The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Killing Them Softly



It was OK.

A style over substance criminal vs criminal flick with often excellent, and super cheesey dialogue in equal doses. Kind of a "been there done that" story.

Nothing stood out as bad, nor did anything strike me as great.

If the style works for you, I can see this being a really fun film.

Film 3/5
PQ 4.5/5
AQ 4.5/5

I really liked the film when I watched it first, but I really worried about going back to it after so many people disliked it.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I am interested in Frances Ha. The story seems intersting and it is getting great reviews, but I have a concern. The following excerpt from a very positive review worries me...



Is Frances Ha very similar to French New Wave?

Well, that does it. My interest in Frances Ha has dropped to 0.

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Where are Surfdude and Steve?

You would think they would be freaking out abaut this great news from a few days ago.

Criterion Getting Ready to Release David Lynch's Mulholland Drive

Great news. I think I'll order an espresso.

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Killing Them Softly



It was OK.

A style over substance criminal vs criminal flick with often excellent, and super cheesey dialogue in equal doses. Kind of a "been there done that" story.

Nothing stood out as bad, nor did anything strike me as great.

If the style works for you, I can see this being a really fun film.

Film 3/5
PQ 4.5/5
AQ 4.5/5

I actually was even less forgiving when I watched this, which really surprised me. I found it boring and pretty pointless.

If it wasn't for Brad Pitt and Richard Jenkins, I don't know if I would have made it through the film.

Where are Surfdude and Steve?

You would think they would be freaking out abaut this great news from a few days ago.

Criterion Getting Ready to Release David Lynch's Mulholland Drive

[Show spoiler]

I wouldn't start freaking out if I was them until they actually announce it. There's a whole thread discussing this very subject and it's obviously possible that they managed to finally get the rights to this, but who knows yet.

I for one would be more excited if I didn't already own the StudioCanal digibook from the UK (I have a region free player), but I'd still likely get this at some point.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by KilloWertz

I wouldn't start freaking out if I was them until they actually announce it. There's a whole thread discussing this very subject and it's obviously possible that they managed to finally get the rights to this, but who knows yet.

I for one would be more excited if I didn't already own the StudioCanal digibook from the UK (I have a region free player), but I'd still likely get this at some point.

I have the UK edition as well. Even though it's decent in quality, I'll probably get the (alleged) Criterion release as well.

Same for Eraserhead. Err...dang, it's been a while since I heard Criterion also got the rights for Eraserhead, and they still haven't put it out.

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Where are Surfdude and Steve?

You would think they would be freaking out abaut this great news from a few days ago.

Criterion Getting Ready to Release David Lynch's Mulholland Drive

I hope they do it justice and I'll obviously buy it. My UK import is pretty good though.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by Steve46

I hope they do it justice and I'll obviously buy it. My UK import is pretty good though.

Ditto. (Have the Kraut version)

[jvince]

The Conjuring (2013)
dir. James Wan

The Good: Strong performances from the entire cast, most notably Vera Farmiga and Lili Taylor. The story is quite engaging; it doesn't feel like a two-hour movie at all. Pretty effective build-up of tension with a nice variety of scares. Unlike Wan's previous outing, Insidious, which was marred by a weak and somewhat laughable final act, he sticks the landing this time around as he ratchets up the terror in the film's unrelentingly horrifying final minutes. The Annabelle doll. The wardrobe. The music box. The basement. The hair-pulling scene. The exorcism.

The Bad: Has a few cheesy moments. Cheap-looking CGI. (Good thing they don't use it that much.) The trailers spoil most of the scares.

The Bottom Line: There's nothing new here, but it's good to see Wan learn from his past missteps and, in turn, produce his most polished work to date. The Conjuring is a solid, old-school throwback and a satisfying crowd-pleaser; one best experienced in a packed theater.

[jvince]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Where are Surfdude and Steve?

You would think they would be freaking out abaut this great news from a few days ago.

Criterion Getting Ready to Release David Lynch's Mulholland Drive

Awesome news!

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by jvince

The Conjuring (2013)
dir. James Wan

[Show spoiler]

The Good: Strong performances from the entire cast, most notably Vera Farmiga and Lili Taylor. The story is quite engaging; it doesn't feel like a two-hour movie at all. Pretty effective build-up of tension with a nice variety of scares. Unlike Wan's previous outing, Insidious, which was marred by a weak and somewhat laughable final act, he sticks the landing this time around as he ratchets up the terror in the film's unrelentingly horrifying final minutes. The Annabelle doll. The wardrobe. The music box. The basement. The hair-pulling scene. The exorcism.

The Bad: Has a few cheesy moments. Cheap-looking CGI. (Good thing they don't use it that much.) The trailers spoil most of the scares.

The Bottom Line: There's nothing new here, but it's good to see Wan learn from his past missteps and, in turn, produce his most polished work to date. The Conjuring is a solid, old-school throwback and a satisfying crowd-pleaser; one best experienced in a packed theater.

While I won't see it in the theater, I will definitely check it out on Blu-ray. Not a huge horror fan in general, but I do really enjoy a good "ghost" story.

Kind of surprising that a screenwriting duo responsible for mediocre to bad movies up until now actually wrote something good.

[jvince]

Spring Breakers (2013)
dir. Harmon Korine

The Good: Nice, colorful photography. Selena Gomez delivers a believable performance. James Franco amuses (for a while). Tits.

The Bad: Problematic rhythm and pacing. Lots of unnecessary scenes. Goes into music video mode way too often. Kills all the suspense by recurrently showing how events end before they happen. Line delivery is iffy. (Or maybe it's the lines?) Korine sure does love to repeat stuff -- the gun cocking sound, several scenes and lines such as "spring break" -- it really gets on the nerves quick. And boy, did Korine drop the ball in the second half, especially that ridiculous final act. So, I'm supposed to believe two young girls with no experience with guns could just walk in, slaughter an entire gang, and emerge unscathed? And don't get me started on the ending. I absolutely f*cking hate the ending.

The Bottom Line: Exactly what is the point of this movie? Either Korine couldn't express it well enough or there's simply none. Either way, it's a load of bull crap.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by jvince

Spring Breakers (2013)


The Good: Tits.

[Al_The_Strange]

Having just finished the game The Last of Us (which I reviewed on my blog and gave it a full-blown 5/5 ), I was compelled to pop in:

I Am Legend

"We are his legacy. This is his legend. Light up the darkness." - Alice Braga

I Am Legend is the third adaptation of Richard Matheson's novel of the same name, although this is the first film with that actual title. The first adaptation was The Last Man on Earth, starring Vincent Price; a classic for many, but I found it rather dull. I was always fond of The Omega Man, featuring a very cool and macho Charlton Heston, but that film has not aged well. I've never read the book, but glancing over its synopsis, none of these adaptations appear to be fully accurate.

On its own merits, the I Am Legend film is a visually smooth and lush film; some of the most memorable imagery show New York City in ruins, overgrown with tall grass and vines, overrun with animals. The film follows the main character as he cruises through the city, hunts deer, scavenges, plays golf off the wing of an abandoned airplane, and continues to find a cure for the pandemic. Even though a lot of these scenes are fun (in the same respect as it was fun watching Charlton Heston roaming around in The Omega Man), this film does throw the main character into dangerous run-ins with hoards of fast and insane zombies. There are a few gripping scenes throughout, leading up to an action-packed finale.

The story for I Am Legend is generally sound, and it tries its best to be elegant about things. The plot structure is not particularly strong; outside of the occasional zombie scare and battle, conflict is kept to a minimum. What really matters is the narrative structure, which is a little unique for its use of flashbacks. Characters are delicately handled; it's hard not to feel for a man who's been alone for so long that he talks to mannequins and treats his dog like an actual person. However, the pathos suffers a little when the character acts out unreasonably (especially toward the only other human characters he eventually meets). There are moments where the film aspires to be more than it is: the film attempts to use butterfly motifs, Bob Marley references, and profound dialogue to dig up deeper themes regarding legacy. I'm personally not so sure if such themes really work, but they are nice touches. The film overall carries a delicate and emotional tone, which does succeed in making it invoking.

This film looks really slick; photography can get a little hectic with the action scenes, but is smooth and solid in every other scene. Editing is really interesting, given the way flashbacks are cut into the narrative so abruptly. Will Smith offers a solid and emotional performance. Writing is generally not bad. This production uses some very imaginative and good-looking sets, props, and costumes. Special effects were cool for their time, but show their age slightly (the computer-generated zombies are especially notorious, for they are not all that scary). The music score is nice.

Of the three films made from the same novel, I believe this is the most respectable one to date, even if it isn't totally true to the source. At the very least, it does make for a decent post-apocalyptic drama, and fans of the genre should check this film out.

4/5 (Entertainment: Good | Story: Pretty Good | Film: Good)

Recommendation: Yeah.

This Blu-Ray looks and sounds good, just not quite as sharp as more modern titles.

PQ: 4/5, AQ: 4/5

[Al_The_Strange]

The Road

"We have to just...keep carrying the fire."
"What fire?"
"The fire inside you." - Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee

When the end of the world comes, it won't be a pretty or happy affair. Most films generally harp on the violence and brutality of the apocalypse, but The Road should stand as one of the most delicate and disquieting apocalypse films to date. There isn't much action to this; it's all about a man struggling to protect his son, while they trek across an ash-laden wasteland. There are occasional moments of suspense and thrills, following a few bad run-ins with cannibalistic gangs, but most of the film is about the journey and the everyday hardships.

This film is a faithful adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's influential novel; the plot and characters are generally spot-on, but the film definitely excels with the novel's tone, for it is appropriately dark, grim, emotional, and delicate. I felt the book was a grade more disquieting, especially with the chemistry between the characters (something that's probably better achieved in writing than in film). The overall portrayal of the apocalypse is a uniquely depressing vision, showing a world completely drenched in ashes and grayness. The plot can be rather random, as it goes from one random encounter to another, and with occasional flashbacks thrown in. Conflict is never consistent, making some scenes more gripping or interesting than others. Characters are full of life and easy to relate to.

This film uses good and steady photography, and decent editing. Much of the film is captured with a drab, gray color scheme, making it appropriately dark and murky. Acting is not bad: Viggo Mortensen does his best to give his character heart and soul. Writing is good. All the film's sets, props, costumes, and special effects are good without being overblown. Music is really elegant too.

Even though this film isn't as exciting as most other films of the genre, it is easily the most earnest and heartfelt of the post-apocalypse genre. It is a decent adaptation of a decent novel.

4/5 (Entertainment: Pretty Good | Story: Very Good | Film: Good)

Recommendation: Yeah.

This Blu-Ray looks alright, sounds alright.

PQ: 4/5, AQ: 4/5

[legendarymatt92]

I've been away for a week and this is what happens? Al is surprisingly unforgiving with the flaws in World War Z , jvince points out that tits are one of the only good things in Spring Breakers and djmethod is the only person on these boards who is excited to see Burt Wonderstone ! I don't think I can stand going away again :P

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[legendarymatt92]

Originally Posted by legendarymatt92

I've been away for a week and this is what happens? Al is surprisingly unforgiving with the flaws in World War Z , jvince points out that tits are one of the only good things in Spring Breakers and djmethod is the only person on these boards who is excited to see Burt Wonderstone ! I don't think I can stand going away again :P

P.S: I have 3 films to post reviews on at some point, so I apologise in advance for the forum-hogging I'll be doing in the near future

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Sent from my GT-P3110 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by legendarymatt92

I've been away for a week and this is what happens? Al is surprisingly unforgiving with the flaws in World War Z , jvince points out that tits are one of the only good things in Spring Breakers and djmethod is the only person on these boards who is excited to see Burt Wonderstone ! I don't think I can stand going away again :P

Sent from my GT-P3110 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Actually, I should be seeing Burt Wonderstone soon.

[Al_The_Strange]

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone is in my Netflix queue, it just won't come to disc until July 23rd.

[legendarymatt92]

Originally Posted by KilloWertz

Actually, I should be seeing Burt Wonderstone soon.

Ah good, I hope you like it. It sounds like I have an ulterior motive by pushing it so hard, but it's just that almost everyone else on here hates it and I quite liked it. Please let us know what you think about it when you check it out!

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone is in my Netflix queue, it just won't come to disc until July 23rd.

Excuses, excuses :P

Nah, I understand that; there's no rush for you to see it, Al, so please don't think I'm putting pressure on you or anything.


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[Abdrewes]

Will try to post my positive White House Down review today

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by legendarymatt92

Ah good, I hope you like it. It sounds like I have an ulterior motive by pushing it so hard, but it's just that almost everyone else on here hates it and I quite liked it. Please let us know what you think about it when you check it out!

That's how I feel about certain movies...like Sucker Punch or After Earth.

Originally Posted by legendarymatt92

Excuses, excuses :P

Nah, I understand that; there's no rush for you to see it, Al, so please don't think I'm putting pressure on you or anything.

no problemo - YouTube

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Will try to post my positive White House Down review today

I'll try to actually see it sometime this week. Maybe even tomorrow, we'll have to see how the week goes.

...wait, WHD is positive?!