The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Brought Source Code and it works on my blu-ray player plus I got the one with the lenticular case

brought it where?

[Show spoiler]

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

brought it where?

[Show spoiler]

Grammar Nazi is on the roam

[volcomsocal]

The Adjustment Bureau - 2011

Matt Damon.

Exciting story with twists and turns.

Great characters.

Great cinematography.

Great acting.

Beautiful female lead.


equals... a great movie.


PQ - 4/5
AQ - 4/5

4.5/5

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by volcomsocal

The Adjustment Bureau - 2011

Matt Damon.

Exciting story with twists and turns.

Great characters.

Great cinematography.

Great acting.

Beautiful female lead.


equals... a great movie.


PQ - 4/5
AQ - 4/5

4.5/5

I liked it too.

[jvince]

I blind-bought Star Trek (Brand-new, sealed with slip, 3-disc) at Blockbuster last Saturday. I'm planning to see it sometime this week. I'll let you guys know what I think.

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Yes! Huzzah!

Although for Awkward Blu-Ray players



If you gave it a bad review, then I would be sending the apes to your house once the chimpocalypse begins

Changing the subject swiftly back...

Source Code

[Show spoiler]Reviewed it when it came out, and thought it was ace So I'm not sure what I'm going to repeating and what I'm not.

The film is still ace, it's good swift old fashioned sci-fi fun, although sometimes it pretends it isn't, it usually stays on the right track (

[Show spoiler]GET IT BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT A TRAIN

)

The score can get a little over bearing in it's typicalness, and sometimes comes across a little cartoony, especially during it's very cheesy ending 10 mins. "Look at all this life" , but it earns it's overly sweet, neat and tidy ending, with a very well put together previous 70-80 mins, of repetition without the repetition, a feeling of urgency creaking over with an invisible time limit over the top of the typical continuous 8 mins.

The film is a very tension filled, smartly crafted, stylistically directed adventure with nice moments of emotion and some sickly moments of emotion.

9/10 (Score still stands)

PQ - It's vivid and bright and looks mighty fine, although it makes most of the actors seem like they have hit the fake tan too much - 8.5/10

AQ - A bit uneven, wasn't very loud and clear, but wasn't to quite, a nice match, but it won't be waking neighbours anytime soon - 8/10 (Oddly enough the trailers had better sound than the actual film, hopefully this will bode well for Attack the Block)

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

The Lawgiver approves of this review.

I kinda grew up with this movie, so even though the lines and acting are cheesy as hell, it never bothered me. In fact, most of these lines are classic!

But yeah, re-watching it a few years ago, I never realized until then just how whack the camera work is. It went upside-down a few times, WTF?

Just last year or so, I got around to reading the original novel by Pierre Boulle. Some of it was the same, but a lot of it was different. Especially in the idea that

[Show spoiler]the planet was a whole different world, not planet Earth. The Apes had mad amounts of technology, no different than 20th century humans. But they mimicked it from an earlier culture (I don't remember if they were humans or what). By the end, the apes came to Earth, just like in the Tim Burton version.

I think Rod Sterling and the filmmakers made the story quite a bit better in the long run.

Yea most of it is good cheese that works

I forgot to mention the upside down! (I think it was during one of the horse scenes)

Interesting. I definitely prefer the

[Show spoiler]"it was Earth the whole time"

approach.

Originally Posted by jvince

I blind-bought Star Trek (Brand-new, sealed with slip, 3-disc) at Blockbuster last Saturday. I'm planning to see it sometime this week. I'll let you guys know what I think.

Hope you enjoy it.

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by volcomsocal

The Adjustment Bureau - 2011

Matt Damon.

Exciting story with twists and turns.

Great characters.

Great cinematography.

Great acting.

Beautiful female lead.


equals... a great movie.


PQ - 4/5
AQ - 4/5

4.5/5

Agreed on everything you said about the movie.

[volcomsocal]

Originally Posted by killowertz

Agreed on everything you said about the movie.

cool, thanks.

So far, the last 2 movies that starred Matt Damon in it that I've watched have been far above average. Both Hereafter and The Adjustment Bureau are fantastic movies. Matt Damon picks excellent roles most of the time.

[Al_The_Strange]

Next greatest rental: “Amelie.”

Ah, Jean-Pierre Jeunet knows how to make films with quirk and style. This film is loaded with quirk and style, start to finish. It revels in small, frivolous, but amusing details that help bring us closer to the characters and the environment they inhabit. Each character has bizarre issues that seem ridiculous, and are often accentuated by outlandish sets and settings, interesting situations, and visual manifestations of the imagination. This film is as artistic as it is entertaining, and it ultimately reaches into the inner freak in the audience (the good, childish kind of freak, not the creepy kind).

The story for this doesn’t really offer much conflict or direction; at times it seems pretty random. But there is a method to the madness, as the title character spends her time making everybody happy, before seeking happiness for herself. You can’t help but to relate to her; the first half-hour in itself gets us acquainted with her character, and it’s like you fall in love instantly. A little bit of a journey is kick-started from there, piling on dozens of other wacky but lovable characters, until a satisfying resolution is reached. At its core, it’s quite the heartfelt romance story.

The film shows exceptional photography and editing, with plenty of interesting and vivid color schemes. Acting is darn near perfect; Audrey Tautou is lovely and awesome in the lead role, Mathieu Kassovitz (the guy who directed “La Haine” and “Babylon AD,” no freaking way!! ) is the man, and I was intrigued to see Dominique Pinon in the mix (the little dude was also in “Alien: Resurrection”), and everybody else is swell. Writing is good; I find it a little excessive how the narrator goes on to describe a billion different irreverent details, but it helps give the movie a life of its own (if this was book, I’d probably hate it though). Production design features plenty of slick, distinctive, colorful, and imaginative sets, props, and costumes. Music is alright, as I recall.

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

Recommendation: Yep.

I doubt I’ll be wanting to see this again, but I was glad to see it. I don’t know why, but all I’ve seen of Jeunet’s work has been like that for me.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Grammar Nazi is on the roam

That's spelling, not grammar.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

I waited a while for it to drop to a more reasonable price (I ultimately settled for $20-ish). Earlier today, I realized you could probably view them for free!

Here's what I found on youtube :

[Show spoiler]Six Men Getting Sick Six Times (And One Man Commiting Suicide One Time) - YouTube

1968-THE ALPHABET by David Lynch.avi - YouTube

The Grandmother (1970) - David Lynch - YouTube

The Amputee v1 - YouTube

What The Hell - YouTube (the full-length thing is like 20-something-minutes long)

Lumiere by David Lynch - YouTube

[Al_The_Strange]

I re-watched this movie, so I wrote up a more proper review.

“Sucker Punch.”

As it likely is with most young men, I’ve always craved a certain type of excitement in cinema. That often includes overblown computer-animated environments, crazy-fast fight scenes with gratuitous slow-motion, and a cast of hot girls kicking a lot of butt! As you can probably tell from the movie’s cover, “Sucker Punch” offers all of these things, following in a whole generation of similarly gratuitous and brainless entertainment. There are four major segments in which the film delves into an imaginative and creative landscape where all hell breaks loose.

This only begs the question, so what? Where’s the story and the substance? Most folks will argue that this film doesn’t have a good story or good characters, and that the plot is merely a hollow shell to showcase the over-the-top action scenes. Others have taken offense to its portrayal of women being abused by the male characters.

Frankly, I don’t agree with these assessments. If anything, the movie may have been too effective in dazzling the audience with its fantasy segments; if you look past them, there are deeper levels to the story. Without the action scenes, it’s primarily a drama, full of vulnerable characters struggling to escape a desperate situation. With the action scenes, it’s a play on what’s real and what’s not. Given the twist at the end of the movie, all layers of reality are sewn together with some rather intriguing parallels. It may not make total sense at first, but on repeat viewings, I’ve picked up on many subtle details that make the levels work sublimely together. Whether or not it (and the characters) really resonate with the audience will vary from person to person, and this will always remain a love-it-or-hate-it film.

For those who wish to look deeper into the film, you might find that the film reaches past the screen and tries to invoke you in some way. Some believe that it’s a parallel to living life in general. I believe it’s a criticism of the Hollywood studio system, with the dancers representing filmmakers and the male characters forcing them to produce fantasies of their choice. Regardless of how you look at it, the message is clear; the film asks you to fight for what you believe in.

As to what the film’s title really means, I’m sure it’ll differ from person to person. The plot sucker-punches you with its twists and turns. If you see a message in the film, maybe it’ll hit you like a sucker punch. If you wind up hating the film and finding no redeeming value whatsoever, then I guess you’ve been sucker-punched.

Cinematically, the film is very slick and stylish, with lots of smooth photography and editing. The action segments feature loads of slow-motion and CGI effects; everything in-between utilizes a very cool color scheme and a lot of unusual camera angles. Acting can be a mixed bag; I didn’t mind Emily Browning as Babydoll, but I didn’t care for Abbie Cornish playing Sweet Pea. Oscar Isaac, Carla Gugino, and Scott Glenn are not bad in their roles. Every other performance here is serviceable. Writing is pretty strong, with enough distinctive and interesting dialogue to invoke some thought and feeling. The production value is high, featuring lots of slick and decent sets, props, costumes, and special effects. Music, while not original, is pretty darn cool.

4.5/5 (entertainment: 5/5, story: 4/5, film: 4/5) Increased from 4/5.

Recommendation: As a rental.

This Blu-Ray looks and sounds darn near perfect!

PQ: 4.5/5, AQ: 4.5/5

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

“Sucker Punch.”

Most NSE folks will argue that this film doesn’t have a good story or good characters, and that the plot is merely a hollow shell to showcase the over-the-top action scenes.

Fixed it for you.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Fixed it for you.

Thanks for that; now my true thoughts and feelings are properly expressed.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Thanks for that; now my true thoughts and feelings are properly expressed.

I only saw it in the theater. What was the enhancement factor for the extended cut? A lot, a little?

Waiting for the blu to inch down a couple more bucks.

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I only saw it in the theater. What was the enhancement factor for the extended cut? A lot, a little?

Waiting for the blu to inch down a couple more bucks.

The long explanation:
http://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=746855

The short explanation:

[Show spoiler]Mainly the "Love is the Drug" performance about 16 minutes in, two of the fight scenes extended and/or altered, and the High Roller/Baby Doll "love scene" near the end.

I know this wasn't directed towards me, but I prefer the extended cut.

Cheapskate...

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

That's spelling, not grammar.

Nope, it's spelt right, it just wasn't the right word

[Steve46]

Today's blog entry:

The Big Lebowski (Comedy, Crime)
Directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
Starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman and Steve Buscemi

Universal Studios | 1998 | 119 min | Rated R | Released Aug 16, 2011



Video:
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Audio:
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: DTS 5.1

Subtitles:
English SDH, French, Spanish

Disc:
Single 50GB Blu-ray Disc
Digital Copy
BD-Live

The Film 4/5

The Big Lebowski is essentially about mistaken identity if you care about the plot. Jeffrey Lebowski is known to his friends as The Dude (Bridges) and a gang of criminals pay him a visit thinking that he's another Lebowski who happens to be a millionaire. After they urinate on his rug, he seeks out the millionaire to claim compensation.

The millionaire's wife goes missing and the gang asks for a million dollars in ransom. The Dude is chosen as the courier.

That's about it. The plot is incidental; this is a movie about a way of life.

The Dude hangs out with two of his bowling buddies, Walter (Goodman) and Donny (Buscemi). Walter is a Vietnam veteran who has anger management issues; Donny hardly says a word and is told to shut up every time he tries to make a comment.

The Dude is a mellow kind of a guy. He shops in his robe, gets high, and talks like he's permanently stoned. Walter is a mystery to him because he is so easily annoyed. When a competing team puts a toe over the line during a bowling game, Walter pulls out a gun and insists that it is marked down as a zero. It's a league game after all.

The movie doesn't take itself too seriously and can be classed as a comedy more than anything, but the style of comedy may be different to the type you are used to. Many of the jokes are clever and subtle, and it's rare for the humor to be aimed too low.

Watching The Big Lebowski is an experience. You're never quite sure what it is or where it is going. The plot elements aren't very important, but everything adds up and provides a reason for the characters to do what they do. It's the sort of movie where nothing happens, but you find yourself thinking about it days later.

Fargo and No Country for Old Men are exceptional movies from the Coen Brothers, but many fans would argue that The Big Lebowski is better. I'm not among them, but it amuses me and I'm glad to finally own it on Blu-ray.

Video Quality 3.5/5
Although the Blu-ray is a vast upgrade over the DVD, I'm a little disappointed with the overall look. Colors are much improved and everything looks brighter and cleaner, but the VC-1 presentation could have been better. Fine detail is present in a few scenes, but is lacking for the most part. Faces in particular seem badly defined. It just about earns a passing grade, but don't expect to be dazzled.

Audio Quality 4.5/5
The English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track sounds great. The songs carry a lot more weight than in previous releases. Dialogue is clear throughout and the predominantly front-heavy mix blends well with the action. No complaints about the sound.

Special Features 4/5

Worthy Adversaries: What's My Line Trivia - A game for one or two players in which you have to supply missing dialogue from The Dude and Walter.

An Exclusive Introduction (4:40, SD)

The Dude's Life (10:08, HD)

The Dude Abides: The Big Lebowski Ten Years Later (10:26, HD)

Making of The Big Lebowski (24:35, SD)

The Lebowski Fest: An Achiever's Story (13:53, SD)

Flying Carpets and Bowling Pin Dreams: The Dream Sequences of The Dude (4:20, HD)

Interactive Map

Jeff Bridges Photo Book (17:30, HD) - Bridges took shots while filming and explains them here.

Photo Gallery (3:25, SD)

U-Control: Three features with PiP, text and a profanity counter.
Scene Companion
The Music of The Big Lebowski
Mark It, Dude

28-page digibook

The Big Lebowski is a typically quirky effort from the Coen Brothers. While not their very best work, it deserves a place in your collection. Bridges and Goodman excel in their roles and hold the whole thing together. The Blu-ray presentation enhances the experience, but not quite as much as I had hoped. The packaging is good and there's plenty of behind the scenes information if The Big Lebowski is your kind of film.

Overall score 4/5

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I only saw it in the theater. What was the enhancement factor for the extended cut? A lot, a little?

Waiting for the blu to inch down a couple more bucks.

Isn't it $15 right now? I could kick myself for not waiting these extra couple of weeks to get that price.

Yep, I saw the Extended Cut...

Originally Posted by killowertz

The long explanation:
http://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=746855

The short explanation:

[Show spoiler]Mainly the "Love is the Drug" performance about 16 minutes in, two of the fight scenes extended and/or altered, and the High Roller/Baby Doll "love scene" near the end.

I know this wasn't directed towards me, but I prefer the extended cut.

Cheapskate...

...the changes seem pretty subtle, and are very sublime. I didn't even catch what was different in the action scenes, but I definitely noticed the added dance number and the scene with the "High Roller." I think both scenes add a lot to the movie, especially the dialogue during the love scene. In light of that, I do prefer/recommend the Extended Cut.

[Al_The_Strange]

Next greatest blind-buy: “127 Hours.”

Whether or not you’ve tuned into the true-life story, or heard of the story in this movie, chances are that you know what’s going to happen, and it’ll affect whether or not you’re even interested in this film. I’ve seen plenty of bloody nasty movies in my time, but

[Show spoiler]severing one’s own arm in the name of survival

touches upon a type of agony and tension that makes me squirm and cringe more than any gorefest flick.

Of course, all of that is only the inevitable conclusion; the rest of the film focuses on how the guy got there, and how he managed for 127 hours with his arm trapped beneath a boulder. It may sound dry and dull for a 90-minute feature (who wants to see an hour-and-a-half of somebody stuck in a canyon, jeez! ). But the film manages to keep the pacing tight and even, partly because of the different situations the guy goes through (struggling to chip the rock away, struggling to ration the water, struggling to eat, etc), partly because of the surreal flashbacks, and most certainly because of Danny Boyle’s bizarre style. It’s a fine example of how a film can succeed at filming an ordinary subject in an extraordinary manner.

The story…is pretty much described in full in the last two paragraphs already. It’s as simple and straightforward as it can be. Despite making a few dumb moves in this film, the main character seems realistically-portrayed, and I can relate to him (hey, I also like taking video and pictures of stuff in the middle of nowhere; that could be me stuck in a canyon someday… ). The situation overall strikes me as an interesting parallel to the man’s life, with his progression hindered by a boulder that could represent something in his life. In order to proceed, he needed to sacrifice a part of himself. The man even acknowledges that it was his destiny to get trapped there.

The film is pretty darn whack, with lots of awesome camera angles, and editing effects. In addition to a lot of postcard-worthy landscapes, the camera also likes to show things at odd angles, it sticks close and intimately to the character, and it even shows what the inside of a water bottle looks like. Some of the transitions and effects get a little surreal, but for good effect. James Franco puts on a jolly good performance, and the movie seems well-written. It probably didn’t cost much to make this movie, but it does show decent attention-to-detail. Music is pretty darn awesome.

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

Recommendation: Yes…if you dare!

This Blu-Ray looks and sounds darn near perfect!

PQ: 5/5, AQ: 4.5/5