The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Great! Don't be silly, it's a public discussion

It sounds a bit complex so remember to dig deeper than the surface. This is Aronofsky we're talking about.

true, i tend to forget i never really remember we're all online talking, i kind of just mentally picture you two in a discussion and then if i were to barge in it would be all "WTF? is this guy doing interrupting us?"

true. the man is a genius!

where would he rank on a "favorite director's" list? (if let's say, you'd have one)
and do you have any 'favorite' film of his that stands above the others?

right now he's easily #2 behind Paul Thomas Anderson, and from what i've seen of Aronofsky i'd put his films:

The Wrestler 5/5 (honestly i don't think any film has moved me in the way The Wrestler did. just reading review on metacritic made me tear up and crumble like a wet paper bad. i don't think i've ever felt what i felt while watching The Wrestler)
Requiem for a Dream 5/5
The Fountain 5/5

ironically enough, i've only viewed all 3 of these once but i think this is how the order will stay. The Fountain i might appreciate and feel more deeply about with repeat viewings, but the same could be said for both RfaD and The Wrestler, but The Wrestler and RfaD i felt more deeply invested in and connected to than The Fountain, but that's because The Fountain is the hardest and most complex of the 3 to understand and follow.

and after reading up on Black Swan (which has two of my favorite actresses - both in looks and performances in other stuff) it looks like that should also be no different. cannot wait to see it. might even have to take the gf to that in theaters which would be the first time i'd be going since The Dark Knight premiere....

if it even plays here. wouldn't surprise me if it doesn't

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

I would have never expected to like this movie as much as I did, but it's one of my absolute favorites, no doubt about it. I will have to add this to my Cruise cruise I am going on over the holidays.

that is so awesome.

i didn't either. i remember i rented it way back in 2004 and turned it off after about 25 minutes "because nothing is happening" man how stupid i feel now looking back at my former self and how much stuff i watch now that i never would have even thought of watching back then. thank god my tastes changed otherwise i have no idea what i would own and have sitting on my shelf.

i think that's why Fight Club is held in such high regard for me. it was the first film i watched that was a complex, serious drama. before that it was all horror movies and comedies. so i think the nostalgia of Fight Club and the films it introduced me to is part of what makes FC such a iconic #1 favorite film for me.

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

Collateral

[Show spoiler]year: 2004
director: michael mann
starring: tom cruise (vincent), jamie foxx (max)

in my opinion the best movies are movies that hypnotize you by their performances (among other things), and Collateral is one of those films. it's engaging, it's tense, edge of your seat thriller, frightening and even at times hysterically funny when really, no jokes are being made (just the delivery by Cruise and Foxx in certain situations makes it funny). i blind bought this when it came out a few months ago and am glad i bought it. and after watching it again tonight i can safely say this is staying in my collection (i've recently been trying to figure out what i actually want to own and will watch and what i feel i should own because it's on blu-ray but don't fully enjoy or get many viewings out of) and will be viewed quite a bit.

+ Tom Cruise. he really is an absolutely fantastic actor. i may like other actors more, but Cruise is certainly in a league very few actors (i feel) reach. watch Collateral and then watch The Last Samurai. aside from physical features, his performances are so different it's boggling to know this is the same actor in both roles. and he SUCCEEDS in both roles. and in Collateral, playing a no nonsense hit man is something i didn't really think he could do. but he passes with flying colors. if i were to rank his performances, his portrayal of Vincent here would be extremely high on that list. the intensity, the furious, simmering "under the skin" anger that is only unleashed at certain times. amazing

+ Jamie Foxx. it would be easy to say Cruise steals the show, mainly because being a hit man will be something fans like more than say, a cab driver who plans to open his own limousine service, but Foxx i believe is just barely better here. his character has more range, and that's why. when we meet him he is quiet, reserved, somewhat confident, but Foxx's demeanor changes greatly when

[Show spoiler]he goes in the club and pretends to be Vincent ("I said, I think you should tell him to put the gun down before I rip it out of his hand and beat his *****-ass to death with it.")

but then switches back again. great performance all around and the old adage that competition breeds success is truly evident here. cruise and foxx both step their games up big time which pays off 10-fold for the film.

the film certainly isn't action packed. a lot of scenes take place in max's cab and the fact that i never lose interest in the film while watching these scenes (for the first time or for the fifth) is a true testament to the writing. performances aside, if the writing would have sucked, watching two guys in a cab would be mighty boring to some degree, but not here. the wide range of topics covered from simple mundane stuff to more serious, pressing matters is all handled with great care.

for whatever reason however, i don't feel Collateral is a 5/5 in my eyes.

i think it might be the pacing or structure of the film. i can't quite place it. i could see in time it jumping up to a 5/5 but there is just... something that seems a bit off. and i think it is the structure of the story, but that's certainly no biggie. the film is completely enjoyable, fresh and like nothing else. and to show how great a film it is, i turned it on while i was working on my Top 250 list, and ended up barely achieving anything as i got sucked in to the film - again.

highly recommended

PQ: 5/5 - i LOVE the PQ on this. it's not razor sharp, and has gorgeous grain in almost every scene. could look at this all day long.
AQ: 5/5 - i'm easily amused and impressed with AQ and Collateral succeeds here greatly. dialogue is crisp and sharp and when the action picks up, the sound is right on the mark.

does it make the Top 250?: YES. if it's not in the Top 50, it will be.
is it a necessary addition my collection?: absolutely. all around greatness: film, PQ, and AQ.

4.5/5

I saw this playing today but had missed the first 30 minutes or so so I didn't set my DVR to record the rest. Would have liked to see it. Guess I'll catch it next time around (TNT tends to cycle back around with their movie schedule)

[Marcus Wright]

Originally Posted by Diesel

I saw this playing today but had missed the first 30 minutes or so so I didn't set my DVR to record the rest. Would have liked to see it. Guess I'll catch it next time around (TNT tends to cycle back around with their movie schedule)

Do you want me to send the movie to your e-mail?

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

true, i tend to forget i never really remember we're all online talking, i kind of just mentally picture you two in a discussion and then if i were to barge in it would be all "WTF? is this guy doing interrupting us?"

Refer to bottom of post #13320

true. the man is a genius!

where would he rank on a "favorite director's" list? (if let's say, you'd have one)
and do you have any 'favorite' film of his that stands above the others?

right now he's easily #2 behind Paul Thomas Anderson, and from what i've seen of Aronofsky i'd put his films:

The Wrestler 5/5 (honestly i don't think any film has moved me in the way The Wrestler did. just reading review on metacritic made me tear up and crumble like a wet paper bad. i don't think i've ever felt what i felt while watching The Wrestler)
Requiem for a Dream 5/5
The Fountain 5/5

ironically enough, i've only viewed all 3 of these once but i think this is how the order will stay. The Fountain i might appreciate and feel more deeply about with repeat viewings, but the same could be said for both RfaD and The Wrestler, but The Wrestler and RfaD i felt more deeply invested in and connected to than The Fountain, but that's because The Fountain is the hardest and most complex of the 3 to understand and follow.

and after reading up on Black Swan (which has two of my favorite actresses - both in looks and performances in other stuff) it looks like that should also be no different. cannot wait to see it. might even have to take the gf to that in theaters which would be the first time i'd be going since The Dark Knight premiere....

if it even plays here. wouldn't surprise me if it doesn't

I have a favorite directors list but I can't claim Aronofsky as my single favorite director because I simply haven't seen all of his films (darn you piii!! ), but I've seen those three more times than any other director's films.

I'd rank them the same per interest, but consider Requiem his masterpiece ( used it again... warranted ).

Favorite directors:

Akira Kurosawa (best that ever lived imo)
Danny Boyle
Darren Aronofsky
Paul Thomas Anderson
Satoshi Kon
Wong Kar Wai

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Diesel

I saw this playing today but had missed the first 30 minutes or so so I didn't set my DVR to record the rest. Would have liked to see it. Guess I'll catch it next time around (TNT tends to cycle back around with their movie schedule)

be sure not to miss it! an exquisite film
you'll be blown away by the performances of Cruise and Foxx

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Refer to bottom of post #13320

you have no idea how proud that makes me. honestly, i have a lot of friends say the same thing. i have strangers who say the same thing after 15 minutes of meeting me, and i'm a very reserved, quiet guy, so it always baffles me how strangers say things so quickly and how many say it. but again, thanks for the compliment

I have a favorite directors list but I can't claim Aronofsky as my single favorite director because I simply haven't seen all of his films (darn you piii!! ), but I've seen those three more times than any other director's films.

I'd rank them the same per interest, but consider Requiem his masterpiece ( used it again... warranted ).

Favorite directors:

Akira Kurosawa (best that ever lived imo) - haven't seen any of his work, and haven't even heard of him until now
Danny Boyle - The Beach, 28 Days Later, Sunshine - enjoyed them all. but need to see more of his
Darren Aronofsky - stated a few posts above
Paul Thomas Anderson - favorite, favorite, favorite. could watch any of his films all day every day for the rest of my life.
Satoshi Kon - never seen any of heard of him before this as well
Wong Kar Wai - again. never heard of him or seen his films

thoughts on directors above in your posts. it's baffling how i've seen over 600+ films and still some names in the business i've never even heard of! mind blowing how that works

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

thoughts on directors above in your posts. it's baffling how i've seen over 600+ films and still some names in the business i've never even heard of! mind blowing how that works

Every serious cinephile/movie watcher/film buff should own Seven Samurai. (imo)

I will give you top recommendations for each:

Akira Kurosawa: anything that he touched is gold but watch Seven Samurai, Ran, Rashomon to start.

Satoshi Kon: Watch Perfect Blue first, Paprika, Millennium Actress

Wong Kar Wai: Chungking Express first (out on blu), then Fallen Angels (were originally supposed to be one film). In the Mood for Love followed by 2046 (they are #2 and 3 in a trilogy. He loves connecting his films).

[Diesel]

Troy - Director's Cut

Well I finally saw it after what seems like years of nagging from Squid

I'll start right off with agreeing with what you guys said earlier, the acting definitely wasn't exactly noteworthy overall. It wasn't bad (well except for Brian Cox, I didn't like him at all), it was mostly acceptable.

I was particularly disappointed by Pitt
He was just throughout the entire movie (and for some reason his face looked weird...but that's beside the point) and I really didn't care about his character at all.


The best person in the movie was definitely Eric Bana in my opinion. I was rooting for him,

[Show spoiler]even though I knew it wouldn't end well for him.

His character was also more interesting...not that that is saying much really as really the only one I even cared about besides Odysseus because Sean Bean is awesome.


Orlando Bloom brought the suck. Nuff said.


The fight between Hector and Achilles was definitely the best of the action sequences in the film, it was pretty fun to watch. The rest of them weren't particularly interesting at all, partly because I didn't know or care about any of the characters fighting besides the two I mentioned (and really, Odysseus isn't exactly a large role in the movie) like in movies such as Lord of the Rings.


I wasn't particularly interested in the story either. Enough so to keep me watching a 3 hour movie, but not enough to be engaged by it or to want to revisit it. (So yes, it is now among the One and Done Collection)


I know it may sound like I'm going to give it a bad score, but strangely enough, I'm not...well depending on what you consider bad. I didn't love it or even like it a lot, but it at least didn't feel like a waste of 3 hours after I was done, so it definitely gets credit for that.

Rating - 3.5/5

[Diesel]

Before Troy I watched a much better movie...

The Pursuit of Happyness

This is the second time I've seen it, I don't recall how long it's been since my first viewing though. At least a year.

I really enjoy this movie, the story of Chris Gardner in the film is both and (I say in the film because I haven't looked it up to see how much was changed from the way things actually happened).

It's not my favorite Will Smith movie (that would go to Independence Day) but I think its his best performance for sure. I don't think he even said "Aw hell nah!" one time (unless I missed it)


His son in this one wasn't to that "oh I need to punch him in the face" level he was in The Day the Earth Stood Still so he wasn't a distraction in this movie.


Rating - 4.5/5



I'm going to stick with my short, key point reviews until I feel the desire to review one in detail

[Marcus Wright]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Troy - Director's Cut

Well I finally saw it after what seems like years of nagging from Squid

I'll start right off with agreeing with what you guys said earlier, the acting definitely wasn't exactly noteworthy overall. It wasn't bad (well except for Brian Cox, I didn't like him at all), it was mostly acceptable.

I was particularly disappointed by Pitt
He was just throughout the entire movie (and for some reason his face looked weird...but that's beside the point) and I really didn't care about his character at all.


The best person in the movie was definitely Eric Bana in my opinion. I was rooting for him,

[Show spoiler]even though I knew it wouldn't end well for him.

His character was also more interesting...not that that is saying much really as really the only one I even cared about besides Odysseus because Sean Bean is awesome.


Orlando Bloom brought the suck. Nuff said.


The fight between Hector and Achilles was definitely the best of the action sequences in the film, it was pretty fun to watch. The rest of them weren't particularly interesting at all, partly because I didn't know or care about any of the characters fighting besides the two I mentioned (and really, Odysseus isn't exactly a large role in the movie) like in movies such as Lord of the Rings.


I wasn't particularly interested in the story either. Enough so to keep me watching a 3 hour movie, but not enough to be engaged by it or to want to revisit it. (So yes, it is now among the One and Done Collection)


I know it may sound like I'm going to give it a bad score, but strangely enough, I'm not...well depending on what you consider bad. I didn't love it or even like it a lot, but it at least didn't feel like a waste of 3 hours after I was done, so it definitely gets credit for that.

Rating - 3.5/5

Troy was probably the movie i was most hyped to see ever.
I just love greek mythology, have read Troy book.

Usually its the other way around but as a die hard fan of anything Greek related I loved it.

My rating would be 4.5/5

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

be sure not to miss it! an exquisite film
you'll be blown away by the performances of Cruise and Foxx

Hopefully it cycles back around in the next month or so.

Originally Posted by Marcus Wright

Troy was probably the movie i was most hyped to see ever.
I just love greek mythology, have read Troy book.

Usually its the other way around but as a die hard fan of anything Greek related I loved it.

My rating would be 4.5/5

I think this is better than Troy


So, now that I've finally seen it, I'll drudge this back up:

Gladiator - 5/5

Kingdom of Heaven - 4.75/5

Braveheart - 4.5/5

Last Samurai - 4/5

Troy - 3.5/5

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Every serious cinephile/movie watcher/film buff should own Seven Samurai. (imo)

I will give you top recommendations for each:

Akira Kurosawa: anything that he touched is gold but watch Seven Samurai, Ran, Rashomon to start.

Satoshi Kon: Watch Perfect Blue first, Paprika, Millennium Actress

Wong Kar Wai: Chungking Express first (out on blu), then Fallen Angels (were originally supposed to be one film). In the Mood for Love followed by 2046 (they are #2 and 3 in a trilogy. He loves connecting his films).

thanks for the info and it has been noted so i don't forget

to be honest, the thing with Seven Samurai is the aura around it. it worries me. i don't want to go in with the thought in the back of my head "this is supposed to be super ultra awesome" and then have it effect my viewing one way or the other (either subconsciously 'forcing' myself to like it more than i actually do, or hating it because of the hype no matter how good it may actually be). so i'm putting it on hold until i kind of forget about it. although i'm sure once i'm watching it i'll be like "oh yeah, this film" although usually i can block off any preconceived notions of it. and there are tons of awful films that i love (Halloween II (2009 Rob Zombie's film)) and well received films that were just for me (Titanic, Inglorious Basterds among others) so it shouldn't be too hard to do for this one

and i have to look into the story, i don't know if it really interests me but will look into it.

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Troy - Director's Cut

I was particularly disappointed by Pitt
He was just throughout the entire movie (and for some reason his face looked weird...but that's beside the point) and I really didn't care about his character at all.

Orlando Bloom brought the suck. Nuff said.

Rating - 3.5/5

Originally Posted by Diesel

Before Troy I watched a much better movie...

The Pursuit of Happyness

His son in this one wasn't to that "oh I need to punch him in the face" level he was in The Day the Earth Stood Still so he wasn't a distraction in this movie.

Rating - 4.5/5

someone woke up and decided to have a big bowl of Great, 'Witty Comment Flakes' for breakfast today

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

It's because she is speaking in Ukrainian, not German.

If you notice, when she walks in, he tries to repeat what she says in her language. Then, after shower sex (

[Show spoiler]where he goes down on her, which I find disgusting given her line of work

), she struggles to say "Euros" and subtitles only pop up in her third attempt.

Yeah -- good catch there. The last time I watched it my friend said "where's the subtitles"? I think it was a scene where she was on the phone speaking Ukranian. I told him it was b/c she wasn't speaking German and that perhaps since Alex couldn't understand her, the director/screenwriter is denying us subtitles to put us in Alex's shoes: we don't know what she's saying, just as Alex doesn't? is that why?

Wow I love that surf quote. What a revelation. Definitely very true.

[Show spoiler]I grouped them into both dwelling on the same incident, but did not realize the cop was mourning her death as well (explains the photo). That lays a firm foundation for his guilt and insecurity. Or was his guilt the foundation for his mourning?

Yeah -- there was even a 3-way

[Show spoiler]"male photo mourning" club going on: Alex, Robert and Hausner. Alex and Robert had photos of Tamara -- so that pair had that in common. But then Alex and Hausner both had photos of their departed loved ones pasted to their own room in the cottage (Hausner of his wife -- "she's waiting for me", Alex of Tamara). I thought it was fascinating on those two parallels: (1) Robert/Alex with Tamara in common and (2) Hausner/Alex with a departed "shrine-like" photo of each of their women on the wall of each of their room in the cottage. What was cool about the Hausner/Alex parallel was that even though they both were mourning their respective women with shrine-like photos on the wall, they each acted 180 degrees opposite to one another (Hausner: at peace, winding down. Alex: in rage, winding up)

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

This is my favorite type of movie. A character study with layers of depth that give viewers something to reflect on and loads of replay value. I can't wait to rip open that blu and give it another watch. This one's a keeper.

4.5/5

great review again DJ! sorry to hear about the subtitle miscue at the beginning but glad its cleared up now!

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Diesel

So, now that I've finally seen it, I'll drudge this back up:

Gladiator - 5/5

Kingdom of Heaven - 4.75/5

Braveheart - 4.5/5

Last Samurai - 4/5

Troy - 3.5/5

since everyone else already made their lists (and i swear to god we better not have 55154372 pages of everyone reposting their scores again ) i'll post mine because it's super easy

Gladiator - incomplete. started watching it once about 4 years ago, never finished. wasn't really into it
Kingdom of Heaven - never seen it
Braveheart - no interest in seeing it
The Last Samurai - 4/5. almost afraid to watch this again since every time i do the score drops
Troy - no interest in seeing it (don't even start Squid )

that was pretty easy

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

since everyone else already made their lists (and i swear to god we better not have 55154372 pages of everyone reposting their scores again ) i'll post mine because it's super easy

Gladiator - incomplete. started watching it once about 4 years ago, never finished. wasn't really into it
Kingdom of Heaven - never seen it
Braveheart - no interest in seeing it
The Last Samurai - 4/5. almost afraid to watch this again since every time i do the score drops
Troy - no interest in seeing it (don't even start Squid )

that was pretty easy

Nope, no smiley face or wink after this one.

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

Yeah -- there was even a 3-way

[Show spoiler]"male photo mourning" club going on: Alex, Robert and Hausner. Alex and Robert had photos of Tamara -- so that pair had that in common. But then Alex and Hausner both had photos of their departed loved ones pasted to their own room in the cottage (Hausner of his wife -- "she's waiting for me", Alex of Tamara). I thought it was fascinating on those two parallels: (1) Robert/Alex with Tamara in common and (2) Hausner/Alex with a departed "shrine-like" photo of each of their women on the wall of each of their room in the cottage. What was cool about the Hausner/Alex parallel was that even though they both were mourning their respective women with shrine-like photos on the wall, they each acted 180 degrees opposite to one another (Hausner: at peace, winding down. Alex: in rage, winding up)

what i love about that last part Surf is

[Show spoiler]how it's reminiscent of the age group both are in. Hausner is older, wiser and more at peace with his life, what has happened, what he's accomplished and lost, so he's not vengeful or angry. Alex is younger, and like most younger adults (even though he's mid 30's at least i'd say) he has more energy, still demands answers for things, still somewhere in him thinks he can fix / make right what has happened by his actions now. even though he obviously cannot.

ugh. i LOVE this film

[Marcus Wright]

Originally Posted by Diesel

I think this is better than Troy

I absolutely agree with you.
I love that movie to death.
Its on of my probably top 20 personal favorite movies.
It just has such a good feeling of adventure to it.

5/5 for Odyssey for sure.