The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[menaceuk]

Originally Posted by Romulus

I'm still furious as what happened to me a few days ago. I typed out about 5 reviews over films I had seen recently (Gojira, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Artist, Shame, and Drive) and when I was putting the finishing touches on my post our power went out.


All of my reviews gone. I cried a little.

To recap the ratings though:

Gojira - 4/5
Invasion of the Body Snatchers - 2/5
The Artist - 4.5/5
Shame - 3.5/5
Drive - 4/5

I may add some thoughts to these at some point, but I can't get over what happened.

I wouldn't mind reading your thoughts on Shame.

I saw it about a week a go.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Steve46

I'm glad you liked it

It's lurking in the lower reaches of my Top 20 animated.

I really had to readjust my expectations once it got under way. I had anticipated some deaths, but I didnt realize it was going to be

[Show spoiler]Bunnies killing other Bunnies. Some of those guys were really sadistic bastards.

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I really had to readjust my expectations once it got under way. I had anticipated some deaths, but I didnt realize it was going to be

[Show spoiler]Bunnies killing other Bunnies. Some of those guys were really sadistic bastards.

Yep, that's true.

Lots of beautiful stuff in there too though.

I'm about to write the review for No. 43 in my 100 movies series - GOTF

[Steve46]

43. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
Animation, Drama, War, 89 minutes
Directed by Isao Takahata
Starring the voices of Rhoda Chrosite and J. Robert Spencer (English version)



How can I possibly do this film justice? I'm almost in tears just thinking about what I am going to write. The film was released in Japan as part of the same double bill and both have claims to being the best Studio Ghibli releases thus far. My Neighbor Totoro was the other film, and it's possibly the most uplifting film in my collection. In contrast, Grave of the Fireflies is the saddest. I'll try to explain why.

Both films feature girls who are four years old and both are utterly adorable. Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki seem to know exactly how to capture the innocence, curiosity, trust and unconditional love that a young child gives its parents and older siblings.

Grave of the Fireflies is set in Japan during World War II. Unlike most war films, the story is not too concerned with the actual war itself or any of the battles. This is a film about the effects of war. Don't assume that it is aimed at children just because it's animated; it's clearly aimed at an older audience. The opening scene gives an indication of what to expect when we hear Seita's (Spencer) narration and find out that this is the day that he dies. After his death, we see his spirit reunited with that of his little sister, Setsuko (Chrosite). This is not a spoiler. It happens three minutes into the film and everything else is told through the use of flashback. We know right away that the children will die.

It's impossible to discuss the film properly without including spoilers, so be warned.

[Show spoiler]Seita is about 14 years old and is responsible for looking after his sister when their mother is hospitalized. Conditions are awful and the mother dies fairly quickly. Their father is away fighting in the war and possibly dead, so Seita takes his sister to live with an aunt. Unfortunately, they aren't welcome guests because the aunt feels that they contribute nothing. As a result, Seita leaves with Setsuko and decides that they will live in a cave near the beach.

Everything is fine for a while, but the situation in Japan means that very little food is available. The two thrive in each others company, but it's difficult to stay healthy when you don't have enough to eat. The film doesn't push its message continually, but we see sores develop on the backs of the children as they are wading in the ocean. They are developing malnutrition.

Why am I recommending such a depressing story?

[Show spoiler]There is great beauty in the film. I particularly love seeing Seita's inadequate attempts to make Setsuko happy and care for her. She trusts him unconditionally throughout the story. When he mentions that they need money, she produces a little purse and offers what she has. She's happy at the smallest little things such as the taste of her favorite fruit drops or the light of the fireflies in the cave. It's heartbreaking to see her become ill and watch her eventual demise. Her final words will always haunt me, and Seita's simple declaration which follows.

One of the most touching scenes is a flashback within a flashback, showing how she liked to play outside the cave. If you have seen the film, you'll probably feel the same way.

Grave of the Fireflies is an important anti-war film. The story is partially true and is based on the author's failure to keep his own sister safe during the war. So, thinking back to my opening comments, the scene three minutes into the film when their spirits are reunited is incredibly beautiful and uplifting once you realize how pure their relationship was. It's worth seeing that scene again after watching the film in order to fully appreciate its beauty.

Takahata's depiction of Setsuko and Miyazaki's depiction of Mei in My Neighbor Totoro have given us two animated children that we will never forget. The images are so powerful that the films might even encourage you to treat your own siblings differently. It's easy to take things for granted in life. I live in North America and have never really wanted for anything. My life isn't in danger. Films like Grave of the Fireflies help remind me to appreciate the simple joy of living and the freedom to do so in peace.

Mere words aren't sufficient to describe the power and beauty of Grave of the Fireflies. You really have to see it for yourself.

If you like Grave of the Fireflies:

I can't think of another film with the same message, so I will just suggest that fans check out other works by Studio Ghibli. All of the films have good values and are set in beautiful worlds.

If you want another animated title aimed at adults, I would suggest Watership Down. Although most of the characters are rabbits, this is not a cute world where nothing bad ever happens. The rabbits face all manner of dangers. Like humans in the real world, their own species is often their most dangerous foe.

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

No sooner did I post this than two more blind-buys came in through the mail.

So, next greatest blind-buy is..."Enter the Void."

Even though it came out a year after this one, I tend to compare "EtV" with "Tree of Life." Generically, "EtV" is like the dark side of "ToL." Specifically, it'd consist of the following ingredients:

[Show spoiler]

• The grand and far-reaching portrayal of life and death, and the random narrative, of "Tree of Life."
• The trippy visuals during the last half-hour of "2001: A Space Odyssey."
• The dark urban schema of "Requiem for a Dream."
• The seedy Japanese settings of "Lost in Translation."
• That same nutty camerawork you see in "Nightwatch" and "Daywatch."
• Huge helpings of existentialism, complete with the Buddhist book of life and death, and a dreary nihilistic overtone.

Roll them all up into a doobie, light 'em up, and enjoy 161 minutes of stuff that'll make you go .

"Enter the Void" might just be one of the top trippiest films I've seen. It kicks off with a wild collage of credits that in itself could give you a seizure. Then it follows one of the characters through his eyes (literally, the camera even "blinks" when he does), with a weird drug trip to ensue. Then it follows the back of his head as the film recaps the dude's life. Then it floats over the entire city...and...stuff happens. There really isn't much of a plot to this (and, you know, I usually don't like plotless films), but the entire experience is mesmerizing (so long as the pedestrian camerawork and trance-like SFX don't bother you). There is some graphic sexual content; it didn't really bother me, but it could be seen as gratuitous. Overall though, I found the experience quite fascinating.

As mentioned above, there's not much of a plot here. It's actually a bit disconcerting that it took close to three hours to cover content that could have been boiled down to a mere hour. In fact, I felt that most of the plot could be figured out through context in the first forty minutes. Regardless, the film offers enough to contemplate, regarding life, death, rebirth, and the meaning of such. It portrays characters partaking in shallow, meaningless forms of pleasure to pass their lives over and bring them closer to their demise (sex and drugs mostly; I never found the nightlife appealing, so this dark and seedy portrayal really speaks to me).

With all the stylistic gimmicks listed above, the film is quite an interesting animal. Photography can be a bit irritating, thanks to the continuous use of the hand-held camera and the free-floating "ghost" cam. Editing makes sure that the shots run continuously and smoothly, and half of the time I couldn't really tell that was a CGI effect or an optical effect or what. As such, the special effects are often quite effective. Acting is fine and dandy, and the writing is alright. This production has plenty of seedy-looking sets, props, and costumes. Music is fitting.

4/5 (entertainment/experience: 4.5/5, story/content: 4/5, film: 4/5)

Recommendation: As a rental for those who can handle the wild style and the graphic content.

As it is, I'm looking at it as the anti-thesis to "Tree of Life," and much like that film, I could watch "Enter the Void" without the dialogue for its wild visuals. Since so many of you dudes tend to enjoy films that are trippy, mesmerizing, require interpretation, and have no plots (), I would recommend it to the lot of you. I know a couple of you have already seen/enjoyed it.

This Blu-Ray looks darn near perfect in the first part of the film. From then on, it was done on 16mm, so the image often becomes soft, filled with grain and noise, and can look very gaudy in the darker scenes. Fortunately, it is sharp throughout. This is probably the best it can look, given the source material and artistic intent. Sound quality can be a bit low with the dialogue, but shows some good strength with the music.

PQ: 4/5, AQ: 4/5

Extras include some gratuitous deleted scenes, a couple of VFX vignettes that don't really reveal much, a bunch of trailers, and a bunch of posters.

Extras: 2/5

If this movie was a song, it would be

[Show spoiler]this techno song, which always seemed really seedy and creepy to me.

Benny Benassi - Satisfaction - YouTube

ahhhh! great point Al! i never even thought of that! would make for a pretty wicked (although kind of boring ) double feature!

[Foggy]

My next film review will be of Metal Gear Solid 2

[Steve46]

44. The Great Escape (1963)
Adventure, Drama, History, 172 minutes
Directed by John Sturges
Starring Steve McQueen, James Garner and Richard Attenborough



The Great Escape runs almost three hours, but it's never boring. Don't think of it as a traditional war film as there are no battle scenes of any kind. This looks at how people dealt with captivity in a German POW camp. Although it's based on true events, there is far too much humor for us to take the story completely seriously.

It's meant as pure entertainment and features one of the strongest ensemble casts in movie history, featuring the likes of Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasence, James Coburn, David McCallum, Nigel Stock and Gordon Jackson.

It's the duty of every officer to attempt to escape or force the enemy to deploy a ridiculous amount of resources to prevent escapes. The Allied airmen perform that task to their best of their abilities. We see seven people attempt escape in the opening 20 minutes, but these are clumsy efforts meant to test the enemy.

Once that is over, the commanding officers devise a more serious plan. This is a fascinating segment in which we are shown how every man has a part to play, according to his expertise. The group decides to begin three escape tunnels and has several men experienced in that area. While that sounds easy, it's a logistical nightmare. Wood is needed to prevent tunnels from collapsing, so the group takes planks from every possible source. The dirt has to be disposed of and presents another problem. If the escape succeeds, the prisoners will need clothes and documentation to evade capture. They will need to be able to pass as German or French. We are shown how the group comes together and acquires all the necessary materials.

Despite setbacks, a number of prisoners eventually escape. This presents another problem because they can't all use the same escape route. Some travel by train, some by river, and others by cycle, plane or motorcycle.

The most appealing thing about The Great Escape is the sense of camaraderie and seeing how well the group functions as a unit. The Allied commander and the German Kommandant treat each other with respect. It's accepted that the prisoners will try to escape, but there's a sense of honor between the two sides. The Germans would likely attempt similar escapes if the roles were reversed.

Although the humor does take away from the serious nature of the situation, I don't think any disrespect is intended. The movie is dedicated to those who lost their lives. The story works because of the charisma of the cast and the pacing of the events as they unfold. I'm not a fan of war films focusing on battles and glory, but I do appreciate a look behind the scenes at the psychological aspects and group dynamics. That's where The Great Escape shines.

If you like The Great Escape:

There are so many movies about World War II and they range from blockbusters such as The Dirty Dozen to ambitious efforts like The Bridge on the River Kwai. I recommend the latter for fans of The Great Escape as it focuses more on the psychological aspects than action. One of my favorite escape stories is Papillon, which also stars Steve McQueen and is based on a true story.

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Foggy

My next film review will be of Metal Gear Solid 2

can't... figure... this... out...!

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

can't... figure... this... out...!

Have you even played that game?

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Steve46

44. The Great Escape

[Show spoiler](1963)
Adventure, Drama, History, 172 minutes
Directed by John Sturges
Starring Steve McQueen, James Garner and Richard Attenborough



The Great Escape runs almost three hours, but it's never boring. Don't think of it as a traditional war film as there are no battle scenes of any kind. This looks at how people dealt with captivity in a German POW camp. Although it's based on true events, there is far too much humor for us to take the story completely seriously.

It's meant as pure entertainment and features one of the strongest ensemble casts in movie history, featuring the likes of Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasence, James Coburn, David McCallum, Nigel Stock and Gordon Jackson.

It's the duty of every officer to attempt to escape or force the enemy to deploy a ridiculous amount of resources to prevent escapes. The Allied airmen perform that task to their best of their abilities. We see seven people attempt escape in the opening 20 minutes, but these are clumsy efforts meant to test the enemy.

Once that is over, the commanding officers devise a more serious plan. This is a fascinating segment in which we are shown how every man has a part to play, according to his expertise. The group decides to begin three escape tunnels and has several men experienced in that area. While that sounds easy, it's a logistical nightmare. Wood is needed to prevent tunnels from collapsing, so the group takes planks from every possible source. The dirt has to be disposed of and presents another problem. If the escape succeeds, the prisoners will need clothes and documentation to evade capture. They will need to be able to pass as German or French. We are shown how the group comes together and acquires all the necessary materials.

Despite setbacks, a number of prisoners eventually escape. This presents another problem because they can't all use the same escape route. Some travel by train, some by river, and others by cycle, plane or motorcycle.

The most appealing thing about The Great Escape is the sense of camaraderie and seeing how well the group functions as a unit. The Allied commander and the German Kommandant treat each other with respect. It's accepted that the prisoners will try to escape, but there's a sense of honor between the two sides. The Germans would likely attempt similar escapes if the roles were reversed.

Although the humor does take away from the serious nature of the situation, I don't think any disrespect is intended. The movie is dedicated to those who lost their lives. The story works because of the charisma of the cast and the pacing of the events as they unfold. I'm not a fan of war films focusing on battles and glory, but I do appreciate a look behind the scenes at the psychological aspects and group dynamics. That's where The Great Escape shines.

If you like The Great Escape:

There are so many movies about World War II and they range from blockbusters such as The Dirty Dozen to ambitious efforts like The Bridge on the River Kwai. I recommend the latter for fans of The Great Escape as it focuses more on the psychological aspects than action. One of my favorite escape stories is Papillon, which also stars Steve McQueen and is based on a true story.

The Kooler King. One of my childhood heros.

[Show spoiler]

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Foggy

My next film review will be of Metal Gear Solid 2

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

can't... figure... this... out...!

Originally Posted by Foggy

Have you even played that game?

I'm not getting it either. The only MGS movie appearing on imdb is slated for this year, with little to no other information. And it's not a sequel.

So assuming it's not literal, my next guess was "GI Joe: Retaliation." But it's scheduled for June.

Then I thought about "Battleship," but it comes out in April. And it's not a sequel.

So unless it's an advance screening of one of the above, I'm out of guesses. So what is it already?!

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

I'm not getting it either. The only MGS movie appearing on imdb is slated for this year, with little to no other information. And it's not a sequel.

So assuming it's not literal, my next guess was "GI Joe: Retaliation." But it's scheduled for June.

Then I thought about "Battleship," but it comes out in April. And it's not a sequel.

So unless it's an advance screening of one of the above, I'm out of guesses. So what is it already?!

He is talking about the video game. I never actually played it (shame on me), but if it's anything like Metal Gear Solid 4, then it's pretty much a movie in itself. Obviously not quite the same given the difference in technology between systems, but that's beside the point.

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Have you even played that game?

Foggy, for shame! of course i have you overseas fool! but now reading KilloWertz's post, which makes a lot of sense (yes, he makes sense, i said that, and no, i am not drunk ) i see maybe you are just poking fun at the game since it's a "game" but very much like a film.

if so, +1 to you, you clever overseaser!

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

I'm not getting it either. The only MGS movie appearing on imdb is slated for this year, with little to no other information. And it's not a sequel.

So assuming it's not literal, my next guess was "GI Joe: Retaliation." But it's scheduled for June.

Then I thought about "Battleship," but it comes out in April. And it's not a sequel.

So unless it's an advance screening of one of the above, I'm out of guesses. So what is it already?!

i'm going with what Killo says below, the game itself since it has A LOT of cut scenes and dialogue, like a movie.

Originally Posted by KilloWertz

He is talking about the video game. I never actually played it (shame on me), but if it's anything like Metal Gear Solid 4, then it's pretty much a movie in itself. Obviously not quite the same given the difference in technology between systems, but that's beside the point.

+1 on pointing out how "movie like" the MGS series is.

-1 on not playing MGS 2 (or any of them other than 4! and did you even play 4?!?! )

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by KilloWertz

He is talking about the video game. I never actually played it (shame on me), but if it's anything like Metal Gear Solid 4, then it's pretty much a movie in itself. Obviously not quite the same given the difference in technology between systems, but that's beside the point.

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

Foggy, for shame! of course i have you overseas fool! but now reading KilloWertz's post, which makes a lot of sense (yes, he makes sense, i said that, and no, i am not drunk ) i see maybe you are just poking fun at the game since it's a "game" but very much like a film.

if so, +1 to you, you clever overseaser!

i'm going with what Killo says below, the game itself since it has A LOT of cut scenes and dialogue, like a movie.

+1 on pointing out how "movie like" the MGS series is.

-1 on not playing MGS 2 (or any of them other than 4! and did you even play 4?!?! )

I thought he'd be pulling another "Never Been Kissed" review on us. I figured the last "GI Joe" movie was pretty darn similar to "MGS" with all the nanite technology and futuristic hardware, so if he was referring to a movie sardonically as "MGS," I figured that would be it.

Well, I've also only ever played "MGS4," and it is a crap-ton of cut scenes. Reviewing a video game in a movie review thread seems rather odd, but what do I know?

If he does review a game, can I review "Assassin's Creed II" tomorrow?

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

+1 on pointing out how "movie like" the MGS series is.

-1 on not playing MGS 2 (or any of them other than 4! and did you even play 4?!?! )

No, I didn't play Metal Gear Solid 4. It's only listed in my collection because it came with my PS3...

Of course I played the game! It's probably my favorite PS3 game besides the Uncharted series.

I only played Metal Gear Solid. I missed out on a ton of games back in the day, but I can fix that now thanks to all of these HD collections they are releasing. Already took care of that with God of War. I'll get the Metal Gear Solid one eventually. Not quite sure why the original isn't included in it, but I guess that's beside the point.

[Foggy]

You've worked it out I still haven't got around to playing it yet these cut scenes have been going on for hours

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by KilloWertz

No, I didn't play Metal Gear Solid 4. It's only listed in my collection because it came with my PS3...

Of course I played the game! It's probably my favorite PS3 game besides the Uncharted series.

I only played Metal Gear Solid. I missed out on a ton of games back in the day, but I can fix that now thanks to all of these HD collections they are releasing. Already took care of that with God of War. I'll get the Metal Gear Solid one eventually. Not quite sure why the original isn't included in it, but I guess that's beside the point.

It's got something to do with the polygons from the first game not looking very good HD-ed since it's a PS1 game

I really hope they do, one day get around to making these into fully fledged films just for the awesome dialogue delivered in such a straight faced manner

"How do you know who I am"
"An informant under the name of Mr. X told us, he's dressed as a ninja"
"Maybe he's a part of the La Li Lu Le Lo"

[Al_The_Strange]

Sweet!

I got the MGS HD collection sitting around here as well, but haven't touched it yet. Might have to replay #4...

Going through an "AC" binge right now; just platinumed "ACII," moving on with "AC: Brotherhood."

[Foggy]

Assassin's Creed II was awesome, Brotherhood is good, but adds little, never played Revelations. I'm going to wait until they do the actual 3rd game before I catch up on Revelations

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Assassin's Creed II was awesome, Brotherhood is good, but adds little, never played Revelations. I'm going to wait until they do the actual 3rd game before I catch up on Revelations

Yep, "Revelations" is further down on my playlist. I'll just be playing it to see where the story goes.

After playing "ACII" for the second time around, I realized that "Brotherhood" added a lot of stuff I missed. Harder challenges. My own gang of assassins (who can do missions abroad too). The ability to replay any mission. The ability to leave the animus, run around, spy on everyone's e-mail. And, of course, multiplayer.

Honestly though, I prefer the simplicity of "ACII." "ACB" feels a little too tricky for me at times.

Yep, I'm definitely intrigued to see what direction "ACIII" will take.