The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

I always found it ironic how dirty-jungle Kate (roughed up hair, dirt on her cheeks, B.O., etc) was MUCH hotter than make-up/dress/done-up Kate.

[Show spoiler]
completely off-topic, as we're talking TV, but Diesel doesn't care since its (1) lost and (2) kate

Agreed. Tight jeans and a tank-top work better on her than the gown-and-pumps look.

Talking about Evangeline is NEVER off topic.

[Al_The_Strange]

“Ip Man.”

These fight scenes are awesome! There are a number of fights, and they are fast, skillful, and choreographed superbly. I'm not expert in fighting, but it seems to me that there was a lot of strong techniques in the film, and it helped reinforce the dynamics of the story (considering that all the bad guys use violent, aggressive moves, while the Ip Man stands his ground with calmer, confident, simpler moves). But heck, if it's good fighting you want, this film totally delivers!

More importantly, it’s a wonderful, powerful story with strong characters that I found myself rooting for. The drama is touching throughout, and by the end I found it rather heartwarming. It's very enthralling to watch the characters stand up to oppression. And it's especially effective knowing that it's based on a true story.

The film is well-shot; camera movements are solid, steady, and often interesting. It has a fairly drab, old-fashioned color scheme, which gives it an appropriate war-time feel. Acting is great; Donnie Yen is the man. Writing is not bad. This production has good-looking sets, props, and costumes. Music is not bad.

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

Recommendation: Hell yeah!

On Blu-Ray, this film looks pretty sharp. Close inspection reveals an awful lot of grain/noise, some slight white specks, and some kind of smearing (not really DNR, I don't know what the deal is). Colors and contrast can be rather dull, but this might be by design. It's a pleasing transfer overall, just not the best it could be. Sound quality is good though.

PQ: 4/5, AQ: 4.5/5

I'm finding it hard to associate Asian movies with songs, so if "Ip Man" was a song, I'd just say some kind of rock 'n roll.

[Show spoiler]

Soul Rescuer - YouTube

[Al_The_Strange]

Next greatest blind-buy: "Ip Man 2"

Although the war may be over, Ip Man continues his journey and manages to pick some more awesome fights. The fight scenes in this sequel are probably about as good as the first film, if not better. Big highlights include an epic brawl in the street with hundreds of hoodlums, an awesome fight where the kung-fu masters try fight on a table without falling off, and a big "Rocky"-style tournament in the entire last half that's just really intense. I really wasn't expecting much out of this sequel, but dang, it's really awesome.

The story for this is probably a grade worse though, if for no other reason than it was far more compelling to watch the Ip Man standing up to the Japanese in the first film. But this sequel does follow in the same footsteps as its predecessor; the first half still shows the guy struggling to maintain his status in the local community, before getting into a singular conflict (centered around a foreign threat nonetheless) that takes up the entire second half. Yep, that's both movies in a nutshell. The first half of "Ip Man 2" does have its moments, but I found the second half really enthralling; it's like "Rocky IV" in China. I was seriously cursing at the bad guy for dissing all over kung-fu and the Chinese people;

[Show spoiler]I was glad Ip Man kicked his butt.

So, despite loosing its focus on social oppression, the movie did manage to be invoking anyway.

As it is with the first film, "Ip Man 2" looks swell with solid photography, editing, and production value. Acting is quite over-the-top with all the English actors, but Donnie Yen is still the man. Writing is not bad. Music is not bad.

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

Recommendation: Sure, why not?

This Blu-Ray looks good and sharp. Colors and contrast are rather improved from the first film, and look quite slick. Didn't notice any distracting levels of grain or noise. Sound quality is good.

PQ: 4.5/5, AQ: 4.5/5

As a song, let's pick more rock 'n roll.

[Show spoiler]

石井妥師 (Yasushi Ishii) - 必�　妙法蓮�曲 - YouTube

[Al_The_Strange]

Next greatest blind-buy: "The Legend is Born: Ip Man."

This third film is the prequel; it shows the titular Ip Man as a youth, learning martial arts for the first time and developing his style. As such, this film does have its moments: there are still a few good fights throughout, which are nicely choreographed. There are a few solid, memorable moments too.

Unfortunately, something about this film was not terribly appealing. I suspect that it's because there's no big foreign threat or centralized conflict like there is in the other two films; this movie comes off as a bit more random, and thus a little less interesting. It does adhere to the characters pretty well, and does an okay job of setting things up for the other two films. But as it is, I found myself loosing interest (for the first time in an "Ip Man" film ).

It is a decent-looking film though. Photography, editing, and production designs are nice. Acting is not bad (I miss Donnie Yen though). Writing is okay. Music is okay.

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

Recommendation: For the fans.

The Blu-Ray looks nice and sharp, but with some drab color/contrast (might be by design). Sound quality is good.

PQ: 4/5, AQ: 4.5/5

As a song, let's pick more rock 'n roll...

[Show spoiler]

A World Without Logos - YouTube

[Riff Magnum]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I know Breaking Bad aint HBO, but just something to consider...

I was trying to figure out why Netflix didnt have Boarwalk Empire available, which streets today. I couldnt get an answer from Netflix so I started snooping around and found out that HBO did not, and will not renew their deal with Netflix. HBO refuses to sell discs to Netflix, period, at any price, nor will thay provide or allow Netflix to stream their products.

A Netflix spokesman says they will buy HBO shows "retail" in order to be able to provide them to their subscribers. No word on when that will happen.

Also, Warner Brothers movies will increase from a 28 day delay (from street date) to a 56 day delay.

That's just insane. I don't get it.
I need to listen to NPR around 4 today. I heard there was some show about someone finally doing the age old idea of paying for channels on a case by case basis, rather than being forced a "package" with channels you never watch.
It needs to happen and you gotta think the premium channels would be all for it. Might force some people to step up their game.

[Al_The_Strange]

Some guys at work were talking about this, so I should set the record straight. "Ip Man" is the guy's name. It's NOT "Internet Protocol Man."

[volcomsocal]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

I always found it ironic how dirty-jungle Kate (roughed up hair, dirt on her cheeks, B.O., etc) was MUCH hotter than make-up/dress/done-up Kate.

I think any guy would take a hot girl like that over that same hot girl cleaned up.

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

I always found it ironic how dirty-jungle Kate (roughed up hair, dirt on her cheeks, B.O., etc) was MUCH hotter than make-up/dress/done-up Kate.

[Show spoiler]
completely off-topic, as we're talking TV, but Diesel doesn't care since its (1) lost and (2) kate

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Agreed. Tight jeans and a tank-top work better on her than the gown-and-pumps look.

Talking about Evangeline is NEVER off topic.

Originally Posted by volcomsocal

I think any guy would take a hot girl like that over that same hot girl cleaned up.

Kate in the

[Show spoiler]finale in that black dress

is probably the best competition to "roughed up jungle" Kate, though

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I know Breaking Bad aint HBO, but just something to consider...

I was trying to figure out why Netflix didnt have Boarwalk Empire available, which streets today. I couldnt get an answer from Netflix so I started snooping around and found out that HBO did not, and will not renew their deal with Netflix. HBO refuses to sell discs to Netflix, period, at any price, nor will thay provide or allow Netflix to stream their products.

A Netflix spokesman says they will buy HBO shows "retail" in order to be able to provide them to their subscribers. No word on when that will happen.

Also, Warner Brothers movies will increase from a 28 day delay (from street date) to a 56 day delay.

The streaming portion of that is because of HBO Go. Not selling them any discs makes little sense, although they are being more aggressive with trying to drive sales by having better release week prices for their shows.

I know it's a bigger deal for you, but it's not a big deal at all to me because I don't rent TV shows.

A 56 day delay is just absurd. I'm still only going to buy the Warner movies I actually really want, so this is basically just a kick in the balls. I see this happening with the other studios that have delays as well. I'm still sticking with Netflix though because there aren't any better options.

[volcomsocal]

Walk The Line - 2005

Pretty good flick. It seemed just a tad too long though. This movie was a bit too drawn out at times, which was ironic because I felt the ending was too abrupt. But besides that, it was enjoyable and entertaining. I learned a couple things and was able to rock out to the music. Good stuff.

PQ - 4/5
AQ - 4.5/5

3/5

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

Kate in the

[Show spoiler]finale in that black dress

is probably the best competition to "roughed up jungle" Kate, though

Absolutely correct.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by volcomsocal

Walk The Line - 2005

Pretty good flick. It seemed just a tad too long though. This movie was a bit too drawn out at times, which was ironic because I felt the ending was too abrupt. But besides that, it was enjoyable and entertaining. I learned a couple things and was able to rock out to the music. Good stuff.

PQ - 4/5
AQ - 4.5/5

3/5

I thought Phoenix was one of the poorest choices in biopic casting history. Just so wrong on every level (other than he is a male ). I also thought he gave a pretty weak performance to boot. Just my opinion.

Witherspoon, on the other hand was darn good.

[Steve46]

17. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Western, Crime, 110 minutes
Directed by George Roy Hill
Starring Paul Newman, Robert Redford and Katharine Ross



This movie works because of the comedy and the chemistry between Newman and Redford. It's not a traditional Western by any means. The focus is on the characters of Butch (Newman) and Sundance (Redford) and they are more important than the plot itself.

We learn that Butch is the leader of the Hole-in-the-Wall gang and that he leads because of his superior intelligence. When he's challenged by one of the other members, he wins by trickery rather than superior strength or physical skill. In contrast, Sundance is deadly with a weapon in his hand, but he allows Butch to deal with mundane details such as which bank to rob next.

There's a great deal of comedy in this movie. Some of it is genuinely funny and you won't have to force yourself to laugh. The acting is good, but the tone is rarely serious. There are too many one-liners for us to take things completely seriously.

The story is pretty simple. The Hole-in-the-Wall gang makes a living by robbing trains and the owner of the railroad decides to put a stop to it. He hires a posse made up of people who rarely or never stray from their home territory. The posse foils a robbery and chases Butch and Sundance into the surrounding hills. After managing to escape in unlikely fashion, Butch and Sundance decide to flee to Bolivia and rob banks for a living.

The other main character in the story is Etta (Ross), who is a schoolteacher and Sundance's girlfriend. She gives the trio an air of respectability and helps them overcome some of the language problems in Bolivia.

With the exception of a musical number that seems completely out of place, the movie flows well. It does a good job of showing the contrast between the glamor of crime and the consequences of that lifestyle. There's very little action compared to typical Western's, but that's a good thing in this case.

If you like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid:

Another Western that mixes comedy and serious situations well is True Grit. If you're a fan of John Wayne, the original 1969 version is the one to see. The recent Coen brothers remake is also excellent and contains strong performances from Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld and Matt Damon.

For those who just like to see Newman and Redford on the screen together, take a look at The Sting. George Roy Hill directs again and it's set in 1930s Chicago. It won seven Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director.

[volcomsocal]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Witherspoon, on the other hand was darn good.

Reese as a brunette was dee-lish-us!

[jvince]

Genre: Action | Drama | Thriller
Synopsis: In Alaska, an oil drilling team struggle to survive after a plane crash strands them in the wild. Hunting the humans are a pack of wolves who see them as intruders.
Running Time: 1 hour, 57 minutes

Director: Joe Carnahan (The A-Team)
Writers: Joe Carnahan (Narc), Ian Mackenzie Jeffers (Death Sentence)
Stars: Liam Neeson (Schindler's List), Dermot Mulroney (Young Guns), Frank Grillo (Warrior), Dallas Roberts (3:10 to Yuma)

The Grey isn't simply two hours of Liam Neeson fighting wolves -- it's much more than that. And surprisingly, it's a terrific two hours that will keep you engaged and leave you impressed.

Joe Carnahan, director of such films as The A-Team and Smokin' Aces, is like a completely different helmer here -- this time favoring substance over style with a character-centric tale of camaraderie and survival. Borrowing elements from classics such as The Thing and Jaws, Carnahan manages to create an engrossing and crowd-pleasing old school thriller. Right from the get go, with Ottway's (Neeson) opening monologue leading towards the epic plane crash (which I must say is an incredibly executed sequence that left the entire audience collectively whispering, "Damn..."), you already get the feeling you're in for something different from the typical mainstream offerings.

The pacing is slow and meditative, so those expecting Liam Neeson punching wolves and slashing them with makeshift "Wolverine" claws made of broken bottles will be greatly disappointed. It is also quite bleak for the most part, although there are some hilarious banter between its sympathetic group of characters to lighten the mood.

The build-up of tension and fear is excellent. But while the wolves are legitimate threats and effective sources of jump scares, it gets to a point where it becomes repetitive and implausible, especially given the realistic feel Carnahan goes for. But apart from that, everything else is solid.

The film boasts some great character work and surprisingly strong acting by the ensemble led by Neeson, who takes on one of his best roles in years as the downhearted de facto leader of the band of survivors. Couple those with Masanobu Takayanagi's (Warrior) gorgeously breathtaking cinematography and Marc Streitenfeld's (Prometheus) amazing score, and you have a potential cult classic and one of the very best survival films out there.

If you're a fan of old school horror-thrillers and you appreciated what last year's Super 8 did, odds are you'll enjoy The Grey.

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by jvince

Genre: Action | Drama | Thriller
Synopsis: In Alaska, an oil drilling team struggle to survive after a plane crash strands them in the wild. Hunting the humans are a pack of wolves who see them as intruders.
Running Time: 1 hour, 57 minutes

[Show spoiler]

Director: Joe Carnahan (The A-Team)
Writers: Joe Carnahan (Narc), Ian Mackenzie Jeffers (Death Sentence)
Stars: Liam Neeson (Schindler's List), Dermot Mulroney (Young Guns), Frank Grillo (Warrior), Dallas Roberts (3:10 to Yuma)

The Grey isn't simply two hours of Liam Neeson fighting wolves -- it's much more than that. And surprisingly, it's a terrific two hours that will keep you engaged and leave you impressed.

Joe Carnahan, director of such films as The A-Team and Smokin' Aces, is like a completely different helmer here -- this time favoring substance over style with a character-centric tale of camaraderie and survival. Borrowing elements from classics such as The Thing and Jaws, Carnahan manages to create an engrossing and crowd-pleasing old school thriller. Right from the get go, with Ottway's (Neeson) opening monologue leading towards the epic plane crash (which I must say is an incredibly executed sequence that left the entire audience collectively whispering, "Damn..."), you already get the feeling you're in for something different from the typical mainstream offerings.

The pacing is slow and meditative, so those expecting Liam Neeson punching wolves and slashing them with makeshift "Wolverine" claws made of broken bottles will be greatly disappointed. It is also quite bleak for the most part, although there are some hilarious banter between its sympathetic group of characters to lighten the mood.

The build-up of tension and fear is excellent. But while the wolves are legitimate threats and effective sources of jump scares, it gets to a point where it becomes repetitive and implausible, especially given the realistic feel Carnahan goes for. But apart from that, everything else is solid.

The film boasts some great character work and surprisingly strong acting by the ensemble led by Neeson, who takes on one of his best roles in years as the downhearted de facto leader of the band of survivors. Couple those with Masanobu Takayanagi's (Warrior) gorgeously breathtaking cinematography and Marc Streitenfeld's (Prometheus) amazing score, and you have a potential cult classic and one of the very best survival films out there.

If you're a fan of old school horror-thrillers and you appreciated what last year's Super 8 did, odds are you'll enjoy The Grey.

It sounds much better than I expected. Thanks for the review.

[jvince]

Originally Posted by Steve46

It sounds much better than I expected. Thanks for the review.

The trailers are misleading. People who will go in expecting what they seem to be selling will be let down.

I think this will look great on blu. The sound and cinematography was amazing.

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by jvince

The trailers are misleading. People who will go in expecting what they seem to be selling will be let down.

I think this will look great on blu. The sound and cinematography was amazing.

I rarely look at trailers because some give away too much.

Have you seen The Edge with Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin?

[jvince]

Originally Posted by Steve46

I rarely look at trailers because some give away too much.

Have you seen The Edge with Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin?

Nope, but I heard they have some similarities.

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by jvince

Nope, but I heard they have some similarities.

It sounds similar. Fewer people and a bear instead of wolves. Good movie though.