The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[Liquid Toxin]

What movie are you guys most looking forward to in this new year? I myself am looking forward to the Hobbit pt.2 and Amazing Spiderman 2.

[jvince]

Sleepwalk with Me (2012)
dir. Mike Birbiglia

The Good: Birbiglia bares his soul in this unbelievable autobiography wherein he reenacts everything from his dead-end career as a comedian/bartender, to his troubled relationship with his girlfriend of 8 years, and not to mention his rare (and dangerous) condition which causes him to unconsciously act out his dreams. Reminiscent of Woody Allen. Witty and insightful, with some genuinely funny moments. Birbiglia proves to be a pretty good actor/comedian, director, and writer. The final 10 minutes are amazing. "I didn't wanna hurt you."

The Bad: Just a tad uneven. Not really laugh-out-loud.

The Bottom Line: While it does not reach the heights of the likes of Annie Hall and High Fidelity, Sleepwalk with Me is still a very impressive directorial debut by a talented man who seems to have a promising future ahead of him.

[jvince]

Originally Posted by KilloWertz

I also suggest checking out Ruby Sparks sometime. I watched my copy of it earlier today and loved it.

Loved Ruby Sparks as well. I'd definitely recommend it.

Originally Posted by Steve46

Krzysztof Kieslowski

The most beautiful live action films I have seen have been directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski. That said, I have yet to see The Decalogue, which is often mentioned as being his best work. I'm holding out for a Criterion Blu-ray release. He makes this list on the strength of the four films I own. Three Colors is my favorite trilogy of any kind, not just foreign language. The Double Life of Veronique is also a film of extraordinary beauty. One reason for that is the presence of Irene Jacob in both works, who may be the most beautiful actress I have ever seen. But her acting ability is the reason I love the films so much. Three Colors can be seen in a single viewing if you have five hours to spare, and it's worth your time. Juliette Binoche gives an outstanding performance in Blue, but Red is the highlight, and stars the aforementioned Jean-Louis Trintignant alongside Irene Jacob. Kieslowski's films should be treasured.

Here's a trailer for Three Colors Red:

Three Colors: Red - Miramax trailer - YouTube

My favorite director! Man, you gotta check out The Decalogue. And I suggest some Resnais too.

Originally Posted by KilloWertz

I love that movie. Blind bought it about a year and a half ago and wasn't disappointed in the slightest.

I couldn't imagine anyone but Amy Adams playing Giselle.

I've probably watched this more than 20 times now.

I Amy Adams in this. It's my favorite role of hers and one of my favorite Disney princesses.

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by jvince

Loved Ruby Sparks as well. I'd definitely recommend it.

Obviously.

My only real complaint is about the Blu-ray and not the movie, but I wish they included more special features. A commentary with Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan should have been a given (the directors included too if they wanted), especially since they are a couple in real life too. In the end, I'll get over it though since the movie is the most important.

I've probably watched this more than 20 times now.

I Amy Adams in this. It's my favorite role of hers and one of my favorite Disney princesses.

While not quite on the same level of course, I guess Enchanted is to you what 500 Days of Summer is to Bearcat.

I need to watch my copy again sometime soon. I remember reading one of the Blu-ray reviews for this and them mentioning about a lack of replay value. Sure, whatever...

I do too obviously. I had to watch more of her movies after watching this.

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by jvince

My favorite director! Man, you gotta check out The Decalogue. And I suggest some Resnais too.

I'm sure Criterion will eventually release Dekalog, so I'll pick it up then. I've seen two Resnais films and can't stand his style.

[P@t_Mtl]

Drive (2011)

Directed by : Nicolas Winding Refn
Starring : Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston
Format : HDTV

Story : A small time mechanic and Hollywood stunt driver also as a secret job as a getaway driver with strict rules. Trying to help the husband of a neighbor he end's up bieng pull into something much bigger then expected. Taking revenge and also working on protecting the woman and her son, the driver show a side of him few would suspect as he eliminate those that double cross him.

Comments : I did find the movie interesting if not exactly a type of movie I would usually enjoy or go for. I am not big on gangsters and mafia type movies and in general they leave me more or less cold. The movie was good, the story as a slow pace but not so much as to start to become boring. The characters were also interesting. Still not something I will care to see again but not bad.

Ratings : 3.5/5

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Ah I see. Just tried to shed some more light on it. Sorry it didn't work for ya.

It DID work for me.

I think you are allowing my rant about her Dad to obscure the rest of my review.

Frankly I was looking forward to being a blubbering mess at the end and more than a little surprised at my own experience. I mean the recipe is certainly my cup of tea, and all the ingredients were there, it just didnt "Hit" me like I had hoped.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Foggy

So you didn't get up to Bruce Willis

[Show spoiler]shooting 6 year olds

NOPE!!!!!!

I also think I read that there was a twist ending that I missed by abandoning my viewing. Go ahead and tell me what that was...in spoiler tags of course.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

NOPE!!!!!!

I also think I read that there was a twist ending that I missed by abandoning my viewing. Go ahead and tell me what that was...in spoiler tags of course.

I wouldn't call it a twist, but

[Show spoiler]basically, Bruce Willis attempts to stop the mob boss who's in charge in the future and responsible for sending the loopers back and getting his wife killed. He worked out enough to know that three people share the same birthday and were born in the same hospital, of course with it being in the past however, they are only 6 years of age.

Any Joseph Gordon Levitt spends most the rest of the film on a farm with a girl and her 6 year old kid and it ends up the kid is the mob boss and manged to take over the crime world with powerful TK abilities. Ends up that Bruce Willis is responsible for killing his mother in the pursuit of killing him. So Joseph Gordon Levitt decides to stop this from happening by sacrificing himself and allowing the mother and the kid to live happily for the rest of their lives.

[P@t_Mtl]

The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012)

Directed by : Peter Lord
Starring : Hugh Grant, Martin Freeman, Imelda Staunton
Format : HTVD

Story : The Pirate Captain as a wish to win the award of Pirate of The Year but he is not a very good pirate no matter how much he want's to be. A chance in encounter with Charles Darwin make's him see that his fat parrot is in reality the last Dodo bird. hoping to become famous, he goes to London to present the Dodo at a scientific ceremony. The dange is that Queen Victoria is well known for her hatred of pirates. She soon discover the ruse but make's a bargain with the Pirate Captain, a rich reward for selling her the Dodo. With the money he as about to be name the Pirate of the Year but someone notice that the Queen as also pardon him as a pirate and as such cannot win the award. Plus his crew leave him once they see he actually sold the Dodo. In a final chance to gain his name back he goes and lead a rescue to get back the Dodo.

Comments : It's a typical animation of the 21st century, full of popular current reference and jokes. Some funny moments but nothing amazing. I also did not really like the style of animation. I doubt this will go down into history as an animation classic.

Ratings : 2.5/5

[Al_The_Strange]

Next greatest rental: I Am Number Four

Haven't read the book at all, but for a while, I couldn't stop hearing about how awesome the books are (mostly from my boss and coworker, who are both avid readers).

The movie is...partially awesome. Some of the fight scenes toward the end (especially when Number Six busts into the scene) are decent. A few other scenes stand out. In between, you can expect a ton of sappy teenage drama that feels like it's been done before already. Not quite as sickening as Twilight, but going through the film still feels like the same old spiel: outsider dude with superpowers tries to get along in school, goes against bullies, tries to get the girl, blah blah blah...

I have no clue how good of an adaptation this movie is; on its own merits, the movie gives enough information to allow the viewer to understand the gist of things (minus the opening scene, which is totally confusing and stupid without the given info). Characters and story aren't bad overall, they just feel like more of the same.

The film...feels like more of the same. Good, never great, photography and editing. Good, not great, acting and writing. Good, not great, sets, props, costumes, and special effects, and music.

Yeah, good, not great.

3.5/5 (Entertainment: Pretty Good | Story: Average | Film: Pretty Good)

Recommendation: Rental.

Looks good on Blu-Ray. Maybe even great.

PQ: 4.5/5, AQ: 5/5

[SquidPuppet]

Moonrise Kingdom

I strongly dislike all of Wes Andersons films except Bottle Rocket, which I only found borderline tolerable. Actually, I loathe his films. However, I understand what he is trying to do and appreciate that he has his own strong style. Ironically, it is his style that I hate. That said, something I cant explain always draws me to his latest film to see if this is "The One" that finally works for me.

Moonrise Kingdom is a ridiculous film, with corny dialogue, goofy cartoonesque performances, and overly deliberately artistic camera work that clashes with the rest of the movies qualities. I loved it. It was perfect. Perfectly weird.

I think the reason this one worked for me was because it was about kids, and somehow that made everything magically OK.

Film 4.5/5
PQ 4.5/5
AQ 4.5/5

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Foggy

I wouldn't call it a twist, but

[Show spoiler]basically, Bruce Willis attempts to stop the mob boss who's in charge in the future and responsible for sending the loopers back and getting his wife killed. He worked out enough to know that three people share the same birthday and were born in the same hospital, of course with it being in the past however, they are only 6 years of age.

Any Joseph Gordon Levitt spends most the rest of the film on a farm with a girl and her 6 year old kid and it ends up the kid is the mob boss and manged to take over the crime world with powerful TK abilities. Ends up that Bruce Willis is responsible for killing his mother in the pursuit of killing him. So Joseph Gordon Levitt decides to stop this from happening by sacrificing himself and allowing the mother and the kid to live happily for the rest of their lives.

Glad I bailed then.

[Al_The_Strange]

Next greatest rental: Quadrophenia

Chief reason for me checking this film out is because it was mentioned in this radio skit I used to listen to all the time (around the 1:00 minute mark):

[Show spoiler]

Travesty Ltd.- "Rock and Roll Doctor" - YouTube

Anyway, the film, it's got all this like Who music, man, it's really good.

Seriously though, the film only marginally maintained my interest. It's one of those movies that's built more on experience than storytelling or entertainment: chances are that if you can relate to the characters, the era, the culture, etc, then you'll love the film.

My beef with it is that the film spends nearly all its runtime showing this kid wandering and d*cking around without any real story to tell. Even with the mods-vs-rockers conflict, I couldn't relate to this dude and his issues much. I was just, like, whatever man.

The film is well-made though, with great photography and editing, lots of decent shooting locales, and quality acting and writing. Music is the awesomest thing ever.

3/5 (Entertainment: Marginal | Story: Marginal | Film: Very Good)

Recommendation: Interested parties can rent it.

British Blu-Ray looks really great in a lot of scenes, really compressed or altered in others. I hear the Criterion edition is better. Audio seems good.

PQ: 4/5, AQ: 4/5

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Moonrise Kingdom

I strongly dislike all of Wes Andersons films except Bottle Rocket, which I only found borderline tolerable. Actually, I loathe his films. However, I understand what he is trying to do and appreciate that he has his own strong style. Ironically, it is his style that I hate. That said, something I cant explain always draws me to his latest film to see if this is "The One" that finally works for me.

Moonrise Kingdom is a ridiculous film, with corny dialogue, goofy cartoonesque performances, and overly deliberately artistic camera work that clashes with the rest of the movies qualities. I loved it. It was perfect. Perfectly weird.

I think the reason this one worked for me was because it was about kids, and somehow that made everything magically OK.

Film 4.5/5
PQ 4.5/5
AQ 4.5/5

I'm glad you liked it, but surprised you didn't like Rushmore or Fantastic Mr. Fox.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Glad I bailed then.

Ending is a bit but the rest of the film works for me so

on Moonrise Kingdom as well!

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Steve46

I'm glad you liked it, but surprised you didn't like Rushmore or Fantastic Mr. Fox.

I was surprised as well.

I forgot to mention that there was a jumbo blooper in Moonrise Kingdom. Not a spoiler at all, but the Volkswagen Beetle that was squashed was a 1973-1974 model.

[Al_The_Strange]

Next greatest movie seen in the cinema: Life of Pi

Throughout 2012, I kept seeing certain visuals from this film that stuck to my head and compelled me to see what it was all about. Chief images were the giant glowing whale doing a major flip in the middle of the ocean, a tiger lurking in a lifeboat, an ocean perfectly reflecting the sunset sky, a zebra underwater, and occasional scenes of India. These were images so exotic and fantastic that they drove me to see the film.

Well, the film delivered all the requisite imagery in an exotic and fantastic manner. It took a while to build up the story: the first half is like an autobiographical account of the title character's childhood, which sucks up some time, but is not as dull as it sounds. Watching those scenes reminded me a bit of Forrest Gump, or possibly Amelie. By the second half, the film shifts to more of a Cast Away type of story with hugely imaginative embellishments, and that's where the real heart, soul, and point of the movie lies. Throughout, the film is evenly-paced and consistently fantastic.

The story is phenomenal. I do think that parts of the first hour or so could have been chopped off without sacrificing much in the overall story, but these scenes to lay the groundwork for the character and the spiritual struggle that ensues. The final half of the movie serves as a magnificent odyssey of sorts that's as spiritually profound as it is engrossing.

What really makes the story stand out will be the main character's final accounts, which puts a totally different spin on the events. There actually were a few things in the film I took as plot holes at first, but this monologue cleared it all up elegantly. It provides a unique, refreshing, multilayered narrative structure that only a movie like Rashomon can surpass. Not only does it make an incredible story make sense for us rational humans, it also adds way more depth to it than I would have thought possible.

If there's anything I find disconcerting, it's that the mish-mashing of Christian, Hindu, and Musslim beliefs may not sit well with certain viewers. I was personally fascinated by the film's remarks though.

As expected, the film boasts some lovely photography and editing, with frequent unique transitions and good special effects (although I predict that the CGI won't age well). Acting is generally good, and I enjoyed the writing. The production has plenty of fine-looking sets, props, and costumes. Music is alright.

4.5/5 (Entertainment: Good | Story: Perfect | Film: Very Good)

Recommendation: Yep.

3D effects were surprisingly clear and sharp for most of the movie. A few parts were blurred or had ghosting, but not much.

This would now be my new favorite Ang Lee film (unfortunately, I never was an Ang Lee fan ). I think this is also the artsiest film I've seen on the big screen.

I've also now seen 99 films in the cinema. Just...one...more to break 100...

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I was surprised as well.

I forgot to mention that there was a jumbo blooper in Moonrise Kingdom. Not a spoiler at all, but the Volkswagen Beetle that was squashed was a 1973-1974 model.

Ah well.

I like the VW in The Sleeper that starts first time after 200 years.

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

I've also now seen 99 films in the cinema. Just...one...more to break 100...

Make it a good one.

I remember seeing Moonrise Kingdom on my 50th birthday.