The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[Riff Magnum]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I hope I didnt come across like I was ripping on his taste, because that wasnt my intent. I just dont care for the second two enough to pay for them and have them sit on my shelf.

Naw, but just like the Godfather set, i think there are an equal amount of people who just want the first two as there are that want the whole thing. Seems that way to me anyways.

[Riff Magnum]

Originally Posted by Darth Anakin

Aliens is one of the best action films of all-time but if someone else likes Resurrection more, why do you care? Watching Before the Devil Knows You're Dead but taking a break to watch NFL football. Tomei, Hawke, Finney and Hoffman are incredible in this, definitely a solid heist movie that I usually forget when I discuss heist movies for some reason. 4.5/5 for the movie, 4/5 for the transfer, recommended to those who like tragic dramas with a little heist mixed in.

U are one weird dude.

Btw, i love "BtDKYD." It's one of the few movies where the mixed up chronology actually adds to the experience. Somehow Lumet manages to use that "gimmick" to build the tension and put you inside the head of each character. I thought it was gonna annoy me at first, but eventually I thought it worked perfectly.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Are they showing it in HD and in its original aspect ratio, 1.85:1? If they arent, I'd rent it on Blu-ray.

I dont think the order is important because they are totally different types of movies.

I don't think it's in HD, I'll probably record it anyway, ratio and stuff like that doesn't bother me, if I like it I'd probably buy the blu somewhere down the line.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I'd love to own this and #2. I just cant allow myself to buy the box containing 2 other films I'll never watch.

Same here. Alien and Aliens are two of my favorites, but I refuse to own the other two (which I consider trash). They'll be released individually at some point this year.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

It's out already?? How'd you like it?

Speaking of the Golden Globes, I really hope Bale takes home the Globe Sunday night.

I can't see it any other way.

I haven't seen it yet. It has a very high rating on Rottentomatoes though, which negates TheBasterd's attempt to throw it under the bus a few weeks ago. I can't wait to see it.

As for Bale, he has to win.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Riff Magnum

Well, 5 was just a nice number. I know i've heard u, Jhiggy, and bearcat praise it. That is definitely good enough for me, but i'm really not trying to do the blind buy thing anymore. Might as well use the netflix and just buy 67 BD's on black friday for $8 a piece. I'm saving my pennies for that damn surround, but my wife won't even let me spring for that until we fix up our house completely. But guess what? That is a goal that will never....EVAR.... really be reached!!!

There's a reason why many critics list it as the best film of the 2000s and why at least two critics have called it the best film of the past 25 years. It's that good.

[Al_The_Strange]

Playing this “Batman: Arkham Asylum” game put me into a “Batman” marathon mode!

“Batman.”

In what must be the first “good” Batman film ever made, Tim Burton musters his dark and macabre sensibilities to bring about the basic aesthetic essence of the Batman universe. It is fittingly dark, filled with imaginative set-pieces, and it has enough wickedness to put Adam West to shame. It’s a film full of theatrics, antics, comedy, and action. Even though most of the best scenes come out toward the end, this film is at least moderately entertaining.

As a story, it is a fitting intro to both the Batman and Joker characters, and provides enough insight to keep it going. Otherwise, I feel the story is generally very loose and lacks cohesion; it feels like it hops from one thing to another. But the ending does provide a very solid climax.

These days, it’s hard not to compare it to “Batman Begins,” which was very richly filled with thematic and psychological concepts that made the characters shine brightly. “The Dark Knight” also excels better with its characterizations and focus on moral complexity. You can kinda tell that this first “Batman” movie wanted to touch on some of these concepts; the Joker is a wild guy who revels in chaos, but he just doesn’t compare to Heath Ledger’s psychotic brilliance. Batman appears to only want vengeance. There is hardly anything that indicates moral complexity, or the theme of fear, or much of anything else. Harvey Dent appears briefly (…Lando?!!), but comes off as a schmuck . Jim Gordon is barely recognizable. Let’s face it; Christopher Nolan made the story, characters, and themes miles better. But even on its own merits, the story is serviceable and nothing more.

As a film, it shows adequate photography. Acting is pretty good; Michael Keaton is pretty darn badass as Batman; Jack Nicholson is appropriately wild and zany as the Joker, with a slight touch of menace and wickedness. Kim Basinger is rather appealing. The film has an ambitious production value, with plenty of slick costumes, props, sets, vehicles, weapons, etc, but some of it is a bit fake-looking, dated, or cartoony (it almost reminds me of movies like “Darkman” or “Dick Tracey”). Music is great. I’ll have it stuck in my head all night now.

4/5 (entertainment: 3.5/5, story: 3.5/5, film: 4/5)

Recommendation: Sure.

This Blu-Ray might put a smile on your face. Or not. Frankly, it does look adequately sharp, but not nearly as sharp as most other Blu-Rays. Colors are very dim and dull, and contrast can be on the gray side (this movie has never had great colors anyway). But, it is a clean picture with no signs of print damage, and no intrusive noise. Sound quality seems okay; it is very dated so most of the dialogue and sound effects won’t be huge standouts, but there are a few solid stereo effects.

PQ: 3.5/5, AQ: 3.5/5

[Al_The_Strange]

“Batman Returns.”

Ah, 1992, I remember catching onto the hype of this sequel, learning about the fantastic new villains (two of them instead of one, whoa!), new vehicles and weapons (is that a BatSki I see?), and all the hard work that went into this (penguins with rockets, animatronics, old-school CGI, Danny DeVito in a fatman suit, holy crap!). Once I finally saw it, I believe the film delivered…big time.

Tim Burton returns for another “Batman” movie, this time injecting it with even huger doses of his gothic aesthetic, while upping the production value and making things bigger and badder. The action is more frequent, the special effects are way more refined, and the dense story moves at a pleasing rate. There are more cool weapons and gizmos, more vehicles, and more impressively imaginative stuff all around. And at the same time, it has room for plenty of drama, sensual romance, and perhaps a slight pinch of comedy.

This time around, the story is bigger, as two new villains take the stage and weave a more complex web of trust and betrayal, political turmoil, and evil schemes that become intermingled, perhaps even colliding with explosive force. This may seem very convoluted, but it really isn’t; the story is tight and sublime, and still has room to breathe. Above all, the characters are phenomenal. Batman himself receives only modest development, but combined with Catwoman the theme of duality and alter egos is subtly hinted at. Not to mention, their chemistry is phenomenal. The Penguin is every bit as creepy, wicked, and diabolical as one could imagine. Both of these villains have incredible heart-wrenching births; it always hits me emotionally to see a baby Oswald Cobblepot being tossed into a river, or seeing Selena trashing her apartment in rage.

For this film, I feel its much better made as well. The photography is solid, once again. Acting is top-notch; Michael Keaton is still the man, Danny DeVito and Michelle Pfeiffer are perfect in their roles. Christopher Walken makes an appearance as another fine and dandy bad guy. As I mentioned somewhere above, the production value is very high, featuring a plethora of quality sets, props, costumes, vehicles, weapons, and other imaginative goodies. Music is smashing too.

4.5/5 (entertainment: 4.5/5, story: 4/5, film: 4.5/5, emotional impact: 4/5) Personal favorite among these older “Batman” films.

Recommendation: Yes.

The Blu-Ray is sweet! Picture quality is darn near perfect, with superb sharpness, excellent detail, and an extremely clear image. Colors and contrast are really great most of the time. Sound quality is pretty good, but nothing terribly bombastic or anything.

PQ: 4.5/5, AQ: 4/5

[Riff Magnum]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

There's a reason why many critics list it as the best film of the 2000s and why at least two critics have called it the best film of the past 25 years. It's that good.

It should be in my mailbox by Tuesday, or Wednesday at the latest.

[Diesel]

Today's first movie:


Shutter Island

• 2010 | R | 138 Minutes
  
  
• Director: Martin Scorsese
  
  
• Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley
  
  
• Drama | Mystery | Thriller
  
  
• First Time Viewing

I remember the first time I saw the trailer for this movie. I surmised the "ending" of it from that alone (as did other people). But I didn't know how it would come to that ending or what would happen after it. Now that I finally got around to seeing the film I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would.


Any suspicious viewer will

[Show spoiler]probably figure out that Teddy is actually a patient long before it is revealed

, but the journey to that is still interesting.

In fact I thought it was handled quite well with

[Show spoiler]his slowly deteriorating grip on reality and what he believes is real and just what is truly happening on this island.

The film also succeeds in making me care about this guy and

[Show spoiler]feel sad for him when we see what really happened to him in his past

The

[Show spoiler]scene in the lighthouse where everything is being revealed to Leo and onward is easily the best part of the film for me. I loved his line at the end of the film before he walks off with the orderlies.

But even still, being so easy to figure out is a big knock against this movie. It would have been great if the film had a better shroud of mystery surrounding it that keeps the viewer in the dark more efficiently.

Another thing that the film doesn't do well at is creating that "creepy" or "eerie" atmosphere/vibe. I really wanted to get it from this film, but it just wasn't there.

Those two things would have upped the quality of the movie quite a bit for me, but as it stands its still a pretty good movie.


Leo does really good in his role. I didn't think he was great, but very good.

Everyone else around him was solid as well, but he was definitely the best one in this film in my opinion.


I'd watch it again if I was with someone who wanted to, but I probably wouldn't ever watch it again on my own decision.


Rating - 4/5

[Diesel]

Today's second movie:


Brothers

• 2009 | R | 105 Minutes
  
  
• Director: Jim Sheridan
  
  
• Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman and Tobey Maguire
  
  
• Drama | Thriller | War
  
  
• First Time Viewing

I seem to remember being interested in this one when it first came out, but I never saw it until tonight.


Maguire plays a Marine Captain (which I just couldn't buy him as a Marine Captain. Lieutenant? Yep. But not a Captain) that goes off to Afghanistan shortly after his younger brother is released from prison. While he's there he and his men crash and are presumed dead. The family grieves and tries to move on after losing him; the only thing is....

[Show spoiler]he isn't dead

.

I also enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. It has some hilarious moments early on, some sad moments throughout, disturbing moments and some very high tension moments. A little bit of everything in a movie that isn't even two hours long. And just about all of it works very well.

My only complaints really was when

[Show spoiler]they go to meet him at the plane. It was a little anticlimactic; they hugged him and acted like he was just coming back from vacation or something. That should have been a very emotional scene, for them at least if not him.

That and I would have liked to see a little more time between Maguire

[Show spoiler]and his fellow Marine that made us feel it even more when he kills him.

Everything else though, I highly enjoyed.

The scene near the end where

[Show spoiler]Maguire loses it until when Jake G is walking down the street after was incredibly I had no idea what was going to happen. Is he going to kill Tommy? Hurt/kill Grace? Maybe even hurt one of the girls? Kill himself?! (which I didn't think of until he put the gun to his head).

That was "great" stuff.


The acting from the main three was very good.

From when Maguire

[Show spoiler]had to kill his man until the end of the movie where he goes berserk

he was great. When it first started I just couldn't shake the thought of, "Hey look, it's Spider-Man." But his

[Show spoiler]post-war stuff took care of that very quickly. He was freaking nuts

It's always nice to see Natalie Portman in a non-Star Wars movie because it reminds me that she can speak like a real person

And Jake G always seems like the cool guy to me, even when he was the lame guy in Zodiac


If you haven't seen this film, I would definitely recommend watching it. Like I said it has a moments all across the spectrum of emotion in such a short film.

I would put it at #4 on my list for 2009 behind Star Trek, Taken and The Blind Side.


Rating - 4.75/5

[LordCrumb]

127 Hours
- Only the second film I have seen that an actor has pulled off the "I'm going to die" expression so brilliantly.

[Show spoiler]just after James Franco falls and gets his arm pinned, the gut wrenching fear and shock on his face was extraordinary

. The other film is 'Out of the Blue', based on the Aramoana massacre

[Show spoiler]when one elderly character slowly tries to reach for the door to lock it

. Really enjoyed this film, we have all heard about the true story, but this dramatization was really well crafted, and the use of music genially original. 5/5

Unstoppable
Enjoyable action flick, simply another roller coaster ride from Tony Scott and Denzel Washington. Doesn't get stretched out to the point you wish they would just hurry up. The closing 'what they are up to now' titles were a good laugh for the end. 4/5

The Last Exorcism
A surprising little film in a similar style to Blair Witch Project and REC. I didn't recognize any of the actors, which was good for a change, and they did a relatively good job. This one did tend to drag its feet a little around the beginning, but it could be put down to character development. The scenes in the barn were very effective. 3.5/5

[menaceuk]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Today's second movie:


Brothers

• 2009 | R | 105 Minutes
  
  
• Director: Jim Sheridan
  
  
• Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman and Tobey Maguire
  
  
• Drama | Thriller | War
  
  
• First Time Viewing

[Show spoiler]I seem to remember being interested in this one when it first game out, but I never saw it until tonight.


Maguire plays a Marine Captain (which I just couldn't buy him as a Marine Captain. Lieutenant? Yep. But not a Captain) that goes off to Afghanistan shortly after his younger brother is released from prison. While he's there he and his men crash and are presumed dead. The family grieves and tries to move on after losing him; the only thing is....

[Show spoiler]he isn't dead

.

I also enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. It has some hilarious moments early on, some sad moments throughout, disturbing moments and some very high tension moments. A little bit of everything in a movie that isn't even two hours long. And just about all of it works very well.

My only complaints really was when

[Show spoiler]they go to meet him at the plane. It was a little anticlimactic; they hugged him and acted like he was just coming back from vacation or something. That should have been a very emotional scene, for them at least if not him.

That and I would have liked to see a little more time between Maguire

[Show spoiler]and his fellow Marine that made us feel it even more when he kills him.

Everything else though, I highly enjoyed.

The scene near the end where

[Show spoiler]Maguire loses it until when Jake G is walking down the street after was incredibly I had no idea what was going to happen. Is he going to kill Tommy? Hurt/kill Grace? Maybe even hurt one of the girls? Kill himself?! (which I didn't think of until he put the gun to his head).

That was "great" stuff.


The acting from the main three was very good.

From when Maguire

[Show spoiler]had to kill his man until the end of the movie where he goes berserk

he was great. When it first started I just couldn't shake the thought of, "Hey look, it's Spider-Man." But his

[Show spoiler]post-war stuff took care of that very quickly. He was freaking nuts

It's always nice to see Natalie Portman in a non-Star Wars movie because it reminds me that she can speak like a real person

And Jake G always seems like the cool guy to me, even when he was the lame guy in Zodiac


If you haven't seen this film, I would definitely recommend watching it. Like I said it has a moments all across the spectrum of emotion in such a short film.

I would put it at #4 on my list for 2009 behind Star Trek, Taken and The Blind Side.


Rating - 4.75/5

I really Need to see this movie, Been getting a fair bit of praise on this forum but I did watch the trailer for it and couldn't help but think it looked boring.


Will check it out tomorrow .

[Hep]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Today's second movie:

Brothers

[Show spoiler]

• 2009 | R | 105 Minutes
  
  
• Director: Jim Sheridan
  
  
• Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman and Tobey Maguire
  
  
• Drama | Thriller | War
  
  
• First Time Viewing

I seem to remember being interested in this one when it first game out, but I never saw it until tonight.


Maguire plays a Marine Captain (which I just couldn't buy him as a Marine Captain. Lieutenant? Yep. But not a Captain) that goes off to Afghanistan shortly after his younger brother is released from prison. While he's there he and his men crash and are presumed dead. The family grieves and tries to move on after losing him; the only thing is....

[Show spoiler]he isn't dead

.

I also enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. It has some hilarious moments early on, some sad moments throughout, disturbing moments and some very high tension moments. A little bit of everything in a movie that isn't even two hours long. And just about all of it works very well.

My only complaints really was when

[Show spoiler]they go to meet him at the plane. It was a little anticlimactic; they hugged him and acted like he was just coming back from vacation or something. That should have been a very emotional scene, for them at least if not him.

That and I would have liked to see a little more time between Maguire

[Show spoiler]and his fellow Marine that made us feel it even more when he kills him.

Everything else though, I highly enjoyed.

The scene near the end where

[Show spoiler]Maguire loses it until when Jake G is walking down the street after was incredibly I had no idea what was going to happen. Is he going to kill Tommy? Hurt/kill Grace? Maybe even hurt one of the girls? Kill himself?! (which I didn't think of until he put the gun to his head).

That was "great" stuff.


The acting from the main three was very good.

From when Maguire

[Show spoiler]had to kill his man until the end of the movie where he goes berserk

he was great. When it first started I just couldn't shake the thought of, "Hey look, it's Spider-Man." But his

[Show spoiler]post-war stuff took care of that very quickly. He was freaking nuts

It's always nice to see Natalie Portman in a non-Star Wars movie because it reminds me that she can speak like a real person

And Jake G always seems like the cool guy to me, even when he was the lame guy in Zodiac


If you haven't seen this film, I would definitely recommend watching it. Like I said it has a moments all across the spectrum of emotion in such a short film.

I would put it at #4 on my list for 2009 behind Star Trek, Taken and The Blind Side.

Rating - 4.75/5

Thanks Diesel, I really do have to see this one soon. I've been interested in watching Brothers since it came out in theaters, but it has since fallen off my radar. I'd blind buy for a good price, but until then it's on my rental list.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Today's first movie:


Shutter Island

• 2010 | R | 138 Minutes
  
  
• Director: Martin Scorsese
  
  
• Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley
  
  
• Drama | Mystery | Thriller
  
  
• First Time Viewing

[Show spoiler]I remember the first time I saw the trailer for this movie. I surmised the "ending" of it from that alone (as did other people). But I didn't know how it would come to that ending or what would happen after it. Now that I finally got around to seeing the film I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would.


Any suspicious viewer will

[Show spoiler]probably figure out that Teddy is actually a patient long before it is revealed

, but the journey to that is still interesting.

In fact I thought it was handled quite well with

[Show spoiler]his slowly deteriorating grip on reality and what he believes is real and just what is truly happening on this island.

The film also succeeds in making me care about this guy and

[Show spoiler]feel sad for him when we see what really happened to him in his past

The

[Show spoiler]scene in the lighthouse where everything is being revealed to Leo and onward is easily the best part of the film for me. I loved his line at the end of the film before he walks off with the orderlies.

But even still, being so easy to figure out is a big knock against this movie. It would have been great if the film had a better shroud of mystery surrounding it that keeps the viewer in the dark more efficiently.

Another thing that the film doesn't do well at is creating that "creepy" or "eerie" atmosphere/vibe. I really wanted to get it from this film, but it just wasn't there.

Those two things would have upped the quality of the movie quite a bit for me, but as it stands its still a pretty good movie.


Leo does really good in his role. I didn't think he was great, but very good.

Everyone else around him was solid as well, but he was definitely the best one in this film in my opinion.


I'd watch it again if I was with someone who wanted to, but I probably wouldn't ever watch it again on my own decision.

Rating - 4/5

Watched this last night as well (3rd time watching)

I think I rate it a little high than you but I agree with your complaints, I stayed vigilant throughout the film first time and easily worked out that he

[Show spoiler]was a patient

. But 2nd time watching it I caught a lot of stuff pointing to the twist, it's a very fun modern B-movie with a lot going for it, it's a shame that it's almost a dead giveaway that the film will feature a twist.

[Hep]

Scott Pilgrim vs the World

My SteelBook copy might-as-well have let out the proverbial whoosh sound upon opening - you know that sound a coffee tin makes when opened quickly - followed immediately by a bouquet of freshness wafting in my face, making the mouth salivate. Of course it didn’t, but that’s what should be expected from this hyper-unique and stylish movie. That’s right, stylish! Is that still a bad word? Not here...not in my books. Scott Pilgrim isn’t style over substance, but rather style to compliment, and even enhance, substance.

There is a simple, timeless message bubbling under surface of this hybrid drama-comedy-action-comic-video game-music video. This movie oozes quirky geekery, something that has had a welcome resurgence following untold decades dominated by testosterone fuelled bravado. Big Bang Theory fans should feel right at home here. It’s a relentlessly paced movie that flys by in the blink of any eye. Completely unpretentious in its telling of the classic “boy meets girl...boy looses girl... boy fights to the death for girl” story arc.

I found all technical aspects of this movie pleasing. Solid acting, directing, editing, production, and effects. The BD is at or near reference.

I am actually not a gamer. I was worried going in that that fact would be a liability; apparently not. You just have to go into it for a fun romp through current American youth culture and hold on tight. I’m sure I would have gotten even more out of the film had I known the origins of the (plethora of) gaming references included. However, it seems that these references were obvious enough to recognize to enjoy their use on my level.

Overall I will give this a 4.5/5. Kudos for originality.

If this movie were a food it would be...

[Show spoiler]

Fresh, caffeine fueled, organic, vegan, fair trade.

[Al_The_Strange]

“Batman Forever.”

Joel Schumacher steps in to direct the third “Batman” installment. With Tim Burton’s departure (into the humble role of producer), all the sweeping sense of gothic drama and dark overtones are gone. In comes the campy sensationalist adaptation, full of style and zing! …for better or for worse…

The film is decently entertaining. It certainly has enough action, visual flair, and comedy to keep it interesting. Special effects are dispensed liberally throughout. Much of the film is so wild and over-the-top that it becomes amusing, and in its own way, rather fun.

The story’s equally wild and over-the-top. Who would have thought that brainwave TV technology would warp people’s brains? And you thought 3-D TVs were a good thing, didn’t ya? Characters receive only minimalist development (and it’s especially disappointing that Harvey Dent’s origins are only briefly explored; it’s a very weak bridge between this and what we see in the first film. “The Dark Knight” handled this character a thousand times better). But the movie does have its moments: The Riddler has an interesting origin story, Robin is handled fairly well, some more of Batman's past is revealed, and the film does briefly touch upon the idea that Batman uses fear as a weapon (a theme so deeply explored in “Batman Begins”).

As a film, it is well-photographed, even if it is a little on the wacky side. Acting can be a mixed bag. Val Kilmer makes an adequate Batman; he definitely shoots for a serious demeanor. Jim Carrey is very wacky as the E. Nygma, and it is often an amusing performance, but in the wake of Ace Ventura and “Dumb and Dumber” it comes off as a little overdone. Tommy Lee Jones is surprisingly hammy. Nicole Kidman adds the sex appeal adequately. The real standout might be Chris O’Donnell…but who cares? Writing is just as over-the-top as everything else; this film is loaded with silly lines. Production value is strong, as most props, costumes, and settings are very detailed and interesting. But, they are also very fake-looking, and some artistic designs can be questionable (why the hell is the Statue of Liberty in Gotham City? Why do street gangs wear glow-in-the-dark paint and fight with glowsticks?) One thing I do like is that some things look sleek and futuristic. I also got to admire the color schemes too; they are very bold and vivid. The music score is alright (I don’t mind the modified theme), but the soundtrack (with artists like Seal, U2) is great.

3.5/5 (entertainment: 4/5, story: 3/5, film: 3.5/5)

Recommendation: Ehhh…”Batman” fans should rent it, see what you think. Most casual audiences might find this way too silly for its own good.

The Blu-Ray is fine and dandy. It’s quite sharp and detailed, clean, and with good color. Some of the darker scenes may show heavier grain/noise, and there are a few scenes with iffy contrast. Sound quality is solid.

PQ: 4/5, AQ: 4/5

Also, the line “It’s a trap!!” is much better executed here than in “Star Wars.”

“Oh no!!! It’s boiling acid!!!”

These lines are great…in a totally dumb way.

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by Hep

Scott Pilgrim vs the World

My SteelBook copy might-as-well have let out the proverbial whoosh sound upon opening - you know that sound a coffee tin makes when opened quickly - followed immediately by a bouquet of freshness wafting in my face, making the mouth salivate. Of course it didn’t, but that’s what should be expected from this hyper-unique and stylish movie. That’s right, stylish! Is that still a bad word? Not here...not in my books. Scott Pilgrim isn’t style over substance, but rather style to compliment, and even enhance, substance.

There is a simple, timeless message bubbling under surface of this hybrid drama-comedy-action-comic-video game-music video. This movie oozes quirky geekery, something that has had a welcome resurgence following untold decades dominated by testosterone fuelled bravado. Big Bang Theory fans should feel right at home here. It’s a relentlessly paced movie that flys by in the blink of any eye. Completely unpretentious in its telling of the classic “boy meets girl...boy looses girl... boy fights to the death for girl” story arc.

I found all technical aspects of this movie pleasing. Solid acting, directing, editing, production, and effects. The BD is at or near reference.

I am actually not a gamer. I was worried going in that that fact would be a liability; apparently not. You just have to go into it for a fun romp through current American youth culture and hold on tight. I’m sure I would have gotten even more out of the film had I known the origins of the (plethora of) gaming references included. However, it seems that these references were obvious enough to recognize to enjoy their use on my level.

Overall I will give this a 4.5/5. Kudos for originality.

If this movie were a food it would be...

[Show spoiler]

Fresh, caffeine fueled, organic, vegan, fair trade.

Pretty much spot on. I loved this movie as well. It was probably my 2nd or 3rd favorite blind buy from last year. I would say the PQ is short of reference, but the AQ is almost beyond reference (if that was possible). I'm almost scared to dig into the roughly 4 hours worth of special features crammed onto the disc though.

[Al_The_Strange]

If these Batman movies were food...

"Batman"

[Show spoiler]


Sweet, dark, distinctive, classy, and pretty yummy.

"Batman Returns"

[Show spoiler]

Much like the above, only better!

"Batman Forever"

[Show spoiler]

Sweet, colorful, tart, and pretty wild.

"Batman and Robin" (will watch later... but offhand it will be like this)

[Show spoiler]

Pure colored sugar, little nutritional value.

"Batman Begins" (might watch later)

[Show spoiler]

Sweet, but also sophisticated, rich, and with a very solid base.

"The Dark Knight" (might watch later)

[Show spoiler]

Like the above, only better.

"Gotham Knight" (might watch later)

[Show spoiler]

Small servings of Japanese-style sweetness.

[jhiggy23]

The Dilemma (theater)

Film: 2 stars (out of 4)


Marketed as a comedy, much like The Break Up, but both films focus more on the drama and neither are successful. The comedic moments are few and far between--Kevin James actually has zero funny parts, and he's at tremendously talented comedic actor. As for the drama and the purpose of the film, it's completely underdeveloped. The film doesn't know what it wants to be.