The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[Al_The_Strange]

Watched "Zardoz" today via Netflix. As expected, it's weird and somewhat cerebral, with lots of fascinating imagery. The opening shots with the floating flying stone head are pretty freaky. I think it has decent acting and direction. The story's rather far-out, but fascinating in its own right. The production design has some really lavish setpieces in some scenes, but others look horrendously outdated or cheap (like the part where there are plastic bags over people, or the room that seems to be made of cloth...wtf?). I'm sure this film has some themes and reflection on modern society and religion, but I'm not sure if I can articulate exactly what these themes are.

Yep, it's kinda up there with "Logan's Run."

3.5/5 (entertainment: 3.5/5, story: 4/5, film: 2.5/5, i/e: 2/5)

Might consider buying it if it comes out on BD.

[AKORIS]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Watched "Zardoz" today via Netflix. As expected, it's weird and somewhat cerebral, with lots of fascinating imagery. The opening shots with the floating flying stone head are pretty freaky. I think it has decent acting and direction. The story's rather far-out, but fascinating in its own right. The production design has some really lavish setpieces in some scenes, but others look horrendously outdated or cheap (like the part where there are plastic bags over people, or the room that seems to be made of cloth...wtf?). I'm sure this film has some themes and reflection on modern society and religion, but I'm not sure if I can articulate exactly what these themes are.

Yep, it's kinda up there with "Logan's Run."

3.5/5 (entertainment: 3.5/5, story: 4/5, film: 2.5/5, i/e: 2/5)

Might consider buying it if it comes out on BD.

that has got to be one of the most eccentric movies I've ever seen! I admire the look of the film but never could really "get into it"

[AKORIS]

[QUOTE=Diesel;3277634]Road to Perdition

Hanks/Newman did really good and I was SOOOO happy that the

[Show spoiler]happy ending they set up there for a second didn't pan out It would have, imo, not fit the rest of the film at all if Sr. and Jr. would have just lived happily ever after.

I don't mean this as an attack at all-- I am just genuinely curious....
why do so many people on this site pop a woody everytime a movie doesn't
go for the "happy ending"? I usually hear things like "it's not the typical hollywood happy ending" but is that really true for the last decade or so?
It really isn't that unusual as of late to see movies have bleak or downbeat endings-- almost every horror film ends in downbeat fashion, many dramas such as PERDITION are not upbeat. I am seriously to the point that when a movie ends upbeat-- I'm actually surprised!

[SquidPuppet]

[QUOTE=AKORIS;3281667]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Road to Perdition

Hanks/Newman did really good and I was SOOOO happy that the

[Show spoiler]happy ending they set up there for a second didn't pan out It would have, imo, not fit the rest of the film at all if Sr. and Jr. would have just lived happily ever after.

I don't mean this as an attack at all-- I am just genuinely curious....
why do so many people on this site pop a woody everytime a movie doesn't
go for the "happy ending"? I usually hear things like "it's not the typical hollywood happy ending" but is that really true for the last decade or so?
It really isn't that unusual as of late to see movies have bleak or downbeat endings-- almost every horror film ends in downbeat fashion, many dramas such as PERDITION are not upbeat. I am seriously to the point that when a movie ends upbeat-- I'm actually surprised!

Because most are male.

Seriously though, in a few years we'll be saying "I'm so happy it didnt have a typical Hollywood downer ending" when it has a happy one.

Trends....like pendulums.....go back and forth.

[AKORIS]

[QUOTE=SquidPuppet;3281710]

Originally Posted by AKORIS

Because most are male.

Seriously though, in a few years we'll be saying "I'm so happy it didnt have a typical Hollywood downer ending" when it has a happy one. Trends....like pendulums.....go back and forth.

you've got a point there!

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by AKORIS

I don't mean this as an attack at all-- I am just genuinely curious....
why do so many people on this site pop a woody everytime a movie doesn't
go for the "happy ending"? I usually hear things like "it's not the typical hollywood happy ending" but is that really true for the last decade or so?
It really isn't that unusual as of late to see movies have bleak or downbeat endings-- almost every horror film ends in downbeat fashion, many dramas such as PERDITION are not upbeat. I am seriously to the point that when a movie ends upbeat-- I'm actually surprised!

interesting analysis. its just that it'll take 1000 years of bad endings to make up for all the sap and sop of the past 5 decades

[oppopioneer]

I saw 'Tropic Thunder' last night on HBO HD. I thought it was too stupid to watch but after the first 10 to 15 minutes it was so stupid it was funny. I thought the movie really takes off when the British director steps on the land mind and the actors are trapped in the jungle. I recommend it to people who like silly stupid outrageous comedies like Land Of The Lost.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Diesel

What would you score it?

It definitely wasn't a bad film, as I said, just solid imo.

I thought it had good (but not great) acting overall, writing and I really liked the look of the film, but it just didn't click with me to get the rating upped.



I gave it a 3.5/5 which would be about the same as your score.

The movie itself was a 3/5 but Downey elevated it to a 3.5/5 for me as I thought he did a great job with his role/chemistry with Law.

I give Road to Perdition 4 stars (out of 4). The acting is great imo, not merely good. Hanks, Newman, and Law alone warrant a label of great acting. The directing is incredible, but of course it is since Mendes directed it. The look and feel of the film are excellent. The score is great. However, the father/son story is what really made the film great imo.


As for Holmes, I agree about Downey being very great for the role and his chemistry with Law was pretty good, but not as good as other similar films. I'm a Holmes fan and love the stories, and I think the movie did a decent job at capturing Holmes eccentricities, but it didn't feel completely authentic.

[CZAR]

Originally Posted by oppopioneer

I saw 'Tropic Thunder' last night on HBO HD. I thought it was too stupid to watch but after the first 10 to 15 minutes it was so stupid it was funny. I thought the movie really takes off when the British director steps on the land mind and the actors are trapped in the jungle. I recommend it to people who like silly stupid outrageous comedies like Land Of The Lost.

No u did not compare Tropic Thunder to Land of the Lost??? Got Em!!

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I agree



I disagree

Nothing in the film was great. All of the components were satisfactory, but not great. And when combined, the whole was simply OK. No pizazz to raise it to the next level. Nice camera work, but a stale story. Casting was iffy.

Couldn't disagree more. The directing, acting, cinematography, and music were all great, not merely good.

I also never felt that the story was stale whatsoever. There have def been films regarding the father/son dynamic in the past, but I felt this film did the best job with it.

We agree more often than not, so I'll let it slide

And Holmes just didn't feel real to me at all.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Couldn't disagree more. The directing, acting, cinematography, and music were all great, not merely good.

I also never felt that the story was stale whatsoever. There have def been films regarding the father/son dynamic in the past, but I felt this film did the best job with it.

We agree more often than not, so I'll let it slide

And Holmes just didn't feel real to me at all.

I had a problem with Hanks being cast for that role. I love Tom Hanks and think he's great, but IMO he was just the wrong guy (100%) for that role....so it couldnt work from right out of the gate. I did love the "look" of the film though.

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by oppopioneer

I saw 'Tropic Thunder' last night on HBO HD. I thought it was too stupid to watch but after the first 10 to 15 minutes it was so stupid it was funny. I thought the movie really takes off when the British director steps on the land mind and the actors are trapped in the jungle. I recommend it to people who like silly stupid outrageous comedies like Land Of The Lost.

interesting... most people say the first 15-20 minutes are the best in the whole film. and comparing it to Land of the Lost?! they are absolutely NOTHING alike.

[SquidPuppet]

Somersault:

A little Australian film with Sam Worthington. After Sam was recently "discovered" and landed all these big roles, I went looking for some of his freshman work to see what he was made of. Somersault is an odd film, and not that great, yet I really enjoyed it. Sam plays (for the most part) a reserved, quiet and emotionally detached young guy that begins to allow himself to get close to a girl who has her own set of problems. So, it wasnt too far away from other things he has done. He was pretty good, but I think a lot of that is also the real Sam.

Film 3.75/5

No PQ or AQ as it was DVD.

[iam1bearcat]

The Terminator

I recently blind bought this for $10. It was a blind buy for me, and it was a GREAT blind buy. sure, the PQ isn't great - but i knew that going into it - but that doesn't effect how great the film is.

it's amazing how some things so simple can be so great and withstand many years of time. within 20 minutes you have a distinct feel for what this film will be about. we see the Terminator and Reese arrive and we see they're both looking for a Sarah Connor. But for entirely different reasons we soon find out.

aside from the great cast, characters, action scenes, never ending rollercoaster suspense ride as the Terminator marches closer and closer to accomplishing his mission, the film has great writing. the film gives solid reasonings for its questions:

[Show spoiler]- why were Reese and the Terminator naked when the arrived in 1984?
- why is the Terminator getting up after getting shot?
- what is the Terminator?
- the reason the police believe he is human ("he must've been on PCP" LOL)
- police thinking Reese is absolutely insane with his story
- why the Terminator is after Sarah Connor
- why he and the Terminator couldn't come to 1984 with weapons
- why no one else has arrived
- why Terminator killed every Sarah Connor (because he didn't know which one)
- and we also see why John Connor will know nothing of his father, and where Sarah got the picture that Reese had

all this, plus one of the greatest villains of all time (the Terminator) equal up to a terrific movie. the effects may be god awful and cheesy, but like i said, it doesn't ruin the film in any way - for me at least.

5/5

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

The Terminator

I recently blind bought this for $10. It was a blind buy for me, and it was a GREAT blind buy. sure, the PQ isn't great - but i knew that going into it - but that doesn't effect how great the film is.

it's amazing how some things so simple can be so great and withstand many years of time. within 20 minutes you have a distinct feel for what this film will be about. we see the Terminator and Reese arrive and we see they're both looking for a Sarah Connor. But for entirely different reasons we soon find out.

aside from the great cast, characters, action scenes, never ending rollercoaster suspense ride as the Terminator marches closer and closer to accomplishing his mission, the film has great writing. the film gives solid reasonings for its questions:

[Show spoiler]- why were Reese and the Terminator naked when the arrived in 1984?
- why is the Terminator getting up after getting shot?
- what is the Terminator?
- the reason the police believe he is human ("he must've been on PCP" LOL)
- police thinking Reese is absolutely insane with his story
- why the Terminator is after Sarah Connor
- why he and the Terminator couldn't come to 1984 with weapons
- why no one else has arrived
- why Terminator killed every Sarah Connor (because he didn't know which one)
- and we also see why John Connor will know nothing of his father, and where Sarah got the picture that Reese had

all this, plus one of the greatest villains of all time (the Terminator) equal up to a terrific movie. the effects may be god awful and cheesy, but like i said, it doesn't ruin the film in any way - for me at least.

5/5

Your first time EVER, or first time on Blu?

[jeffrow]

Edge of Darkness 2.5/5 C-

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Your first time EVER, or first time on Blu?

first time EVER.
I've actually never seen any of the Terminator films. I really want to go pick up the remaining 3, but since LOST is on in a little over 2 hours it would've serve a purpose since i won't have time to watch them yet

[oppopioneer]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

interesting... most people say the first 15-20 minutes are the best in the whole film. and comparing it to Land of the Lost?! they are absolutely NOTHING alike.

What I meant was just the stupid humor of those types of movies with Will Ferrel, they just come up with a lot of off the wall out of left field ideas.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

first time EVER.
I've actually never seen any of the Terminator films. I really want to go pick up the remaining 3, but since LOST is on in a little over 2 hours it would've serve a purpose since i won't have time to watch them yet

Wow. Cool. If you dont know the story behind Terminator 2 you are in for a HUGE surprise and treat. Try to know nothing about it before you see it....and enjoy.

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

first time EVER.
I've actually never seen any of the Terminator films. I really want to go pick up the remaining 3, but since LOST is on in a little over 2 hours it would've serve a purpose since i won't have time to watch them yet

OMG dude, i'm so jealous!! i remember being in 7th grade, staying up all night munching doritos and chuggin caffinated soda and hearing the garbage dude in the garbage truck at the beginning "what the hell? what the heelll?"

to see them first time on Blu is a GIFT! But look who's talking, I saw 2001 for first time on Blu