The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[jvince]

Originally Posted by Foggy

In Bruges

[Show spoiler]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

Originally Posted by Steve46

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.

I hate Guy Ritchie and the Coen Brothers, but I love "In Bruges." Unlike those directors, McDonagh nails the offbeat vibe without being overly pretentious.

[jvince]

Originally Posted by tbizzle

It's a shame to see that, but it might also be that he's not interested in making those kind of films. Reminds me of Heath in a way, where he could have had the lead in all sorts of big films but he generally chose to take on complex roles

Yeah, could be, but that doesn't explain the snub in this year's Oscars. He got robbed big-time in that one.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by jvince

I hate Guy Ritchie and the Coen Brothers, but I love "In Bruges." Unlike those directors, McDonagh nails the offbeat vibe without being overly pretentious.

[tbizzle]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Old pic. That was a 2000 R1 with a few goodies under the tank. That thing just wouldnt blow up. Spent its whole life at redline and never complained once.

Right on man, those R1's are no joke. My buddies 700 rwhp Cobra would pull R1's on the freeway, but only stock or lightly modded ones, anything else was usually gone

Another friend of mine that worked at the local track would run the 1/4 on his R1 during his breaks. His wife hated when he rode at the track, especially when he was a little bit show-off-ish. One day on his break, his wife showed up with some lunch (as a surprise) right as he launches and wheelies the whole track, running a 10 flat

He was in trouble after that

(had to go back a few pages to catch up )

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by tbizzle

Ahem... Diesel and I are waiting for you to introduce her to us...

I haven't seen this since 2005 but I remember it being fun. Wasn't the ending shootout pretty ridiculous?

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by tbizzle

Sweet, that gives me more incentive to rent it again!

Thanks

What? Brad.... I mean Angelina wasn't enough of an incentive to watch it again?

No problem

[Foggy]

Taken

Short rush of badassary!

8/10

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

[Show spoiler] “Tron.”

People must have had some funny ideas about what goes on inside computers back in 1982. With such new technology on the rise, I can easily imagine somebody looking at a big boxy CPU and wondering if there were little light-up men working inside of it in a little circuit-board-style city. Well, that somebody went on to make a script and movie along that line of thinking.

“Tron” won’t make a whole lot of sense if you think about it really hard; we all know that computer data is not comprised of little gray men running around a physically-manifested space. But does it really matter? For its time, this film featured an intriguing and imaginative look into the workings of a then-advanced technology, boiling its techno-babble down to a theatrical presentation for all to enjoy.

On its own merits, “Tron” presents a unique adventure with an interesting premise that’s rarely used on film. It won’t outclass “The Matrix” or the works of William Gibson by any means. But the film’s real selling point are its special effects; at least half of the film features some extremely funky old-school CGI on a grand scale. Sure, it’s extremely dated by today’s standards: the actors stick out like sore thumbs, clearly cut-and-pasted on celluloid in front of a digital or matte-painted environment. Sure, the CGI is plain, blocky, and untextured, looking like an old “Battlezone” arcade game. And sure, most costumes and sets look like they’re made of cardboard. But the effects run smoothly, show a lot of imagination, have an extraordinary attention-to-detail, and ultimately accomplish the intended effect. In the end, I felt that the film’s SFX were a precursor to modern effects, especially in the way it’s used to paint the environment around the characters (in a manner no different than painting Middle Earth in “LOTR,” or the various planetscapes in “Star Wars,” or any number of other big modern SFX-heavy scenes). Yep, watching “Tron” might be very off-putting for some folks, but I find it visually impressive.

As far as the story goes, it’s a fairly basic and formulaic adventure. About a third of it is spent setting up the real-world situations that lead the main character into the “Grid;” from there, it’s all about fighting and journeying to some place to defeat some evil force taking over everything. Not much different than “Gladiator,” no? Characters aren’t really huge standouts; the main character is interesting only because he’s so energetically goofy, but everybody else is pretty flat. And by the end of the movie, the whole journey feels slightly arbitrary. He went in, he came out…yep, that’s all.

Cinematically, the film shows interesting photography, and as mentioned above, interesting SFX. Acting is okay; Jeff Bridges is pretty likable as Kevin Flynn, and everybody else seems okay. Writing is okay (if you’re a computer nerd, you might pick up on some clever use of terminology). Production value is rather limited, but the designs are smashing. Music is pretty dated.

Is that a Pac-Man I see on one of the background screens?

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

Recommendation: As a rental.

The Blu-Ray looks swell; the real-world scenes look darn near perfect, with only a slight hint of grain/noise. The Grid scenes show heavier grain…around the actors…and everything else looks quite clean. Sharpness and detail are excellent throughout, and color/contrast seems appropriate. Sound quality seems okay with the music and sound effects, but I found the dialogue rather muted.

PQ: 4.5/5, AQ: 4/5



Next greatest blind-buy: “Tron Legacy.”

Some 28 years after the original “Tron,” the world of the Grid is revisited with a heck of a make-over. Since “Tron’s” release, computer effects have evolved tremendously, and are finally dispensed liberally throughout this sequel. Once the main character enters the Grid, we are immersed in some of the slickest and coolest-looking SFX offered in any film. It’s big, gorgeous, highly-detailed, imaginative, and quite awe-inspiring at times. A few excellent action scenes keep the story thrilling and fun; some parts drag in the middle, but most scenes are interesting and memorable, and the visuals keep it fresh. Yep, the eye candy is great!

The story generally mirrors the original movie; most of the scenes in “Tron” are repeated with fresh new SFX, wittier dialogue, and a more ambitious production value. “Tron: Legacy” does alter the story and provide a decent follow-up though; the whole drama involving Flynn and his son provides a decent premise for this journey, and the dual-natured conflict between Flynn and Clu provide the formulaic good-vs-evil dichotomy that fuels the physical conflict. The story’s still not terribly original, and at times Flynn’s zen-like behavior seems like a “Matrix” rip-off, and is ultimately a weak attempt to throw some philosophy into the mix. But ultimately, the story and characters are a step better than the original “Tron.” I also have to admire the movie for its bigger and bolder settings; it’s no longer just life inside a computer, it’s literally a whole new world.

Cinematically, the film has awesome photography. Acting is swell; it’s a little hard to accept Jeff Bridges’ dude as “the One,” but he generally fits the character established in the first “Tron.” All of the other actors are pretty swell. Writing seems to be a grade stronger than the original “Tron.” Production value is very high, and the designs are excellent. I love the music too

.

Is it me, or did they totally animate Jeff Bridge’s face when he played Clu and his younger self? It looks kinda fake…

[Show spoiler]4/5 (entertainment: 4/5, story: 3.5/5, film: 4/5)

Recommendation: As a rental.

This Blu-Ray looks and sounds darn near perfect!

PQ: 5/5, AQ: 5/5

Yeah, everyone was making a huge deal out of 'fake' Bridges.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Yeah, everyone was making a huge deal out of 'fake' Bridges.

It was slightly distracting. To be fair though, it was half-way convincing. If they just make the movements a little more life-like, we may be seeing a lot more virtual actors in movies...

In other news, "Tron" totally messed with my head. I had a weird dream that Jeff Bridges was President of the United States, and then I woke up with Daft Punk's music stuck in my head.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

It was slightly distracting. To be fair though, it was half-way convincing. If they just make the movements a little more life-like, we may be seeing a lot more virtual actors in movies...

He looked like claymation, as if he should of been in the Wallace and Gromit

In other news, "Tron" totally messed with my head. I had a weird dream that Jeff Bridges was President of the United States, and then I woke up with Daft Punk's music stuck in my head.

That sounds like the best dream ever!!!

[ahn.kris]

Movie:
The Good, The Bad, The Weird

Starring:
Song Kang-Ho, Lee Byung-Hun, Jung Woo-Sung

Directed by:
Kim Ji-Woon

Synopsis (from imdb.com):
The story of two outlaws and a bounty hunter in 1940s Manchuria and their rivalry to possess a treasure map while being pursued by the Japanese army and Chinese bandits.

Review:
After watching 'I Saw the Devil' a week ago and having seen 'A Bittersweet Life' and 'A Tale of Two Sisters' a few years back, I was interested in seeing more of Kim Ji-Woon's work, as I've come to enjoy his style of directing. Suffice to say, this one did not disappoint, although it was very different compared to his other films in that there is a more comedic tone to it. Pacing was great from the very beginning as I never felt like it dragged on and with bits of comedy mixed in, it was very pleasant to watch.

The three main characters were also very likable in their own ways with a twist here and there laced into the middle on the movie, although the twist was predictable by the end. Still, the action was nevertheless fun and stylish. Soundtrack was great as well, with a definite westerny feel with its own personality mixed into it.

Overall, one of the better movies I've watched this year and while it was great film, nothing that really exceeded any of my expectations to be better than the grade I've given it.

Grade: 8/10

[jvince]

Genre: Drama / Comedy
Synopsis: A lonely shoe salesman and an eccentric performance artist struggle to connect in this unique take on contemporary life.
Running Time: 91 minutes

Director: Miranda July
Writer: Miranda July
Stars: John Hawkes (Winter's Bone), Miranda July

"Me and You and Everyone We Know" is truly an odd movie. Its characters, its world, its story, its structure, its score, everything... they're all weird alright. Yet there is something about it that makes the film so down-to-earth, so genuine, and so relatable. Because beneath all the quirkiness going on is a heart, and this one's heart is big and ageless.

Performance artist Miranda July proves to be a welcome new talent in American Cinema, showcasing her unique voice and fresh eyes in her debut as she tackles one of the most universal themes known to man: love. The result is a poetic, enchanting, and whimsical little film unlike any other of its kind, and it is one that will surely resonate with anyone who openly embraces it. July's debut is, without a doubt, one of the best and most assured debut feature films in recent memory.

"Me and You" plays like "American Beauty" by way of Richard Linklater, adeptly capturing the confusion and melancholy of suburban America. It focuses on two characters, played by John Hawkes and July, and their friends, children, and neighbors of various ages, whose lives intersect with one another as they deal with life and search for love. The film's unconventional structure and offbeat vibe may turn off some as it may come off a little too precious at times, but if you stick around and sift through its little quirks and pretensions, you will be rewarded with some of the most profoundly poetic and thought-provoking scenes ever committed to film.

Aside from being original and inspired, July's efforts are undoubtedly admirable, delving into topics such as underage sexuality in comical fashion without being exploitative. Her cast of misfits are great as well, with little Robby, played by the adorable and charming Brandon Ratcliff, stealing the show with his surprisingly spot-on delivery of cluelessly hilarious lines. How this kid isn't getting more roles is beyond me. The cinematography and score are also wonderful, perfectly capturing the feel and vibe July is striving for.

"Me and You and Everyone We Know" is certainly not for everyone, but it is for everyone, and it is essential viewing even for only once. You may love it, you may hate it, or you may feel indifferent, but it will positively provoke your thoughts and emotions. Quiet yet powerful, playful yet philosophical, this is that rare kind of movie that will linger in your hearts and minds, going back and forth for quite a while. Maybe even forever.

Rating: **** out of 5

[jvince]

Originally Posted by ahn.kris

Movie:
The Good, The Bad, The Weird

[Show spoiler]Starring:
Song Kang-Ho, Lee Byung-Hun, Jung Woo-Sung

Directed by:
Kim Ji-Woon

Synopsis (from imdb.com):
The story of two outlaws and a bounty hunter in 1940s Manchuria and their rivalry to possess a treasure map while being pursued by the Japanese army and Chinese bandits.

Review:
After watching 'I Saw the Devil' a week ago and having seen 'A Bittersweet Life' and 'A Tale of Two Sisters' a few years back, I was interested in seeing more of Kim Ji-Woon's work, as I've come to enjoy his style of directing. Suffice to say, this one did not disappoint, although it was very different compared to his other films in that there is a more comedic tone to it. Pacing was great from the very beginning as I never felt like it dragged on and with bits of comedy mixed in, it was very pleasant to watch.

The three main characters were also very likable in their own ways with a twist here and there laced into the middle on the movie, although the twist was predictable by the end. Still, the action was nevertheless fun and stylish. Soundtrack was great as well, with a definite westerny feel with its own personality mixed into it.

Overall, one of the better movies I've watched this year and while it was great film, nothing that really exceeded any of my expectations to be better than the grade I've given it.

Grade: 8/10

This is probably my second favorite work of his ("I Saw the Devil," of course, being the first). And I agree that the soundtrack is amazingly good. One of the best in recent years, imo.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by ahn.kris

Movie:
The Good, The Bad, The Weird

[Show spoiler]
Starring:
Song Kang-Ho, Lee Byung-Hun, Jung Woo-Sung

Directed by:
Kim Ji-Woon

Synopsis (from imdb.com):
The story of two outlaws and a bounty hunter in 1940s Manchuria and their rivalry to possess a treasure map while being pursued by the Japanese army and Chinese bandits.

Review:
After watching 'I Saw the Devil' a week ago and having seen 'A Bittersweet Life' and 'A Tale of Two Sisters' a few years back, I was interested in seeing more of Kim Ji-Woon's work, as I've come to enjoy his style of directing. Suffice to say, this one did not disappoint, although it was very different compared to his other films in that there is a more comedic tone to it. Pacing was great from the very beginning as I never felt like it dragged on and with bits of comedy mixed in, it was very pleasant to watch.

The three main characters were also very likable in their own ways with a twist here and there laced into the middle on the movie, although the twist was predictable by the end. Still, the action was nevertheless fun and stylish. Soundtrack was great as well, with a definite westerny feel with its own personality mixed into it.

Overall, one of the better movies I've watched this year and while it was great film, nothing that really exceeded any of my expectations to be better than the grade I've given it.

Grade: 8/10

[Foggy]

Donnie Darko

I'd always wanted to check this out but never got around to it, well, now I have

I never really knew what to expect from it, I just knew of it's cult following and it's very crazy plot. All in all, it's a pretty cool film.

I always like films that are like this, films that seem to have no boundaries of where it may lead to next, yet no matter how silly or absurd it gets, you can still get behind it and see the plausibility. The acting is great majority of the time, other than the occasional romantic cheesy parts. A lot of the acting revolves around subtle emotions to put across, the parents confusion is a great example of this. All evidence points to their son being insane yet they still find it to try and understand him because he is their son, instead of the typical parents in films who would just cry a lot and then throw them into a mental hospital. However, the film does play on some stereotypes, like the typical bullies and teachers who believe in their students though they are against the system. (Though what teacher lets their students sit where they want just so she can sit next to the cutest boy is beyond me, I can't see how a teacher would think that would help students to focus)

Visual effects are pretty crappy, but hey, it's an indie film from the early 2000's, what you do expect. One thing that did bug me, is how it was set in the 80's yet nothing seemed to be placed in that era, there is no point to it being set in that time, and the clothes people wear don't seem to be from the 80's.

I liked it enough, but I'm not loving it quite yet.

8.5/10

[Al_The_Strange]

Next greatest rental: “Eden Lake.”

God, this movie really ticks me off! I don’t know, maybe this is the wrong night for this kind of movie; should have popped in the “Care Bears” or something. As it is though, this film has so many characters acting unreasonably mean, cruel, rude, pushy…if I was the main character, I probably would have hulked out, screamed obscenities in their faces, and beat them to a bloody pulp. Sorry if that’s mean, but good grief, the s**t these characters have to put up with is aggravating!

I suppose that’s the film’s power though; it’s suspenseful, edgy, and you can emphasize with the characters. It starts off subtly, but steadily builds as the characters push and push back on each other, and things grow wildly out-of-proportion. The fact that the antagonists are a gang of kids probably makes this film way edgier and invoking than, say, a faceless villain, or a gang of dumb rednecks, or a mythical creature. The film does provide a poignant and disturbing view of just how messed up kids can be with the wrong upbringing and discipline; ultimately, it’s a story that reflects strongly on human aggression and brutality. As such, I feel that the story is solid and the characters are okay (even if the antagonists are overly-f***ed up and the protagonists make a few stupid moves).

Cinematically, the film has solid photography. Acting is fine and dandy; writing is okay. Production value is not bad for this film. Music is not bad.

4/5 (entertainment: 4/5, story: 3.5/5, film: 4/5, emotional/intellectual impact: 2.5/5)

Recommendation: Dunno. I’m too mad to recommend it.

This British Blu-Ray looks darn near perfect; a few of the nighttime scenes don’t have really impressive black levels, and colors are a little dulled throughout. But, it’s impressively sharp and clean. Sound quality features a few bits of low dialogue, but sounds good everywhere else.

PQ: 4.5/5, AQ: 4/5

This UK disc is region-B locked.

[Steve46]

Criterion has a short video interview with Sidney Lumet.

[Foggy]

Gonna put myself through a challenge tonight, run through the entire of Once Upon A Time In America

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Next greatest rental: “Eden Lake.”

God, this movie really ticks me off!

[Show spoiler]I don’t know, maybe this is the wrong night for this kind of movie; should have popped in the “Care Bears” or something. As it is though, this film has so many characters acting unreasonably mean, cruel, rude, pushy…if I was the main character, I probably would have hulked out, screamed obscenities in their faces, and beat them to a bloody pulp. Sorry if that’s mean, but good grief, the s**t these characters have to put up with is aggravating!

I suppose that’s the film’s power though; it’s suspenseful, edgy, and you can emphasize with the characters. It starts off subtly, but steadily builds as the characters push and push back on each other, and things grow wildly out-of-proportion. The fact that the antagonists are a gang of kids probably makes this film way edgier and invoking than, say, a faceless villain, or a gang of dumb rednecks, or a mythical creature. The film does provide a poignant and disturbing view of just how messed up kids can be with the wrong upbringing and discipline; ultimately, it’s a story that reflects strongly on human aggression and brutality. As such, I feel that the story is solid and the characters are okay (even if the antagonists are overly-f***ed up and the protagonists make a few stupid moves).

Cinematically, the film has solid photography. Acting is fine and dandy; writing is okay. Production value is not bad for this film. Music is not bad.

4/5 (entertainment: 4/5, story: 3.5/5, film: 4/5, emotional/intellectual impact: 2.5/5)

Recommendation: Dunno. I’m too mad to recommend it.

This British Blu-Ray looks darn near perfect; a few of the nighttime scenes don’t have really impressive black levels, and colors are a little dulled throughout. But, it’s impressively sharp and clean. Sound quality features a few bits of low dialogue, but sounds good everywhere else.

PQ: 4.5/5, AQ: 4/5

This UK disc is region-B locked. :mad

:

That is exactly how I felt as well. Perhaps that means the film was successful? I was so frustrated and angry, not at the film, but at the kids. It made me want to participate and help the protagonists. Without a "strange" or "bizarre" masked wierdo, it just felt too real.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

That is exactly how I felt as well. Perhaps that means the film was successful? I was so frustrated and angry, not at the film, but at the kids. It made me want to participate and help the protagonists. Without a "strange" or "bizarre" masked wierdo, it just felt too real.

Yep, those kids ticked me off, and I gave the TV some verbal abuse.

[Show spoiler]I actually rooted for the woman when she stabbed the one kid in the neck and ran the girl over. I think if I was the director, she would have gone all "Kill Bill" on the whole lot of them.

But, without any real sense of justice or mercy, the film is successful at being invoking, and for being quite a downer all the way through. The ending just ticked me off even more, but there was a strong parallell between the group of kids and the group of adults; people never really grow up, do they?