The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Steve46

I agree that there's a lot of depth. I showed The Matrix to a friend who loves action movies. He didn't like it. That makes no sense to me.

I didn't like it at first, but purely because I expected a different ending, and I didn't realize there'd be sequels at the time. Did he say why he disliked it?

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

I didn't like it at first, but purely because I expected a different ending, and I didn't realize there'd be sequels at the time. Did he say why he disliked it?

The sci-fi aspect made him have to think too much. He prefers Taken with-no-nonsense action.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Steve46

The sci-fi aspect made him have to think too much. He prefers Taken with-no-nonsense action.

Ah, I should have known.

One thing I forgot to add in my review; I actually wish more films had equal amounts intelligence and action, the way "The Matrix" has. How hard can it be?

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Ah, I should have known.

One thing I forgot to add in my review; I actually wish more films had equal amounts intelligence and action, the way "The Matrix" has. How hard can it be?

I think Kill Bill is intelligent and the best action movie I have seen. The humor is on a different level to most comedies.

It's nice to see stuff like The Matrix though. Why the need to dumb everything down?

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Steve46

I think Kill Bill is intelligent and the best action movie I have seen. The humor is on a different level to most comedies.

Ah yes, "Kill Bill" is another favorite of mine, and it was one of my other options for today's marathon.

[menaceuk]

Originally Posted by Steve46

I agree that there's a lot of depth. I showed The Matrix to a friend who loves action movies. He didn't like it. That makes no sense to me.

WTF

Originally Posted by Steve46

The sci-fi aspect made him have to think too much. He prefers Taken with-no-nonsense action.

WTF X2 with a LOL

Originally Posted by Steve46

I think Kill Bill is intelligent and the best action movie I have seen. The humor is on a different level to most comedies.

It's nice to see stuff like The Matrix though. Why the need to dumb everything down?

Problem I have with Kill Bill is the second part, volume 2 is just not as good as volume 1.

Volume 1 is pretty awesome and features one of the best scenes ever in the crazy 88 scene.

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by menaceuk

Problem I have with Kill Bill is the second part, volume 2 is just not as good as volume 1.

Volume 1 is pretty awesome and features one of the best scenes ever in the crazy 88 scene.

I love both. The second part has such good dialogue. Less action of course.

[Al_The_Strange]

“The Matrix Reloaded.”

Operating in the mythos and universe that the first film laid out, this sequel ramps up the action and special effects to an epic degree. Some of its highlights include a massive 1-vs-100 man fight and a fantastic 20-minute highway chase (which is still my favorite car chase scene of them all). There are loads of other fights, pursuits, and encounters scattered throughout. There’s some drag just in the first hour or so, and some parts become so outlandish or campy that they won’t sit well with some viewers (chief among them being the underground rave, which never really bothered me, but it is a little frivolous).

Despite these embellishments, the storytelling still doesn’t really suffer much. If anything, it’s become much more complicated, as the mythos is expanded, new characters and concepts are introduced, and more philosophy is explored. One integral scene toward the end is intended to place the entire saga in its proper context, but it is encumbered by one too many big words in too short a time. All of this makes the initial viewing rather confusing. It’s even more stressed with a big cast of minor characters, whose importance are revealed more in the “Animatrix” and the “Enter the Matrix” video game. But if you stick with it, give it some thought, and pay close attention, it is rather sublime. Characters are as strong as they were in the first film, and there is a whole world of great new ideas that are brought up.

The film is quite slick, with quality photography and editing. Acting is as strong as the first film, with the talents of Keanu Reeves, Lawrence Fishburne, Carrie-Ann Moss, Hugo Weaving, Harold Perrineau, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Monica Bellucci thoroughly dispensed here. Writing is quite strong. Production value is high, featuring plenty of quality sets, props, costumes, and elaborate special effects. Music is pretty good.

4.5/5 (entertainment: 4.5/5, story: 4/5, film: 4.5/5)

Recommendation: Yes to Matrix fans; a rental for casual viewers who are interested.

Aside from one or two soft scenes and one or two scenes with slightly weak contrast and noise, this Blu-Ray looks perfectly sharp and detailed, with good color and contrast. Sound quality is great.

PQ: 5/5, AQ: 5/5

[Diesel]

Matrix marathon

Originally Posted by Steve46

The sci-fi aspect made him have to think too much. He prefers Taken with-no-nonsense action.

[Show spoiler]Though I do like Taken more as well

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Matrix marathon

Irrevocably.



“The Matrix Revolutions.”

In most film trilogies, the third film is the grand finale, and the “Matrix” saga ends with a hell of a bang. After some brief pursuits and fights that wrap up a few loose ends from the last film, this movie goes all-out with a massive battle between men and machines; the Battle of Zion is easily one of my favorite battle scenes among sci-fi films. And then it goes on to show off the final duel between Neo and Agent Smith; this lengthy fight goes literally all over the place, with style and power that elevates it to being one of the best fights of all time.

This movie does get a bad rap for its story; the first half-hour is a bit of a frivolous subplot, and the film’s conclusion is quite anticlimactic. Even more frustrating for some is that there’s not as much philosophical depth as the last two films. But I’ve always been pleased with this story; it’s linear and easy to follow, it still has quality characterization, and even though the philosophy may be gone, I believe there’s a strong theological theme that emerges, thanks to the nature of the main character and his final solution. It may not make good enough sense for some, but for me, it’s a sublime ending.

Like its predecessors, this movie has quality photography and editing. Acting is good all around, with the same cast as the last film. Writing is still quite good. Production value is high, with plenty of good sets, props, costumes, and excellent special effects. Music is alright.

4.5/5 (entertainment: 5/5, story: 4/5, film: 4.5/5)

Recommendation: As a rental.

Like the other discs, this Blu-Ray looks and sounds darn near perfect!

PQ: 5/5, AQ: 5/5

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Irrevocably.



“The Matrix Revolutions.”

In most film trilogies, the third film is the grand finale, and the “Matrix” saga ends with a hell of a bang. After some brief pursuits and fights that wrap up a few loose ends from the last film, this movie goes all-out with a massive battle between men and machines; the Battle of Zion is easily one of my favorite battle scenes among sci-fi films. And then it goes on to show off the final duel between Neo and Agent Smith; this lengthy fight goes literally all over the place, with style and power that elevates it to being one of the best fights of all time.

This movie does get a bad rap for its story; the first half-hour is a bit of a frivolous subplot, and the film’s conclusion is quite anticlimactic. Even more frustrating for some is that there’s not as much philosophical depth as the last two films. But I’ve always been pleased with this story; it’s linear and easy to follow, it still has quality characterization, and even though the philosophy may be gone, I believe there’s a strong theological theme that emerges, thanks to the nature of the main character and his final solution. It may not make good enough sense for some, but for me, it’s a sublime ending.

Like its predecessors, this movie has quality photography and editing. Acting is good all around, with the same cast as the last film. Writing is still quite good. Production value is high, with plenty of good sets, props, costumes, and excellent special effects. Music is alright.

4.5/5 (entertainment: 5/5, story: 4/5, film: 4.5/5)

Recommendation: As a rental.

Like the other discs, this Blu-Ray looks and sounds darn near perfect!

PQ: 5/5, AQ: 5/5

Weaving was such a good choice for Agent Smith. The story wouldn't work nearly as well if they screwed that up.

[SquidPuppet]

Soul Surfer

2011 PG 106 minutes

Director:Sean McNamara

Netflix synopsis:

From director Sean McNamara comes this inspiring film that dramatizes the real-life story of Bethany Hamilton (AnnaSophia Robb), a Hawaiian teen who bravely returns to competitive surfing after losing her left arm in a vicious shark attack. On the road to recovery, the gutsy young wave-rider relies on determination, faith and family, including her mom (Helen Hunt) and dad (Dennis Quaid). Carrie Underwood, Craig T. Nelson and Kevin Sorbo co-star.

This is just a good old fashioned beat adversity tale.

Everything is pretty darn good here. Directing and editing flow. Pacing is good. Cinematography is nice. Acting from the supporting cast is good, but Robb is outstanding in the lead. Really great IMO.

The family is very religous, but the filmmakers didnt make a "Message Film" here. Their spirituality is there to see, and ignore, or embrace. The movie is about the girl and her difficult journey.

Very wholesome and uplifting.

I love me some raunchy, rude, foul mouthed evil characters and films, but a balanced diet is a good thing.

Film 4/5
PQ 4.5/5 really beautiful
AQ 4.5/5 Crystal clear and subtly eveloping

I really recommend this to all who enjoy a good and true real life hero story.

Not a spoiler, but actually an Easter Egg...sort of...if you are interested.

[Show spoiler]Robb had to wear a "Green sleeve" on her left arm so it could be digitally removed from the film. There are two super brief blooper shots while she is surfing where you can spot her left arm. See if you can find them.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Way to fit my entire review into a 6 worded sentence

I'll be getting the Blu-ray.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by dag

Tonight I attended a 70mm screening of David Lean's masterful epic, Lawrence of Arabia.

Lucky bastard!!!!!!!

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Soul Surfer

2011 PG 106 minutes

Director:Sean McNamara

Netflix synopsis:

From director Sean McNamara comes this inspiring film that dramatizes the real-life story of Bethany Hamilton (AnnaSophia Robb), a Hawaiian teen who bravely returns to competitive surfing after losing her left arm in a vicious shark attack. On the road to recovery, the gutsy young wave-rider relies on determination, faith and family, including her mom (Helen Hunt) and dad (Dennis Quaid). Carrie Underwood, Craig T. Nelson and Kevin Sorbo co-star.

This is just a good old fashioned beat adversity tale.

Everything is pretty darn good here. Directing and editing flow. Pacing is good. Cinematography is nice. Acting from the supporting cast is good, but Robb is outstanding in the lead. Really great IMO.

The family is very religous, but the filmmakers didnt make a "Message Film" here. Their spirituality is there to see, and ignore, or embrace. The movie is about the girl and her difficult journey.

Very wholesome and uplifting.

I love me some raunchy, rude, foul mouthed evil characters and films, but a balanced diet is a good thing.

Film 4/5
PQ 4.5/5 really beautiful
AQ 4.5/5 Crystal clear and subtly eveloping

I really recommend this to all who enjoy a good and true real life hero story.

Not a spoiler, but actually an Easter Egg...sort of...if you are interested.

[Show spoiler]Robb had to wear a "Green sleeve" on her left arm so it could be digitally removed from the film. There are two super brief blooper shots while she is surfing where you can spot her left arm. See if you can find them.

I really want to see this. Didn't catch it in the theaters, but I'll definitely be watching it at some point before the year is up.

Plus...I love me some Carrie Underwood

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

“The Matrix.”

[Show spoiler]There’s a certain mystique to computer hacking, which is either reflected or caused by this film, showcasing hackers as a group of unruly punks in grungy places fighting the powers that be. There’s also a certain coolness to cyberpunk stories (which have never really been translated to film that much, sadly enough), underscoring the symbiotic relationship between man and machine. If you’ve ever read (much less understand) William Gibson’s novel “The Neuromancer,” or seen the anime film “Ghost in the Shell,” you’ll see strong themes regarding the dangers and benefits of such a relationship.

Put these elements together, and you’ll get the foundations for this film. It starts off as a thriller, with occasional surreal moments that help keep a sense of mystery. In the second act, the movie spends its time explaining its premise, and laying down the rules for the environments the movie introduces (there is a dense universe to this film, on the same level as “The Terminator”). Then, in the final act, we are treated to a massive helping of glorious action sequences. There are plenty of solid thrills throughout the film’s middle, which keep the pacing tight and even. But toward the end, we get some of the coolest fight scenes ever filmed, one of the coolest gunfights ever filmed, and some of the most original and imaginative special effects ever developed. The action alone makes this film a must-see.

But it’s also the story that counts. It is as deep as it is original (well, original for a film anyway). The characters show decent depth, and by the end of the movie you really come to enjoy them. The story has a solid structure and it is well-developed. Just about every moment of it explores the main premise and all of its philosophical implications; hardly a moment passes that won’t make you wonder about the nature of reality, and the nature of the human mind. There are many nuances in the characters, story, writing, and even shot composition that underscore all the movie’s themes. On every viewing, the movie presents something new to discover and contemplate.

The film also shows apt quality. Its photography and editing are top-notch and highly distinctive. Acting is swell all around; this is probably Keanu Reeve’s best performance in his career; Lawrence Fishbourne, Carrie-Ann Moss, Joe Pantiliano, and Hugo Weaving all inhabit their characters very well. Writing is exceptionally strong. Production value is strong and highly detailed; some sets look a little fake and some of the special effects show their age, but they are decent overall. Most sets, props, and costumes are cool. Music is very cool too.

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

Recommendation: Hell yeah!

This Blu-Ray is great; it's highly-detailed and sharp, with fine color and contrast, and no obvious sign of digital manipulation. Some shots look a little soft and a few other shots show weaker contrast, but such problems are few, far between, and marginal. Sound quality is very good.

PQ: 5/5, AQ: 5/5

I need to revisit this. I have only seen it once and really enjoyed it. Should be great fun on Blu-ray.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Steve46

The sci-fi aspect made him have to think too much. He prefers Taken with-no-nonsense action.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Diesel

I really want to see this. Didn't catch it in the theaters, but I'll definitely be watching it at some point before the year is up.

Plus...I love me some Carrie Underwood

I surfed for many years growing up in Southern California. It was nice to see that the filmmakers did a LOT of work with the cast to get the atmosphere right and the mood of the culture and sport correct. Even when Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid are paddling, duck diving, and generally handling their boards in the water they look like people who actually surf. They must have been coached for quite some time and really worked on it. Or, they are surfers. Very nice to see that level of dedication and research.

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I need to revisit this. I have only seen it once and really enjoyed it. Should be great fun on Blu-ray.

The audio is bonkers

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I surfed for many years growing up in Southern California. It was nice to see that the filmmakers did a LOT of work with the cast to get the atmosphere right and the mood of the culture and sport correct. Even when Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid are paddling, duck diving, and generally handling their boards in the water they look like people who actually surf. They must have been coached for quite some time and really worked on it. Or, they are surfers. Very nice to see that level of dedication and research.

I remember during the talk show tour for the movie Hunt mentioned that she is a surfer and that some of the cast would go out and surf when they were making the movie.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Diesel

The audio is bonkers



I remember during the talk show tour for the movie Hunt mentioned that she is a surfer and that some of the cast would go out and surf when they were making the movie.

Well that explains why it looks so authentic.