The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by Foggy

I loved Sightseers (it's currently my top film of 2013 if you discard the late arrivals from last year over here) but it's a big marmite film, it'll either work or it won't. It still has Wheatley's mumblecore approach to filmmaking, although it's more outlandish than most mumblecore films, which makes the humour a bit more dry and muted but the acting is stellar and the jokes are pretty weird and wonderful. It's pretty much Badlands but with English sensibilities.

A Field in England looking pretty baffling though.

Sounds kind of interesting. I've always been a fan of road movies, so Sightseers might bode well with me. I don't even think it has been announced for BluRay here too.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Sounds kind of interesting. I've always been a fan of road movies, so Sightseers might bode well with me. I don't even think it has been announced for BluRay here too.

Not yet, it only hit VoD not so long ago, so hopefully it'll be coming soon. Considering Kill List came out by IFC, they'll probably do the same.

What did you think of Kill List and Down Terrace (I'm watching that one tonight)?

[legendarymatt92]

"I'll do...everything you need..."

The Good Points: Superb performances from both Ann Dowd and Dreama Walker. Disturbing and immensely interesting. A truly horrifying screen villain. Nuanced, penetratingly emotional direction from Zobel, who proves to be an expert at manipulating audiences. Expertly provocative. It's one of the creepiest, most uncomfortable drama/horror films I've ever seen, heightened especially during the reveal. Just wow.

The Bad Points: None.


An expertly crafted, masterful piece of pure cinema, Compliance proves that, with the right uneasy (real-life) premise and wonderful, sensitive direction, a film without any jump-scares, gore or evisceration can be one of the hardest hitting, emotionally-fulfilling psychological horrors ever made.

9.5/10

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Not yet, it only hit VoD not so long ago, so hopefully it'll be coming soon. Considering Kill List came out by IFC, they'll probably do the same.

What did you think of Kill List and Down Terrace (I'm watching that one tonight)?

I think I posted my thoughts on Kill List this last winter...and I wasn't exactly a huge fan. I must admit a huge bias I have towards kinetic cinematography (slow push ins, either steadicam or crane) in horror film: static shots do little for me as I favor thick atmosphere over jump scares or flat out terror. (Think the first 70 minutes of House of the Devil) it's all about the foreplay.

I definitely need to give it another shot down the road, so it is by no means my final verdict. I love the tenacity Wheatley showed in transcending genre and utilizing absurd plot twists (almost in a DePalma way), so the man definitely has the potential to make something great.

I will try to see Sightseers before the year ends.

[KilloWertz]

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

Mini-review for Matt:

I liked it.

Ok, not quite that mini... I'd probably give it around a 3.5/5. I was glad I ended up deciding to blind buy it for a cheap $12.99 on eBay.

The last roughly 20 minutes had most of the movie's highlights.

[Show spoiler]The sex scene between Steve Carrell and Olivia Wilde, Alan Arkin's scenes, and of course their final magic trick with the crowd.

[Al_The_Strange]

Independence Day

In 1996, this film was released with a simple premise: an alien invasion occurs on July 4th, with massive ships obliterating entire cities and systematically exterminating mankind. In some of the most chilling and awe-inspiring footage, the 15-mile-wide flying saucers destroy the White House, Los Angeles, and New York City, with massive waves of fire washing over the streets. This is quickly followed by retaliation, with squadrons of jet fighters taking on the extraterrestrial vessels.

This film crams in a lot within its two hour timeframe: the first act takes its time to establish all the key characters as the UFOs gradually take position. When the attack begins, the action remains pretty constant, leading up to a grand final battle. Special effects were really inspiring at its time, and remain iconic to this day. Even when firestorms, alien ships, and jet fighters aren't filling up the screen, the movie runs pretty fast, with frequent comedy to keep things light and fun. Overall, it's the perfect blockbuster picture, finding a fine balance between action, spectacle, humor, and drama.

The story is pretty much more of the same as any other alien invasion story you see. In fact, it bears much in common with the classic War of the Worlds. What makes ID4 more compelling, however, is that it juggles multiple characters and multiple points of views, and eventually brings them together for the central fight. All these characters are pretty fun to watch and root for, and show just enough development to make them work. The plot is pretty well-structured, using three distinct acts to portray this larger-than-life situation. It's also most noteworthy for portraying relatively realistic politics and military protocols, thanks largely to the consultation the filmmakers received from the Air Force during filming. The film also ties in a few ufology aspects to capitalize off of the popular concepts of alien life. It makes for a grand and entertaining story, even if it isn't all that deep or original.

This film has very solid photography and editing. Acting is generally fun from the whole cast: Bill Pullman is probably the only one who takes his role seriously, and actually comes off as a little cheesy with the way he tries so hard to sound cool and tough. Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum steal the show the whole way with their lighthearted performances. Writing is pretty decent, although many lines are silly and goofy. This production spares no expense on sets, props, costumes, and special effects, although they are showing their age. David Arnold's music score is appropriately boisterous.

At the time of its release, Independence Day was one of the most exciting and awe-inspiring features I had seen. Despite its age and cheesiness, I still call it one of the most essential blockbusters of all time.

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

Recommendation: Yes.

This Blu-Ray generally looks good, sounds great.

PQ: 4.5/5, AQ: 5/5

[legendarymatt92]

"God created all things, didn't he? Only man decides which ones are mistakes."

The Good Points: Stylish, proficient cinematography, with some truly breathtaking shots and invigorating framing. Charming performance from Alden Enrenreich, channeling a Jack Nicholson-esque charisma. Beautiful, picturesque locations.

The Bad Points: Incoherent and rushed. Despite the (mostly) unfair Twilight comparisons, it's just as dull and meandering as that series. Unbelievable romance and terrible Southern accents, especially from (rather surprisingly) Jeremy Irons and Emma Thompson. Scenes feel directionless and inconsequential, and very little edits match up, either visually or narratively. The plot is jaggedly uneven, and the whole thing is a complete mess.


It has some of the most incredibly beautiful and stimulating cinematography of any film this year, but Beautiful Creatures has the inability to reinforce it with anything else: it features a meandering, confusing narrative, a tedious romance between two largely uninspiring leads and an editing style that seemingly has no reasoning behind it -- making it a bland, contrived mess that's just nice to look at that won't fulfill many people's expectations.

3/10

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by KilloWertz

Still the only Studio Ghibli film I have seen, but that will be remedied soon when I finally get around to watching my copy of The Secret World of Arrietty probably next week.

Awesome movie. I loved the heck out of that one.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by legendarymatt92

"I'll do...everything you need..."

The Good Points: Superb performances from both Ann Dowd and Dreama Walker. Disturbing and immensely interesting. A truly horrifying screen villain. Nuanced, penetratingly emotional direction from Zobel, who proves to be an expert at manipulating audiences. Expertly provocative. It's one of the creepiest, most uncomfortable drama/horror films I've ever seen, heightened especially during the reveal. Just wow.

The Bad Points: None.


An expertly crafted, masterful piece of pure cinema, Compliance proves that, with the right uneasy (real-life) premise and wonderful, sensitive direction, a film without any jump-scares, gore or evisceration can be one of the hardest hitting, emotionally-fulfilling psychological horrors ever made.

9.5/10

It is so funny how different we all can be. I saw this a couple weeks ago and hated it so much I didnt even mention it here. Well, I also didnt mention it because I never made it past the first 15 minutes it was so monumentally horrible.

100% FAKE and unrealistic premise.

Here was my problem....

[Show spoiler]Cops dont do stuff over the phone!!!!!!!!! they do it in person. Cops dont ask citizens to dtain criminals!!!!!!!! When the manager took the call and began obeying the directions of the voice on the phone, it was uttery unrealistic. She was like a puppet, nevery making any attempt to verify what she was being told or who it was she was speaking with. I have never met a person that gullable, naive or stupid. I know there are dumb people out there, but not THAT dumb. PLUS, the voice on the phone sounded silly and did NOT conduct itself in a manner conducive to whom he claimed to be.

Fake fake fake phoney bologna manure crap from top to bottom on every level. I'm trying out a JVince impersonation.

Mark Feeney
Boston Globe

There is a level of stupidity displayed by the people in this movie that beggars belief. Their behavior is to stupidity as the Death Star is to a doughnut.

[MrBlonde]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

It is so funny how different we all can be. I saw this a couple weeks ago and hated it so much I didnt even mention it here. Well, I also didnt mention it because I never made it past the first 15 minutes it was so monumentally horrible.

100% FAKE and unrealistic premise.

Here was my problem....

[Show spoiler]Cops dont do stuff over the phone!!!!!!!!! they do it in person. Cops dont ask citizens to dtain criminals!!!!!!!! When the manager took the call and began obeying the directions of the voice on the phone, it was uttery unrealistic. She was like a puppet, nevery making any attempt to verify what she was being told or who it was she was speaking with. I have never met a person that gullable, naive or stupid. I know there are dumb people out there, but not THAT dumb. PLUS, the voice on the phone sounded silly and did NOT conduct itself in a manner conducive to whom he claimed to be.

Fake fake fake phoney bologna manure crap from top to bottom on every level. I'm trying out a JVince impersonation.

Not sure if this your post is a joke or not but:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strip_s...ky.2C_incident

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by MrBlonde

Not sure if this your post is a joke or not but:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strip_s...ky.2C_incident

It was 100% serious.

WOW!!!! The world just became a much scarier place. How could those people have jobs, let alone hold a management position?

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

It is so funny how different we all can be. I saw this a couple weeks ago and hated it so much I didnt even mention it here. Well, I also didnt mention it because I never made it past the first 15 minutes it was so monumentally horrible.

100% FAKE and unrealistic premise.

Here was my problem....

[Show spoiler]Cops dont do stuff over the phone!!!!!!!!! they do it in person. Cops dont ask citizens to dtain criminals!!!!!!!! When the manager took the call and began obeying the directions of the voice on the phone, it was uttery unrealistic. She was like a puppet, nevery making any attempt to verify what she was being told or who it was she was speaking with. I have never met a person that gullable, naive or stupid. I know there are dumb people out there, but not THAT dumb. PLUS, the voice on the phone sounded silly and did NOT conduct itself in a manner conducive to whom he claimed to be.

Fake fake fake phoney bologna manure crap from top to bottom on every level. I'm trying out a JVince impersonation.

I'm pretty sure there are a lot of gullible people out there that would do stuff without question simply because 'authority' says so. Heck, my dad almost got into some trouble a few years ago because of a phone call from a bank asked for a lot of his details and he didn't stop to question them.

[legendarymatt92]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

It was 100% serious.

WOW!!!! The world just became a much scarier place. How could those people have jobs, let alone hold a management position?

Yep, it was based on true events, which is why it's even creepier. There's a lot written on this phenomenon; people seem to never question authority figures, and it leads to situations such as this one or scams. It's beguiling but, at the same time, pretty interesting.

I hope you give the film another chance, Squid, especially now you know that everyone in the film is based on someone that easily manipulated in real life

[jvince]

http://vimeo.com/64899535

Wish List (2013)
dir. Andrew Griffin

The Good: Nice animation.

The Bad: Not funny at all; not even a single chuckle. (Maybe I was just not in the mood, but it just left me bewildered.)

The Bottom Line: Eh, it's kind of clever, I guess. And it's super short -- only 3 minutes long -- so, yeah.

[jvince]

Originally Posted by MrBlonde

Not sure if this your post is a joke or not but:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strip_s...ky.2C_incident

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

It was 100% serious.

WOW!!!! The world just became a much scarier place. How could those people have jobs, let alone hold a management position?

Yeah, that actually happened. I remember it was a big news at that time. It's just one of those events that are stranger than fiction.

[jvince]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Fake fake fake phoney bologna manure crap from top to bottom on every level. I'm trying out a JVince impersonation.

Eh, I guess you're getting there. Lol...

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by legendarymatt92

Yep, it was based on true events, which is why it's even creepier. There's a lot written on this phenomenon; people seem to never question authority figures, and it leads to situations such as this one or scams. It's beguiling but, at the same time, pretty interesting.

I hope you give the film another chance, Squid, especially now you know that everyone in the film is based on someone that easily manipulated in real life

Stranger: Hello. May I please speak with Mr. SquidPuppet?

SquidPuppet: This is Squid.

Stranger: I am an important authority figure. What is your social security number?

Squidpuppet: Sure, it is XXX-XX-XXXX. I wont ask for you badge number or ID because I trust strange voices over the phone.

Stranger: Your 16 year old female coworker has a brick of Gold Bullion stuffed up her arse and it does not belong to her. I need yop to strip search her and retrieve the gold. It is not against any laws....trust me.

SquidPuppet: Sure thing Mr. Stanger. Hold on while I remove her clothes. (sets phone down)

SquidPuppet: (Returning to phone) Yeah, I cant see any gold. Her bottom looks clean as a whistle.

Stranger: Mr. Puppet, you are a failure, try again. This time have her lie on her back and extend her legs skyward and check from the front.

SquidPuppet: She seems to be objecting to this procedure and claims that she is innocent, but OK, your voice seems to sound authentic and I am sure that all of this is not violating any of her rights, so I'll proceed because I trust you.....you know....you....the guy I have never met before.



WTF with these CRAZY DUMB PEOPLE?

This evidence does seem to make the film shocking. I'll give it another try.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by jvince

Eh, I guess you're getting there. Lol...

Startin' small, workin' my way up to your league.

[legendarymatt92]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Stranger: Hello. May I please speak with Mr. SquidPuppet?

SquidPuppet: This is Squid.

Stranger: I am an important authority figure. What is your social security number?

Squidpuppet: Sure, it is XXX-XX-XXXX. I wont ask for you badge number or ID because I trust strange voices over the phone.

Stranger: Your 16 year old female coworker has a brick of Gold Bullion stuffed up her arse and it does not belong to her. I need yop to strip search her and retrieve the gold. It is not against any laws....trust me.

SquidPuppet: Sure thing Mr. Stanger. Hold on while I remove her clothes. (sets phone down)

SquidPuppet: (Returning to phone) Yeah, I cant see any gold. Her bottom looks clean as a whistle.

Stranger: Mr. Puppet, you are a failure, try again. This time have her lie on her back and extend her legs skyward and check from the front.

SquidPuppet: She seems to be objecting to this procedure and claims that she is innocent, but OK, your voice seems to sound authentic and I am sure that all of this is not violating any of her rights, so I'll proceed because I trust you.....you know....you....the guy I have never met before.



WTF with these CRAZY DUMB PEOPLE?

This evidence does seem to make the film shocking. I'll give it another try.

I'd patent those words -- it could be made into the greatest porno ever! It could be called "Squid's Sn*tch Search" (you know, alliteration is everything these days) and could make you a millionaire

But yes, seriously, it seems entirely stupid and utterly insane. Good news that these people populate the US and not the UK then

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by legendarymatt92

But yes, seriously, it seems entirely stupid and utterly insane. Good news that these people populate the US and not the UK then

humming an appropriate Billy Joel tune as we speak.