The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Hmmm. Thats exactly what I got from Sunrise, and a big dose too.

Maybe your point from your previous post carries a lot of weight, that Sunrise suffers partially from being viewed after Room.

Is Sunset scheduled, or floating in limbo until the mood hits?

Hey, if it worked for you that's all that matters. It wasn't a bad film, despite my harsh comments, it just didn't exceed mediocrity to me personally. I think this is due to two things: 1) the concept is one that I really love, and I just expected more and 2) viewing Room in Rome, which I strongly believe is better in every way.

If I had not viewed and loved Room in Rome, a film with essentially the same concept, would my review have changed? Maybe, but I don't think it would've been significantly different.

As for Sunset, I remember the advice you gave me about not watching the two films particularly close together and I plan on heeding that advice. I plan on watching it with the lady friend, despite her lack of enjoyment with Sunrise, just so that the stories of the two characters can be resolved. Her and I are going to see The Town on Friday nite, and on Sunday we'll be viewing The Girl Who Played with Fire, the book of which she finished last nite.

So, maybe in 2 weeks or so we'll see Sunset. Plus, isn't it set in Paris? Having been the only country (besides Canada) outside the US that I've travelled to, and that having been recently, I'm all for seeing films set there. One other issue with Sunrise I had is that it made Vienna seem completely and utterly unappealing, which I was taken aback by. I can't imagine that could be done with Paris.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

So here's my take on the weekly movie idea.

I think we all have at least one film we want our fellow members on here to see and share ideas from. The problem with voting is that some of those particular movies will never get chosen. I was thinking of a more personal approach: We concoct a list of the "regulars" (presumably alphabetically, but we can randomly generate the order just as well). We can go down the list one by one, so that each of us has a "turn" to have everyone watch that member's "pick of the week". Then we all must put forth modest effort to watch it by the end of the week so we can spend the next week discussing it.

Reasonable?

I want to say that I'd participate. I have a question/concern though. What happens when a movie is chosen that I (or any member) have zero desire to see. And I am not talking about a mild lack of interest, I am talking about a strong desire to avoid. How do we handle that? Is it OK to bow out for one session?

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by tbizzle

I think you're using the word snob incorrectly

A snob is someone who looks at others as though they themselves (or their opinion or tastes) are inferior in some way. Some people on this site have this attitude and act a bit film snobby, talkin sh!t about certain films and ridiculing someone for liking them because it's not some critically acclaimed masterpiece. However, that's now what your friends in this thread are doing. We just tend to be more critical of certain films because we have high standards and we all appreciate quality art. That doesn't mean that we can't enjoy Dumb and Dumber or The Fantastic Four, but we generally require a lot from the films that we watch.



This simply is not the case, and I challenge you to prove otherwise.

I know it's been discussed a lot here, but I'm gonna use Avatar as an example. In my opinion, this is an awesome film and I really enjoy it. However, it's not a very good film. It does everything it's supposed to and it obviously kept myself and MANY others very entertained, but the acting, direction, etc. was without a doubt not "top notch" in any way. The film has a good message, but is very cliche, shallow, mainstream and arguably unoriginal, however it's still an awesome, very entertaining film. Others have the same critiques, that the direction, acting, etc. are not high caliber, but differ in that they simply did not like it.

Not everyone is gonna like a film like TDK, Inception or Avatar. Bearcat is the perfect example of this, because he's engaged by drama as opposed to action. Being so new and cool, Avatar may have blown you away, along with millions of others... and might be the fan's favorite film of all time. But that doesn't mean it's great, that just means that it's popular. Those who expressed their dislike for Avatar aren't just hatin bro, they have their reasons

Yeahhhhh he might want to look up what "snob" means--definitely being used incorrectly. And Ebert is most definitely not a snob. Why? Because although he prefers older films, as many critics do, he gives good reviews to films in every conceivable category.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I want to say that I'd participate. I have a question/concern though. What happens when a movie is chosen that I (or any member) have zero desire to see. And I am not talking about a mild lack of interest, I am talking about a strong desire to avoid. How do we handle that? Is it OK to bow out for one session?

I don't really think the idea will work but it's worth trying if people are interested in it. I know I won't participate for the sole reason that I choose what movie to watch for very specific reasons, such as schedule and mood. I prefer to choose my own films, which is no knock on anyone else's suggestions.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Q!

Buried

I went in to see it as a curiousity, wondered how the hell the movie would keep you interested for an hour and a half, that only takes place in a coffin starring one man. Some pretty smart camera work and a great performance by Ryan Reynolds is how it is done. A man trapped in a coffin dealing with desperate kidnappers, unbelievable bureaucracy and such can be quit intense, who knew. A few minor things about the movie I didn't like, I wasn't very impressed by the score either, but all in all it's worth seeing it once.

8/10

Where the hell have you been?

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

That's right! I forgot that you watched this only a few weeks ago, right?



50 words in the entire film? haha. yeah he doesn't have as many lines as you'd expect, but does have a fair amount. as Two points out, the beginning is easily his stronger half, and he does have very few lines there, as he is in the depressed mode. later on, he does talk to the

[Show spoiler]King, Jeremy Irons, the Casino Royale chick <- cooler name for her, as well as new recruits towards the end

. I'm definitely not the biggest Bloom fan -- hated him in Troy. But he's at least decent (For me) here and the other performances and aspects (direction, score, etc, all the stuff Two summed up very nicely) are what grab me.

Did you hate him, or the weasel character?

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

Michael Clayton

[Show spoiler]year: 2007
director: tony gilroy
starring: george clooney, tilda swinton, tom wilkinson

wasn't really in the mood to watch something new, so i decided to grab a blu off my shelf that i haven't watched in awhile, Michael Clayton

a slow moving "burner" of a film that follows michael clayton (clooney in a great performance) a law firms "fixer" as he tries to fix a situation with a lawyer who's supposed to be protecting a company, but has a nervous break down and threatens to run wild with the knowledge that he has that knows the company is guilty.

i've always loved the film from the first time i saw it in 2007. i don't really know why. i read about the film, saw the trailer and thought "this looks really awesome" and it is, in every regard.

the performances, the score, the story, the writing, the awesome, "yeah! take that!" ending, the cinematography (), all of equals a great big bowl of success.

i know a lot of people don't feel that way. i know a lot of people find the film very slow, boring and goes nowhere, and to be honest, i can see that. while watching it i said to the gf "you find this boring don't you" and she said, "kinda" and i agreed that i understood what she meant, but it just doesn't have a 'boring' effect on me. i guess that's kind of weird, but i was hooked from the opening monologue by arthur (wilkinson, in a performance that should have won him the "best supporting actor" award, no doubt in my mind. i honestly don't understand how javier bardem was in this category he should have been in "best actor" because to me, he was the main character, not a supporting character. supporting character was tommy lee jones. but it was almost like they knew DDL was gonna win, and they needed NCFOM to win an award besides best picture (which also should have gone to TWBB imo) so they threw him in this category, robbing wilkinson of his award ) and then when

[Show spoiler]the car blows up

i was all sorts of "what's going on?" and never lost interest.

i think another thing that causes people to find the film "boring" is the color palette. it's nothing but greys, dark blues and blacks. clothes, buildings, cars, scenery, outdoor scenes are at night mostly... all of it fits very with the atmosphere and cinematography, but if you're not hooked by the film, then yes, it will come across boring.

i find it odd how most of my favorite films i wouldn't consider films i can watch with other people (or at least not a whole bunch at once). i like intimate, close-knit films and Michael Clayton is one of those films.

story of three people who are very much alone, but connected to the exact same things, but their lives are smothered in their work. i love it. they're great at what they do, but little else (evident only by clayton of course who has money problems and while good relationships with clients, bad relationships with family and friends outside of work. but i'd assume karen crowder (swinton) and arthur are the same way) and their work takes its toll on them each in their own ways: Michael

[Show spoiler]has no money, no personal life

, karen

[Show spoiler]loses her freedom to protect her company

, and arthur

[Show spoiler]loses his mind and ultimately his life for doing what was right, but not what he was "supposed" to do

.

i also love how, i believe, michael very much sees himself in arthur and karen. and that he could very easily be in both or either of their shoes.

and i love how the film ends:

[Show spoiler]with michael "victorious" againts karen and the company, but ultimately knowing that he's lost a friend in arthur, and that tomorrow is another day.

clooney's facial expressions sum it up perfectly.

i've seen michael clayton over 20+ times now i'm sure. and that proably surprises some as they could maybe not even sit through it once. it certainly isn't for everyone, and some will find the story maybe mundane or nothing that seems to interesting, but i do and very glad to own it on blu-ray

one of my top 10 favorite films from 2007, and in my personal "top 50 favorite films" list (actually inside the top 20 i believe).

highly recommended. but i wouldn't say it's a safe blind buy (if there is such a thing) by any stretch of the imagination. if you like slow moving films with a bit of a twist and some good tense scenes in the third act, definitely check it out otherwise, continue on passed it

PQ: 3.5/5 - nothing amazing, but the reviewer on here must have pretty high standards, because while it's not demo disc material (and probably should / could look better) it still looks great to me.
AQ: 3.5/5 - hard to judge a film that uses mainly dialogue, but it's crystal clear and i have no issues with it

5/5

I think you and I enjoyed this more than most folks did. I loved the subtle, under the surface type of tension.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by lDlisturb3d

I think you think im using the word "Snob" in a derogatory way which im not. The world needs "snobs" to be the picky people they are. If a "snob" says a movie is great then i wanna see it because its probably well written, directed or very theme heavy. But there are also other movies that are great but get downplayed because of their popularity. This is when i dont need the "snob's" opinion. Ebert is a "snob" but i like him. Get it?

Why do you say this?

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

I know! Isn't this B&N sale insane!! I'm having to plan my life around my B&N NOvember criterion overload viewing -- and not the other way around!!!

I wish this was the case for me

I probably can't get any serious watching done until next month

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by tbizzle

I think you're using the word snob incorrectly

A snob is someone who looks at others as though they themselves (or their opinion or tastes) are inferior in some way. Some people on this site have this attitude and act a bit film snobby, talkin sh!t about certain films and ridiculing someone for liking them because it's not some critically acclaimed masterpiece. However, that's now what your friends in this thread are doing. We just tend to be more critical of certain films because we have high standards and we all appreciate quality art. That doesn't mean that we can't enjoy Dumb and Dumber or The Fantastic Four, but we generally require a lot from the films that we watch.



This simply is not the case, and I challenge you to prove otherwise.

I know it's been discussed a lot here, but I'm gonna use Avatar as an example. In my opinion, this is an awesome film and I really enjoy it. However, it's not a very good film. It does everything it's supposed to and it obviously kept myself and MANY others very entertained, but the acting, direction, etc. was without a doubt not "top notch" in any way. The film has a good message, but is very cliche, shallow, mainstream and arguably unoriginal, however it's still an awesome, very entertaining film. Others have the same critiques, that the direction, acting, etc. are not high caliber, but differ in that they simply did not like it.

Not everyone is gonna like a film like TDK, Inception or Avatar. Bearcat is the perfect example of this, because he's engaged by drama as opposed to action. Being so new and cool, Avatar may have blown you away, along with millions of others... and might be the fan's favorite film of all time. But that doesn't mean it's great, that just means that it's popular. Those who expressed their dislike for Avatar aren't just hatin bro, they have their reasons

It cant be argued.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by killowertz

*cough* 10,000 B.C. *cough*

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by killowertz

Wow, I think I'd cry if I got that response to one of my posts. If I wasn't going for that kind of a response of course.

Squid hides his anger in very subtle ways

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Steve46

It was a bit annoying to me.

OH, I thought you meant the accents were weak.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

I hope to watch "The Magician" tonight, if I'm feeling up to it.

I almost ordered "TTRL," but decided I bought too much already. I'll revisit it someday I'm sure. "Charade" was a must-have for me...Audrey Hepburn FTW!

Man you're probably right. What am I thinking... Hepburn on blu-ray for the first time and this is how I respond? I order in a copy then shun her?? This will not do...

Only thing is Charade is such an average film to me. It's the kind of movie I would watch once on cable then probably never see again.

[Show spoiler]Understand that she is the main driving force behind this purchase!

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Hey, if it worked for you that's all that matters. It wasn't a bad film, despite my harsh comments, it just didn't exceed mediocrity to me personally. I think this is due to two things: 1) the concept is one that I really love, and I just expected more and 2) viewing Room in Rome, which I strongly believe is better in every way.

If I had not viewed and loved Room in Rome, a film with essentially the same concept, would my review have changed? Maybe, but I don't think it would've been significantly different.

As for Sunset, I remember the advice you gave me about not watching the two films particularly close together and I plan on heeding that advice. I plan on watching it with the lady friend, despite her lack of enjoyment with Sunrise, just so that the stories of the two characters can be resolved. Her and I are going to see The Town on Friday nite, and on Sunday we'll be viewing The Girl Who Played with Fire, the book of which she finished last nite.

So, maybe in 2 weeks or so we'll see Sunset. Plus, isn't it set in Paris? Having been the only country (besides Canada) outside the US that I've travelled to, and that having been recently, I'm all for seeing films set there. One other issue with Sunrise I had is that it made Vienna seem completely and utterly unappealing, which I was taken aback by. I can't imagine that could be done with Paris.

Yes, Paris, and to me, it was depicted delightfully. Lovely architecture and atmosphere. That crowded, intimate, hustle bustle Euro feeling.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by Steve46

Sounds good to me.

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

I think it sounds reasonable.

Originally Posted by two40

Sounds very reasonable and simple which means it'll probably last longer than my idea. lol

One if you regulars start the thread and let the festivities begin.

We've got Steve, Al, and two on board.

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I want to say that I'd participate. I have a question/concern though. What happens when a movie is chosen that I (or any member) have zero desire to see. And I am not talking about a mild lack of interest, I am talking about a strong desire to avoid. How do we handle that? Is it OK to bow out for one session?

Of course. I don't see any problem with skipping out although attendance will probably be low anyway. That was my only hesitation with this is it makes everything much more exclusive but maybe that's a good thing

Plus, I'm sure we have a good feel of each other's strong dislikes that we won't recommend too disturbing films. i.e. being careful about choosing films like Amores Perros that might be too sensitive/controversial/offensive.

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

I don't really think the idea will work but it's worth trying if people are interested in it. I know I won't participate for the sole reason that I choose what movie to watch for very specific reasons, such as schedule and mood. I prefer to choose my own films, which is no knock on anyone else's suggestions.

I think we all prefer to pick and choose what movies we watch which is the reason for this whole thing . It's simply a gentle nudge to expand our variety and a chance to share our appreciation of films people might not normally care about (i.e. your appreciation for Room in Rome that nobody has had the chance or enough interest to watch it yet and join you in discussion). If your schedule is too restricted or you aren't interested, it's no big deal. The idea of going for the frequent posters was to aim for better participation and of course, better familiarize ourselves with each other's interests since we discuss movies with each other so much.

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Lol. All in good fun since I own quite a few movies that would be considered "crap".

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Squid hides his anger in very subtle ways

Subtle my....

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

We've got Steve, Al, and two on board.

[Show spoiler]Of course. I don't see any problem with skipping out although attendance will probably be low anyway. That was my only hesitation with this is it makes everything much more exclusive but maybe that's a good thing

Plus, I'm sure we have a good feel of each other's strong dislikes that we won't recommend too disturbing films. i.e. being careful about choosing films like Amores Perros that might be too sensitive/controversial/offensive.




I think we all prefer to pick and choose what movies we watch which is the reason for this whole thing . It's simply a gentle nudge to expand our variety and a chance to share our appreciation of films people might not normally care about (i.e. your appreciation for Room in Rome that nobody has had the chance or enough interest to watch it yet and join you in discussion). If your schedule is too restricted or you aren't interested, it's no big deal. The idea of going for the frequent posters was to aim for better participation and of course, better familiarize ourselves with each other's interests since we discuss movies with each other so much

.

I'm in.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Squid hides his anger in very subtle ways

Originally Posted by killowertz

Subtle my....

Its not anger, I just enjoy crapping on popular movies that make a lot of money.

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I'm in.

count me in too