The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by Walts Ghost

Hope you enjoy it, man.

I'll be surprised if I don't

Originally Posted by KilloWertz

But Walt likes everything, so don't get too excited...

[Show spoiler]Kidding, Walt, I swear...

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Great to see some good reviews for big G.

Probably won't be able to see it for another week or two.

Boooo

[Show spoiler]....at least it sounds like it'll be worth the wait

[Foggy]

Godzilla. IMAX. 3D. Thursday.

[Walts Ghost]

Originally Posted by KilloWertz

But Walt likes everything, so don't get too excited...

[Show spoiler]Kidding, Walt, I swear...

Thanks, Killo... :P

Tell that to 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' and 'Noah'.

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Great to see some good reviews for big G.

Probably won't be able to see it for another week or two.

That's so sad....Sneak out if you must, man! See it!

Originally Posted by Diesel

I'll be surprised if I don't

You and I have always had pretty aligning tastes, so I'd be absolutely shocked if you didn't...

Originally Posted by Foggy

Godzilla. IMAX. 3D. Thursday.

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by Walts Ghost

Thanks, Killo... :P

Tell that to 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' and 'Noah'.

No problem.

I liked The Amazing Spider-Man 2

[Show spoiler]besides them killing Gwen

, but I can't comment on Noah since I'm waiting to watch that until Blu-ray.

We seem to agree on a lot of things, but I guess we can't agree on everything.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by KilloWertz

No problem.

I liked The Amazing Spider-Man 2

[Show spoiler]besides them killing Gwen

, but I can't comment on Noah since I'm waiting to watch that until Blu-ray.

We seem to agree on a lot of things, but I guess we can't agree on everything.

Did you not like the way they

[Show spoiler]killed her off

, or just the fact they

[Show spoiler]killed her off

in general.

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Godzilla. IMAX. 3D. Thursday.

Finally! I see one of these big summer movies before the Fogmeiser!

Even my early access cannot typically concur your Britishness

Originally Posted by Walts Ghost

You and I have always had pretty aligning tastes, so I'd be absolutely shocked if you didn't...

Here's hoping that trend sticks, which I fully expect it to

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Did you not like the way they

[Show spoiler]killed her off

, or just the fact they

[Show spoiler]killed her off

in general.

The latter.

[Show spoiler]I know she dies in the comics, but I was hoping they'd go a different direction with this series, especially since Emma Stone was so good and her and Andrew Garfield had such good chemistry.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by KilloWertz

The latter.

[Show spoiler]I know she dies in the comics, but I was hoping they'd go a different direction with this series, especially since Emma Stone was so good and her and Andrew Garfield had such good chemistry.

They do have great chemistry. I also just remembered that Shailene Woodley was originally cast as Mary Jane, and while it's a shame they cut her out entirely, in retrospect it was the right choice.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Godzilla. IMAX. 3D. Thursday.

Dude... D-BOX.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Dude... D-BOX.

Nah, I'd rather get a proper IMAX screen, instead of a smaller inferior lie-Max screen with glorified massage chairs.

[Show spoiler] Sadly they're in short supply over here so I wouldn't know where to find one, although my friend watched The Hobbit in D-BOX and said it's awesome to the highest degree.

[Spirit Zero]

Spider-Man (2002)

Hey anybody remember those really old Sam Raimi Spider-Man films? you know there were three of them and I think they were quite popular at the time. Ah who cares now we have a much better rebooted franchise which isn't exactly the same right? errr yeah, sure.

Yep so we still have these old Raimi films, they won't vanish or anything. But before tossing these old Raimi films into the bin of film oblivion lets discuss how dated and so not cool they are now. So its film one and naturally we get the origins of Spider-Man/Parker and all the various characters around him. 'Harry Osborn' is trying to maintain his company and experiments on himself with their new performance enhancing vapour drug stuff to try and keep the important military contract which is dangling by a thread (oh and he's already building the Glider and special suit combo too for some reason). Low and behold it kinda turns him crazy as an unfortunate side effect even though it does sort of work. From there on out Osborn slowly turns into the Green Goblin and Spider-Man must defeat him whilst protecting his family and friends.

What made me giggle a bit was the fact that Parker goes to this genetics laboratory where he is shown all these genetically enhanced spiders. He of course gets bitten by one of them which has somehow escaped and it leaves a nasty little red mark. Now you'd think he would report that asap really, you've been bitten by a spider in a laboratory full of dangerous arachnids, might die here fella. Nope he goes home feeling ill, once home the bite has now swollen badly and he's feeling pretty ill it seems, time to call the hospit...nope it'll clear up.

After the discovery he can climb walls, leap around like crazy, fight etc...he then gets carried away and goes off across the rooftops like someone who wants to get spotted and exposed. Oh wait he doesn't wanna do that does he, kinda silly thing to do then really. On an honest note I did quite like the origin build up in this film I admit, its done in a nice light-hearted true comicbook fashion that is simply likeable. The effects used to show how he can see fights and things in slow motion works really well without actually having to use all that Zack '300' Snyder tomfoolery. Seeing Parker crawl up walls is an old but neat trick of the eye and its a nice touch to see him in his initial childish homemade outfit getting to grips with his skills. Not too sure how he made his proper outfit though, he just swings into one scene and its there, presumably he made it? how?? looks expensive.

Of course the effects for Parker swinging through the air are now pretty dated looking even though it doesn't seem like a really old film. The CGI is average and ranges from passable to down right awful at times, although the famous Spider-Man outfit makes it look better than it actually is. There is also some nasty use of bluescreen here and there along with some quite cringeworthy comical moments, or should that be attempts. Even the photos of Spider-Man taken by Parker for the 'Daily Bugle' look completely fake which was amusing. It is a comicbook adaptation of course so there is a very limited amount of graphic violence or blood on screen, there are some edgy bits though no doubt but overall its actually handled well and holds that balance just right, in other words this isn't an infantile flick.

The Green Goblin was a hot topic at the time due to the fact it wasn't actually the Green Goblin, it was a man in a suit. I must admit now I think this works OK, at the time I didn't like it and I can see why as you kinda feel cheated (bit like The Mandarin in 'Iron Man 3'). But watching this now I think it was a good move to show Osborn going nuts and developing a split personality, it feels much more realistic and gives much more depth to the character...like did Osborn ever really have control? should Spider-Man tried to save him in the end? etc...The Goblin suit is a touch off visually I gotta say, I think they could of done that a bit better, used some other green tones on there, maybe make his helmet a bit more striking. It did look more like a giant plastic suit for a toy character that some poor sod would be wearing in a mall for advertising purposes, a bit hokey. On the other hand the CGI and prop work for the Glider was fine I think, looked pretty sweet.

The film ticks along just fine really and the cast are likeable fitting their roles well. Maguire is a good Peter Parker no doubt but I still have a hard time thinking he's under the Spider-Man suit, luckily we don't actually see that so it could be anyone and probably is. Dafoe is the best thing in the film by far with his scene stealing scenery chewing performance, not only that but his face is the perfect shape and structure for the Goblin too. When you see the Goblin swoop down you totally believe its Dafoe overacting all the way, I could almost say he saves the film because without a good villain this would have sunk, good CGI effects or not. I love the way he growls and cackles into the mirror with those devilish eyes of his.

The finale is daft I will say it now. How the hell does Parker/Spider-Man manage to hold onto that cable car full of kids with one arm whilst using the other arm to stay clinging to the bridge is beyond me. Its there I also realised that his spider web squirty stuff is also damn strong it seems...really damn strong! The actual final fight between the two main characters is decent enough though showing Spider-Man battered pretty good with blood!

In my personal opinion this is a better film than the recent rebooted version, its a much easier fun going Spider-Man adaptation with more comicbook-esque visuals. There are silly moments and bits that don't work sure, why on earth they stuck Macy Gray in there I don't know because that dates the film badly and her voice is annoying, there are a few Superman-esque shots where Parker rips his shirt to reveal the Spider-Man logo, Sony product placements! and 'Mary Jane' only recognises Parker as Spider-Man by his kiss?! wut?! what about his voice?! The Green Goblin's attacks are also completely inconsistent as one minute he uses bombs and vaporising bombs to kill, the next he throws some whirling blade things when he should of used the bombs that would have worked very effectively. It is certainly pretty cheesy and pantomime-like looking back but hey that's fine, I found myself enjoying this film much more than I recall back in the day and like I said I also enjoyed it much more than the reboot.

7/10

[Spirit Zero]

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

So after the massive success of the first film and fears about a low budget horror director taking the helm put to rest, amongst other things, we get the obligatory sequel. A second chance for another Spider-Man thriller with better effects, better sets, better costumes, better CGI...better everything, but still just a tad exactly the same as the first film.

Two years on and 'Parker' is trying to cope with his daily grind, his love for 'Mary Jane' and of course being Spidey. Ah but wait, Peter Parker let me introduce the rather stocky 'Dr. Octavius' and his obvious pending disaster he calls a self-sustaining fusion reaction. Before you can my Spidey sense is tingling it all goes tits up as the experiment goes errr...tits up! and the Doc becomes a dastardly baddie hell bent on...umm doing his experiment all over again for some reason.

Yep the introduction of Alfred Molina was yet another brilliant bit of casting as his performance as the calm methodical Doc Ock (along with his perfect build and looks) save the film from becoming rather mundane. Just like the first film the villain is the winning ticket and gives this adventure a shot in the arm which is so clearly required. Now I'm not saying this film was bad but the strangest thing...back in the day I always preferred this film over the original, but now the tables have turned and I find myself enjoying the original much more. I think the problem with this film is it really starts to lose its sense of semi realism and my suspension of disbelief goes right out the window.

Now I always though Spider-Man was merely a regular guy with extra strength, speed, endurance and jumping ability, along with the few special skills of being able to climb walls and shoot gooey web stuff. But he was still able to get hurt, cut, bleed and generally die. In this film Spider-Man is virtually invincible and practically as strong as the Hulk or Superman so it seems. I mean really...he's falling from massive heights and slamming into walls and cars, he can hold up huge metal structures, lift incredible weights and stop a runaway train with his gooey web stuff and arms! Was Spider-Man always this powerful??

There are also some really silly hokey issues dotted throughout that bugged me. Doc Ock hides out in the one and only run down shack in the middle of the harbour and it stands out like a sore thumb, no one ever thought of looking there? even when the lights were on? When Doc Ock robs the bank no one notices him just standing there right next to the vault door in his long trench coat, hat and shades looking pretty suspicious. Oh and how do you hide four giant mechanical arms under a coat? Why does the Doc go from being a decent human being into someone who would kill innocent people? even when he's got the arms fused to his spine or whatever he's still the same guy, but for some reason he suddenly decides hurting people is the way to go. Plus when the Doc goes to see 'Osborn' for the tritium why didn't he just force Osborn to hand it over instead of agreeing to get Spider-Man in exchange for it, surely that would have been easier and saved time.

How does the Doc get all that expensive equipment? I know he pinched some cash from the bank but that wouldn't cover it. Plus how was it delivered?! didn't anyone notice all this stuff being delivered to this abandoned building in the harbour where no one goes or lives? didn't anyone think it was odd or suspicious? And what on earth was his experiment about?? what was it for? what would it do? it just felt like an outrageously diabolical device just for the sake of being a diabolical device. If he managed to finish it then what? would he become a good guy again? all he wanted to do was finish the experiment so its not like he was trying to do anything bad, and the experiment was suppose to be for the good of mankind right? maybe let him do his stuff?

The special effects in the film were an improvement over the first film but again looking back they still look a bit dated. Seeing Spider-Man swing through the city (but what the hell is he attached too?? its hilarious!) is looking much better but most of the shots were we see Doc Ock walking along via his four mechanical arms are really bad at times. The entire runaway subway train sequence is really dodgy looking nowadays, the fight on top of the train and seeing the Doc throw those obviously bad CGI people from the train...blimey its bad!

So yes the action is bigger louder and more impressive than the first film but the CGI effects are way more obvious to me, far more hokey looking. Close up shots of Doc Ock and his arms are fantastic, the way the arms lift him up, the way the arms look...all brilliant, but the bad outweighs the good I'm afraid. There is so much dodgy CGI and bluescreen work in here, the sequence where Parker rescues the little girl from the burning building, rescuing 'May Parker' from the Doc halfway up a skyscraper made me cringe especially, the car being chucked through the cafe window etc...Oh and why does Parker seemingly lose his Spidey powers halfway through yet gains them back again from nowhere? what was that about?!

Surprisingly I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would...and I'm honesty being honest here. Molina is superb as Doc Ock and the action is deserving of kudos for the ambition, but visually it lacks quality in my opinion and there are lots more silly niggly bits that stand out to me. This sequel definitely felt more along the lines of a Schumacher Batman flick at times, its reasonable fun but the original still easily surpasses it.

6/10

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Finally! I see one of these big summer movies before the Fogmeiser!

Even my early access cannot typically concur your Britishness

Yeah, well, when are you checking out X-Men, cause that's out on Thursday over here.

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Yeah, well, when are you checking out X-Men, cause that's out on Thursday over here.

Hopefully Tuesday night....Wednesday at the latest


....also just noticed I wrote concur instead of conquer

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Hopefully Tuesday night....Wednesday at the latest


....also just noticed I wrote concur instead of conquer

I will you get you back for these one day.

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by Foggy

I will you get you back for these one day.

[Astro Zombie]

Godzilla (2014):

I've been a fan of Godzilla since I was a kid. Although I have yet to see all of the films (not to mention the Japanese original), I have enjoyed watching various Godzilla films over the years, from Terror of MechaGodzilla to Roland Emmerich's Godzilla (that's right). So it goes without saying that I was more than a little excited to see this new take on Godzilla, coming 16 years after the first American reboot. The trailers made this out to be the most epic Godzilla film yet, and fortunately the film delivers.

I honestly have almost nothing but praise for the film. For one, the pacing is excellent. The movie never feels overlong, and although it has several small action beats throughout, it builds up to a fantastic climax. One complaint I've seen leveled against the film is the apparent lack of screen-time for Godzilla himself. While I will admit that I would have liked to have seen a little bit more of him, the film is so well-paced that it's forgivable. Godzilla's introduction in the film sent chills up my spine; it's fittingly epic and completely awesome. The MUTO's make for formidable monsters, and while I would have liked to have seen a monster with more variety (they're both similar), the monsters are a good match for Godzilla.

The cast itself is great, but unfortunately they were the weakest part of the film for me. Bryan Cranston and Ken Watanabe are the clear standouts, each giving great performances. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is a good actor, but seemed kind of bland here. He never really stood out to me as the lead, he was just kind of there. Same with Elizabeth Olsen, who doesn't have much to do, but does what she can with her role. Still, it's a small complaint. I should also mention the score, which was appropriately grandiose and epic. Even better was the fact that there were several scenes with no score, just silence and the sounds of the monsters. It really gives these scenes an ominous feel.

This is everything I could have wanted from a Godzilla film. I had a great time at the theater, and even with some small complaints, it doesn't take away from the fact that the film is a near-perfect summer blockbuster. If you're not grinning from ear-to-ear by the time Godzilla's spine turns blue and unleashes his atomic breath, there's really no hope for you.

4.5/5

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Nah, I'd rather get a proper IMAX screen, instead of a smaller inferior lie-Max screen with glorified massage chairs.

[Show spoiler] Sadly they're in short supply over here so I wouldn't know where to find one, although my friend watched The Hobbit in D-BOX and said it's awesome to the highest degree.

They're not too common here either. They just happened to get one recently near where I live. It went well with Pacific Rim so I've been waiting for a similar film to justify the pricey ticket.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Hopefully Tuesday night....Wednesday at the latest

+1 for Tuesday night. Got a free screening pass.

I was planning to catch this one in IMAX but free is free.

[Riddhi2011]

Godzilla (2014)
Godzilla-1_zps44e18ef5.jpg
Just a short review-

The Good: A film that has class and craft working together.
It has an old soul! A fitting score!
It has the King of all monsters! I loved it when Godzilla's face was finally revealed! it was worth the one hour wait!

The Bad: Very little screentime for Godzilla. (as I feel)
Apart from Bryan Cranston, none of the characters have much to do other than watch and warn. ken Watanabe has a few wonderful moments, but that's it. Aaron Taylor Johnson arouses interest only towards the end when a parallell between him and the beast (Gojira) is only hinted at!
The music could have been a bit more engaging.

General thoughts: I feel too much screentime (Yes, too much!) was given to the characters. Juliet Binoche was underutilised. And after some time we didn't want to know about their lives any more. We wanted to be engaged to the beast; the force of nature that Gojira is projected to be from the very start.

I liked how the Navy almost escorts Gojira to America. It as as if America's sorry to Japan for bombing them. However, unlike what Gojira actually stood for in the Japanese versions, here Gojira doesn't stand for Japan as much as the divine wrath of nature which causes Tsunamis and earthquakes to remind human beings of their limits, which we repeatedly cross.
The message is clear, as in Jurassic Park before: Humans think they can control nature, but it is the other way round. And a destructive human race will have its comeuppance.

Speaking of Jurassic Park (1993), the opening scene (after the spectacular prologue/title sequence) is a clear homage to that film, with the same helicopter model flying over a green mountainous landscape, and coming to land on a mining field somewhere. its a given considering Gareth Edwards and Thomas Tull are fans of the Spielberg film.

But Godzilla (2014) is clearly a love letter to Gozira (1954), with the look of the creature clearly inspired by it. However, unlike Ishiro Honda's beast in a bear-suit, here, Godzilla looks far more grander and tactile. There are hints at emotions in its face which are wonderful touches, that the director should have expanded upon. Godzilla deserved a king Kong-esque soul, as that is also a source of inspiration at work here.
I felt cheated from those emotions by the director (with his abrupt cuts away from the creature), which I was beginning to feel for the beast. He (or she) clearly deserved that.

Another similarity to Jurassic Park is how the villainous monsters are revealed earlier and how the Hero emerges later. Towards the end Godzila fights

[Show spoiler]two MUTOs,

which seemed a slight nod to the last scene of Jurassic Park.

All in all, Godzilla had a lots of potential. Its not a missed opportunity, but it was lacking in the emotions I wanted to invest on the beast, had he but been given a bit more screen-time and had the director showed more of his near-suicidal battle with the villainous creatures.

I hope the producers and the director are thinking of a sequel. If so, I hope we get to see more of Godzilla, so that we can cheer for him when he roars towards the dark skies!