The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[volcomsocal]

The Conspirator - 2010

This was a very solid drama that gets better as the movie moves forward. The acting is very good and the storyline is intriguing. Whether the whole story is true or not, I don't know... but I'm assuming it is. We all know Abraham Lincoln was shot and killed, but beyond that, the rest of the movie could have been only "inspired" but true events. Nonetheless, it's a very good movie. I'm not really sure why, but excluding a few minutes of the movie, the PQ is quite subpar... now this could have been done intentionally by Robert Redford, to give it an older antique look. There's not enough detail, too much grain at times, and just has an overall "blah" look to it. It was only in the first minute of the movie, and a few minutes towards the end of the movie where it was more vivid and crisp.

This is still a highly recommended movie by all accounts.

PQ - 2.5/5
AQ - 3.5/5

4/5


Edit: Justin Long ruined this movie, but not enough for me to rate it any lower. He was horribly cast in this movie... he screams "present day", not 1865. He just didn't belong in this movie.

[tbizzle]

127 Hours - 4.25/5

James was great, it's a very well done film but I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. As an outdoorsman, it's nice to see such a realistic portrayal of self rescue when in a life or death situation. Definitely an effective film that I'd like to revisit again

Faster - 3.25/5

Fun, but nothing too special. Dwayne's acting is a joke for most of the film but he sure got jacked for this one... dude was huge.

Apocalypse Now - 5/5

Absolutely fantastic... one of the greatest of all time. Right from the get go, the film pulls you into a dream like state. I absolutely loved the mix of the classic rock and action scenes with the dark narration and haunting score... perfection. I never watch special features but after seeing how amazingly complex and loaded this film is, I'm pretty intrigued to learn about how strenuous the shoot was...now I need to watch the Heart of Darkness and then see AN Redux. Brando's performance is the epitome of evil genius, just brilliant imo. Martin Sheen is awesome, but Dennis Hopper is the man!

Godfather 2 - 4.25/5

Great, just didn't enjoy the story nearly as much as the first one. Slower moving film for sure. I agree with Jhiggy in that the first one by far exceeds the second and Robert DeNiro was great, but didn't care for his performance as much, nor the backstory.

Captain America - 3/5

To sum up what I posted in the Cap thread, I was really looking forward to a more serious film geared more towards adults like the IM's and Hulk, but it was too cheezy and poorly done imo. Editing wasn't great, lot of moments, action was cool but could've been much better, the ending was laughable (go watch the Cap HISHE video, it's funny as hell ), script was weak and there wasn't much room for character development, acting was fine with the script they were given, Tommy Lee Jones was the best part of the film, he was hilarious

[Al_The_Strange]

“The Alligator People.”

Another one of those B-rated sci-fi/horror flicks of the 50s/60s, running along similar lines to “Them!” or “The Brain That Would Not Die.” In this case, we watch in terror as a woman recounts her horrible tale concerning a terrifying encounter with a swamp mutant! (you could read that sentence in two different ways ). Back in the day, it was probably scary as hell. These days, it’s dated, cheesy, and laughable in some parts. A little boring up to the final act though (which makes this 75-minute flick feel longer than it is).

The story for this is told with an interesting framing device. Any attempt to create mystery, or a plot twist, doesn’t really work, because it’s rather predictable. Characters aren’t that well developed, and it can be rather annoying hearing the main character scream over and over again. But, for this kind of flick, it hardly matters.

Cinematically, it looks nice, with adequate photography and editing, all in glorious black-and-white. Acting and writing are okay at best. Production value looks a little cheap, but still has the right look and appeal. Music is average.

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

Recommendation: Only if you enjoy similar movies.

It came as part of a three-pack with “Lake Placid” and “Swamp Thing,” which I might revisit later.



“Epic Movie.”

Borrowed this film from the local library, on account that my co-worker seems to enjoy these kinds of comedies (I later learned that she didn’t care for this one specifically ).

As expected, the film lampoons off of a myriad of other works, coalescing key sequences and imagery into a swiftly-paced montage of pop-culture parodies and rather low-brow humor. This presentation is encapsulated within an insubstantial and formulaic construct, featuring a vapid assembly of persons. Ergo, the before-mentioned pastiche is unable to transcend its given genre, especially considering other prominent works. Lacking in adroitness, the quality of this work exacerbates the affair, especially considering the boilerplate nature of its cinematic aptitude.

In other words, the movie kinda sucks. Didn’t make me laugh, doesn’t have a story, and it’s pretty average as a film. Meh…

2/5 (entertainment: 3/5, story: 0.5/5, film: 3/5)

Recommendation: No.

[Foggy]

Al, you did not just give Epic Movie 2/5

However, in slightly more impressive news, I had 3 options today, buy Attack the Block (which was going for the price of £18.99, hell goddamn no!) The Man With No Name trilogy for £15 (which I might go and pick up on the weekend) and what I consider, along with many others to be quite possibly the bargain of all time

Alien Anthology reduced from £50 to £17

EDIT: Just realised this - Top Contributor (678 successful submissions, reliability: demi-god)

[volcomsocal]

Unknown - 2006

This is not Liam Neeson's movie.

Pretty good movie that has the audience try and figure out what's going on, along with the actors in the movie. 5 guys wake up in an abandoned warehouse in the middle of nowhere. The don't remember how they got there or who they even are. As their memory comes back, they start figuring things out. There are some good twists and turns along the way, and it gets a little more intense as the end nears. This movie could have been better in some ways, but it was still entertaining. Worth a rental.

DVD rental

PQ - n/a
AQ - n/a

3/5


This is my 1000th post!!!!!

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Al, you did not just give Epic Movie 2/5

Too generous?

Originally Posted by Foggy

EDIT: Just realised this - Top Contributor (678 successful submissions, reliability: demi-god)

Originally Posted by volcomsocal

This is my 1000th post!!!!!

Congrats to all!

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Too generous?





Congrats to all!

Yes it was too nice

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by volcomsocal

Unknown - 2006

This is not Liam Neeson's movie.

Pretty good movie that has the audience try and figure out what's going on, along with the actors in the movie. 5 guys wake up in an abandoned warehouse in the middle of nowhere. The don't remember how they got there or who they even are. As their memory comes back, they start figuring things out. There are some good twists and turns along the way, and it gets a little more intense as the end nears. This movie could have been better in some ways, but it was still entertaining. Worth a rental.

DVD rental

PQ - n/a
AQ - n/a

3/5


This is my 1000th post!!!!!

And you did so by giving the movie the appropriate (or very close to it) score

Originally Posted by Foggy

Yes it was too nice

Indeed.

[Al_The_Strange]

The score for "Epic Movie" shall henceforth be changed to 1.5/5 (entertainment: 2.5/5, story: 0.5/5, film: 1/5), granting it the rank of "terrible," and falling just a half-point short of "Caligula" and hundreds of other movies that are merely "bad." May it be damned forever!

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

The score for "Epic Movie" shall henceforth be changed to 1.5/5 (entertainment: 2.5/5, story: 0.5/5, film: 1/5), granting it the rank of "terrible," and falling just a half-point short of "Caligula" and hundreds of other movies that are merely "bad." May it be damned forever!

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

The score for "Epic Movie" shall henceforth be changed to 1.5/5 (entertainment: 2.5/5, story: 0.5/5, film: 1/5), granting it the rank of "terrible," and falling just a half-point short of "Caligula" and hundreds of other movies that are merely "bad." May it be damned forever!

Originally Posted by Foggy

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

The score for "Epic Movie" shall henceforth be changed to 1.5/5 (entertainment: 2.5/5, story: 0.5/5, film: 1/5), granting it the rank of "terrible," and falling just a half-point short of "Caligula" and hundreds of other movies that are merely "bad." May it be damned forever!

Al succumbs to peer pressure.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Thank you, Number 1.

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Al succumbs to peer pressure.

Peer pressure is sometimes a catalyst for common sense.

That being said, I'm still not going to take up smoking. Or drinking. Or excessive partying. Or drugs. Or joining a cult. Or changing this movie's score even lower (rating it lower than "Mega Piranha" wouldn't make that much sense to me anyway).

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Alien Anthology reduced from £50 to £17

If you are going by the price on Amazon.co.uk, then it is now £20.83. That is still a really good price in comparison to the US set. If this wasn't such a loaded release period, I would probably be making my second import from them this month (the other being Star Wars).

Originally Posted by Diesel

And you did so by giving the movie the appropriate (or very close to it) score

Way to think your opinion is fact...

[Show spoiler] Seriously though, I think I am one of the only ones that post in here on a regular basis that actually liked Unknown.

[Foggy]

My Alien Anthology doesn't work on my POS Blu-ray player

[Al_The_Strange]

“Citizen Kane.”

If you think you’ve seen the ultimate in cinema experience, think again! “Citizen Kane” is the greatest movie in the world! Behold as, for the first time ever, the camera shows ceilings in every room! OH MY GOD! Watch as the story is told…from multiple perspectives! It’s a totally extreme nonlinear plot structure, for the most extreme viewing experience ever! Listen as the film starts one conversation…and is then overlapped with another! Two conversations going on at once, WTF is going on?!! And what’s this? Things are in focus in the foreground…and the background too! AT THE SAME TIME?! This is awesome!!!

In all due seriousness, you must have lived under a rock your whole life if you’ve never heard of this film. Even if you truly haven’t, chances are that you’ve seen its influences everywhere, from the works of Kurosawa or Spielberg, to the pop-culture parodies of “The Simpsons.” The AFI has listed this as the #1 greatest film of all time; whether or not it really deserves that title is arguable, and to be perfectly honest, this isn’t the most exciting film ever made. I found it a little dull at first glance, and I suspect that most modern, casual audiences will find it equally off-putting (I suspect that folks like Diesel, the man who gave “Psycho” a 1/5 , wouldn’t like it either).

The film does its best to make a seemingly-plain subject and make it extraordinary. It doesn’t really have a consistent source of conflict or tension, but on the plus side, this gives the film some loose freedom to contort the story with an unconventional narrative. Mixed-up with a random assortment of comedy, drama, singing, dancing, loud scenes, quiet scenes, and lots of trippy imagery, the film manages to maintain at least a minimal level of interest. If you find yourself enjoying the characters, the acting, and the imagery, then chances are that you’ll be hooked. Otherwise, you probably won’t care one way or another.

The story is one worth telling. Based on a man named William Randolph Hearst (who went to great lengths to try and shut down the film’s production ), the character of Charles Foster Kane is presented as a rather complex figure; it’s pretty interesting and invoking to see him go from a passionate and idealistic young rebel to a bitter and miserly old man. The corruptive power of greed, wealth, and material possessions provide some great thematic fodder, underscoring just how shallow and unhappy people become under such influences. At the core of the film, however, is the mystery of the “Rosebud,” which not only provides the necessary mystery aspect to drive the film, but also provides the necessary insight on Kane’s character, if not the character of every living man. Using multiple flashbacks, the film presents this biographical account in a radically mixed-up fashion. My main complaint for this film (as it is with most other life-story films like this) is that there is no central conflict to congeal or drive the story. But in this case, perhaps such conflict is unnecessary, given the story’s nebulous nature.

The film’s greatest strengths are in its composition. The photography and editing for this film are considered groundbreaking for its time; its use of unique camera angles and deep focusing are visually impressive. It’s also made ample use of unique sound designs, expert model-work and matte paintings, quality make-up effects, all of which have helped break the mold, and help make the film appear epic. Acting is swell; I love Orson Welles as the main character, and most other actors put on a good performance. Writing is pretty strong. Music is quite classy too.

Given the film’s slow pacing, I still think it’s a stretch to call it the best film ever made. But it is a film of quality.

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

Recommendation: It’s worth seeing at least once.

This Blu-Ray looks darn near perfect, and sounds decent.

PQ: 4.5/5, AQ: 4/5

The packaging for this is gorgeous! And holy crap, there’s like two extra films included!

[tbizzle]

Che - 4/5

This is a well done film but it's a bit hard to follow because there's a lot of editing... there's a million short clips that depict many events spread across many locations over many years, plus the timeline jumps forward and backward with flashbacks and such. Plus, the majority of the film is about a lot of guys that look alike... AND they're speaking Spanish. Now, I'm pretty decent with Spanish but when they speak really fast and there's like 100 different guys (of which all get replaced by another 100 different guys in the second part ) it's kinda hard to get into it. Either way, I definitely enjoyed it. Benicio was very good, as always. The action scenes were pretty well done, soundtrack was awesome and PQ was great overall. Btw, interesting shift in aspect ratio, I wonder why Soderbergh chose to change for the second part. I wasn't complaining though, cuz the PQ in the second was some of the best I've seen on blu, absolutely wonderful. Definitely recommend this.

Nice

[Show spoiler]Matt Damon

cameo btw. Oh, and definitely didn't expect to see

[Show spoiler]Lou Diamond Phillips

in this! I didn't even know he was Latino lol

[surfdude12]

Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace

Film: 4/5
-overall, I loved it.
-Ja Ja didn't bother me for the most part. However, I'll admit that by the ninth "how ruuude!" I was asking myself why Lucas kept using that line so much with him?
-I especially loved the change of setting/scenery: from space to Naboo's gorgeous plush green foliage to the underwater city (felt like watching "Finding Nemo") to desert Tatooine. Definitely one of my favorite aspects of Star Wars: you get so many different settings to digest that it really invokes the imagination.
-for some reason, I love the whole idea of them getting

[Show spoiler]stranded on

Tatooine. We can all relate to that (not on a planet, but just in a weird place). Having to find a way to get the ship's repair pieces was good and entertaining to watch unfold. I like the races (great audio!!) and found them fun too.
-and now for the few things I didn't like (which I'm hoping you SW freaks can smooth over for me):

[Show spoiler]
(1) On Tatooine, they receive a signal from Queen's associate but agree not to respond to it, otherwise it'll indicate their location and agree that the signal might be a trap to have them respond to give away their location. Ok. So they dont' respond. Got it. But what's this?? Darth Maul is heading to Tatooine? How does he know where to go? I thought they didn't respond? THen the emperor (or someone) tells how they tracked them using a signal. Again, this doesn't match up with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's decision not the respond?? Help?!?
(2) Yoda objects to Qui-Gon training Anakin. Qui-Gon replies that even if the council won't agree to train him, that he will train him himself outside of the council. I don't get this. Why does the council allow a Jedi to operate rogue like this and train whoever he wants? What's the point of the council then? I see the council accepted Anakin to be Obi Wan's apprentice at the end of the film, so I guess they had a change of heart in Anakin?
(3) When the trade federation invaded Naboo, the Queen evacuates, we hear people talk about massive amounts of people getting killed...and yet see nobody get killed. We don't even see the invasion. Yes, we see the presence of teh robot army later in the film, when the Queen gets Jaja's people to help fight them, but until that point, we don't see any invasion or attack on Naboo, we just hear about it. A small point and maybe I'm being picky, but it would have been more effective for me to get into the film and emotionally invovled if I saw an invasion and saw Naboo people getting killed (within the PG-13 rating)
(4) Throughout the film, I guess I understand the politics of what was going on: trade federation made some kind of deal with Emperor (Palpatine) to invade Naboo, which in-turn would cause the Queen to ask for help, which in-turn would cause the Chancellor to ask for an investigation of the invasion, which in-turn would cause the Queen to ask for the Chancellor to be replaced, which in-turn would cause Palpatine to replace the Chancellor. Whew. Did Palpatine premeditate all of that? Seems like a lot of work

PQ: 3.75/5 (I went in expecting 2.5, which I had read, so I was VERY happy with those low expectations. You have to split the PQ into (a) space shots = 4.5/5, (b) land shots= 3.5/5, for avg = 3.75/5

AQ: 5/5 (awesome/incredible, but for some reason not quite as good as Empire Strikes back)

[surfdude12]

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones

Film: 3/5
-good film. I enjoyed it. probably my least favorite SW film.
-I feel that Episodes I&II could be summed up in 2 words: Protect Padme
-Hayden Christensen was better than I expected and I can now see the logic of Lucas in casting him: he is VERY effective at portraying BOTH good/nice guy and evil/mean guy. I guess this is a must-have for Anakin casting and I concur that other actors may not have this specific aspect to the level Hayden does
-My favorite (bad) Hayden Moment: "I hate sand. Its coarse and hard...and its geeeetss everyyyywhereeeeee." (MASSIVE CRINGE). But then Hayden completely redeems himself: "Not like here. Here, everything is soft..." (Hayden's eyes go RIGHT to Portman's t!ts)
-Overall, part 2 was good. I like the "Blade Runner" feeling of Corusant, especially when Obi-Wan and Anakin are watching over Padme, and the

[Show spoiler]attempted assassination, the chase with the cars and into the bar

and the later determination of where the dart came from. Great 101 action and detective type suspense. I also found Hayden's change to

[Show spoiler] the dark side

believable and real, because he was able to convey believable good and bad emotions.
-but I felt the plot lacking and a few things didn't make much sense to me in the plot structure:

[Show spoiler]
-in episode I, Yoda was ADAMANT that Anakin shouldn't be trained. Now in episode II, when Padme needs to be protected after already an assassination attempt, he puts Anakin in charge of her? Yes, I see its 10 years later, but it strikes me as a bit careless, especially since he was already suspicious of even training him to begin with.
-After Obi Wan tracks the dart used to try to kill Padme to Kamino, he learns that a droid army is being made for...the Republic?? I thought the Separatists were making an army? Who ordered the clone Republic army to be made?
-Dooku tells Obi-Wan that a Sith Lord is in control of the Senate. I thought Dooku was Palpatine's/Emperor's apprentice, so why would he blow his cover?

PQ: 4/5 (a bit better than part 1, but still not 4.5)

AQ: 5/5 (again, great/awesome, but for some reason, neither episodes I-II seem to have equalled what I heard in episode V = beyond awesome)

[Diesel]

Have you not seen the movies before? If you liked these that much...you should love Revenge of the Sith

Originally Posted by surfdude12

Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace

[Show spoiler]Film: 4/5
-overall, I loved it.
-Ja Ja didn't bother me for the most part. However, I'll admit that by the ninth "how ruuude!" I was asking myself why Lucas kept using that line so much with him?
-I especially loved the change of setting/scenery: from space to Naboo's gorgeous plush green foliage to the underwater city (felt like watching "Finding Nemo") to desert Tatooine. Definitely one of my favorite aspects of Star Wars: you get so many different settings to digest that it really invokes the imagination.
-for some reason, I love the whole idea of them getting

[Show spoiler]stranded on

Tatooine. We can all relate to that (not on a planet, but just in a weird place). Having to find a way to get the ship's repair pieces was good and entertaining to watch unfold. I like the races (great audio!!) and found them fun too.
-and now for the few things I didn't like (which I'm hoping you SW freaks can smooth over for me):

[Show spoiler]
(1) On Tatooine, they receive a signal from Queen's associate but agree not to respond to it, otherwise it'll indicate their location and agree that the signal might be a trap to have them respond to give away their location. Ok. So they dont' respond. Got it. But what's this?? Darth Maul is heading to Tatooine? How does he know where to go? I thought they didn't respond? THen the emperor (or someone) tells how they tracked them using a signal. Again, this doesn't match up with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's decision not the respond?? Help?!?
(2) Yoda objects to Qui-Gon training Anakin. Qui-Gon replies that even if the council won't agree to train him, that he will train him himself outside of the council. I don't get this. Why does the council allow a Jedi to operate rogue like this and train whoever he wants? What's the point of the council then? I see the council accepted Anakin to be Obi Wan's apprentice at the end of the film, so I guess they had a change of heart in Anakin?
(3) When the trade federation invaded Naboo, the Queen evacuates, we hear people talk about massive amounts of people getting killed...and yet see nobody get killed. We don't even see the invasion. Yes, we see the presence of teh robot army later in the film, when the Queen gets Jaja's people to help fight them, but until that point, we don't see any invasion or attack on Naboo, we just hear about it. A small point and maybe I'm being picky, but it would have been more effective for me to get into the film and emotionally invovled if I saw an invasion and saw Naboo people getting killed (within the PG-13 rating)
(4) Throughout the film, I guess I understand the politics of what was going on: trade federation made some kind of deal with Emperor (Palpatine) to invade Naboo, which in-turn would cause the Queen to ask for help, which in-turn would cause the Chancellor to ask for an investigation of the invasion, which in-turn would cause the Queen to ask for the Chancellor to be replaced, which in-turn would cause Palpatine to replace the Chancellor. Whew. Did Palpatine premeditate all of that? Seems like a lot of work

PQ: 3.75/5 (I went in expecting 2.5, which I had read, so I was VERY happy with those low expectations. You have to split the PQ into (a) space shots = 4.5/5, (b) land shots= 3.5/5, for avg = 3.75/5

AQ: 5/5 (awesome/incredible, but for some reason not quite as good as Empire Strikes back)

This movie is easily the worst of the 6 imo. I give it a 2.75/5. It has a few saving graces....Liam Neeson, Ian McDiarmid, McGregor and the Maul duel. Just about everything else falls flat.

As for your questions:

[Show spoiler]1) If I remember correctly, didn't they go against the Jedi's orders and respond? I've only seen the movie a handful of times, so I could be mistaken.

2) He would have LEFT the order to train Anakin if need be. The Jedi don't condone the rogue nature...but if he's outside of the order, what could they do?

3) Lucas was too busy with all the political talk to show us something interesting.

4) He planned everything out very carefully and tactfully.

Originally Posted by surfdude12

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones

Film: 3/5

[Show spoiler]-good film. I enjoyed it. probably my least favorite SW film.
-I feel that Episodes I&II could be summed up in 2 words: Protect Padme
-Hayden Christensen was better than I expected and I can now see the logic of Lucas in casting him: he is VERY effective at portraying BOTH good/nice guy and evil/mean guy. I guess this is a must-have for Anakin casting and I concur that other actors may not have this specific aspect to the level Hayden does
-My favorite (bad) Hayden Moment: "I hate sand. Its coarse and hard...and its geeeetss everyyyywhereeeeee." (MASSIVE CRINGE). But then Hayden completely redeems himself: "Not like here. Here, everything is soft..." (Hayden's eyes go RIGHT to Portman's t!ts)
-Overall, part 2 was good. I like the "Blade Runner" feeling of Corusant, especially when Obi-Wan and Anakin are watching over Padme, and the

[Show spoiler]attempted assassination, the chase with the cars and into the bar

and the later determination of where the dart came from. Great 101 action and detective type suspense. I also found Hayden's change to

[Show spoiler] the dark side

believable and real, because he was able to convey believable good and bad emotions.
-but I felt the plot lacking and a few things didn't make much sense to me in the plot structure:

[Show spoiler]
-in episode I, Yoda was ADAMANT that Anakin shouldn't be trained. Now in episode II, when Padme needs to be protected after already an assassination attempt, he puts Anakin in charge of her? Yes, I see its 10 years later, but it strikes me as a bit careless, especially since he was already suspicious of even training him to begin with.
-After Obi Wan tracks the dart used to try to kill Padme to Kamino, he learns that a droid army is being made for...the Republic?? I thought the Separatists were making an army? Who ordered the clone Republic army to be made?
-Dooku tells Obi-Wan that a Sith Lord is in control of the Senate. I thought Dooku was Palpatine's/Emperor's apprentice, so why would he blow his cover?

PQ: 4/5 (a bit better than part 1, but still not 4.5)

AQ: 5/5 (again, great/awesome, but for some reason, neither episodes I-II seem to have equalled what I heard in episode V = beyond awesome)

I actually enjoyed this one more than I used to the last time I watched it (3.25/5). Hayden C. is definitely bad here at many instances...especially when he gets all creepy with Portman.

For your questions:

[Show spoiler]1) Yes he was hesitant of Anakin even being trained to begin with...but he IS the Chosen One and they did decide to allow him to be trained. So that change of heart was early on and it stands to reason that over the 10 years since Skywalker has proven himself in some other missions that Yoda would give him this assignment.

2) Republic = CLONE army. Separatists = DROID army.
I think this is addressed better in the novelization...but it's been a long time since I read it so I could be mistake here as well. But as far as I remember, it was Dooku who ordered the creation of the clone army under the name of Syfo Dias (who is dead) under the orders of Darth Sidious.
This was handled rather poorly in the film.

3) Sith are not to be trusted according to the Jedi. I would assume he told them that to make them believe that he was trying to lead them on the wrong path to who the Sith Master really was. Basically, if a liar doesn't want you to know the truth...he tells you the truth because you will think he is lying.