The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[Marcus Wright]

Originally Posted by lDlisturb3d

Seven Samurai (Criterion)

Director: Akira Kurosawa
Writers: Akira Kurosawa, and Shinobu Hashimoto
Mains: Toshirô Mifune, Takashi Shimura and Keiko Tsushima

"This isn't our victory"

[

[Show spoiler]B]Plot (Criterion):[/B] One of the most thrilling movies epics of all time, Seven Samurai (Scichinin no samurai) tells the story of a sixteenth-century village whose desperate inhabitants hire the eponymous warriors to protect them from invading bandits. This three hour ride from Akira Kusrosawa- featuring leagendary actors Toshiro Mifune and Takashi Shimura- seamlessly weaves philosophy and entertainment, delicate human emotions and relentless action, into a rich, evocative and unforgettable tale of courage and hope.

My Take: Seven Samurai has been name of the greatest entertaining movies of all time. Ranked near the top on all websites about films. Well my review wont be short of that at all. Watching the film i was always curious in why people loved it so. While viewing it i came across that this isnt different from other films that arent loved as much. Then i started to throw in 2 factors. When the movie was made, ( the future impact it would have on movies) and the depth of the characters (displayed flawlessly). So after thinking about it for a while Seven Samurai is a PERFECT film. It has action, drama (lost and love) and suspense. Why do i love this film? Well its all about the story and characters. I simply cared for each Samurai. They all had their own personalities. Even though they all were Samurai they still were very different. My favorite character was the Samurai wanna be. He was the comic relief, hated Samurai's but wanted to become one down deep imo. I wont get into deep about the characters but just be warned you might fall inlove with each Samurai.

Conclusion: After viewing Yojimbo and Sanjuro i wanted to see Kurosawa's acclaimed "Masterpiece". On the initial viewing i told my self this is good but not great. Then i let it soak in and the movie speaks for itself. 3 hrs long without you even knowing it. Written perfectly and performed even better. Seven Samurai has influenced many movies and is still GREAT. I 56 year old film that is still entertaining without special effects and computer technology (not that i don't like this stuff) but it just shows you that the story is amazing. If you like westerns (because this is where westerns are from) then you will love this amazing movie

. I wouldn't say this is a must own but it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Straight forward easy to comprehend entertainment. Check it out.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

5/5

Great review except that I would say this is a must have movie for any serious movie fan.

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Are you under the impression that Black Swan is a "Ballet" film? I get the vibe that ballet is just the medium for a very heavy and dark drama. Like gnarly heavy and dark.

It just looks completely uninteresting to me

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Diesel

It just looks completely uninteresting to me

I think its actually supossed to be pretty scary psychological thriller...

Showgirls meets Fight Club on crazy pills

For those harbouring any sissified notions, ballet is indeed a sport -- and as depicted by Darren Aronofsky in the powerful, over-the-top psychological thriller Black Swan, a blood sport at that.

You may have never attempted to dance a pirouette in your life, but Aronofsky's gift for a heightened sense of physical and emotional terror as Portman goes postal will grab you by the throat and keep you on your toes so to speak, every step of the way.

But I understand

[Show spoiler]No robots/car chases/splosions = no Diesel :P:

[lDlisturb3d]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Arigato gozaimasu!

Great review! Glad you liked it!

[lDlisturb3d]

Originally Posted by Marcus Wright

Great review except that I would say this is a must have movie for any serious movie fan.

My recommendations are for those who havent seen the film bro.


My favorite character LMAO.

[Al_The_Strange]

Next greatest blind-buy: “Coffee and Cigarettes.” Not sure why; maybe because I like coffee? Or because it looked all artsy? Well, for $2, why not?

As expected, the film has an indie art-house charm. The whole thing is done in glorious black-and-white, with a fairly limited production value (one that remains effectively unique and distinctive anyway) and an extremely varied cast (wow, Billy Murray, Cate Blanchett, Iggy Pop, Steve Buscemi, the RZA and the GZA, Jack and Meg White (the White Stripes?! Really?!! Rock on!!! ), and more!).

The movie is about…nothing really. It’s eleven short episodes showing different characters conversing around…yep…coffee and cigarettes. These short exchanges are fundamentally amusing in their own ways; they seem to have no point, but there is a lot of subtle undertones and tension that remains unspoken, and ultimately provides more of the punchline than what is spoken. It’s brilliant in a very high-brow way; as a comedy though it’s not really a laugh-out-loud type of thing (even though there are some amusing moments).

Photography is pretty simple, but also very solid and uniform. Acting is excellent all around, and with this cast it’s worth looking at.

3/5 (entertainment: 3/5, stories: 1/5, film: 4.5/5)

Recommendation: For fans of high-brow comedy/drama movies (like “Lost in Translation” or something). As far as short-story movies go, I’d recommend “Paris Je T’amie,” “Tokyo!” or “Four Rooms” instead.



“I like to drink a lot of coffee before I sleep so I can dream really fast!”

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by lDlisturb3d

My recommendations are for those who havent seen the film bro.


My favorite character LMAO.

[Show spoiler]

Yes, Kikuchiyo is the man!

...or the robot...

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Black Swan, True Grit?

They don't come out till next year over here

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Tossed on a few that I think you would enjoy. Put 'em on your "someday list".

Good Will Hunting is already there. it's my #1 film of 1998, because that's when it came out. not 1997

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

Good Will Hunting is already there. it's my #1 film of 1998, because that's when it came out. not 1997

I missed by 9 days.

[iam1bearcat]

Leaving Las Vegas

1995

a recommendation from the Squidster himself, and it was a damn good one

dark, bleak, depressing, surreal, honest, brutal, funny and yet charming at times while wrapped in a big 'ol basket of alcohol and melancholy. my kind of film!

my only real issue is that the film feels VERY 1995 - for better and worse. the score at times is a bit clumsy and i didn't like it, and most of the time i thought it fit the film well, but sometimes felt way too wacky and too upbeat for the tone of the film. if you're gonna be a 'dark' film, then stick with it, don't change your mind about it!

Nicolas Cage was good / great at times. although a few areas he was very "Nicolas Cage" with his obnoxious, goofy overbearing laughter, but it fits his character - a constant drunk who's trying to drink himself to death in Las Vegas - well, so i can't really complain here, just nit picking i presume

the real stand out though was Elisabeth Shue (Sera) the hooker he meets and spends time with in Las Vegas. they form a very odd, never seen before friendship / relationship that feels more real than a lot of romantic films that try to have a couple we should believe in from the get go do. so that was a major plus. both characters are tragic, lost, wrecked, scarred, ruined and going nowhere. depressing? the film has lot so of it. and again, i love that in a film

it comes highly recommended for fans of darker, serious dramas. extremely original and glad i finally got around to seeing it

4/5

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I missed by 9 days.

at least it wasn't by a whole lot so i can't blame ya too much for saying '97

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

Leaving Las Vegas

1995

a recommendation from the Squidster himself, and it was a damn good one

dark, bleak, depressing, surreal, honest, brutal, funny and yet charming at times while wrapped in a big 'ol basket of alcohol and melancholy. my kind of film!

my only real issue is that the film feels VERY 1995 - for better and worse. the score at times is a bit clumsy and i didn't like it, and most of the time i thought it fit the film well, but sometimes felt way too wacky and too upbeat for the tone of the film. if you're gonna be a 'dark' film, then stick with it, don't change your mind about it!

Nicolas Cage was good / great at times. although a few areas he was very "Nicolas Cage" with his obnoxious, goofy overbearing laughter, but it fits his character - a constant drunk who's trying to drink himself to death in Las Vegas - well, so i can't really complain here, just nit picking i presume

the real stand out though was Elisabeth Shue (Sera) the hooker he meets and spends time with in Las Vegas. they form a very odd, never seen before friendship / relationship that feels more real than a lot of romantic films that try to have a couple we should believe in from the get go do. so that was a major plus. both characters are tragic, lost, wrecked, scarred, ruined and going nowhere. depressing? the film has lot so of it. and again, i love that in a film

it comes highly recommended for fans of darker, serious dramas. extremely original and glad i finally got around to seeing it

4/5

Which do you find darker, more depressing, more hopeless, bleak, and disturbing, this or Requiem for a dream?

I choose

[Show spoiler]Leaving Las Vegas because its a focused and conscious effort to commit suicide, where RfaD is an accidental downward spiral.

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Which do you find darker, more depressing, more hopeless, bleak, and disturbing, this or Requiem for a dream?

I choose

[Show spoiler]Leaving Las Vegas because its a focused and conscious effort to commit suicide, where RfaD is an accidental downward spiral.

agreed.

RfaD is

[Show spoiler]all an accident

, LLV is

[Show spoiler]a very specific choice

so watching someone deliberately do something is harder to do than watching someone who isn't.

however the overall tone of RfaD is darker and more depressing: the score more haunting / disturbing, and the cinematography more haunting as well.

[dag]

Interesting movie week for me:

The African Queen - The newly restored Blu looked very good. It was nice to see some on-location scenes from Africa. The story mixes the tradition of two opposites becoming attracted to each other with an against-the-odds action theme. A pleasant way to spend Monday evening.

Antichrist - I have to say this film failed on every level for me. I couldn't take it at all seriously. For example,

[Show spoiler]I was reduced almost to contemptible laughter when He is struggling along the ground with the weight screwed into his leg

. I know there are some posters here who greatly admire this work; while there certainly are moments of beauty in the film, I cannot consider this an artistic success.

Collapse - this really is a celebration to a paranoiac. While issues like peak oil, environmental degradation, overpopulation, corporate interests trumping public interests, financial shenanigans, sustainable development, and government corruption are all - obviously! - serious issues that urgently require greater attention by all, I thought the interviewee was not merely odious but also flat out delusional. He is also an anarchist, and his devilish glee at the impending end of civilization as we know it - he's not merely satisfied with having "predicted" it - is morally outrageous. I also prefer to hear these very serious issues discussed by people who are able to pay their rent.

Departures - Although a little predictable and saccharine, this quiet little Japanese film was also genuinely touching. It is true that death isn't really for the deceased but for the living. How do we deal with death, and those who have departed before us? How is it that so often it's those last moments before the coffin is sealed that we try to reconcile with others, rather in the time we have together? Recommended.

Mystery Train - This quirky little film didn't really amount to a great deal in my eyes, but it was nonetheless entertaining. The young Japanese couple and the English "Elvis" and his buddies were the best.

Black Swan - I saw this at the theatre yesterday (last week I had discovered a movie coupon while leafing through my desk) and found it a bit of a mishmash. Once again, the ballet acts as the setting for competing personal, family, romantic, and professional interests. Certainly Portman did a very good job in the lead role.

Valhalla Rising - Again, the plot really didn't work for me.

[Show spoiler]The crossing of the Atlantic was, for me, patently absurd.

One-Eye's origins and hidden meanings didn't grab me.

Well, those are just my very brief humble takes on what I saw this past week. Even though I may not have liked a particular film, I can still honestly recommend any of them to the viewers of this thread.

[Riff Magnum]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

yeah he is i have 5-6 of his more popular / well known films sitting in my queue, but haven't gotten to them yet.

Hey your list is really cool, but There Will Be Blood came out in 2007.

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Riff Magnum

Hey your list is really cool, but There Will Be Blood came out in 2007.

limited release in December 2007, worldwide on January 11, 2008 so i put it with the 2008 releases

[Riff Magnum]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

limited release in December 2007, worldwide on January 11, 2008 so i put it with the 2008 releases

Huh, i guess i got to see the "limited release." Had no idea. I guess living next to five million people sometimes has it's advantages.

Anyone on here watching the finale of "Boardwalk Empire" tonight?

[Diesel]

Eagle Eye


I hadn't seen this before, but have wanted to since it came to theaters. I heard nothing but in regards to it, so I wasn't sure what I would think of it going in.

But I really enjoyed it.

I believe this is the first movie that Shia didn't say "NO NO NO!!!" in it (if he did, I don't remember it). I actually like this guy. He's not a superb actor at all, but he does good for what is needed of him in the movies I've seen him in with a main role (Transformers, Eagle Eye, Distrubia).

There's nothing remarkable about the acting across the board, but everyone turns in performances that get the job done and there was nothing that was cringe worthy for me.


I liked the Super Big Brother....er...Sister premise of the film quite a bit and thought it was a pretty fun ride of a movie.

There's not really any tension as to whether or not

[Show spoiler]Shia is going to stop the computer from killing the entire order of succession (besides the Secretary of Defense) of the government

as this is just not the sort of story where you think that could actually happen...basically, this isn't 24

Shia

[Show spoiler]stopping the explosion by shooting off a gun instead of getting to the Sergeant at Arms in time

did surprise me though. But after that happened I was hoping that

[Show spoiler]he had died stopping the attack

instead of

[Show spoiler]him just getting hurt and living to the happy ending.

It wasn't a deal breaker but I was sort of disappointed that's how it went.

The chase scenes in the film were pretty cool...I think. I could barely see anything the way they were zoomed in and shaky cammed. I could tell what was going on (Michael Bay's School of Quick Editing graduate ) but it would have been nice for them to pull the camera back and keep it a little more steady to give a better look at what seemed to be, like I said, some cool looking and set up chases.


There's also some pretty obvious errors, the three main ones I noticed being:

[Show spoiler]

• The explosion not going off because the kid didn't get to the key at the end of the song that would have set it off...too bad the trigger was placed before the keys
  Oh and how come the trumpet worked like normal even though that thing was lodged in the airway??
  
  
• As cool as that guy getting shocked to death by the wire was, there's no way that computer could have made that happen. That wasn't some rinky dink power pole, that was one of the heavy duty big boys. "She" couldn't have caused an energy spike high enough to make that thing do that, a bolt of lightning wouldn't make it do that.
  
  
• Remote ejection of a pilot?? I'm not entirely sure on this one, but I doubt that can be done. That made me go
  (Unless someone informs me that that can really be done)

Overall, nothing amazing about anything in the movie but it was still a pretty solid and enjoyable film to spend about two hours on; but with the poorly shot/edited chase sequences and my disappointment with

[Show spoiler]him not dieing

, I can't score it higher than a...


Rating - 4/5




Note: It would have gotten a 4.25/5

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Eagle Eye

I hadn't seen this before, but have wanted to since it came to theaters. I heard nothing but in regards to it, so I wasn't sure what I would think of it going in.

But I really enjoyed it.

I believe this is the first movie that Shia didn't say "NO NO NO!!!" in it (if he did, I don't remember it). I actually like this guy. He's not a superb actor at all, but he does good for what is needed of him in the movies I've seen him in with a main role (Transformers, Eagle Eye, Distrubia).

[Show spoiler]There's nothing remarkable about the acting across the board, but everyone turns in performances that get the job done and there was nothing that was cringe worthy for me.


I liked the Super Big Brother....er...Sister premise of the film quite a bit and thought it was a pretty fun ride of a movie.

There's not really any tension as to whether or not

[Show spoiler]Shia is going to stop the computer from killing the entire order of succession (besides the Secretary of Defense) of the government

as this is just not the sort of story where you think that could actually happen...basically, this isn't 24

Shia

[Show spoiler]stopping the explosion by shooting off a gun instead of getting to the Sergeant at Arms in time

did surprise me though. But after that happened I was hoping that

[Show spoiler]he had died stopping the attack

instead of

[Show spoiler]him just getting hurt and living to the happy ending.

It wasn't a deal breaker but I was sort of disappointed that's how it went.

The chase scenes in the film were pretty cool...I think. I could barely see anything the way they were zoomed in and shaky cammed. I could tell what was going on (Michael Bay's School of Quick Editing graduate ) but it would have been nice for them to pull the camera back and keep it a little more steady to give a better look at what seemed to be, like I said, some cool looking and set up chases.


There's also some pretty obvious errors, the three main ones I noticed being:

[Show spoiler]

• The explosion not going off because the kid didn't get to the key at the end of the song that would have set it off...too bad the trigger was placed before the keys
  Oh and how come the trumpet worked like normal even though that thing was lodged in the airway??
  
  
• As cool as that guy getting shocked to death by the wire was, there's no way that computer could have made that happen. That wasn't some rinky dink power pole, that was one of the heavy duty big boys. "She" couldn't have caused an energy spike high enough to make that thing do that, a bolt of lightning wouldn't make it do that.
  
  
• Remote ejection of a pilot?? I'm not entirely sure on this one, but I doubt that can be done.

Overall, nothing amazing about anything in the movie but it was still a pretty solid and enjoyable film to spend about two hours on; but with the poorly shot/edited chase sequences and the problems I mentioned (among others I didn't pick up on until reading the Goofs at IMDB) I can't score it any higher than a...

Rating - 4/5

i enjoyed the film as well even though i only gave it a 3/5 ("liked it")
and to your part i made bold and red: Shia is the second coming of Paul Walker for me, and it seems you, because that's how i feel Walker is