The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

The Rock

[Show spoiler]131 minutes

Year: 1996
Director: Michael Bay
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Sean Connery, and Ed Harris

Another random blind buy from a few weeks ago that I finally felt like watching earlier this morning.

Michael Bay is a lot of things to a lot of people, but like many, I really enjoyed The Rock and find it to be one of his better outputs. This right now is my third favorite Bay film (behind The Island and Armageddon) and contains some great things that I think Bay’s Transformers films lack - a gritty realism (and goofiness) to them. Yes, Transformers is goofy, but it never feels gritty or real. Maybe it’s the PG-13 rating or the story but when Bay gets to work with an R-rated script / film, there’s lots of fun to be had here.

A group of U.S. Marines take over Alcatraz and hold hostages threatening to release a biological weapon. So, who’s gonna save the day? Well, of course the ONLY guy that ever escaped Alcatraz and the ONLY guy (apparently) who is in the FBI and knows about the exact same biological weapons. And of course, the guy no one believes in, is the guy who saves the day. duh! It’s big, dumb, but very entertaining and fun.

Now, it’s not a complaint, but anyone who has seen more than one Bay film knows exactly how his films play out. While watching, when the President’s voice over plays with the “haunting” serious / sad music playing over scenes of flags flying, families crying and the hostages moping, I laughed, because he has this scene in every one of his films. So, while that may annoy some, I never really mind it. Bay knows what he likes to do and he makes a lot of money doing it, so all the power to him.

The Rock will stay in my collection and will likely be watched many times over the years because it is a good, fun, exciting movie. I think the best part though, is the dialogue. So many absolutely hilarious lines of dialogue that I cannot wait to memorize so I can drop them in public and at inappropriate times.

A big success. Glad I bought it. And can’t wait till Bay gets back to doing R-rated films.

Although the ending was kinda dumb:

[Show spoiler]“I already dropped it!” as we hear “ABORT!” and THEN the pilot hits the button, but whatever lol

4.25/5

Though I didn't score it that high.

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

The Road

[Show spoiler]104 minutes

year: 2009
director: John Hillcoat
starring: Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Charlize Theron

ah... just as dark, bleak, depressing and frightening as i remember

4.5/5

[Marcus Wright]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

Taxi Driver

111 minutes

Year: 1976
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert De Niro, Jodi Foster, Cybill Shepherd, Albert Brooks, and Peter Boyle

finally got a chance to watch my copy of Taxi Driver

[Show spoiler]the only previous time i'd seen Taxi Driver was maybe almost a year ago now on netflix, and i gave it a 4/5. i still really, really enjoyed it, but i knew i was missing / not connecting with something. but after reading some articles on what Scorsese was going for, and what Travis Bickle was as a person to the audience, the film made more sense without even revisiting again and just remember my few questions and quirks with the film.

my viewing tonight made me appreciate how films used to be done. Taxi Driver is a slow moving, thoughtfully directed and written film. it takes its time, it's methodical and deliberate while never forcing the audience to believe or think one certain thing is happening. Travis' motivations are never completely obvious or blatant, leaving you to decide what he means by what he does. some may hate this, but i love it.

the directing is exceptional. and how Scorsese didn't win Best Director (was he even nominated?!) is baffling. along with how Rocky beat this for Best Picture.

i could likely go on and on with how much i enjoy this film, but likely everyone has already seen it and of course, i was just late to the party for enjoying the film (until a year ago). the $12.99 price tag is a damn steal and this should be owned by everyone, no excuses.

with more viewings i may award it a 5/5, and while i love the film, it felt like a 4.5/5 for me, which i know seems odd since i really have no issues with it, so don't think that me taking off 0.5 means this isn't a great film. Taxi Driver is one of the finest films you could ever watch. absolutely essential viewing for any fan of film

4.5/5

I have yet to blind-buy Taxi Driver and see it this week.
I am super-pumped for this movie as Scorsesse never dissapointed me so far.

By the way, what type of packaging this comes in?

[Hep]

Originally Posted by Marcus Wright

I have yet to blind-buy Taxi Driver and see it this week.
I am super-pumped for this movie as Scorsesse never dissapointed me so far.

By the way, what type of packaging this comes in?

The packaging is a beautiful embossed gatefold type format. It is really unbelievable that this movie comes in such a nice package, for so little $$ on release day. It is one of the very best valued BDs out there. I still need to find a couple hours to watch mine though .

Package

Artcards

[Marcus Wright]

Originally Posted by Hep

The packaging is a beautiful digibook type format. It is really unbelievable that this movie comes in such a nice package, for so little $$ on release day. It is one of the very best valued BDs out there. I still need to find a couple hours to watch mine though .

Will definitely pick it up this week. It being a digibook is a plus.
I love Scorsesse, its that simple.

[Hep]

Originally Posted by Marcus Wright

Will definitely pick it up this week. It being a digibook is a plus.
I love Scorsesse, its that simple.

I misspoke there, and you quoted before I caught it . It isn't a digibook as such, but a gatefold case with art cards. I linked to the main thread for pics. Although I'm a bit why you're asking here since you have obviously seen that thread and commented on the packaging previously.

In any case, I'm really looking forward to viewing the film soon!

[Walts Ghost]

Alright guys, so last night I had the chance to see Kevin Smith's new film Red State. I'm about to get into some pretty hard spoiler territory in my review, so keep that in my mind. The movie won't get a wide release until October.

I never thought I'd see a filmmaker reinvent themselves so much that the entire length of movie, I forgot who directed it. But Kevin Smith has absolutely done that with his new film Red State. Smith, who is best known for his wildly vulgar and geek friendly comedies such as Clerks, Dogma, and Chasing Amy, decided to take on some very dark material and has created a very bleak, unsettling movie that is much like an exploitation movies of the 70s. It took over four years for him to get this made, and in a way I can see why. But any studio who would have picked it up would have ruined what Smith was trying to do. Making this as an independent film was absolutely the way to go. Even more impressive was the cast he was able to assemble for this. You have Michael Park as Pastor Abin Cooper, leader of the Five Points Church, Academy award winner Melissa Leo as his daughter Sarah, John Goodman as ATF Agent Keenan, and a whose who of young up and coming Hollywood actors.

The film itself was inspired by Fred Phelps and his family of the Westboro Baptist Church. Many of you who recognize that name probably feel unnerved or angered by it. For those of you who do not, here is a little background: The Westboro Baptist Church is made up of about 71 members, most of whom are in the Phelps family. They are known in particular for picketing funerals of deceased soldiers, are fully behind the anti-gay movement, and are known for their stance of saying "God Hates (Insert just about anything here)".

Smith has taken the essence of that idea, and turned it up to 11. The movie begins when our young protagonist Travis (Angarano) drives past the funeral of a teenager from his school, who we learn was gay. Amidst the funeral patrons we see Abin Cooper (Parks) and his Five Points Church picketing and tormenting the family. As Travis arrives at school, his friends Jared (Gallner) and Billy Ray (Braun) tell him they have a plan to meet up with an older women from the internet and sleep with her. A simple plan, but nothing could be further from the truth. As the boys arrive at the meeting place, the whole film is turned upside down, grabbing the audience and never letting go from this point on. The boys are captured by Cooper and his church to be tortured and killed for their sins. But all hell eventually breaks lose, and the movie is off and running like a roller coaster. It twists and turns the audience leaving you unnerved, shocked, and even cheering for what happens.

I find that Smith has created one of films best villains with Abin Cooper, and much of that credit goes to Michael Parks for bringing the character to life. He is a very twisted individual who believes that what he is doing is right, and he's doing it for God. And to me, there is nothing scarier than someone who believes he is killing for God. I couldn't praise Parks enough for this movie. He gives a performance that is Oscar material. The way he talks is so calm and collected, yet everything he says is scathing and evil. He is just incredibly terrifying to watch. He has power and a way with words. Nothing shows that better than Melissa Leo's character Sarah, the daughter of Cooper. She has been raised in this environment her whole life, and sounds very much like her father. Even at one point turning on her daughter, which is one of the most terrifying moments in the film.

But to me, the biggest standout was John Goodman's character Keenan. Goodman brought so much life to this older, tired ATF agent who would like to see nothing more than Five Points Church brought down. To him, they're not just Religious fundamentalists, they're terrorists who are harboring weapons, planning mall bombings, and murdering innocents. The way Goodman reacts to the whole situation is very real. At one point, he must take an order from a higher up that he doesn't want to do, but has to do. It was incredibly acted, and without Goodman, I don't think the scene would have been as well done.

And last, but certainly not least, I can't go without mentioning Michael Angarano, Kyle Gellner, and Nicholas Braun, the three teenage protagonist in the film. They are the catalyst for everything that happens, and our eyes into the twisted world Abin Cooper has created. They all do an incredibly job at conveying the fear, confusion, and anger that comes with the situation. I haven't been this impressed with a young cast in a long time. They really brought an A-game with them and I look forward to seeing more of them in the future.

Smith really left his comfort zone with this, and it's incredible. I'm just blown away by the way he brought this dark film together and created such an intense, exciting, action packed film. He has shown that he really has grown as a filmmaker, which makes me that much sadder to see him leaving Hollywood as a director after his next film. I've been an avid Smith fan for the better part of a decade now, and to see him closing the book on his film career is really a sad thing. I just can't imagine a world without Smith's commentary and pop culture referencing. To me, last night showed me Smith still has something left to offer us. He's moved away from the pop culture references and moved into a new direction. If Hit Somebody is anywhere near as good as Red State, he'll be going out on a career high. And from what I've seen so far from the script, he absolutely will be.

Kevin Smith's Red State dares to do things most filmmakers won't do. It pushes the audience into very uncomfortable territory, and strikes the nerves in a way thats not usually done in Hollywood. Packed with an incredible cast, very well done cinematography, and a very interesting story, Red State is everything I could want out of a film. This film will test you, and I for one am glad to have gone through it. An incredible film, highly recommended.

5/5

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

I picked up Double Life and Au Revoir Les Enfants for $17 a piece at barnes and noble this wknd with the coupon.

Double Life is a mind-blowing film; without a doubt, it's a very unique film in terms of direction, cinematography, and construction. Irene Jacob (who was chosen by Kieslowski due to her small role in Au Revoir Les Enfants--he wanted someone the audience had never seen before and wouldn't associate with any other film/role) was excellent. It's by far my favorite of the four Kieslowski's films I've seen, but I suspect I'll like Decalogue even more.

Another random fact--Kieslowski once said that his films aren't meant to be deep and obsessed over thematically. I forget which object he used as an example, but he essentially said that when you see a cup of coffee, it's meant to be a cup of coffee, not something of grand significance thematically. But, however, he started to change his mind as he made Double Life and then carried it over into Three Colors. His quote is even more surprising because of the supposed depth of Decalogue.

Another random fact--Kieslowki shot MANY versions of Double Life. At one point, he considered releasing a different version for each theater it played in. The booklet that comes with the blu gets into this a bit more and tells about how two specific versions of the film are drastically different.

Side note: the booklet has excellent essays. It's an absolute shame that Criterion did not decide to use the dvd packaging for the blu release, as it's among the best I've seen.

Interesting. I do remember you loving this one.

Man... this is a seriously good film. I can't stop thinking about it.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole

USA/Australia 2010
Directed by Zack Snyder
With Jim Sturgess, Geoffrey Rush, Emily Barclay
Format: Blu-ray

My second rental of the weekend. I always been a fan of the Redwall series and the trailers sort of reminded me a lot of Redwall, that is the reason I wanted to see this. The story was interesting and the characters some what good. The animation was top noch really, was for me anyway. It's not a bad movie, interesting action mix with some moral issues. I never picked up these books maybe I might give them a try to see the differences with the movie. It did feel a bit rush and I believe that it's because the first three books are part of this one movie. It fall's into the category of not bad but not great either. I would recommend it if you are a fan of animation but warning there are some rough moments for the little ones however.

That's pretty much how I felt.

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

The Rock

[Show spoiler]
131 minutes

Year: 1996
Director: Michael Bay
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Sean Connery, and Ed Harris

Another random blind buy from a few weeks ago that I finally felt like watching earlier this morning.

Michael Bay is a lot of things to a lot of people, but like many, I really enjoyed The Rock and find it to be one of his better outputs. This right now is my third favorite Bay film (behind The Island and Armageddon) and contains some great things that I think Bay’s Transformers films lack - a gritty realism (and goofiness) to them. Yes, Transformers is goofy, but it never feels gritty or real. Maybe it’s the PG-13 rating or the story but when Bay gets to work with an R-rated script / film, there’s lots of fun to be had here.

A group of U.S. Marines take over Alcatraz and hold hostages threatening to release a biological weapon. So, who’s gonna save the day? Well, of course the ONLY guy that ever escaped Alcatraz and the ONLY guy (apparently) who is in the FBI and knows about the exact same biological weapons. And of course, the guy no one believes in, is the guy who saves the day. duh! It’s big, dumb, but very entertaining and fun.

Now, it’s not a complaint, but anyone who has seen more than one Bay film knows exactly how his films play out. While watching, when the President’s voice over plays with the “haunting” serious / sad music playing over scenes of flags flying, families crying and the hostages moping, I laughed, because he has this scene in every one of his films. So, while that may annoy some, I never really mind it. Bay knows what he likes to do and he makes a lot of money doing it, so all the power to him.

The Rock will stay in my collection and will likely be watched many times over the years because it is a good, fun, exciting movie. I think the best part though, is the dialogue. So many absolutely hilarious lines of dialogue that I cannot wait to memorize so I can drop them in public and at inappropriate times.

A big success. Glad I bought it. And can’t wait till Bay gets back to doing R-rated films.

Although the ending was kinda dumb:

[Show spoiler]“I already dropped it!” as we hear “ABORT!” and THEN the pilot hits the button, but whatever lol

4.25/5

My parents and I are often asking ourselves "glass or plastic?!!" Yep, it's a great action film.

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

Taxi Driver

[Show spoiler]
111 minutes

Year: 1976
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert De Niro, Jodi Foster, Cybill Shepherd, Albert Brooks, and Peter Boyle

finally got a chance to watch my copy of Taxi Driver

the only previous time i'd seen Taxi Driver was maybe almost a year ago now on netflix, and i gave it a 4/5. i still really, really enjoyed it, but i knew i was missing / not connecting with something. but after reading some articles on what Scorsese was going for, and what Travis Bickle was as a person to the audience, the film made more sense without even revisiting again and just remember my few questions and quirks with the film.

my viewing tonight made me appreciate how films used to be done. Taxi Driver is a slow moving, thoughtfully directed and written film. it takes its time, it's methodical and deliberate while never forcing the audience to believe or think one certain thing is happening. Travis' motivations are never completely obvious or blatant, leaving you to decide what he means by what he does. some may hate this, but i love it.

the directing is exceptional. and how Scorsese didn't win Best Director (was he even nominated?!) is baffling. along with how Rocky beat this for Best Picture.

i could likely go on and on with how much i enjoy this film, but likely everyone has already seen it and of course, i was just late to the party for enjoying the film (until a year ago). the $12.99 price tag is a damn steal and this should be owned by everyone, no excuses.

with more viewings i may award it a 5/5, and while i love the film, it felt like a 4.5/5 for me, which i know seems odd since i really have no issues with it, so don't think that me taking off 0.5 means this isn't a great film. Taxi Driver is one of the finest films you could ever watch. absolutely essential viewing for any fan of film

4.5/5

I might be in the same boat as you; I rented it some years ago and thought it was "pretty good," rated it 4/5, decided I probably wouldn't want to see it again. I should probably read up some more, re-watch (or buy the BD), see if my opinion changed.

[Foggy]

In Bruges

Do not believe the poster, cover art or trailer in a sort of sense when you see this film, it makes it look like a screwball gangster comedy that's similar to Hot Fuzz or something like a Guy Ritche gangster comedy. (There are no Ice Cream in the film)

It's much much darker than that, so dark in fact, that when it does have comedy implanted into it, you feel it being really forced and almost childish. It's also quite racist in parts, so if you're easily offended and you see this film, run away screaming in the oppisite direction...fast

What really works for the film though is it's characters and story. It's a pretty simple story, 2 hit men get sent to Bruges after a hit goes tits-up and hide out there for two weeks, when one of them learns that he has to kill the other. But it's the themes and setting that work with the film. It's intresting to see how Bruges rubs off in the characters mind set and plays on their guilt as the town it's self seems to torment them.

It's also got one of the most graphic death scenes ever, dude is a pile of flesh and bone on the floor and is still talking

Screenplay and diolouge is excellent, with the best character being Ralph Feinnes as sweary mob boss. It's a shame when ever it seems to fall to the ocassional childish joke instead of it's excellent witty diolouge.

9/10

[Al_The_Strange]

Gotta catch up from the weekend…

Next greatest blind-buy: “Grown Ups.” I don’t really know why I grabbed this; I think the image of Kevin James, Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, and the rest of the gang rushing down a waterslide in a gleefully childish fashion promised a story where a bunch of grown men would act like total children, bringing some level of hilarity.

The film did not deliver.

At least not in the way I thought it would. Yes, this is a film about a bunch of guys getting together and having fun. They do partake in one or two nostalgic activities; there are some funny moments and lines scattered throughout the film. And there are a few edgy comic moments (a 4-year-old still breast-feeding, plenty of getting-hit-in-the-groin moments, to name a few); it’s a little low-brow, but never overly-graphic or distasteful (I’d put it on the same level as “Meet the Parents”).

But I believe the film fails pretty bad as a story. Primarily because there isn’t one; there is absolutely no conflict, structure, climax, or even a point to this. It’s a fairly aimless and directionless montage of scenes slapped together. I think it would have been a grade stronger if the guys got together and said aloud “hey, you remember this and that from childhood? Let’s play again!” But as I recall, no such scene exists, and the “story” never seems to get a proper kick-off. It also never really reaches a conclusion; nothing is learned, nothing is gained, and when the credits rolled I exclaimed “what, that’s it?!!”

The story does have a few bright individual spots, and folks with families can probably relate to the characters and their issues a little better. It just wasn’t anything like I expected.

For what it’s worth though, the film has gorgeous photography. Acting is well; all the comedians do their part well. I can’t say I’m a fan of David Spade or Rob Schneider, but they had their moments, and I did enjoy Kevin James, Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, and the whole supporting cast (which surprisingly included Steve Buscemi at the end). Writing is not great imo, but the dialogue and jokes aren’t too bad. Production value is adequate. Music is quite a mixed bag, and I feel is mostly arbitrary.

3/5 (entertainment: 3.5/5, story: 1/5, film: 4/5)

Recommendation: Comedy fans can rent it if at all interested.

The Blu-Ray looks pretty sharp, perfectly clean, and has extremely strong color and contrast. But, on close inspection, I saw that faces and fine details looked pretty darn soft, as if they were DNRed to some extent. I’m not sure if that’s really the case or not; it’s either a source limitation or an artistic effect, and it’s one I find rather gaudy. But, the sound quality is not bad.

PQ: 4/5, AQ: 4/5

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Interesting. I do remember you loving this one.

Man... this is a seriously good film. I can't stop thinking about it.

Are you me?

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by Foggy

In Bruges

Do not believe the poster, cover art or trailer in a sort of sense when you see this film, it makes it look like a screwball gangster comedy that's similar to Hot Fuzz or something like a Guy Ritche gangster comedy. (There are no Ice Cream in the film)

It's much much darker than that, so dark in fact, that when it does have comedy implanted into it, you feel it being really forced and almost childish. It's also quite racist in parts, so if you're easily offended and you see this film, run away screaming in the oppisite direction...fast

What really works for the film though is it's characters and story. It's a pretty simple story, 2 hit men get sent to Bruges after a hit goes tits-up and hide out there for two weeks, when one of them learns that he has to kill the other. But it's the themes and setting that work with the film. It's intresting to see how Bruges rubs off in the characters mind set and plays on their guilt as the town it's self seems to torment them.

It's also got one of the most graphic death scenes ever, dude is a pile of flesh and bone on the floor and is still talking

Screenplay and diolouge is excellent, with the best character being Ralph Feinnes as sweary mob boss. It's a shame when ever it seems to fall to the ocassional childish joke instead of it's excellent witty diolouge.

9/10

This is my kind of comedy. It reminds me of Fargo and some of Tarantino's scenes. I can watch it and enjoy it over and over again. I love how the telegram from Harry reveals his personality and the way he speaks.

[Al_The_Strange]

“Broken Arrow.” Not to be confused with the western of the same name.

In the hands of some other action director (like Renny Harlin perhaps), this film probably would have been arbitrary and dumb. I mean, moreso than it already is. Coming from John Woo though, the action scenes do stand out a grade better. Plenty of stylish over-the-top gunfighting! Lots of big ‘splosions! Enough slow-mo and macho-talk to make it cooler than s**t! The only thing missing are some flying doves… Yep, action fans should be pleased.

The story may not be anything to really scream about though; another diabolical plot to steal nukes, resulting in a huge cat-and-mouse chase for the rest of the film. The characters aren’t too terrible though; the main character is a bit generic as an action hero, but shares decent chemistry with the antagonist, who is deliciously over-the-top and delivers some of the film’s best (and most hilarious) dialogue. The park-ranger lady always irritated me a little, but adds a slight bit of romance to the story. Throw in some political intrigue, and we got ourselves another fine flick that could stand well next to “The Rock,” “Air Force One,” etc.

As a film, I never felt it was terribly exceptional. Photography is pretty good, but never a complete standout to me (I believe most of John Woo’s other films have stronger imagery). Acting is a bit mixed; I can’t say I care for Christian Slater, but John Travolta chews the scenery. Writing is not bad; there are plenty of memorable lines. Production value is decent enough, and the music is slick at times.

3.5/5 (entertainment: 4/5, story: 3/5, film: 3.5/5)

Recommendation: Action fans should dig it.

The Blu-Ray looks better than I remember; it does have some hefty amounts of grain and noise, and sharpness/detail can be a hit-or-a-miss, but it does have decent color/contrast and certainly outclasses the DVD. Sound quality is pretty good.

PQ: 3.5/5, AQ: 4/5




"Would you mind not shooting at the thermonuclear weapons..."

"You know, I never killed anbody before. ...I don't see what the big deal is..."

"You're insane!" "Yeah...ain't it cool?!"

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

“Broken Arrow.” Not to be confused with the western of the same name.

In the hands of some other action director (like Renny Harlin perhaps), this film probably would have been arbitrary and dumb. I mean, moreso than it already is. Coming from John Woo though, the action scenes do stand out a grade better. Plenty of stylish over-the-top gunfighting! Lots of big ‘splosions! Enough slow-mo and macho-talk to make it cooler than s**t! The only thing missing are some flying doves… Yep, action fans should be pleased.

The story may not be anything to really scream about though; another diabolical plot to steal nukes, resulting in a huge cat-and-mouse chase for the rest of the film. The characters aren’t too terrible though; the main character is a bit generic as an action hero, but shares decent chemistry with the antagonist, who is deliciously over-the-top and delivers some of the film’s best (and most hilarious) dialogue. The park-ranger lady always irritated me a little, but adds a slight bit of romance to the story. Throw in some political intrigue, and we got ourselves another fine flick that could stand well next to “The Rock,” “Air Force One,” etc.

As a film, I never felt it was terribly exceptional. Photography is pretty good, but never a complete standout to me (I believe most of John Woo’s other films have stronger imagery). Acting is a bit mixed; I can’t say I care for Christian Slater, but John Travolta chews the scenery. Writing is not bad; there are plenty of memorable lines. Production value is decent enough, and the music is slick at times.

3.5/5 (entertainment: 4/5, story: 3/5, film: 3.5/5)

Recommendation: Action fans should dig it.

The Blu-Ray looks better than I remember; it does have some hefty amounts of grain and noise, and sharpness/detail can be a hit-or-a-miss, but it does have decent color/contrast and certainly outclasses the DVD. Sound quality is pretty good.

PQ: 3.5/5, AQ: 4/5




"Would you mind not shooting at the thermonuclear weapons..."

"You know, I never killed anbody before. ...I don't see what the big deal is..."

"You're insane!" "Yeah...ain't it cool?!"

John Travolta was pretty good in his insane like a bat bad guy role. I kept waiting for Howie Long to put on his Oakland Raiders uniform

The main trouble I had was I just could not buy Christian Slater as a big superhero\save the day character.

Other then that, like it said it's just silly fun.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

“Broken Arrow.”

[Show spoiler]Not to be confused with the western of the same name.

In the hands of some other action director (like Renny Harlin perhaps), this film probably would have been arbitrary and dumb. I mean, moreso than it already is. Coming from John Woo though, the action scenes do stand out a grade better. Plenty of stylish over-the-top gunfighting! Lots of big ‘splosions! Enough slow-mo and macho-talk to make it cooler than s**t! The only thing missing are some flying doves… Yep, action fans should be pleased.

The story may not be anything to really scream about though; another diabolical plot to steal nukes, resulting in a huge cat-and-mouse chase for the rest of the film. The characters aren’t too terrible though; the main character is a bit generic as an action hero, but shares decent chemistry with the antagonist, who is deliciously over-the-top and delivers some of the film’s best (and most hilarious) dialogue. The park-ranger lady always irritated me a little, but adds a slight bit of romance to the story. Throw in some political intrigue, and we got ourselves another fine flick that could stand well next to “The Rock,” “Air Force One,” etc.

As a film, I never felt it was terribly exceptional. Photography is pretty good, but never a complete standout to me (I believe most of John Woo’s other films have stronger imagery). Acting is a bit mixed; I can’t say I care for Christian Slater, but John Travolta chews the scenery. Writing is not bad; there are plenty of memorable lines. Production value is decent enough, and the music is slick at times.

3.5/5 (entertainment: 4/5, story: 3/5, film: 3.5/5)

Recommendation: Action fans should dig it.

The Blu-Ray looks better than I remember; it does have some hefty amounts of grain and noise, and sharpness/detail can be a hit-or-a-miss, but it does have decent color/contrast and certainly outclasses the DVD. Sound quality is pretty good.

PQ: 3.5/5, AQ: 4/5




"Would you mind not shooting at the thermonuclear weapons..."

"You know, I never killed anbody before. ...I don't see what the big deal is..."

"You're insane!" "Yeah...ain't it cool?!"

:cool

:

Plane crashes

[Steve46]

I spent the last five days engrossed in the US Masters coverage. Time to start watching some movies.

I have a small pile including Taxi Driver.

[P@t_Mtl]

I need to find the time to watch my North By Northwest blu-ray.

I blame PBS with their re-broacast of The Civil War last week I still have two episodes to complete.

[SquidPuppet]

The Tillman Story

2010 R 95 minutes

Netflix synopsis

Pat Tillman's family comes forward to tell the real story about what happened on April 22, 2004, in Afghanistan when the pro football player-turned-U.S. soldier was killed by friendly fire and not the Taliban, as first reported. Amir Bar-Lev's documentary pieces together the Tillmans' search for the truth, how they exposed a military cover-up that led to top-ranking officers and called to the carpet the likes of Donald Rumsfeld.

That pretty much sums it up. The subject matter and story are more powerful than the documentary itself though. Its told in a very straight forward manner and just seems to lack the wollup that the "truth" should carry. Still a very good watch though.

Everytime I hear a person accusing another person of being a "Conspiracy Theory Nutcase", I think to myself that they need to see more films like this in order to fully appreciate what some groups are capable of.

PQ was OK. Lots of archive footage so we cant expect too much eye candy.
AQ was fine. It all diaolgue...so, ya know.

Film 3.5/5

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

John Travolta was pretty good in his insane like a bat bad guy role. I kept waiting for Howie Long to put on his Oakland Raiders uniform

The main trouble I had was I just could not buy Christian Slater as a big superhero\save the day character.

Other then that, like it said it's just silly fun.

I can agree about Slater. Especially after seeing "Alone in the Dark."

Yep, "Broken Arrow" is a fun flick.

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

I need to find the time to watch my North By Northwest blu-ray.

I blame PBS with their re-broacast of The Civil War last week I still have two episodes to complete.

Doooo iiiitttt!! "North By Northwest" is probably still my favorite Hitchcock film, and is gorgeous on BD!

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Plane crashes

Coming next...car crashes!

Had a big car-chase marathon with dad.

“Smokey and the Bandit.”

This is a movie my dad digs but my mom hates, so I’m kinda in the middle. This may not exactly be a film of quality, with any great story or depth or anything. Certainly a bit on the goofy side, with an overall redneck tone and style that will be off-putting to some viewers. But heck, it’s a pretty fun ride. The car chases are fine and dandy, the crashes and stunts are okay, and the comedy is light-hearted and amusing. What’s not to like?

The story is simple; a serviceable platform to kick off the pursuits and crazy situations. The characters are all pretty likable (even the bad guy), and their interactions help fuel most of the comedy. Just a fine excuse to zip along the roads and cause some trouble.

The film has okay photography; a little dull imo, but solid. Acting is great; Burt Reynolds, Jackie Gleason, Sally Field, Jerry Reed, and everybody else put on a fairly campy and fun performance. Writing is okay; production value is not bad; music features lots of country, for better or for worse.

3.5/5 (entertainment: 3.5/5, story: 3/5, film: 3.5/5)

Recommendation: As a rental.

The British Blu-Ray looks decently sharp and details are not bad. It is quite grainy and noisy, with some artifacts and print damage here and there. Colors and contrast are a bit on the dull and hazy side. But overall, I’m happy with it. Sound quality has some standout moments, but is mostly just okay.

PQ: 3.5/5, AQ: 3.5/5

The Blu-Ray is region-free.



“Vanishing Point.”

Now this is one that I like the most. I think…

Once this movie gets going, it hardly lets up. The pursuits, stunts, crashes, and overall driving is pretty fast, intense, and big-scale. Even when the cars aren’t chasing each other, the character goes through a multitude of bizarre encounters; they may require a stretch of the imagination, but it’s sure interesting seeing wacky characters and meeting a naked chick riding a motorcycle in the middle of a desert…

As far as the story goes, this one is kinda the same as “Smokey and the Bandit,” but with a slight bit more depth. A series of flashbacks dig through the character’s backstory a little more, and ultimately attributing some more meaning to his race across the country. With the radio announcer’s energetic commentaries, the various encounters, and the mounting conflict between Kowalski and the seemingly-oppressive police force, it’s clear to me that this movie has a strong counter-cultural angle. It’s almost pro-hippy, or pro-liberal, and very much against the establishment. The final scenes make it clear too that the road trip is somewhat representative of a life’s journey. It’s all quite interesting to think about.

The film shows solid photography with some interesting scenery. Acting is swell; Barry Newman is a little flat as the main character, but Cleavon Little rocks as the radio DJ, and everybody else is swell. Writing has a few bright spots. Production value is decent. Music is interesting.

4/5 (entertainment: 4/5, story: 4/5, film: 4/5, intellectual impact: 3/5) Decreased from 4.5/5, but still would be a favorite among these types of films.

Recommendation: As a rental.

This Blu-Ray looks pretty decently sharp and clean. Colors and contrast are not bad. Some shots appear a little soft, possibly due to source issues or the film’s age. There is some grain/noise, but with some shots I kinda wondered if some DNR was applied; not enough to fully smudge up details, but just a little, I don’t know. Sound quality seemed okay.

PQ: 4/5, AQ: 4/5



“Grand Theft Auto.” Not at all related to the video game franchise.

If I remember right, this is Ron Howard’s debut as a director. Most of his film don’t really engage me, but this one does. It’s pretty darn fun watching a whole fleet of cool cars racing and smashing into each other. Combined with a pair of likable kids as the leads, and a whole group of insanely zany characters chasing them, it’s quite a fun, amusing, over-the-top thrill ride all the way through the film’s short runtime.

The story’s not terrible original, but a solid excuse to cause some vehicular damage. Characters are pretty likable, and the two leads do make for a cute and believable couple. For the most part though, it’s one of those movies best enjoyed in a reclined position with the brain turned off.

The film has swell photography. Acting is great; Ron Howard is the man, I like Nancy Morgan, Paul Linke is hilarious, and everybody else is appropriately campy. Writing is okay. Production value is high, considering how many cars get trashed here. Music is okay.

4/5 (entertainment: 4.5/5, story: 3/5, film: 3.5/5)

Recommendation: Enjoyed the other movies listed above? Then give this one a rent too.

This DVD looks pretty crappy. If they Blu-Ray it, I hope they give it a good cleaning/restoration.