't take up so much space?
2) leave it as is, it doesn't bother anyone
3) learn to convey my thoughts in under 1,000 words and not be so NSE with writing

thanks

Just stop posting altogether.

#2

[CZAR]

Originally Posted by killowertz

No, I didn't. It was actually from Netflix, so no special features were on the DVD. No big deal anyways though. If I liked it well enough, I planned on buying it on Blu-ray. I probably will buy it when it goes on a good sale, so I'll watch the alternate ending then. I read about it on here, but I'd still like to see it. I'm glad they went with the ending they did though.

Yea I prefer that ending as well. Plus they didnt really fight until the beginning of the 2nd film anyway well kinda fight but u know what I mean. Whether they do that with part 2 remains to be seen. Got Em!!

Originally Posted by surfdude12

where did that come from? not saying its a bad idea, just never thought of it. I guess the teacher did ask

[Show spoiler]Chan to fight at the gym, didn't he?

. I thought they did a great job of staying true to the original while still having some differences , like

[Show spoiler]Chan losing a kid in car accident to Myagi losing wife

. THe last film I thought I'd like -- believe me, nothing would have made me happier than to rip this remake to shreds (not a big remake fan in general), but I couldn't

I applaud u for having an open mind and keeping it real. I know some people will trash it whether its good or not just because. Thats pure wack to me. Got Em!!

Originally Posted by surfdude12

yeah, glad they left that as the alternate ending. didn't see it but let's leave

[Show spoiler] the kids fight the kids and leave the adults do the mean stare-downs. that is karate-kid essence right there.

another subtle reason I preferred the original was that

[Show spoiler]Johnny dated Allie before Daniel got in the skuf with him, whereas with CHeng never dated Mei (that we know). It makes you more pissed when the dude thats bullying you also dated your woman. YOu're 1000000000x more fired up. THe audience is 100000000x more fired up. Its not just your manhood and respect on the line -- its your woman's approval.

I did think it was great though how they had

[Show spoiler]Cheng pay Dre respect at the end with the trophy

, I never saw that coming, as the original was great on that front with

[Show spoiler]Johnny doing the same thing and saying "you're alright Larusso!"

Good points man. I think both films are great and stand on their own and I can watch both over and over again. The new film may have more replay value based on the choreography though. The fighting and training is insane. Love both films though. Got Em!!

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

The Shawshank Redemption (netflix instant)

year: 1994
director: Frank Darabont
starring: Tim Robbins (Andy) and Morgan Freeman ("Red")

[Show spoiler]i apologize in advance for what may be a 60,000 word essay on a film almost everyone has already seen being as it's intensely popular, well known and has been out for 16 years.

first thing's first: i enjoyed the film tremendously i was a little surprised the film was as upbeat as it was. i was kind of expecting a more bleaker film that had a happy ending. the whole film, aside from a few moments is generally lighthearted and not difficult to watch or sit through. i guess it makes sense seeing as it sit at #1 on imdb's top 250 list, and i'm sure most people don't like dark, bleak and depressing films as much as i and a few members on here do but i didn't deduct points for the film not being what i thought it would be.

the story is wonderful, as true friendship is found inside the walls of Shawshank prison. Andy, a new prisoner at Shawshank who has been sentenced to two life sentences for a double murder he states he did not commit, becomes good friends with "Red" who is well known, liked, has resources and has been in prison for a very long time and knows all the ropes. Andy's former career as a banker makes him much more special to the Warden than all the other prisoners and this leads to him learning things and having facts / proof that no one else does.

a great ending also gives the film a solid feel good ending which easily makes The Shawshank Redemption great for repeat viewings. the performances of the two main leads Robbins and Freeman also help as both are likable and charming men inside a vicious place.

however, a few minor quirks i had with the film:

1) the atmosphere. it just never felt like a prison. prison's are dangerous places, filled with brutal people, and hostile environments. but aside from a few scenes, Andy's prison sentence is essentially a walk in the park. it felt completely unrealistic in this sense that everyone in the Red's group likes him and he has almost no problems. and when he does have a problem

[Show spoiler]the guards take care of it for him.

but even if he doesn't have an issue, because he is who he is, we don't see anyone else having a problem either. yes, the

[Show spoiler]guy on the first night gets beaten, but that's it. the tense "this is gonna be brutal" atmosphere dies after that.

not a huge complaint, and i know the film isn't centered around that. but seeing everyone all cheery and laughing and best friends is not how prison is.

2) Morgan Freeman. i didn't have any issue with him in the film, don't get me wrong. but Freeman as a

[Show spoiler]convicted murderer?

that just was hard to believe and take in. i know a lot of debate on this site goes over "great actors" and i know Squid says certain actors suffer from being themselves (a la "Harrison Ford syndrome"). and while Freeman is always great, he suffers from that here. i think because of the upbeat, positive nature of the film he fits the role well. but maybe they should have made him

[Show spoiler]innocent as well, because having him actually be a murderer?

i found that kind of hard to believe because he's just so peaceful and nice. and as David Fincher says in the Seven commentary, "i thought Freeman was great as the President in Deep Impact. i think he should run in real life. i would totally vote for him" and that sums it up perfectly. Freeman is a great actor, but he always place the nice guy role (from everything i've seen him in) so this was a tad odd. but nothing that ruined or came close to wrecking the film or the story - because he did fit the rest of the role well.

ironically enough, while the film was going on i said, "wait. who's the villain? what's the issue? is this just a character piece of two men who form a friendship in the most unsuspecting place? or is there something else i'm missing? i'm 90 minutes in and... there's no drama or issue anymore... and we're in a prison...?" and then right after i thought that

[Show spoiler]we see that the Warden obviously has an issue with Tommy knowing who actually killed Andy's wife and lover

and thus, we now know the villain / problem of the film i was kind of surprised it took that long (over half way through the film) to get to it, but i didn't mind that much

for a 2.5 hour film, it goes by amazingly fast. which is always a plus

i liked it a lot, although i must admit, it was a bit to cheery ho-hum for me. i know that sounds strange because most people like a good, positive story and this will be one i would more than likely revisit from time to time because of that fact, but it's not exactly my area of enjoyment for film. but of course i'm not saying Shawshank is bad, quite the contrary. glad i finally watched the film so i know what all the buzz is about. well worth it.

+ love the friendship between Andy and Red. it feels real. it is real. and the two men seem to respect and understand each other, while at the same time learning a lot about each other and other things while in prison together. and seeing that they

[Show spoiler]stay friends when they are outside of prison

is also a great thing. i wasn't expecting such a "true friendship" story line to unfold.

does it make my top 50? no. does it make my list somewhere between 100-150? probably quite easily once i do make that list and get that far. and chances are i would pick this up someday, so on a rainy day if i don't feel like getting depressed and down i can watch this and cheer myself up

4/5

Well glad u liked it a good deal. Thought u wouldve gave it a higher score but its all good. It will always be the best film in my eyes. I thought for back in the day the prison atmosphere was great especially with the cop brutality and whatnot. Also u have to know in prison certain guys have those connections with the guards and are backed by hella people thus why Red's character was easily believable. Also u have to remember

[Show spoiler]Morgan was in prison for ions and he commited murder when he was very young.

Im sure its easy to believe an 18 year old or whatever couldve commited murder. U looked at him at his age in the film and thats not when he commited murder. He grew up and knew what he did was wrong. I had no issues with the points u made and hopefully some of those explanations help. Anyway glad u watched it though. Got Em!!

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Oh, it's not an opinion

Sure it is buddy! Got Em!!

[Foggy]

What film should I watch tonight?

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Thanks. Oh I know, my sister (in her 30's) got so upset over Grave of the Fireflies she had to leave the room. I think any Miyazaki film is safe girlfriend material though. I swear there is some magic to his films no other movie has ever come close to.

I have only seen a handfull of his films, but I would describe them as intense. Throughout the film, I never have that "Its all going to be OK" security feeling. Spirited Away was a nailbiter.